Hejab Alvi was never the life of a party kind of person. Sure, she was easy to approach and easy to converse with but that was for her social life and mostly the life outside of the family.
In her home, she was the ice breaker, starting conversations and keeping them going and now that she had settled in with her husband, this fact was glaringly evident to her remaining family who were getting familiarized with her absence and the silent affair which were the meal times. They all would just simply focus on their food. Saima and Tabrez would find a topic or two to discuss, and then they'd also fall silent. Zonish would never say a word and Taimoor would look around bored because meal times felt more like a chore than anything else.
The dinner was almost over when Zonish cleaned her hands and turned to her father.
"Baba."
Tabrez was immediately attentive. It wasn't part of the norm for Zonish to call him like that. She preferred not conversing with him at the most. If he thought that the father daughter bonding moment on Hejab's Nikkah day would be the beginning of something new, he was proven wrong. Starting from the next day Zonish was back in her shell and zone, more distant than ever and silent.
So, this was unexpected.
"Yes, Beta?"
He asked with his whole attention towards her. Her glasses were set a bit low on her nose, a classic expression that she was deep in thoughts and contemplation.
"Do you miss my Mama?"
Complete silence followed after her question. Saima drowned the last of her water and got up.
"Taimoor, let's go for a walk, honey. You said the other day that it gets stuffy for you after dinner. Let's go to the backyard lawn."
Taimoor might be just a teenager but he knew his mother was trying to give the father daughter duo the needed space and privacy for something this personal. He made a face because he wanted to know but followed after his mother nonetheless.
Tabrez rested his face on his palms looking at his daughter.
"Let's go to my study? Are you finished with your meal?"
She nodded and pushed her chair behind. His study was at the end of the hallway. Zonish settled on the couch looking at her hands. Good thing she'd washed those before coming here. It would be weird sitting through a serious conversation with sticky hands. Or maybe she was just preparing herself for his response, buying some time after she'd blurted that question without thinking much.
"I thought this question would come ten years earlier."
"It means you used to miss her ten years back but not now?"
Tabrez Alvi smiled. His fireball of a daughter. She'd make a good journalist. Good thing she was becoming one only.
"Do you know the flowers that you can always find in our house?"
Zonish grimaced.
"Calla Lilies."
She never knew why that particular flower was always littering around some corner of their house. She didn't exactly hate it but she found it pretty bizarre.
"Your mother's favourite."
Zonish's eyes widened.
"Yeah, it wasn't a known fact about her. Something between us. Like a secret. I always found her choice of flowers comical and somewhat absurd but she laughed it off. So it was decided that on every dinner date, even without a dinner date I'll bring her Calla Lilies. "
A fond smile was on his face. He was looking into the nothingness and Zonish could see he was walking the lanes of the past reminiscing something that was now a phantom impression on those nooks and corners.
"When I first visited her grave after the burial, I added Calla Lilies in my assortment of roses. Got a few weird stares for it as well but I didn't care much. Yeah, her choice of flowers was unique and it didn't stop me from bringing those to her when she was alive so why would it do that when she was not? Love doesn't work this way. Just because someone isn't physically there doesn't mean love gets lost as well. The gestures should never stop. Because love is still there."
Zonish wiped a tear that was there at the corner of her eye for a while now.
"If you loved her this much then why did you move on."
Tabrez's face was still soft. Like he was expecting this from her.
"Moving on with life is inevitable, Zonish. Love doesn't fade away but it also doesn't bind you. It shouldn't be. It's not that cruel."
He sat down on the couch in front of her as if the conversation and the baggage behind it was weighing him down.
"Companionship is important in life. You can't always live on your own. That's against human nature. We need people to survive. Not in its entirety, but enough to give us the mere motivation to do so. I love Saima because she's been my perfect companion. We've been through so much together. Navigating our way through life. She was broken hearted and I had just lost your mother. Our shared grief had brought us together."
Zonish didn't know this. Saima auntie too had a past?
"Yeah, she had her heart broken and was in the process of healing when we got married. You can say we both were each other's idea of a new chance at life and love. And over the years, it proved that it was the best thing we did. My love for your mother never faded. It shouldn't have. But I came to love Saima as my life partner as well. Both are different and both are important."
"That's cute and all but you didn't see me and Hejab approaching it this way. We also had lost our mother but we didn't go around looking for a new one."
There was a challenge to her eyes.
"Zonish."
"Go on. I'm listening, Baba."
"How can you say you didn't look for a mother when all your life, the one after your mum you kept on looking for her in Hejab?"
"I didn't!"
"Really?"
Zonish took a sharp intake of breath. Yes, it was true she depended on Hejab like a child would on her mother and Hejab never hesitated from giving her that solace. Whenever people would see their interactions they'd comment on how Hejab used to mother her and Zonish never thought of it much because that was their normal.
"You gave your mother's place to Hejab, the reason why you never felt the need to form any kind of bonding with Saima. But Hejab never got to do that. She made Saima her friend, her confidant and someone she could talk to. That helped her cope with her loss. She didn't put restrictions on herself, Zonish. She accepted life as it is and made the most of it."
"And I didn't. I put myself in a box and refused to look around."
She thought back to how Saima and Hejab were like pals. Hejab never thought of her as her mother but someone she could rely on and Saima played that role so well.
Hejab made the most of what life gave her. Just like Hesham. That was similar between both the friends. They didn't get bitter on what was snatched from them, in fact they took the optimistic road and saw things for their beauty. Something Zonish was never good at. Self realization and assessment always felt too complicated, just like the notion of love and acceptance. But it wasn't. Love and acceptance were as easy as Tabrez, Hesham and Hejab made it look like and it could be as difficult as Zonish always thought it to be.
It was all in perspective.
Hers was always limited.
She got up. There was no resentment in her stance. Just a resignation and realization.
"I don't promise anything, Baba. I just can tell you that I will think about what we were and what we've become. We need lots of catching up and talking to do. Only then can we work things through. Can we do it together?"
He nodded and coming close engulfed his beloved daughter in a hug. Zonish closed her eyes. She almost forgot how warm his embrace had always been. There was something so homely about having your father hug you. Home and protective cocoon.
She was hoping she'd never lose it again.
_____
Abdad Liaqat was a successful businessman. More than his experience in the field, his ability of seeing right through people had made him who he was today. And right now that was again being proven right. The young man sitting in front of him was not going to refuse. The offer was too tempting for him to do so.
"So what do you think?"
Ibsam looked up from the papers. He looked kind of dazed.
"Sir, this..."
"Yeah, I know. It's once in a lifetime kind of opportunity and I trust you with it. I see potential and I'm willing to put it to some use. Rest is on you."
Ibsam could never have thought the lunch with Maryam and her father the last time would culminate into this. A fully funded scheme for him to get somewhere in his career line. Being good with computers was getting handy. Mr. Abdad Liaqat aka Maryam's father had shown his interest in him and made an offer. His graduation was almost a year away and what he wouldn't give to get first hand experience of the tech world, something he surely had the talent for but no money.
"I think I will think about this some more before giving you any answer."
Formality. He was already convinced and Abdad knew that. But he liked people who had the decency to be modest. No matter how happy they were on getting a chance.
Asking about some more clauses in the contract, Ibsam smiled in his way and took his leave politely. Abdad watched him leaving through the door. A content smile was on his face.
He had his eyes on this young lad the day he had seen his daughter fretting over him. She liked the guy but Abdad didn't like his background but that was workable. He was a master of turning things in his favour and here it was about his beloved daughter wanting something so how could he say no. He just did some modifications.
"He's not going to disappoint you."
Maryam slid into the space next to him. Abdad nodded.
"I have a feeling he won't."
He glanced in his daughter's way and found her too cool to care attitude gone. In fact she was literally beaming.
She liked Ibsam. He had already figured that out. And she liked him a lot.
So, this was never going to be a deal of loss anyway.
Abdad was a businessman so he did what he thought was best.
You like something? Buy it.
He had just bought Ibsam's loyalty towards both him and his daughter.
___
Having a twin has both its pros and cons. You both know each other like the back of your hands and Ibtihaj cursed this fact more than he could count on his fingers because right now, the Cheshire cat smile on Ibsam's face only told him something was wrong.
"Why are you so cheery?"
He asked with a raised eyebrow. Ibsam just shrugged his shoulders.
"I'm always happy."
"You are always whining. Let's not get ahead of ourselves now shall we?"
Ibsam didn't pay much attention to him. Something Ibtihaj wasn't expecting, seeing Ibsam was always the one to lose his temper quickly.
"I refuse to take offense to your nosy ways today."
"That's called a cursed twin bond."
Here's another thing about having a twin. They are your first to go person to share any life happening. It was a built in instinct so Ibsam couldn't wait much longer. He had to gloat in front of his brother. Had to tell him how he'd kind of bagged such a cool opportunity so that's what he did.
"And he's offering to send me on an exchange program for the next two semester. Can you believe it? I can get so much exposure and experience. I just have to be under his wing and things will fall into place."
Ibtihaj looked at his brother and then at the papers in his hand. Yes, he could see the opportunities agreeing to this would open up for Ibsam but he could also see the catch in here.
"How much do you like Maryam? Are you in love with her?"
Ibsam scowled at Ibtihaj. He was hoping for a high five or at least a jealous glare. But this was unexpected.
"We have something going on. I won't say it's love but we have understanding."
"You do her bidding, you wanna say."
"I don't do that! We are friends!"
"Then why is her father practically trying to buy your affections?"
Ibsam got up angrily.
"You have got it all wrong!"
"Really Ibsam? Because the way I see it you've just got yourself into a mess. This Abdad Liaqat guy is shady. Maybe for him you are his daughter's favourite boy toy. Who knows but you are being used like a tool and as your brother it is my responsibility to tell you that."
Ibsam was seeing red. In two long strides he had held Ibtihaj from his collar.
"You are crossing a line."
"Which you do everyday in this house. I'm just telling you the truth."
He had practically yelled.
"You just can't be happy for me because this is so unexpected for you to see me thriving on my own."
"This is far from succeeding on your own. You're practically buying your way in on the expanse of yourself. That tycoon is just going to turn you into his house pet. One of his daughter's choice."
By now both of their voices had raised an octave high. So much that Memoona came running to their room.
"What the hell is happening! Ibsam! Ibtihaj leave each other!"
She shouted, panicking. Shaoib was in the room and if he came upon this then it wouldn't be good. All his understanding aside, he had no place for misbehaving kids in his heart.
But luck wasn't on her side. Ibsam and Ibtihaj were nowhere close to stopping.
"Hey! That's enough!"
Ibsam felt someone coming between him and Ibtihaj. He looked at the intrusion and found Izaan with disapproval written on his face. Ibsam just snorted. Izaan was successful in making them pull away from each other.
"What's the matter here! What kind of behaviour you two were showing just now?"
It wasn't usual for Abba to be angry but right now he was. He was eyeing his grandsons with frustration.
"Ask him, Abba! He's getting himself sold!"
"Ibtihaj, I will kill you if you say this again!"
Both shouted. Izaan looked confused between them.
"Bhai! Amma! Abba! This fool is considering signing this contract with his girlfriend's tycoon father! He has shown him some dreams and his desperate ass is believing those! It basically is an agreement for him to be a decoration piece for them and look at him acting all oblivious just because they are gonna help him in his career. How greedy can you get? It is called gold digging, Ibsam!"
Izaan was going through the paper and sure enough he wasn't expecting a complete contract. His eyes shot up.
"This is absolute bullshit."
He was pissed at Ibsam. He should've known better than this. There are other ways to succeed. Ibtihaj was right. It was gold digging and selling your self worth.
"Oh you're one to talk, Bhai! Why can't you all just admit that me succeeding is never going to sit well with this family! Their idea of success starts and ends with you!"
"Don't make it about me!"
"It's always about you! You are always lurking in the corner like a bad omen! I can't accept a simple agreement my friend's father is kindly offering me. The hell will break loose! Just like I can't make rich friends, I can't hang out with them! But you can do all that!"
"I'm not getting into this argument with you again."
Izaan turned to leave. He was done with this conversation. He already had a lot on his plate and a bellowing Ibsam with no critical thinking wasn't something he was willing to handle. He needed a break.
"Maryam is my girlfriend! We like each other! She comes from a social setting far above us! I can bet all of you will have a problem with this but none of you said anything when Bhai is dating Safwa Kirmani!"
Izaan's brows twitched. He wasn't someone to lose his cool but now he was livid.
"Leave her alone! Don't bring her in here. Her father hasn't proposed an offer to me where I have to sell myself off just to be in his good books."
"As if that makes it better! The bottom line is you can date someone who doesn't come close to our family's background but I can't!"
"Ibsam for God's sake! Keep quiet!"
Memoona wasn't used to this much shouting in this house. Abba was frozen in his spot too. How much venom Ibsam had inside him that too for his own brother?
"I want to thrive! I want to go beyond this pathetic house and its always a hand to mouth system! I want to be someone more than just Izaan Bhai's younger brother! And if I'm getting a chance then why shouldn't I? This is how this world works! You have to find shortcuts! This is my shortcut! If Maryam's father is ready to give me this then why are you all bitter? Yeah, because that will make me the most established one in this family? I will not have to worry about the petty issues of this household, what to make today and how it should be in the budget! Don't buy this new shirt! Our budget will get messed! Don't put too much on bike fuel! That will be a burden on the budget! Budget! Money, Izaan, Safwa! There's nothing else to hear in this shitty household anymore and I hate it! I hate that Baba never went ahead of that stupid cloth shop which gives us nothing! I hate that I was born in this house!"
Everyone fell quiet after this. The kind of quiet that comes after death. And it was no different. It was the death of their picture perfect family. Shoaib Ansari was standing in the door frame with hard eyes. He took a step forward and almost snatched the paper from Izaan's hands. Izaan was eyeing his father with unease. His word was going to be the final and Izaan had a feeling this wasn't going to end well.
"You have just tonight. Pack your bags, leave this shitty house and do whatever this Abdad Liaqat is telling you to do. If you have this much hate against your own family then it's better if you leave and live your life like you want to. I don't want to see you here in the morning. There's no place for a disobedient son in my family and my house who can't show even the slightest bit of respect towards his elders or his roots. Yes, we live hand to mouth. Yes, I run a stupid cloth shops which doesn't give much and yes, our budget is our only concern sometimes. We are proud of it and if you're not then leave."
His words were like inscribed on stone. He turned to leave when Izaan held him from the shoulders.
"Baba! Don't do this. He's just angry. He will not repeat it."
"I've had enough of this boy and his insolence, Izaan. Don't think I don't know what he's been up to. Every Time there was tension in this house because of him, I always knew. I was just giving him time to straighten his act but he has proven it to me today that he's far gone now. He can leave and do as he pleases. If our house and us are that much nuisance to him then let him be."
"Baba!"
Izaan followed after him. Memoona and Abba were also with him. It was important to make Shoaib see sense or he'd stick to this decision. They were in the room, trying to talk it out when they heard the slamming of the front door. Something banged at the back of Izaan's head. He leapt outside and saw Ibtihaj standing in the TV lounge with a solemn expression on his face.
"Did he..."
Izaan didn't have to complete his words. The way Ibtihaj had looked at him confirmed it. Memoona stifled a sob while Abba was about to drop on the seat next to him.
"He's gone!"
Memoona mumbled.
"He was gone for a while, Ammi. We were just to blind to see."
Ibtihaj shook his head and wiping his face went inside his room. Izaan could see the open empty closet from there and suddenly the house also started mimicking the emptiness of Ibsam's side of the closet.
_____
"Here."
Hesham brought the glass of water towards her but she just shook her head.
"Safi! You look like shit! At least drink it. Your throat must be parched."
He tried again but Safwa was one stubborn woman when she wanted to be. He had been called by Nusrat Aapa and had to come here leaving whatever he was working on aside. When he got here, a teary mess in the form of Safwa was in front of him. She had started crying seeing him and it took him a long time coaxing her to tell him what was wrong. Her story lacked coherent words, that much upset she was. But Hesham got the crux of it.
Bisma Auntie had just gotten them all into a big problem.
"You know him don't you Hesham. You know him better than me. He's not going to stop thinking about it and he won't say a word as well. I met him today and I felt it in my bones. He was right next to me but he was so far away. Like there was a wall between us built by him only. "
Hesham quickly embraced her. It broke his heart seeing her like this but he was worried for Izaan as well. Both were precious to him and he knew both of them well. Izaan would never let all his emotions out like Safwa and that was the biggest downside here. It would mean he'd always suffer alon and Hesham hated that.
For the first time he was not happy with how Bisma Auntie had handled this situation. She should've given it more thought or at least talk to him. He could give her a better idea of what Izaan was like. But now she had gone ahead and said God knows what to Izaan that he was back to his shell he had shredded just for Safwa and Safwa had no clue how to get to him.
"You want me to talk to him?"
"As if he'd tell you anything as well. He's never gonna talk. I have a feeling. He's going to keep it to himself. I don't even know exactly what she said. I just know that it was brash and brutal like she is in every business dealing of hers. It's just such a shame that she took our relationship as that as well."
Hesham couldn't deny this. Bisma Auntie was too practical for her own good sometimes.
"I want to sort this out myself. It's our relationship after all. I'm not going to stop reaching out to him you know. I love him and he loves me. I'm not giving up on us just like this."
But he might. Hesham wanted to add but didn't have the heart too. Safwa knew Izaan for some four years now, only one of which she actually knew him. While Hesham knew Izaan since they were in High School. He knew how the guy worked. How his to go mechanism was pushing happiness away because he thought that wasn't for him. Izaan wasn't a fighter when it came to love. He could love Safwa with all his might but he would give up if he had one percent idea that Safwa could do way better than him and Hesham could tell Bisma auntie had given a plate full of those reasons to him.
"Let me handle this, Hesham."
Safwa mumbled again and Hesham nodded. But Safwa was right. They were in love and maybe this was the reason enough for Izaan to not act as per the norm. He could only hope.
____
Notes and pacers scattered around him and him playing with his phone with a lost expression on his face, that's how Irma had found her brother when she came to his room.
"Are you working or just pretending that you are working?"
She asked that pulled him out of his thoughts. He gave her a not so pleased look.
"How many times do I have to tell you if you want something or if you just wanna chat, you call me downstairs not come all the way up here! For heaven's sake Irma, look at you! You are still panting!"
She gestured for him to let it go. She was fine. The stairs were her only exercise these days and she didn't quite mind it. It was not her fault that she felt bored in her room and wanted to talk to her brother.
"Your final internship is so useless that you are sitting here procrastinating?"
She commented at his lack of concentration and he just scratched his neck. He was exhausted though. There was workload because being the star student he was sorted into the best internship option by his faculty and that company sure knew how to take work out of their internees. But that wasn't a problem. He was pretty used to a work environment like this. He had already given out his resume to different companies to be considered for the job vacancies for fresh graduates which he would be in a month or so. He had gotten few call backs and was considering his options. His resume was good and so was his work experience. The setback with GDC had disappeared from his mind. It was a thing of the past. Sure, it was once his ideal for a work environment but he knew in the world outside things never go as you planned them. Zaryab had also sent him a few details which he was yet to fully read. It was something about a package his company was offering to fresh graduates. It included working for them in their HQ and also something about a post grad enrollment and scholarship. Sarim was pretty interested in that but since their HQ was in the States so he was hesitating. He hadn't thought this far.
Then there was whatever Elaf was going through. Her life at her ancestral home and the new offer she was thinking of taking up. Sarim was worried for her. She was desperate and desperation often leads to poor decisions. He told the same to Irma who also looked deep in thoughts.
"There is no harm in trying it. Let's be realistic here: she needs that money and she won't take it from you all. Surviving in a joint family is a challenge so this can also be an escape for her. Just make sure the offer is without any loopholes. And if it is then be there with her on every step. I'm sure you will be."
"That I'll always be."
He said with conviction. Irma gave him a knowing smile. He acknowledged it but didn't say anything to deny or affirm what she was thinking. He himself was not sure about his own feelings. He just knew he had to be there for Elaf every step of the way.
____
Hesham saw his father and Bisma and then clasped his hand together.
"I'm here to advocate for my friend, Bisma Auntie. His demeanor does that for himself. He doesn't need me voicing it out to you that he deserves Safwa and can give her every happiness. I just wished you had come to me first before reaching Izaan."
"Why both you and Safwa making me the bad guy here? I said nothing wrong and Izaan was in agreement with that. Yes, my tone could've been better and my words a bit less harsh and open but I just stated the facts Safwa was so looking past."
"Then you should've talked to Safwa. Or to Safwa and Izaan together. In my opinion approaching your niece would've been easier than approaching a kid you don't even know."
They all knew why she had done that but for the sake of keeping the situation from getting more messed up they hadn't brought it up. Bisma had chosen the easy target. Safwa had negotiation skills as good as hers and Safwa would've won in this argument if Bisma had approached her. So, she went the easier and more vulnerable way. Izaan, who was already so mindful of everything and had literally had a war with himself to let Safwa in and admit that he was, yes, in love with her. It was a feat in itself for him and now this was like all that work had gone to waste. The months of him building up the courage to accept what he felt for Safwa were now there among the sunken ships.
Bisma had no reply to that. Hesham shook his head as if to show his disappointment and left their room. Atif was silent during the whole exchange. But now that Hesham was out of here he wanted to have a talk with Bisma. Unlike Hesham he hadn't tried concealing his dislike of how she had handled a situation which wasn't hers to handle.
"Why didn't you tell me that you were going to pull something like this?"
Bisma had felt the bite in his tone. She narrowed her eyes. It had been so long they had an argument. When was the last time? In the 1980s? 1990s? Maybe.
"I didn't know I had to tell you before doing something I've been doing all my life."
"Don't get defensive, Bisma. You know you did wrong. You handled Izaan and Safwa's relationship like a business deal."
"Those were some valid points, Atif. At least have some faith in me."
"You never raised any such points when Safwa and Hesham were seeing each other. That's just a classist way of seeing things."
"I can't believe you just said this to me."
One thing Bisma hated was arguing with Atif. Not that it had much romantic connotation to it, it was more about the fact that he was a lawyer, a pretty good one and he always outshined her in arguments.
"The problem with you is, Bisma, that you make assumptions about something and then you think your viewpoint is the final. You did the same to me when we broke up all those years back. I'm not saying what you felt was wrong and I didn't have a part to play in making you feel like that but you made your mind. You never gave me a chance to retaliate against it. I was already a coward and your being sure made me take a step back as well."
Bisma opened her mouth to contradict him and then closed it. He was right as always. No matter how hurt she felt on hearing it from him but he was right.
"You are doing the same with Safwa. Not giving her and Izaan a say in their own relationship just because you have this idea in your mind that what you know is the best. You can be wrong too, Bisma. Have you given a thought to the repercussions of this to yours and Safwa's bonding? If you become the reason for Safwa and Izaan parting ways, will Safwa ever be able to forgive you? Your relationship will become bitter and I don't want that. I know how much you love and care for Safwa. "
The last words were spoken with so much tenderness that Bisma felt scared for a moment.
"Safwa will never hate me."
"I never hated you as well but the void between us took some twenty years to be filled."
And he wished that wouldn't happen with her and Safwa. He hadn't said that but Bisma picked on it and for the very first time she felt that being right wasn't always so good.
_____
Sarim had accompanied Elaf the next time she visited Faryal Elahi. The woman was a friendly theater enthusiast who was so excited at the prospect of having Elaf on her team. Elaf was visibly excited, something Sarim hadn't seen in months. The terms and conditions had been discussed and by the end of the meeting, Elaf had bagged a job which would provide her with a decent salary.
More than anything, it was Elaf's elation on turning back to something she loved and using it as her way of supporting her family was making Sarim's heart content. She couldn't tell her parents though. She had to lie and had to do everything in her wake not to be caught. That was going to be difficult and Sarim was very much concerned about that but Elaf was sure she'd be fine. Right now she just wanted to focus on her first play which was scheduled in after a week and she had to come everyday for the rehearsal and reading. She looked pumped and Sarim just hoped it would turn out in her favour because she deserved it after everything she had gone through lately.
Elaf juggled through her internship hours and time at the academy, all the while keeping it a secret from her extended family but the day of the play had come. Elaf hadn't told anyone. Safwa wasn't in a mood of anything and Elaf made a mental note to check up on her after this, she was so busy with this new development that she hadn't gotten time to ask her friends how they were doing. Only Sarim knew about the play. Elaf wasn't sure if he'd come but he had never missed any of her performances then why would he now?
She looked at herself in the mirror with a grimace. The play had some grotesque period horror vibe to it. Elaf didn't like the plot nor her character but she told herself that this wasn't like the dramatics club where she was in charge of everything. This was somewhere she was because she needed the money so she didn't get to complain.
Sighing, she left the stool. The back room was covered with red curtains and blinding yellow light. On the makeshift dresser which was just a table on which a mirror was set, a makeup bag was thrown open. The smell of cosmetics and fabric was permeating in the air and Elaf got her first introduction with how people of theater actually do it as a profession. The setting was mainly monotonous. The setting was mostly unknown.
She turned away and that's when her eyes fell on the person standing in the door.
"Sarim!"
She exclaimed with excitement. A familiar face among all the unfamiliarity. He stood just a few steps away from her and took her appearance in. His hands reached towards her face on their own accord and stopped at the corner of her lips. He bent down a bit with his face into an expression of concentration. His thumb slowly wiped off the excessive lipstick which was looking overdone.
"That's a lot of lipstick."
Elaf blinked. It was a simple gesture. He was actually helping her look less like an idiot and more like a lunatic landlady from the 1800s but it felt intimate. Something theirs. Something only he could do and only he had the right to.
"Are you ready?"
He asked and she immediately straightened up. She had a play to get to. This was no time to let her thoughts wander into unknown territories.
"I'm. Yes, I'm."
"Then go out there and slay like you always do."
She grinned and grabbing her gothic purse from the table to complete her looks was out of the backroom. Sarim followed her but instead of going towards the back stage, he made his way towards the audience.
And that's when he stopped in his tracks.
Lining the front of the stage, he could see almost three photographers. They had their professional cameras in their hands and were ready to start whenever the actors appeared on stage.
The play was going to get covered.
Which meant photos.
Alarm bells started ringing in his ears. He had half a heart to go back and pull Elaf out of there before it's too late. But he couldn't do so. The team had already arrived and he could see Elaf there in her element.
The show had started so did the camera flashes.