I reached the airport quickly and paid the uber driver his fees, as I got down.
"Shahista!" I turned to see Zesmina waiting for me.
"Come here!", she called.
"Coming", said I. I went where she was standing and together we proceeded towards the airport gates.
"So you okay?", she asked.
"Ya! i am fine, earlier..", I started.
"Maam can i see your ID CARD?," the official standing at the gate interrupted me.
"Yes sure." I handed her my ID. She checked and then handed it back.
I turned to Zesmina who had also checked in & said, "Earlier khala and khalu were a little upset. But they themselves became my pillars of support later."
She nodded, "that's good."
Then we didn't talk much and quietly proceeded towards boarding the plane.
"WELCOME TO EMIRATES, WE WILL BE FLYING ..." The air-hostess started to speak..
Meanwhile Zesmina called her parents & i was about to call bhaiyaan when his call came.
"Boarded safely?", he asked.
"Yes bhaiyaan", said I.
I used to call him bhaiyaan , it was my short version of bhaijaan.
"Good, I will be there at the airport , okay?", he said.
"Yes bhaiyaan,"I said and put down the phone.
I saw Zesmina smiling at me
"What?", I asked confused.
"Finally i am gonna meet the famous farhaan bhaiya whom i have heard so much about.", she said.
"You are very excited to see him", i smirked at her.
"Obviously, if he is half as handsome as he looks in your wallpaper. Any girl would be excited to meet him."
I just rolled my eyes on her. She laughed and the plane took off.
Most of the time then we sat quietly.
Zesmina slept and i looked outside the window , where dusk was fast approaching.
The memories of me travelling to Dubai in my school holidays, started to haunt me again. But i shook my head dismissing those thoughts.
No i cannot go down that lane right now. So i closed my eyes amd gell asleep
"Maam please get ready for landing.", i woke up to the voice of air-hostess. I rubbed my eyes to see we were ready to land. I glanced next to me & found Zesmina awake.
The flight touched down after sone time and we debarked.
As i stepped inside the DUBAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT i found it to be just the way it was years ago.
Majestic in its looks, standing tall, with million of people from all over the world, scattered around it.
"Woah!", said Zesmina. "This airport is amazing !".
I smiled at her, "wait till you see the city." "Now come-on lets go collect our bags".
She nodded and we collected our bags & proceeded towards the exit gate.
"How are you going home?", I asked her
"Oh uncle, is coming to pick me up".
"Okay.", said I.
"So what about you?"
"Farhaan bhaiyaan should be here any moment."
"I am right here Shahista ,"said a voice i knew to well from behind.
I quickly turned around and saw there stood my tall handsome brother with a huge smile plastered on his face.
"BHAIYAAN!", i shrieked and rushed to hug him. He hugged me back.
"I missed you so much!".
"I missed you too dear.", he said.
Then he noticed Zesmina standing behind. "
And who is this beautiful young women?", he asked smiling at her. I looked at Zesmina and almost laughed to see her face flustered. I knew the effect my brother had on girls but seeing my bestfriend looking lost was so funny.
"Bhaiyaan, this is Zesmina, my friend."
"Hello Zesmina, welcome to Dubai!", said he.
"Huh.. huh.. hi", stammered Zesmina.
I smirked internally.
"Shahista!", he said.
"Yes bhaiyaan?"
"I think so we should get moving." I nodded my head.
"Zesmina you will be able to wait here alone na?", I asked.
"Yes don't worry, uncle has almost arrived."
"Fine then, Bye i will text you later.", said I.
"Bye Shahista."
My brother directed me to the parking lot were he had parked his car . I walked there to see a brand new Mercedes parked.
"Woah!", my mouth fell open.
"Did you hit a lottery or what bhaiyaan?"
He laughed and said winking at me, "Just say things are great at work."
He opened the door for me and i climbed inside the comfortable car.
"So how's thing going?"
"Great", said he quietly.
I looked at him and noticed he had changed a lot since the last time i saw him.
"Have you been working out?", said I.
"Yay, i hit the gym occasionally."
"Hmm", i replied. The conversation grew silent then.
"Bhaiyaan?" i spoke silently, "why does dad want me back ?, its not like he cares about me."
"I don't know Shahista, dad didn't tell me the reason, he just said he wants you back."
"What could have possibly happen to change that man's mind after all these years. Isn't he given me enough pain.", i grimaced.
"Shahista!", bhaiyaan warned, "pain or not, he is your father, you cannot speak like this about him."
"I don't care, he is not my father," said I softly.
"Shahista!", bhaiyaan warned again
"No bhaiyaan , its the truth, i do-not care about him, neither do i care about my brothers nor their wives.", I turned away as tears filled my eyes.
"Shahista i understand what you have gone through, & i have always supported you. But please don't break down in-front of the people and create a scene."
"Create a scene!" , I exclaimed.
"I never created a scene bhaiyaan, they did,"
"Look shahista , i am not gonna justify dad's action neither will i oppose him. But you need to understand things have changed a lot since then. So your breaking down will not help you. You are a strong girl sis, don't do this."
I sighed, he was right.
"yes bhaiyaan" , I said softly.
"So," i tried to change the topic. "Who will be at home now?".
We lived in a big bungalow called Ahmed Villa in the city of Mleiah, a little away from Dubai.
"Actually no one.", said bhaiyaan softly .
"What?", i asked shocked.
"You see ,"bhaiyaan continued, " after all the brothers got their jobs they built their own houses and moved out . So currently the Ahmed Villa is empty."
"They moved out ? Where?", I asked still surprised. I did not even imagine they would move out our family house
"Their houses are nearby only. Dad lives with Rizwaan bhaijaan."
"So i will live alone there?", I asked . I was afraid to live alone in a big house.
"Hey don't worry , i will live with you ."
I nodded relieved. I couldn't believe my brothers moved out. That villa was our family house , it was where mom and dad had moved in after marriage. How can someone become so inconsiderate about feelings, that too Rizwan Bhaiya who loved mom the most!. How did all this happened? When did he changed so much?
I sighed , its no use thinking about it. Its worthless. I thought and realised living alone might not be that bad. After all i wont have to see their faces all day, i will have alone time with Bhaiyaan. Maybe i can call Zesmina over. I smiled at the thought.