Wabasta | Complete ✔

Chapter 8

He felt his consciousness returning. The voice of a woman was bringing him out of a deep slumber.

"Sir? Sir, I'm going to need you to straighten your seat please? We are about to land."

When he managed to force open his eyes, a stream of bright warm sunlight hit them making him squint. He could barely manage to see the airhostess in front of him who was now smiling at him. Aman nodded his head and pulled himself up, sitting straight. He straightened his seat and rubbed his eyes trying to drive away the sleep. He didn't intend to fall asleep on the connecting flight, but his state was such he couldn't help it. The day before he did a full 36-hour shift at the hospital and barely got any sleep before his flight. He was exhausted but also excited about coming back home.

The flight landed about 10 minutes later, surprisingly on schedule. It took around an hour or so before he finally picked up his luggage from the conveyer belt and came out in the arrival hall. There, the Qureshi family except Adil was waiting for him. He could see Sidra eagerly waiving and smiling from what seemed like a whole mile away.

"Aman!" She was quick to rush to him the moment he came out of the gate. Aman hugged her back, tighter than ever. It was the best feeling ever. He placed a kiss on her forehead and asked,

"Kaisi hai ammi?"

"Main bilkul theek hoon bacchay. Tum kaise ho? Kitne thake hue lag rahe ho." she brushed her hands over his cheek.

"Ab woh thaka hua toh hoga na Sidra, itni lambi flight thi, aur hamare doctor sahab mehnat bhi toh karte hai kitna." Asad stepped in and Aman immediately took him in his embrace. His father patted his back, standing there hugging him teary eyed. The last time they had seen him was when they visited him in London at his convocation two years ago.

After they exchanged greetings Aman requested they head home. On their way back he kept looking out the window. The streets of the city he grew up in. The buildings, the billboards and even the sky were making him nostalgic. Upon reaching the Qureshi house, he greeted all of the servants of the house, most of them knew, some he didn't, but he introduced himself to them nevertheless. He then headed straight to his room without any delay, it remained exactly the way he left it 6 years ago. Nothing had moved an inch from its place. It almost made his eyes well up.

Aman heaved a sigh and smiled. It just took him a few seconds to take off his shoes and socks and jump straight to bed. On it he lay staring at the ceiling for a while. He stared at the fan, the cool windy air circulating in the room. He had missed it, he missed it all. The dim yellow lights, his favorite linen which he was lying on, the smell of home. He turned around and rested his face on the pillow and was asleep in no time.

The next time he woke up, he couldn't tell how much time had passed, but it felt like only a few minutes. Sidra gently patted on his forehead to wake him up.

"Aman, beta shaam hogayi hai. Tum subah aake aise hi sogaye, na kuch khaya, na kapre change kiye."

Aman blinked his eyes a few times before he opened them completely. He picked up his phone which was lying on the side table.

"6 baj gaye? Already?"

Sidra laughed at his inquisition.

"Jee janab. 6 baj gaye. Ab chalo uth bhi jao. Maheen aur Jannat ayi hui hai, kabse bahir baith ke tumhara intezar kar rahe hai."

He sat up, still feeling a little groggy.

"Toh aap mujhe pehle jaga deti na ammi."

"Jaga deti lekin tum itne sukoon se so rahe the, mera mann nahi kiya. Koi baat nahi, ab uth gaye ho toh kapre change karke fresh hokar ajao neeche. Hum lawn main baithe huye hai."