For a normal twenty two year old, Zonish could say with conviction that there were many normals of a very normal life which weren't normal for her. Not going to the grand scheme of interacting with people and making them your pals, no, even mundane tasks like grocery shopping were also nor that mundane and everyday happening for her. And this, she realized standing right in the middle of the aisle while looking at the different brands and types of cooking oil. Yeah just cooking oil.
She wasn't that detached from the workings of everyday life, but grocery shopping had become another of those things she refrained from indulging in because it reminded her so much of a childhood no sign of which could be seen in her adult life.
Grocery shopping was her and her mother's thing so it was only fitting that she left that memory intact. After her mother's demise, Zonish never showed any interest in this very normal task. And no one forced her to do so anyway.
But she had never, not even in her wildest speculations, thought that her first visit in years to a store with the sole purpose of shopping household goods would be with one particular Hesham Baig. Talk about luck.
They had been visiting Musa's mother quite often and after the first two visits they had concluded even if they couldn't do much for the years of longing and emotional baggage the woman had been carrying on her frail old shoulders, they could at least do something about the sorry state of her living condition. It started with changing the faulty bulbs and tube lights in her small dingy house, followed by a thorough cleaning up of the place with the help of Rukhsana who was looking quite abashed that she hadn't paid attention to this mess before. But Hesham had assured her that she was doing way more than was expected out of her seeing she wasn't a blood relative of Maa Jee, just a neighbour who had been taking care of her for years after Musa's death. Then it was decided that stocking Maa Jee's house with groceries was also important. Maa Jee was still sitting in her corner of the room, for the most part oblivious to what was happening around her. But she was very well aware of the two kids who were visiting her every now and then and that was the most commotion her house had seen for years. It was a welcoming hustle and Maa Jee was more than happy with it. It wasn't difficult to make her happy though. Just sitting down with her talking about the few beautiful years she had spent with her son was all that was needed for her to beam with happiness. Mothers are always just so full of warmth even when you're not even there with them. The halo of love always reaches you no matter if you're six feet under or if they are no longer in your life. It's a bond for a lifetime.
Maa Jee didn't know but somewhere both these kids who had come into her life as angels were deprived of the same motherly love she was so full with. They both hadn't said it out loud in years, but deep down they both missed it, wondering what it must be to have that warm existence of just love and more of it.
Zonish sighed deeply and looked around. Hesham was with her just a moment ago but now he was nowhere to be seen. Picking up what seemed to her the best choice for cooking oil, Zonish put it in her cart and wheeled it around turning the corner in search of her partner, both in crime and debunking it as Hesham had so cheekily announced the other day. Zonish rolled her eyes remembering the mischievous glint in his eyes. God bless his future clients. This lawyer was way too cheery for this business.
She had spotted him at the end of the aisle, close to the snacks section. Her face morphed into a thin line because he wasn't alone. Apparently he was helping out a girl with his choice of snacks and she was laughing along at his pathetic ass jokes.
Zonish stood there with her arms folded on her chest. Her glasses were pretty low on the slope of her nose and the disdain on her face was giving her the look of a strict primary level teacher. Hesham concluded that with a wicked grin on his face.
"I've got it. I'm gonna follow through with your recommendations. That's just so sweet of you. Helping me out like this. I've been struggling a lot with local brands and stuff after moving here from abroad. Thank you."
Hesham nodded in acknowledgement. Zonish was still looking at them when the girl turned to her and gave her a friendly smile.
"I'm sorry I took your boyfriend's time. "
Zonish's eyes widened and then they narrowed some more. The girl's smile didn't falter. She just chuckled softly.
"Quite a grumpy girlfriend you've got."
She said to Hesham to which he didn't say anything, just smiled. Zonish was ready to bombard both of them with some truth but the girl was already moving the corner. What Zonish could do was shout behind her.
"I'm not grumpy!"
Hesham stood next to her looking over at the goods she had put inside the cart. He raised his eyebrows at her.
"You're not my girlfriend either."
She gave her a scathing look.
"Stop enjoying this too much. "
"You being grumpy or my not exactly but still girlfriend?"
"As if I'll ever be! I already feel for that poor soul."
"I share the sentiment. Imagine bagging a guy with this good looks and brain on top of a charming personality. I mean, wow."
"Get your head out of your ass and help me out here."
He obliged without a word. It was the wise choice. He had already filled today's quota of narcissism anyway.
They had loaded the bags in Hesham's car. Zonish sat inside and was waiting for Hesham to take the wheel. It took him sometime and when he did, a chilled glass lemon slush was handed to her. A relieved thank you was on the tip of her tongue. Karachi's weather was a bitch sometimes.
"Don't fret. I know thank yous don't come easy to you."
He had started the car. Zonish was silently sipping her slush when she looked sideways at him.
"You know we are doing all this for Maa Jee and it's really the bare minimum. But we're stuck in the case proceedings. We just know that there's more to Musa's case than everyone knows. How to get to what actually happened? We don't really have a clue."
"We can't exactly ask Barrister Ansar Minhaj. He doesn't even know we are digging up his buried skeletons. Asking him about his dirty laundry is out of bounds."
"As if he'd say anything straight up. You lawyers are good liars."
"No offense taken."
"Should've but never mind."
"I'm trying to reach some ends to see the real picture but honestly so far nothing's working. The constable we talked to was the only person willing to even acknowledge the case."
Zonish nodded when an idea struck her. It was probably bad and not that legal as well. But the person sitting next to her wouldn't mind it that much, she was sure of it.
"What if...what if we make him talk?"
"We already talked to him, Zoni."
The car stopped in front of the familiar lane of Musa's house.
"No, no. I mean...making him talk."
Hesham killed the engine and looked at her. The wheels of his mind were churning. He shook his head with a smile.
"You really are a journalist in making, hun?"
She shrugged her shoulders. It was their only bet. Obviously, the constable would know if there was something fishy in the case. Making him talk was merely using any of his past dirty work against him and they didn't have to worry about that, Zonish could tell the constable wasn't one to lean towards clean money, having got some out of Hesham's pocket for even talking about the case. A little bit of digging and they would find something to blackmail him. Yeah it wasn't legal, but it was necessary.
They came out of the car. Zonish held the now empty glass of slush in her hand.
"Thank you for this by the way."
Hesham was pleasantly surprised but the next moment it turned into a knowing smirk because she said what she wanted to say the entire car ride.
"And don't call me Zoni!"
She picked a few bags and giving him a warning look, went inside the house. Hesham just shook his head. Typical and very normal of Zoni.
_____
Safwa Kirmani had never sat down to jot down the pros and cons of dating. She never had to. When she was in a kind of relationship or lack thereof with Hesham, she never had to worry over it. Hesham was her childhood buddy and he was mostly free anyway. So spending time together was never something they had to try for. It just happened naturally. Their friends' hang outs were enough for them.
And Safwa was just now realizing how far from dating that whole setting was, without them even realizing. Because now that she was in a far real and different relationship, she was getting the first hand experience that taking time out for seeing each other was so much necessary.
And that was always so difficult because Izaan Shoaib was a star medical student in the middle of his fourth year of MBBS. Free time was a myth for him these days with his hospital rotations and clerkships going in full swing with his regular lectures and practical assessments.
Safwa tried being reasonable about it but after a few days it started weighing down on her as well. There would be days when he wouldn't show up to their usual meet up places. It should've put a wedge between them, the lack of time and seeing each other. But somehow this made Safwa more aware of how demanding Izaan's career line was. She was as accommodating as ever and most of the time she was more worried for him not getting enough sleep than him not making it to their small dates.
Dates. That was a new addition in this just a few weeks old relationship. There was nothing typical about those. Just them roaming around Karachi's buzzing neighborhoods, sometimes hitting the Seaview just to live the feeling of that first realization of love. It was warm, sweet and something bordering on what forever looks like. Going slow but forming steadily. Marking its presence. Forming a crevice to fill up with just love and understanding. That was the crux and essence of their relationship, as Elaf would often say. Their understanding about each other put them apart and Safwa couldn't agree more. It was this understanding alone which never made her feel dejected. A missed date and then she'd have a long call from him, time taken out from his night study schedule with his tired and groggy voice. Talking about his day and her sharing about hers. Promising to meet the next weekend and sometimes making it and sometimes not. There were hits and misses. There were low days and then there were bright days too. They were exploring something new and getting used to what they already knew. Any missed chance just a ripple over a vast and calm sea of what was within Safwa and Izaan. Theirs and here to stay.
They still had to break this news to some people close to them. Their squad was another story. After knowing all three of them knew what was going on between her and Izaan and were just waiting for them to acknowledge it, Safwa had cornered Hesham one day and very seriously asked him if this was the actual reason behind him ending whatever that was between him and her. Hesham had smiled, the trademark Hesham smile.
"It's about timing, Safi."
He had said.
"Just when I was full of regret that I wasn't in love with you the way I should've, I saw the same love in Izaan's eyes for you and in your eyes for him. It was just a matter of perfect timing. That's how I see it. You know that precise moment when all hands of a clock are just pointing towards the right time. It's a right second, minute and hour. Standing in that open space in front of an ongoing concert, it was that moment for me. Everything settled. I didn't lose you. But I didn't get you in any way which would make you lose in the future. You got something precious and Izaan got you. That was one beautiful intertwining and detangling of fates."
That was poetic, but still so like Hesham. Safwa had shed tears hugging him. But then his no filter talks which always surrounded her very own boyfriend made her smack him in the back but he was unstoppable as always.
As far as telling their families about it, Safwa was sure by now Izaan's whole family knew. They hadn't said much. They hadn't said anything for that matter. But if Abba's fondness towards her which had increased some more, Memoona auntie's motherly warmth warmer and more welcoming, and even Shoaib Uncle's kind smile towards her when she had met him by chance one Sunday was any indication, they all already had accepted as a part of them. Even Ibtihaj used to take time out of his study and friends to be home when she'd come over. Ibsam usually avoided her but Safwa didn't mind it much.
As for her own family, Nusrat Aapa was the person on whose lap Safwa had first confessed to herself that she was in love, so there was no point she didn't know. Along with their three best friends, she was a witness of the progression between her and Izaan. Her tea time snacks had increased in both quantity and variety because Izaan loved them.
The one person Safwa still hadn't told about this major development was, well her Phupho which was both worrying and astounding because by rule, she deserved to be the first person to know it. Safwa didn't want to just blurt it out to Bisma. She wanted it to make a full impact on how deeply she was in love with Izaan. Bisma usually wasn't good at understanding the matters of hearts but that wasn't just the only thing which was stopping Safwa from letting her into this new reality of her life. There was something, very minute, very unimportant but still bugging her. A small whisper that she should wait. That shouldn't tell her Phupho yet. Safwa was ashamed of herself but she had no idea why she was stalling this. The one time she mustered up enough courage to go see her and tell her about it, Bisma was stuck in a conference for hours and Safwa came back home after spending some time with Hesham and Rashid.
But Safwa knew she would have to tell Bisma sooner or later. That was only right. Her phupho was the one person who had been there for her every step of her life so hiding something of that much importance to her wasn't sitting right with Safwa. She made a mental note of spending some needed Phupho-Safwa time with her because God it had been long.
She sighed, shaking her head. Zoning out was so easy when there was so much on your mind and you were sitting in the waiting area of a hospital.
Perks of having a doctor-to-be boyfriend.
Izaan had an early day today, after an eternity if Safwa was being honest. He had rotation in the surgical ward and after that he was free to go.
That wasn't that nice because he had pulled an all-nighter the previous night so Safwa could understand he would, most probably be both tired and sleep deprived.
She wasn't here to bring him to some place they could hang out. No. That was the thing about her. She was always so considerate towards the people she loved. She knew he needed rest right now so she refrained from going to his place. His family had a knack of treating her like a dotted child and she didn't want the chaos to interrupt his sleep or rest.
She was just here to hand him over the cookies she had specially baked for him. Cookies were their love souvenirs. As long as there were enough cookies, there was enough love. He loved them to bits and she loved making and baking them for him.
So that was her simple plan, ask him how he was doing, put the box in his hand, bid him bye and be on her way making sure he was on his as well.
But best laid plans often don't go as planned.
He was coming out of the ward in his scrubs. Safwa was playing with phone out of sheer boredom when her eyes fell on him and she just kept staring.
Staring was rude but oh dude!
Maybe it was her gaze but he did look her way and the smile that reached his lips was something which could light up this whole corridor. He reached her side in a few strides.
"Hi."
She mumbled coming out of her trance.
"Hey. How long have you been sitting here?"
"Not long. About forty minutes I guess."
"Long enough. Just gimme a few minutes. I just have to change and freshen up and then we'll go."
"Izaan!"
He was about to move after caressing her hand softly when she called out to him. He turned around looking at her.
"We aren't going anywhere."
"Aren't we?"
"No. There was no plan. I just came here to give you these cookies. You should go home and rest. We can hang out some other time."
A lazy smile made its way on his lips. He saw the extended box of cookies she had stretched out towards him and shook his head. Leaning down a bit to match her height, he looked in her eyes.
"Unexpected plans are always the best. Keep the box. The idea of having cookies made by you with you isn't that bad to be honest."
"But....you're tired!"
"Not that tired that I can't spend some time with you."
Safwa didn't know how to respond to this. It was always about small things. Making sure he rests. Making sure she spends time with him. They both were too deep into this.
"Are you two done or we should wait some more for the introductions?"
The amused voice had come from somewhere behind Izaan. He stepped aside. Roshna and Kumail stood there. Safwa didn't have to guess who they were. She knew the only two people Izaan was friends with in Med School. His anecdotes of his classes or anything related to his institution could never be completed without mentioning these two.
"Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity, Izaan. We thought you'd never move."
Roshna exclaimed and stood close to Safwa.
"Hi, Safwa! I'm..."
"Roshna, I've heard a lot about you from Izaan. And you must be Kumail, right?"
The guy nodded with a friendly grin plastered on his face.
"We asked this loser so many times to introduce us to you but he's a weird one. But finally we met."
The conversation flew easily. Izaan gave Safwa a look and walked away. Kumail and Roshna were so easy to converse with that Safwa didn't realize when Izaan joined them again. He was back in his casuals and Safwa felt a bit disappointed. But going out in scrubs wasn't a sensible choice anyway.
They bid Kumail and Roshna a bye and were soon out of the main entrance.
"They are so cute together!"
Roshna exclaimed when Kumail made a face.
"You know we can also be cute together."
She gave him a duh look and then shook her head.
"I'm sure about us together but cute with you in the picture? I think I'll pass."
She maneuvered her way around him who was just looking at her with surprise written on his face.
"What?"
She giggled and speeded up her walk towards the room they had discarded their things.
"Did you just say we are together?"
Laugh bubbled through her lips and Kumail could swear he hadn't heard something as melodic before.
_____
Memoona placed the two plates on the table and went inside the kitchen again. She was preparing for the dinner on the side along with making evening snacks for everyone. Her eyes would dart towards the wall clock every now and then.
"Ibsam, Ibtihaj! Be quick! Pasta will get cold!"
She called out and in a few seconds, shuffling of the feets could be heard. The chairs scraped and the twins sat down taking their plates. They had skipped lunch in favour of a two hour long nap and now they were famished, so much that they couldn't even wait for the dinner which would be ready in just an hour. Memoona being the doting mother that she was, didn't waste a single second and in no time a generous amount of pasta was cooked.
"It's delicious, Amma!"
Ibtihaj called out with a mouthful. Memoona smiled, stirring the gravy on the stove. No such compliment had come from Ibsam. She frowned because no matter how detached he was sometimes, but still he always praised her food if it was up to his liking and Memoona knew he loved Pasta made by her. She shrugged her shoulders. The mood swings of this child of hers were out of her understanding sometimes.
"Is Izaan Bhai home?"
It was again Ibtihaj asking the question. Memoona put the washed potatoes in the basket and taking her cutting board, knife and peeler along came out to sit under the fan. The kitchen wasn't a place to linger for too long, especially in Karachi's weather.
"No. He's still at the hospital. Should come any minute now."
"He's very busy these days hun?"
Memoona nodded, peeling the potatoes with expertise gained over the years.
"Yes, he is. His hospital rotations and clerkship have started and this has left him with no free time. My poor boy pulled an all-nighter yesterday too."
"That's no biggie. All-nighters in student life are normal."
Ibsam commented earning a disapproving look from both Ibtihaj and Memoona. They all knew how much hard work Izaan put into his studies because unlike other students he wasn't paying full fee. He was on a fully funded scholarship and to keep his grades up to the criteria to keep himself on the list all through the five years he was going to study in this college.
"But not all students are enrolled on a scholarship program and have to keep it going too. That's different."
Ibtihaj gave Ibsam a challenging look as to deny it if you can.
"You guys just like making Izaan Bhai a hero in every setting."
"Ibsam! Where's this coming from?"
Ibtihaj was taken aback by the way Ibsam had talked about Izaan. Memoona had stopped peeling the potatoes. Her eyes were fixed on her son and the scowl on his face mentioning his elder brother.
"It's always the same shit. Izaan this, Izaan that. Sometimes I feel like Izaan Bhai is the main protagonist of this play and we are just the extras."
"You're crossing a line!"
Memoona was still silent. The scowl was deepening on Ibsam's face.
"I'm just talking and you're accusing me of crossing the line. When in reality every line in this house is always crossed by Izaan Bhai. Every rule which we were always taught to never break is bendable for Izaan Bhai. He can make rich friends, that was acceptable. He can invite them over, that's also welcomed. He can get himself a princess of a girlfriend and she comes to this house every other day and suddenly the talks of class difference, social standing, financial status all are forgotten. Amma, you guys should just announce you have a favourite child because your actions truly scream that you do!"
He had pushed his plate away and stood up. It seemed like the lava which was boiling within him for days and finally erupted out of the surface and now the whole room was burning, Mostly Ibtihaj's heart and Memoona's eyes. Ibsam had left the dining room and the slamming of a door indicated he wasn't coming out for the next few hours from his den.
Ibtihaj slowly got up from his chair. The unfinished Pasta on his plate was suddenly feeling unappetizing to him even though he had dug in as if he was starved for days. He reached his mother's side and hugged her. Memoona took a shaky breath.
"It's okay, Amma! He didn't mean any of that."
"He did. He did, Ibtihaj! We can't always ignore this."
Ibtihaj opened his mouth to deny it but then he realized that wasn't possible. She was right.
"Ibtihaj."
"Yes, Amma?"
"Izaan shouldn't know about this. You know how he is. After such a long time my child is happy. I don't want anyone to ruin this for him. He will shun away from everything. He will close himself in his shell once again knowing how his own brother is so against something he's happy about. And if Safwa comes to know about this, she will be devastated. What will I say to her? That this is how she's viewed in this house? As a spoiled princess of some sort? Just don't tell anyone about it. I will talk to Ibsam once he's cooled off. I will try making him understand."
Ibtihaj wanted to say it'd be futile but he didn't. He didn't have in his heart to be truthful right now when his mother was clinging onto the hope that this was fixable. Nothing about Ibsam's mentality was fixable.
He just hopes it wouldn't do some unfixable damage to his house and its relations too.
_____
It was the side of a road at the other end of which a lane was starting. The Chai stall was wafting the intoxicating aroma of the concoction. To the left of it was a park and the sidewalk was lined with benches covered by umbrellas. On one such bench were sitting two people with an opened cookie box in front of them on the table.
Safwa took a small bite off the large cookie in her hand and glanced to the side. Izaan was practically sprawled on the bench which was not like him, he wasn't usually this at ease in public settings.
"Tired?"
"Very."
"I told you to go home and rest."
"Tired but not that tired."
She chuckled at his response and breaking a chunk of her cookie, raised it towards his mouth. He chewed on it slowly as if enjoying the taste again even though he had already eaten half of the box anyway.
"Doesn't it bother you?"
"What? You eating all the cookies? Not really. I baked them for you only."
"No, silly."
He flicked her nose earning a scowl from her.
"This, a tired and ready to collapse Izaan Shoaib."
Safwa scrunched her nose as if in deep contemplation and then shook her head.
"Not really. You've always been this busy the three years I've known you."
"Knowing someone and having them in your life as someone important are two different things, Safwa."
"Then good thing I knew you before you became someone important in my life. I always knew this, Izaan. I'm used to it. Yes, these days it's more than usual but since it's the beginning of your hospital rotations that's why. We will get used to these too."
"But I don't feel good about it. I'm always neck deep in work and can barely take out time for you. This wasn't my idea of finally getting into a relationship."
"How romantic. Then what was your idea exactly?"
She asked, leaning towards him. They were sitting side by side, so that her face was just a few inches shy of touching his shoulder and staying there. But he himself was in need of a shoulder right now he could lean on and sleep. So Safwa was refraining from beating him to it no matter how tempting the warmth of his embrace was.
"Now how many more cookies will we have to share before you tell me what's exactly disturbing you?"
She sighed with a resigned smile. Trust him to always figure her out.
"How do you always know?"
"That's my charm. I'm not sharing it with you."
"I'll figure it out you know, like you always figure me out."
"You can try. Now tell me what it is."
Safwa leaned into his side.
"I haven't yet told Phupho about this."
She pointed between them.
"You haven't?"
"No."
"Any particular reason?"
"That's the problem. There's no coherent reason for it. I don't know why I keep stalling it. Phupho is ...well phupho. Yeah she can be pretty clueless when it comes to romance and the grand notion of love. Her own love story is right in front of us. But that doesn't mean she doesn't understand this. I don't even know why the thought of telling her about us gives me a feeling that I shouldn't."
"But you want to."
"Of course I want to. She's the only family I've had all my life, Izaan. She's been both my parents and my Phupho. I can't just hide this from her and I don't want to as well. I think I'm just worrying for nothing. She's met you and she had good things to say about you. I should just suck it up and tell her. If she comes to know from someone else like Hesham or Nusrat Aapa, she'll be sad that I didn't trust her enough to tell her this life changing fact."
Izaan thought for a while. The small encounter with Bisma Kirmani was fresh in his memory. She had razor sharp eyes, something only a shrewd businesswoman could possess. She also was a keen observer, because it takes one to know one and Izaan could tell she was reading the distance or lack thereof between him and Safwa that day. Telling her could go both ways. He wasn't as sure as Safwa was. But that was also a fact that Bisma was one of the most important people in Safwa's life. If she wanted to tell her it was only right she would.
"I'd say go for it. She is the closest you've to a parent. She deserves to know and you deserve to have this burden off your shoulders that you aren't doing something right."
Safwa nodded at him, making a mental note to tell Bisma soon. Whenever they sit down together.
"So, Being in love with me is a life changing fact?"
Safwa laughed softly.
"Do you share the sentiment?"
She asked, removing his messy hair from his forehead. He needed a haircut but life was really not letting him go for anything. Well anything other than having some quality time with this woman he was so in love with. He nodded, not having enough words to describe the feeling.
"Geez! Get a room! If anyone sees you both making gooey eyes at each other, you guys are done for."
Izaan leaned back into the bench while Safwa shifted to make some room for the intruders. Hesham being the third wheel that he was, sat on the other side of Safwa so that she was in between him and Izaan. Sarim stood leaning against the table while Elaf sat over it with her legs dangling.
"I can't express in words what a feeling walking on these two about to make out is."
Hesham explained dipping his hand in the cookie box and taking out one.
"I can. It's gross."
Sarim commented earning a disapproving look from Elaf.
"Bugger off! It's cute."
"Who even told you guys we are here?"
"The remnants of our broken bond."
"Ah, Hesham the dramatics!"
"You don't get to say this, you literally live in Drama."
Elaf huffed.
"Dramatics left me but this slander won't ever."
"It's your personality."
"Can't say the same about you since you don't have one in the first place."
Izaan looked at Sarim to contain at least one of them. Sarim just shrugged his shoulders. Izaan pursed his lips. It was no news, Sarim had no control over his potential better half and best man.
"Okay! Cut it you both!"
Safwa pushed Hesham into Izaan and stood at Hesham's place. Her strategy was to put some distance between Elaf and Hesham to stop their bickering. Izaan huffed and Hesham gave him a coy smile. Clowns and Circus.
The conversation flew after that, never a dull moment when five of them were together. It just occurred to Izaan how easy he had been the whole week and maybe even the one before that, he had lots to catch up.
"Sarim's birthday is round the corner."
Hesham announced fake wiping a tear.
"They grow up so fast."
"You didn't."
He wasn't deterred by Elaf's snide remark. They all were now discussing what they could do differently this year for Sarim's birthday, Hesham did have weird suggestions which were immediately thrown to the bin. In all this Sarim was silent as if he was part of the conversation but still quite wasn't.
"Where are you lost, birthday boy?"
Safwa asked him curiously. He was uncharacteristically silent today. Yes, he wasn't as life of the conversation as Hesham but still today there was something about him which was off.
They were now attentive towards him. Sarim pushed his hands in his pockets.
"I've been offered a job posting in an MNC."
"What?"
He scratched his neck with a sheepish smile.
"Well, I just got the email in the morning. Was going to tell you guys that's why I asked Hesham to drive here and ruin Izaan and Safwa's date."
"That's beside the point. Tell us more about this job offer."
Izaan cut him looking interested in whatever Sarim was about to tell them. They all were as interested as Izaan. Sarim was the one they all knew would be reaching somewhere high seeing the potential he had and how he had so much experience on his resume from working part time and doing countless internships.
"Well, it's a well known MNC of Pakistan. GDC group of industries. Remember when I got into their internship program last year after going through so many hurdles, I heard they keep an eye on promising internees and a few months before they graduate they contact them with their job offers. The process here as well is pretty extensive, first a written and then interview and some more hassle but I think it's worth giving it a shot."
They all encouraged him in their own way. Safwa with a thumbs up, Hesham with a warm hug, Izaan with a pat on his back and Elaf with a warm smile.
"You mean to say our already independent boy is going to become some more independent?"
Hesham asked. They had all stood up. Their destination was the open restaurant ahead where they wanted to celebrate this. Though Sarim told them if he got it he'd throw them a good party but there should never be an excuse to celebrate with your friends.
Sarim just shook his head. He had just gotten the email for an interview and written, he hadn't gotten the job yet.
"So this was on your mind during the job drive that day?"
Elaf asked. They were both left behind while the other three had already entered the restaurant. Sarim nodded, confirming her suspicion.
"I was actually looking forward to their email. I knew I did well as an internee so they might call me back."
"It's your dream job."
He laughed lightly.
"Not really. The pay is hefty and there are many other benefits too. It's like all the hard work paying off if I get it. It will be difficult in the beginning but over time I'm sure I will make my place there."
"You sure will. I'm so rooting for you."
Her smile was so genuine, something you wouldn't expect from a class mate but that was the thing, she was never just a classmate for him and he wasn't for her. They both crossed the threshold of the entrance with identical smiles on their faces.
____
Atif loosened his tie and placed his coat on his arm. Opening the door of his study he smiled, finding Bisma immersed in a file totally oblivious to her surroundings.
It would always be something to cherish for Atif that how easily Bisma had settled into his home and his life even though there was distance of years within them. But they are so right when they say that with love the distance of years is just a journey of mere days. That's what happened with him and Bisma. The decision of getting back together was the best they could take for themselves and they were realizing this with each passing day.
The same old understanding was back between them and somehow the presence of a strong basis to their relation had strengthened it some more. Bisma was running her office successfully, so was Atif with his law firm. Their professional lives were as they were before but the home life had taken such a beautiful and fulfilling turn that it felt like they were still reeling from the effects of it. Everyday was a new journey.
The one corner of this house Bisma was most comfortable with, was Atif's study. She would often take her whole work load here and would spend hours inside without being disturbed. Rashid had gotten that she was not very talkative but she was kind and that was enough for him to keep on showing her his cooking skills and getting praises in return. The house had surely turned into a proper home.
But as Atif started at Bisma's form he realized that something was wrong. What? He also had no idea. Bisma was sitting on the couch with a file opened in front of her but there was a forlorn look on her face, she wasn't even attentive towards the file.
"Bisma?"
Atif called her and in response she jerked back to reality with a start. This confirmed his suspicion that she was indeed lost somewhere.
"Everything's okay right?"
Atif asked, coming close to where she was sitting, his hands were on her shoulders. She gripped them in her hold and smiled at him. It was strained on the edges but a smile nonetheless.
"I'm fine. It's just that office workload is piling up more and more. I think it's high time I get a helping hand."
She had gotten up. Atif still felt she wasn't telling him the whole thing but he didn't prod her more. That would only make her irritated. That much he knew her.
"You can always hire a helper."
He said, closing the door behind him. They were now in the hallway at the end of which was their room.
"And why would I do that?"
Atif raised an eyebrow. Bisma intertwined her arm with him as they walked towards their room.
"I mean I can always ask Safwa to join the company. To think of it, it's all hers at the end of the day anyway. She should start giving her time to it. I was thinking of asking her to come to the office in the evening till her graduation, then after that I will give most responsibilities to her."
Her plan was set. And listening to it right now did feel right. But Atif didn't know why the urgency in her words was giving him an off vibe. Like she was rushing through these words as if she had practiced them many times. There was definitely something going on in his mind and right now, wasn't the time to ask her about it.
____
The door of Sarim's room creaked open after a mild knock. He didn't look up from the book he was reading and mumbled.
"Ammi, why do you always knock. I've told you you can come right in anytime."
Farwa sat down on his bed all the while collecting the strewn around papers.
"How was Irma?"
He asked walking towards his bookshelf to put the book away. Farwa smiled fondly.
"She's fine Ma Sha Allah. Her whole lot of in-laws were there. It was nice. She was asking for you though."
Sarim chuckled, taking his seat back in front of her. Now, without a book, his whole concentration was on her.
"I've told you I should also go along with you and Baba. But you said it won't look good."
"You and your open mindedness. Your sister is pregnant and from her mother in law to her youngest sister in law all women of Mohid's family were there. It wouldn't look good tagging you along."
His typical desi mother. Sarim held her hand in his and caressed her fingers out of his habit. Irma's pregnancy was the new development in their lives. She had called in the morning and Farwa had specially asked Nauman at his base to come home soon that day. Sarim wasn't expecting his father to go along with it, but he did. He was back home at the exact time and then both were off to see Irma whose Mother in law had also called both breaking the already broken news to them and inviting them over dinner at their place.
"Irma said she'd be home on your birthday."
"Irma and her love for birthday celebrations. This is why she and Hesham get along so well."
Sarim could see Farwa's eyes darting around his room. The mess of papers and his old books were an indication he was preparing well for the written.
"They will take the interview straight after the written?"
Farwa asked, looking interested.
"No, I think after two or three weeks."
"After that?"
"Well if I succeed in Interview, they'll call me to the HQ where I'll meet the boss. We will discuss my job description and pay package along with a few other details. Then they'll give me a date of joining."
"What about your degree? You are yet to graduate."
Sarim looked confident.
"The joining date will be straight after graduation, Ammi. They are just making sure they grab the best graduates before anyone else."
Farwa patted his cheek with something akin to pride in her eyes. He had come to this point on his own, without asking any favours. But the next moment her hand slumped to her side.
"What is it, Ammi?"
Sarim asked, bending his head to look into her eyes.
"Sarim, the company you are going for the interview ."
"Hun?"
"Well, your Baba told me that he had a very good and strong reference there. Probably someone from his seniors. He asked me to tell you that he can make a few calls and the job will be yours. You would just have to tell them your Baba's name in the interview and they'd consider you for hiring."
"They are already considering me for hiring, Ammi."
He said after a while. He was still reeling from the fact that his father offered to help him.
"But then it will be a sure thing that you'll get the job."
Sarim smiled bitterly at this.
"So that all my life I won't ever live this down. What's the point of working till my brain became a mess and I was physically exhausted? When at the end I can give Baba the satisfaction that without his name I'm nothing?"
"Sarim! He's your father. It's not his fault that he has connections. If he wants to help you as your father then why not?
"Because, Ammi!..."
He took a deep breath to calm himself down.
"Because he's always been an army officer before our father. His work and his positions come first in any circumstances. Where was this fatherly love and support when I chose the civilian way and didn't opt for the Military? He refused to even recognise my degree that time even though I was at the top of my whole batch. Whatever you say, Ammi, Baba is doing this just to show me where I stand. I bagged this opportunity without his help and I'll get this job without his help as well. He doesn't have to interfere."
Farwa looked at him dejectedly. The tiny hope that this step from Nauman would lessen the distance between him and Sarim had gone into the air. These father and son would never see eye to eye. Farwa was now as sure of it as Irma had always been.
She got up from the bed with a heavy heart. Sarim wanted to tell her he was sorry. That he hated it that she was being hauled between the two of them. But he couldn't say it.
___
The weeks leading up to the interview felt like going in a daze for Sarim. He was confident and motivated. His written had gone well and so had the interview. He was just waiting for the applicant lists who had made it to their company.
But to his dismay the list never came. Instead came an email from the company where he was informed with regret that he couldn't be selected to this job program. How they were sorry but he could try whenever the new vacancies came.
He was prepared for everything but somewhere he was little more prepared for a confirmation email other than a rejection one. It broke his heart a little. Not much. Just a little.
It was the first blow in his academic and professional life where he had given his 100% but still couldn't make it. The whole day he didn't feel like facing anyone. No matter how self made and mature he was, he was just a twenty two year old boy. There was just so much he could take.
He had informed both Hesham and Izaan about this. And he was sure Safwa knew from Izaan. He didn't have the heart to tell Elaf this. She was the most excited for this one to go right.
It sucked. And what sucked more? It was his birthday tomorrow. He was supposed to have a good day with his friends. Irma was supposed to come. There was so much that was supposed to happen.
His reverie of thoughts was broken by the continuous ringing of the door bell. Farwa was out with Manzoor Baba to get some groceries. She still wanted to cook all Sarim's favourite dishes on his birthday now more to make his mood better than anything else. Nauman was at work. Sarim swore under his breath and putting his shoes on came out of his room. He crossed the lounge area and walked through the narrow hallway then came to the driveway.
He opened the door and found a guy about his age standing there with an assorted collection of expensive looking flower bouquets and a box of sweets in his hand. By the looks of it that too was customized.
"Assalam Alaikum. My name is Tayyab Ikram. Is Mr. Nauman Haider home?"
Sarim raised an eyebrow. His perceptive mind was telling him something was very gravely wrong with what he was seeing.
"Wa Alaikum Assalam. No, he's not home. If you come in the evening you might be able to meet him."
The guy smiled genially.
"Oh, my bad. You must be his son right?"
Sarim nodded slowly.
"I know he's a busy man. You are right, I should've come in the evening. But since I came with these please accept this. I will look like a fool taking these back."
Sarim held the bouquet and box in his hand and then looked at the guy questionably.
"I got a job today. It was a tough competition with many talented people on board. But I was told that giving Sir's reference would get me a place instantly. That's what I did and got the job as well. It was tough but with your father's help it got a lot easier. That's why I was here to thank him in person."
Sarim felt the ground was shaking beneath his feet and the grip he had on the things the guys had just handed over to him was slipping. He couldn't even tell what he was holding. Maybe it was baggage, maybe it was just a burden.
"C..congratulations. Can I know the name of the company you have been selected into?"
"GDC."
The guy's voice was the last nail in the coffin. When Sarim closed the gate behind him after the guy's vehicle had zoomed away, he didn't know why the sound of the two parts of the gate merging together was way louder in his ears than he was used to.
__
Irma ran a hand through Farwa's hair and tried her best to console her sobbing mother but words eluded her. She wasn't supposed to come here today. Her plan was to visit tomorrow but the same couldn't be said about the chaos that decided today was the day to hit her family.
Sarim was always an upfront guy. She knew her brother and she also knew he wasn't good at taking shit from anyone and that included his father as well. The rebellious ways since his childhood were an indication enough.
So, it was totally fitting that he would retaliate against the injustice that had been done to him by his own father. She didn't know many details, just as much as she was told by Farwa. Farwa was in the kitchen when Nauman came back from his base and at the same time Sarim came downstairs. Farwa heard Sarim's angry voice which she hadn't heard before. She came out of the kitchen in a frazier panic and saw her son accusing his father of so much. Nauman just gave an angry glare to Sarim. According to Sarim he was devoid of so much he could get because Nauman couldn't take his denial. It was a mess. Sarim was angrier than ever and for the first time Farwa could see a hurt child instead of an always acting mature boy in him. Nauman hadn't denied any of Sarim's accusations which made him all the more sure that his father had actually helped that guy get the job which Sarim was hoping for. It was the worst revenge, Sarim had said. He also said his father hadn't acted like a father at all. And then he stormed off. Probably to Hesham's or Izaan's. Nauman was back to his study. Just a frown on his face other than that his expressions hadn't changed. But Farwa was a mother and her breath was stuck in her chest thinking of something happening to her right now very angry child. She did the only thing she could do and that was calling Irma and asking her to come home straight away. In less than twenty minutes, Irma was sitting on the bed with her mother trying her best to make Farwa stop crying.
Her first step was as usual calling Izaan and Hesham to know if Sarim was with them and to her utter relief, Sarim was at Hesham's. He assured her that Sarim was in single piece, without any injury. Just very angry and very silent.
"He was hurt, Irma."
Farwa mumbled now that her sobs had subsided a bit. The assurance that Sarim was fine at Hesham's had worked well.
"Shouldn't he be Ammi? This was his dream job as much as he denied it. He was impressed with the company's work structure since the time he had done his internship there. I knew that. His friends knew that. You knew then why Baba had to do this?"
Farwa was silent.
"Is there any justification you can give here like you always do?"
Irma sighed heavily and then caressed her mother's hand, a habit shared by both the siblings.
"If Baba felt it was insulting that Sarim refused his help, he should've scolded him like normal fathers do, Ammi. There was no point in going out of his way to help that other boy. That was just low and that too against your own son? Ego can't make you heartless. But in this case Baba was heartless with Sarim. His anger and frustration is totally justified."
Irma stood up from the bed and looked at the clock. It was just 10 minutes to midnight.
"Irma."
"Yes, Ammi?"
"He will come back home right?"
Irma nodded.
"He will. But I'm not sure for how long he will stay home."
And that was something even Farwa wasn't sure of. Not after today.
Irma dialed Hesham's number as Sarim's phone was switched off. Her brother was being a little dramatic bitch and Irma could strangle him right now. But first she had to wish him.
"I've fed the baby, I've given him the place to sleep and I also have called his favourite people to keep him company. Why are you still worried, Irma."
Hesham's sing-song voice put a tired smile on her face.
"You and Sarim are best friends for a reason. I'm older than all of you but only Safwa and Izaan call me Aapi. Look at you two insolents."
"Well, Safwa and Izaan have to do matching things, that's what couples do anyway."
There was a muffled sound after this as if Hesham was smacked on his back. By whom, Irma could have few guesses.
"Give the phone to the birthday boy."
Hesham obliged without any further ado. The silence on the other side told her Sarim was on the line.
"Sarim.."
He just took a deep tired breath and maybe he sniffed too. Irma felt her eyes welling up.
"Happy birthday. Just remember that Ammi and I love you so much. You are some days the reason for both of us to get up in the morning and get on with life. It's just a setback. You are going to new heights after this and that's something I'm sure of. Ammi too."
"Me as well."
Someone mumbled through the phone. Irma didn't have to guess who it was. Elaf. She was also there with him which means everything was sorted and even if it wasn't it would be. Her work here was done.
"Take care of him, Elaf."
"You don't have to worry at all, Irma. Take care of yourself and the baby. I've got this one covered."
The call ended. Irma lowered the phone to her eye level and seeing 3 miss calls from Mohid had her heart in her throat. But the next moment she composed herself. Calling back wasn't the mistake she'd be making after having such emotional hours since the time she had come here.
She knew ignoring this wouldn't end well for her. But right now she didn't care. Nothing ever ended well for her anyway. So what was the point?
________
"See, even Irma is saying the same thing I told you the moment I got here. You need to get out of this mindset that it was the end. Far from it. It was just the beginning! Stop being a fool. Life is full of opportunities so just think of it as a bad experience. Come on now!"
He looked at Elaf who was also looking at him rather expectantly after her small speech. She was both right and wrong. But he had no heart to tell her that. She was here with Safwa on just a phone call. Bisma Auntie had assured her parents that she was in her house and that was more than enough for her parents to not worry. They already had plans of celebrating his birthday at Hesham's place and having Elaf and Safwa here was part of it, but it was on such a small notice. She hadn't cared for anything, just the fact that he was down and she had to be here to cheer him up.
Not only her, Izaan and Safwa were also here. Izaan must be sacrificing a night study schedule and Safwa not caring for her sleep. These were his people who were trying their best to cheer him up. So the least he could do was muster a smile for them and get it together for his sister and mother back home who were expecting to see him soon.
As Elaf wheeled the cake on the trolley, he gave her his best smile. But even in the contours of that, it was written and hidden and that what happened today was going to change every course of his life from here on. It was surely just a setback but he was sure it wasn't going to be the first one.
When you couldn't trust your own kin how can you trust the world outside?
_________
A/N
Almost 9.5k. I don't know what possessed me. I just know I tried making up for the delay. Also, you can say from here on shit is always going down, well most of the time anyway.