Our Stars

Chapter 5

"And... You know same." She winked, swallowed as she took a sip in one go.
"Careful, little bird."
"Shut up!"
"You binged like a kid, Fatima."
"Believe me, that is why I have you, old man!"

Fatima's mobile blinked indicating a message.
"We have to go!" Fatima stood up keeping her mobile in the bag, with her doughnut in her one hand and other hand occupied with the coffee cup.
"Where, who was on the phone?"
"It was your sister, she needs help." She chewed on her doughnut.
By the time they were already out of the shop.
"Why does she always have to disturb the peace?" Ibrahim whined, following her.
"Don't forget she is your blood."
"What do you mean?" He frowned opening the door of the car. 
"You are meant to disturb my life long peace, Ibs." Fatima winked.
"You should be thankful." He shrugged and took the empty coffee cup from her hand to dispose it before sitting on his seat.
"Siblings and there - I need help-" Fatima feigned a heavy sigh followed by a chuckle.
"Inform, aunt Oruj, Fatima?" Ibrahim reminded as he bought an engine to life. He took the turn from the driveway before taking the straight road.
"Mum and Aunt Minal are out shopping." She informed, he nodded.

"What is it all the time they need to shop?"
"That way they buy time for each other." Fatima shrugged.

Fatima switched on her mobile to play 8-ball pool.
It was only after one match when the previous conversation started wobbling in her thoughts.

"Why did you went to stalk her? It is just been two days you told me about her, Ibrahim." Fatima turned on the passenger seat, folding her one leg under the other, her hands busy swirling the phone which is now dead, already.
"I was not stalking her."
"Oh, you were!"
"No, I was not." Ibrahim pressed before glancing back at the road.
"Yes, you were!"
"No."
"Yes."
"We are home." Ibrahim dismissed the never-ending and oh-so quarrel conversation.
He parked his car on the driveway of his house.
They went off the car without any word.
He drags the door of the house open, without the word exchanged between them.

The war which will stand for a few more seconds will blow away like the fart.

Zara was in the kitchen.
"Hi." She said sheepishly.
"What the hell in the world of unicorns!" Ibrahim scanned the kitchen in the pure horror.

Mom is literally a horror, at such times.

"Nothing much." Zara shrugged.
"Is it?"
Kitchen counter and the cupboards above it were coated with the flour layer. A broken egg giving the architectural masterpiece on the counter above the flour. Another egg pooled on the tiled floor. Jar gracefully sitting on the kitchen mat which was a mere second away from the counter.

Fatima and Ibrahim both raised their brows in anticipation. Ibrahim folding his hand on his chest.
Fatima picked the jar on her way into the kitchen.
"How did you manage to do this all?" Ibrahim's curiosity beats the cat.
"I wanted to bake."
"Duh!!" Ibrahim exhaled.
"Let's just clear the mess, cold fish" Fatima rolled her sleeves after setting her bag near the counter at a safe place.
"You are love Fati."
"Oh, believe me, I know!" Fatima glanced back between the siblings.
"How about we order some Pizza? It will be here by the time we'll be done." Ibrahim proposed, taking out his mobile from his pant pocket.
"You don't ask for such things idiot." Zara chimed as both the girls giggled.
"My stomach would appreciate some cold- drinks, bud."
"Your stomach appreciate, every effing food, Fatima!"

~~~~~~

"Mom, what's the deal with Aunt Maliha?"
This is not something unusual.
She was concerned about her father. That is all.
"What is it?"
Oruj apprehended sitting on Fatima's bed.
"I called Mehreen Appi and instead of her, Aunt Maliha answered."
Fatima searched her bottle green top from the cupboard.
Oruj raked Fatima's cupboard, nodding disbelievingly.
"And?"
"After greetings and all, she was like why don't you come home dear it's been a long time. I thought, wow, this is Aunt Maliha! and that was all, the next moment she was like, you should more often visit your relatives instead of Ibrahim's."
Fatima was now facing her mom, her features scrunched.
She was not shocked. From Aunt Maliha, this is BASIC!
"Let it be, you know her!"
"Hm..." She shrugged.
"Something is up, isn't it, Amma?"
Oruj's face frowned.
"Don't call me that, Fatima."
"Why, look at your face Amma." Fatima squeezed her mom, kissing her cheeks.
"Get off, Fatima!"
Fatima giggled and resumed her way to the cupboard.
"You called your mom, Amma, so where's the problem Amma?"
"I used to tease her, my grandmother was Indian.
People in India call Amma, Ma or Ammi, to their mom...
" yeah yeah, and you born here but you liked to call your mom, Amma and bla bla."
Oruj smiled, a tinge of past times passed her memories.
"Ok, tell me!"
"She wants you to marry Maaz."
Oruj shrugged.
"No, way!" A dark chuckle escaped her mouth.
"Yes, way!" Oruj exclaimed, smirking.
"Excuse me, mom?"
"Oh, you are excused, love!" Oruj shrugged, smirking.
"Mom?..."
"Good, we are back on Mom."
"Mom?..."
"What do you think?"
"Don't tell me Dad is... considering it?"
"N..."
"You know, Dad loves you and everything that concerns you, darling." Bilal ascended in his daughter's direction, pecking her forehead, gently, beside the fact that you keep up with your messy room.
They all chuckled as Oruj rolled her eyes too.
He searched the whole house to find any of his family and ended up into the intellectual conversation at the right time.
Bilal and Oruj's plan with Minal and Sheheryar is all, these four wanted. Nobody can intrude in what they planned for their children.

They are very much sure and keeping it confidential for now.
Bilal has to upset his sister over this, however, his daughter is the precious little gem, he can not loose that to anyone.  He could never think of something that would upset her or take her away from him for the bad.

Therefore now Fatima is back to normal, not that she was not a few moments ago.
She smiled.
"And you fought with her, again?"
Fatima pouted.
"I had to, I respect her for Allah's sake, however, she does not seem to understand that."
"We know!" Both said simultaneously, cheering him.

"Nadir might be home any moment, now.
Bilal go, freshen up. You know that little monster can not starve for longer."
"He takes after you, love."
"Of course, not!" Oruj compelled.
"Don't get me to start on this, now." Bilal's laughter echoed the whole house.
"Leave!" Oruj forced him out of the room as she turned to Fatima, again.
"What were we on?" Oruj's hands were now on her waist.
"What Mumma?" Fatima asked, a bit more cautious this time as she was little baffled by the instant change of her mom's mood.
"You change your rooms matter so smoothly like butter slips one's throat, effortlessly!"
"I was..."
"Don't tell me you were about to do the honours of cleaning your room..." Oruj roared, increasing her volume one step at a time. 
Fatima shrugged and nodded.
"What a view...!" Oruj appreciated the good management of maintaining her messy, yet rotten, yet disdain room.
This is the most dreadful moment of her whole day.
It is your everyday story!
Her mind played the rhythm.

"Mumma...?" Nadir's heavenly voice reached their ears.
-My boy, my hero, you came to rescue your sister! I'm weeping inside. I love you, little brother.-
She chanted in her head.
This will gradually change her mom's mood and matter of the house once again.

Oruj turned to leave the room only after warning Fatima to "clean".
Love you, little brother.
Fatima sighed.
"Why do you have to take my precious time mom?"
She exhaled moving to her another closet.
"Oh yes, my bottle green top, where are you?" She shouted to no one in the room.

"Oh my...! Oh...! ok...! I know you all love me, but now is not the time, guys!" Fatima exclaimed to her clothes which came out hugging her fiercely as soon as she opened her closet.
Damn!

"Fatima....!"
Natures call, let's go.
"Coming mom!"

"How are practices going on?" Bilal asked Nadir as he sat on the dining table, setting plates for everyone.
He has been enrolled in a soccer club a few months ago.
Nadir showed interest and that was all for Oruj to know.
"I went to his club dad, he doesn't  know how to play, yet!"
"He is learning," Oruj confirmed.
"Dad, I'm playing good," Nadir exclaimed.
All of them now settled on the table.
"No, you don't!" Fatima ignited the flame in the little Nadir.
"I know my boy, I know!" His dad assured him.
"What about the last match, you did not play in that?" Fatima continued.
"I will in the next one, Dad, I was injured in the last match. Everyone knows that!" He started yelling, impatient with his sister's so mature behaviour with him.
"Mom, tell her to stop!" Nadir continued with the urge of tears in his emerald green eyes.
"I will show you the goal in my next match, I challenge you," Nadir exclaimed.
Little did he know this was all Fatima wanted.
Poor little soul, she smirked.
"Hah, we will see, Nadiraa...!"

"Mom...?"
"Fatima...!"
"I'm eating!"

"Sometimes, I doubt, if she is my elder sister, poor me!" Nadir huffed making everyone chuckle whilst getting spanked on his head from his sister, Fatima.

After that dinner went peacefully, except the sound of Fatima's grumble. Oruj has to let her eat in peace sometimes.

"Appi, listen," Nadir went on to whisper in her ear.
"Hmm?"
"Karma is a bitch, you get served what you deserve, Sista!"

Unbelievable!!

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