Roots

Chapter Eight

"It's okay, i'll teach you some. Don't be hard on yourself, it isn't your fault."She replied then she smiled. "Tomorrow before we go shopping, i'll introduce you to one of my father's friend that can help you with it."

"Really?"

"Yup. But now we have to go downstairs."

I nodded, Elena came near me and she did my scarf then we left the room and went downstairs into this room where they all were sitting. Faron looked down at the floor, not being able to look at me and weirdly Nasser did the same thing too. Naz just looked at me as his hand rested on his chin.

A older man, he looked about in his 60s or 70s, he had a small beard and looked at me up and down then smiled at me. Elena went near him and hugged him, then she sat down next to me by her mother in law.

"So do you two want to go out today?"Naz asked as he looked at me and Elena. "More like i'm asking Rayanna, not you Elena."

Elena rolled her eyes."Shame on you Naz, we already had plans which didn't include you."

"Really?"Naz said as he looked at her dead in the eye. "How are you going to like it when i eat all your kebabs or tell syed not to sell you any or to Faron."

"As if Syed listens to you anyway Naz, stop annoying my wife."Faron replied as he looked at his brother.

The older man looked at Naz and said something in pashto, Naz let out a sigh and decided to be quiet at that moment. The older man looked at me. "Where are you from?"He asked in english which caught me to my surprise.

"Same place as Elena."I replied with a smile on my face. "Thank you for allowing me to stay in your house."

He nodded. "You are most welcome, it's what us pashtuns do." He looked at Elena. "Are you all going out for dinner?"

"I don't know Baba."Elena said with a unsure look on her face. 

"You should all go."He replied with a smile on his face.

-

We all sat down at this table, in the far corner, there was a band playing on different weird instruments i hadn't seen before but they were making a beautiful tune. Elena looked at me and smiled. "That is a Rabab."

"Really?"

She nodded. "They'll start singing in a bit."

Behind Elena, you could see a park and a fun fair along with surrounding restaurants and a MacDonalds as well. "The place behind me and elena is garrison park."Faron said as he looked at me with a smile on his face.

"We should of went to breadchef."Naz decided to say as he sat across Faron and Elena with Nasser by him.

"Bas, be quiet, we are here now."Nasser said as he pulled out his phone and took a picture of the menu in front of him.

"Can we give the order now?"Elena spoke as she let out a sigh. "I'm hungry."

"You are always hungry."Naz said as he rolled his eyes. 

"Like you aren't either, with your midnight drives to macdonalds."Faron said as he rolled his eyes at his brother, he called the waiter over and gave him the order then he left.

"So what do you do in England then?"Naz said as he looked at me.

"Erm...I work with Elena."I quickly replied, not knowing what else to say. Elena nodded and smiled. "She's one of the dental nurses in the clinic."

Then Elena got up, she looked at faron. "I'm going to the bathroom."Then she left.

Silence sat between us all four, i looked down at my hands, trying not to make eye contact which would make this awakard.

"So is Elena your best friend then?"Nasser asked as he looked at me with a warm smile on his face.

I looked up, she kinda was in these past two days. I nodded. "Yeah she kinda is."

"She is like my sister."Nasser replied as he put his phone in his pocket in is traditional clothes. "Faron actually chose a nice girl to marry."

"What can i say?"Faron said as he looked at the floor but a gleaming smile sat on his face. "She is one of a kind."

"Do you like cricket? Or football?"Nasser asked as the waiter came with our drinks. I picked up my 7up bottle from the table and nodded. "I like football but sometimes i play cricket."

"You would be better then Elena at cricket and football?"Naz said as he took a sip of his drink. "She's kinda shit at it but she likes it."

"She's better then you."Faron said as he looked his brother. "Better at many things then you are."

Elena came in, she sat next to Faron, he picked up her mango drink and handed it to her. She smiled at him and took a sip of it. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Nasser was just saying you are his favourite."I replied, not mentioning what Naz said. 

She let out a chuckle. "I wonder why."

"You know why wandire."Nasser replied with a chuckle. 

"Bas, you know you are my favourite brother in law."Elena added with a smile on her face.

"Favouritism at its finest."Naz said as he rolled his eyes at them.

"What does Wandire mean?"I asked with a puzzle look on my face as i looked at them. 

"Wandire means sister in law."Faron replied as he looked at me. "Do you seriously not know any pashto?"

I nodded. "I never got to learn."

"Well you can learn now."Nasser said. "We've got time."

"Let's start with the basics."Elena said with a smile on her face. "Sanga yi? which means how are you?"

"S-anga yi?"I repeated what elena said. Nasser let out a chuckle and looked at me, shaking his head. "It is Sa-nge yi."

"Sa-nge yi."I repeated what Nasser said with a smile on my face.

Faron gave me a little clap. "You got the first one."

"How does someone answer it then?"

"There's two dialects, there is Elena's one which is Sha yama."Naz replied as he sipped on his drink. "And there is the proper good dialect which is kha yama."

"Stop making fun out of khattak pashto before you get it from me."Elena said as she rolled her eyes at him.

"Sh-aaa yama."I tried to repeat what Naz said.

Everyone bursted out laughing, after the food came and we all sat there, having fun with each other like we've known each other for so long.