Ishq Kinara[Love Ashore] Complete

10. Clear Waters

As Izaan followed his mother and took his seat close to his father, the conversation flew back again. He also got invested. But he was still lost. He was still clueless.

Everything was in place yet everything had changed.

_______

Farwa glanced in the direction of the stairs and huffed. Her hands were busy cutting the vegetables for the dinner but the restlessness was evident by the manner with which she was going on about the task. Irma chuckled taking another sip of her tea.

"Why don't you go to upstairs and ask him if he wants some snacks before the dinner."

Everyone in the house knew how busy Sarim was these days with the preparations of the Fiesta. His timing of coming back from campus was pretty erratic so most of the times he wasn't even present at meals.

All her anger at him aside but Farwa was a mother after all. She was concerned. It was another day of him coming home late. There was time in dinner but Farwa didn't want him to stay hungry.

Farwa didn't reply. Irma knew she wouldn't. She left her mug on the table and held Farwa's hand.

"Irma, don't! I have to get done with the dinner on time."

"How long you both plan on keep this going?"

"He shouldn't have done it."

"For me, Ammi. Whatever he did was for me."

"But he didn't have to."

"Ammi, I admit he didn't think that through. Just acted on his impulse. But his intentions weren't wrong you see."

Farwa scowled but didn't contradict with Irma.

"You tell me, all the arguments he's have with Baba, how many of those were for his own benefit? Only two times the fight was his. When he refused to go to army and when he refused his monthly pocket money telling Baba he can take care of this. All the other times whenever him and Baba were at loggerheads, it was related to us, Ammi. Either me or you. This or that. When we couldn't ask Baba whys and hows, Sarim did it for us. Cut him some slack here."

Farwa looked away feeling the weight of Irma's words. It was true. From very early on in life, Sarim had resorted to being there for his mother and sister. He didn't follow his father's footsteps. He identified what the root of the toxicity in their lives was and he stood against it no matter what.

"He misses you. You miss him. You're ignoring him and he's trying to keep his distance. But I can't just sit here and see you both being like this. You just have to let him know, Ammi that you are ready to talk. I can bet he'll take no time in saying sorry. You know him, don't you?"

She was right. Sarim wasn't shy of apologies. He would be the first person to sort things out. Farwa knew this kid's heart. How much love was there for the people close to him. Even for his father as well. Families are like this only. They fight, they break apart, they have arguments but they always get back to who they are.

Family.

Farwa got up placing the bowl of the vegetable to the side.