Parking the car to the side, Zonish looked ahead at her sister. Hejab was walking slowly towards the secluded area of the private beach, away from the few people loitering around. Her eyes were focused on a raised rocky berth and soon she had sat down there. They had driven straight to this site from Hejab's campus. Zonish was determined to talk things out somehow. The conversation with Hesham proved to be a kind of stimulus as well but she was tired of being like this with Hejab. They needed to sort out everything. It had been three days already. That was the limit.
Zonish knew this was the opening she was looking for. Hejab had finally put an end to her silent treatment very silently. Zonish took determined steps to reach her. She wasn't letting this opportunity go in vain.
But words were eluding her even though they had been sitting facing the sea for quite some time now. This is why she hated messing up because apologizing wasn't an easy thing to do. You'd be so sorry in your heart but when it came to wording it out, suddenly you didn't even know how to speak.
"I know you're ashamed of your outburst the other day. Stop fidgeting."
The words made her take a deep sigh. The understanding between the two of them was one of Zonish's most prized possessions. She would never want to lose it and that fear had made her utter some hurtful gibberish that day. It wasn't justified but she knew she didn't mean it. She couldn't brush the thought that somewhere, down the line Hejab would leave her or they'd lose what they share.
"I'm....sorry. I went overboard."
Words. Heavier than rocks they were sitting on but once uttered lighter than the air they were breathing. Hejab looked sideways at her. She knew it must be hard for Zonish to finally say it. But this wasn't about her feeling this way. It really wasn't.
"I'm not mad at you."
"You've been ignoring me for three days, Hejab."
"If you have noticed I haven't been talking to anyone much lately."
"I don't care about anyone else."
The bratty kid in her would often make her presence known. This was one of those moments.
"I'm mostly worried."
"About our family not agreeing to you and Daniyal? Well, I might be opposed to the idea of you and him but now that I'm pretty sure you're head over heels for the guy so I think I'd back you up. You really want this and that's what really matters I guess."
Hejab shook her head with a slight smile. The setting sun was casting an orange halo around everything. It was bright and dull both at the same time. The silhouettes were telling a story of their own.
"I'm worried about you, Zoni."
Zonish was taken aback.
"Me? You're worried about me?"
"Yes."
"You were ignoring me because you're worried about me? Make it make sense!"
"I was thinking."
"I'd love to know your precious thoughts then."
"You need to let go of your preconceived notions about everything in life. It's hindering your growth as a person. And most importantly, it's containing you from living your life to the fullest."
Zonish didn't have to ask twice what she meant by this. But her silence was the answer Hejab was looking for.
"It wasn't mainly about me. It wasn't about Hesham. It was and will always be about Saima Auntie. Am I right?"
Silence drowned into the uproar of the waves in some distance. That was all Zonish got from her sister. A silence which spoke so much. Senseless silence which made sense somehow.
"She's not your enemy, you know that right?"
"She isn't a friend either."
"That I know and I don't exactly expect you to make an amicable bonding with her when you don't even want to. Just don't project every wrong in our life to her. You know she hasn't been the typical step mother to us, right? She could fulfill every stereotype but she didn't. Yeah, we aren't chummy with her but aren't you thankful that we didn't become one of those families they show in daily soaps?"
Zonish's impassive face had morphed into a sarcastic smile, the one that's creasing into sadness on the ends but no one's ready to notice. They just see the sass and that's all.
"Yeah, we should be really thankful. Thankful that we got a mummy and a plastic complete family even after losing our real mother. Thankful that our father found a soulmate again. Thankful that he didn't wait for even some years to do that after losing his wife."
"Zoni, not this again!"
"Why not? You just said to me that this is about Saima auntie so let's talk about it. Why Zonish is such a bitch, why Zonish can't let it go, and why the hell Zonish was so worked up after finding out her sister is in love with someone from Saima auntie's family. Yeah, ladies and gentlemen let's find out!"
She was rambling now but Hejab didn't stop her. It wasn't like she'd stop on her request anyway.
"Do you remember how complete our family was? You, Baba, Mama and me. We were one happy unit. For me, at least, my mum and dad were the best example of eternal love. But then what happened? Mum got sick, and then she died. It was a sad affair. Everyone was full of grief at how a happy small family broke apart. Relatives wouldn't leave us alone and then suddenly everything became so calm. Dad was almost always out for business leaving us with that good for nothing nanny and what we were doing? Chasing after the ghost of whatever Mama was."
Hejab tried blinking back her tears but failed miserably. She remembered that time like it was just yesterday. Their own house became a graveyard of their normal lives, a life with both parents, a life where you get to hear your mother's voice. Many people came to help but for how long could they do that?
"And then our father decided that he's so lonely and his house is so empty. Instead of making his bonding with his daughters better he remarried. Two years. It took just two years for that eternal love to get infused in the air. Whoosh!"
She wasn't looking at Hejab anymore. Her eyes were focused on the horizon, searching, looking.
"I'm sorry for the way I reacted to your and Daniyal's news. But I'm not sorry if I'm protective of what little I've been left with. I just have you, Hejab. It's not something I'm proud of but the way Saima auntie fit so perfectly in the place of Mama in Baba's life, I'm going to be forever bitter about this. How easy it was for him to give her that place. How easily he moved on. I just can't give anyone else from that family a chance to do that to me once again. Especially with you. You're all I have."
"You know that I get you. We've been through this together. But maybe Baba needed someone in his life? Maybe he couldn't do it alone? We've never talked to him about this so we don't know."
"Then he should've made us understand. It was his responsibility as a parent to let us know. You know I had this huge castle made of the love I saw my parents sharing. I always used to think that when I grow up, I'll have something like this too with someone I'd love. But one day I realized that the castle was made of sand. It was basically a sand castle and one mindless wave of seawater and it became mud. That's my view of love. At the end of the day you're always replaceable."
"This is what I'm trying to tell you. You're letting all this twist your expectations out of life. You're being too harsh on yourself, Zoni. I know whatever happened wasn't just. But it's no one's fault. Baba isn't just our father, he's a human and if he found it hard to live without a partner, then who are we to judge him? You're looking at things with a myopic view. It's not at all rainbows and sunshine but isn't as charcoal black as well. You just have to look around."
She held Zonish's hand. Her idea was to just provide her with any warmth she could muster.
"Mama wouldn't want to see you like this. She always wanted us to be happy right? Happiness isn't something which manifests itself out of thin air. We have to work for it. And you don't have to look for it in the grand setting of the universe. It's there in small things. And as for us, let's just have a promise. You do know I'm good at keeping those, right?"
Zonish nodded because it was the truth.
"I promise you that I'll never let anything come in between us. We've seen the best and the worst together. We held each other when there was no one to tell us it's going to be okay. We stood firm and here we are, Zoni. How can you think that I'll ever become distant from you? You're also all I have."
"Tell that to Daniyal."
Hejab laughed aloud seeing Zonish's straight face. They have come to the point where the issues turn into meaningless jokes and jest. But deep down, she was still worried. But for now things were good and for now they were fine.
"I think you should tell Baba and Saima auntie about you and Daniyal. Just to prevent any drama in future."
"I was also thinking of doing it but your reaction stopped me."
"I'm impulsive when I'm riled up and you know that."
"So, are we good now?"
"We were always good, Hejab. We will always be good. And right now in this moment, we're good too."
"I like the sound of it."
Zonish turned back to her mindless staring into the sky. The line separating the sea and the setting sun was blurring. She was again searching for something there and once again she couldn't find it.
Maybe she wasn't looking at the right place.
Or maybe it wasn't there in the first place.
It was for her to figure out.
_______
Throwing her purse on the shoulder, Safwa walked towards the lounge with a bounce in her steps that only a day well spent can provide. And there was no denying in it, she had such a great time at Izaan's place but that was becoming a norm now. That home was slowly turning into her happy place.
She was humming on a melody when she stopped close to the stairs. Her brows scrunched seeing Nusrat Aapa and Bisma sitting there and by the looks of it, the atmosphere was tense.
"Is everything okay?"
She asked reaching them. Nusrat Aapa shrugged her shoulders which was so unlike her. Her face and body language screamed of how done she was. On the other hand, Bisma was sitting with her head down and that was also out of character.
"What is going on here? I'm very confused and you two aren't helping as well."
None of them replied right away. Nusrat Aapa was eyening Bisma to start the conversation. She opened her mouth to say something about Safwa's queries but at the same time her phone went off. Bisma checked the caller ID and Safwa could swear she saw Atif's name there. Bisma had cut the call by then.
"Why wouldn't you pick up?"
Safwa asked with a raised eyebrow. The whole suspense had started irking her. She wasn't generally a person to beat about the bush and when the facts weren't as clear to her by others it made her frustrated.
"It's not necessary."
Bisma's ambiguous response confused her some more. She looked at Nusrat Aapa who sighed deeply.
"Atif has proposed your phupho."
"Really!!?"
"No he didn't!"
The contrasting responses to Nusrat Aapa's information echoed in the lounge. Safwa sat down next to Bisma and held her sideways.
"Is it true?"
"It wasn't a proper proposal. He just brought it up as a possibility and..."
"And that's why you're losing your sanity here since the time you've come back after meeting him."
"Aapa, Please! This is already bad enough."
"What's bad about getting a marriage proposal?"
"Yes, Safwa asking the right question finally!"
Bisma narrowed her eyes in their way. They were supposed to back her up not question things. She settled the shawl around her shoulders and shook her head.
"Everything about this screams disaster."
"You are just rambling, Phupho. Give us reasons."
"There was no need for it!"
"Oh all of us know this was needed! The man did what should've been done long back!"
Nusrat Aapa exclaimed.
"You aren't making this easier for me."
"Your reasons are just excuses."
"Hang on! What kind of reasons? Did you refuse him? You didn't, right?"
"She didn't but she's planning on doing that."
Safwa looked between the two of them incredulously.
"Why?"
"Because, it is totally uncalled for. Our story ended long back. I was the one to put a full stop on it. He has no right to start erasing everything and rewrite it."
"But if something is wrongly done you have to make corrections, Phupho."
"Nothing was wrongly done. It was the rational decision that time."
"That time. Those circumstances. The old you and him. All of this is irrelevant to the present situation, Phupho. I'm not saying you took a wrong turn back then. It was needed that time but it's no longer now. Everything's changed."
"This is my point exactly. Everything has changed so why does he want the same old back? We aren't the same anymore anyway."
"People change, love stays. Love waits for you to realize how important it is. Love was there back then too but the other factors weren't in your favour, the main reason why it didn't work out. But now things have changed. You're underestimating the power of love here, Bisma. It stayed between both of you, something as ignored as an old article of furniture which is no longer in use but when you're drowning, that alone can save you. It has come to save you from a lifelong loneliness."
Nusrat Aapa had put as best as she could but Bisma was still not convinced.
"You're afraid that if you let love in, then what you did years back will hold no importance. You don't want to let down that independent woman in you who chose herself the last time."
Safwa whispered and the way Bisma had immediately looked at her, she knew she had picked the right one. This was the main issue.
"It was always about choosing yourself, Phupho, then and even now. That time what you needed to do was moving away because whatever it was, it wasn't good for you. But now accepting it is your win. You choose yourself again. Because admit it or not you need it. Why does choosing yourself always have to be about just you? If you've decided to be with someone who makes you happy then you're choosing yourself in a way here as well. Somewhere, deep down you also know. Some stories aren't straight forward. They have lots of turns and twists and sometimes, down the line, the thread breaks as well. But the stories never stop. They reach their culminating point. Yours is also going there. Don't feel bad that you're letting yourself down by choosing the same love you refused back then. That wasn't time for it. Now it's your time to choose it."
Bisma's look of resignation was heartbreaking. Why did life have to be so harsh on us that we feel guilty when we are doing nothing but choosing our happiness?
"What about the people? There will be so much to deal with."
"Are you the same woman who always taught me that people aren't worth even an ounce of our attention? You never let anyone else's opinion define you, Phupho then why are you doing it now? They weren't here for you when you were juggling between running a company and raising a kid both at the same time. Then whatever they say now doesn't and shouldn't matter."
Nusrat Aapa had sat down by now. She should've waited for Safwa to come back home. The way she had knocked sense into Bisma spoke of their bonding.
"And what about you?"
Safwa laughed lightly. Trust Bisma to not leave anything unattended.
"I can't leave you alone."
"What am I? A toddler?" For your information, I turned 21 just a few months back. I'm a legal adult and totally capable of taking care of myself. Also, I have Nusrat Aapa with me. She managed to put up with you when you were of my age, she for sure can handle me as well."
She gave a high five to Nusrat Aapa who embraced her in a warm motherly hug.
"The point is, it was and will always be about you, Phupho. Think of nothing and no one else. Just yourself and come to a decision. I'll support you but please, just think of yourself. That's it."
The ball was in Bisma's court now. And Safwa could only hope she'd decide for the best.
________
The crisscross pattern on the floor never looked this fascinating to Bisma before. The lines were aligned away from each other and then made a mesh. How complicated it must've been to make this?
But we often make our lives a messier business than this so there's that as well.
Years back when she had taken the decision to end her and Atif's relation, she never regretted it once. Missed it? Yes. Hoped things were a bit on the brighter side? Yes to that as well. But regret wasn't something she ever felt towards that situation. It was her way of proving she wasn't a choice, and if she made herself one then what was the point of it all? She stood for herself and her individuality and for a long time she was happy about it.
But recently, she was questioning herself a lot. It hadn't happened before. She had this clarity about her emotions. Something Atif admired in her a lot. She was asking herself questions about why and what. The conflicting emotions weren't letting her rest.
And then came the kind of proposal from Atif. She should've been mad at him for not keeping it to just friends. But whom was she kidding? Between them nothing ever stayed as just friends. Not years back, not even now.
Nusrat Aapa was right. Love never dies. It stays. It fades in the background only to make its presence known whenever there's an opening for it. And the love she and Atif shared had done the same.
But was she ready to let it in once again?
She was still proud of her decision of calling things off at the right time but she was never able to call off love and now she was realizing it. Everything she's heard from Nusrat Aapa and Safwa was true at its place but there was still something inside her which was resisting the idea of getting into this again.
"It shouldn't make you contemplate your whole life, Bisma. Take it easy."
Atif's voice brought her back from her musings. She shook her head.
"I'm trying my best here."
"You can take as much time as you want to though."
"Time, it's a weird thing."
"No doubt it is."
"Did you ever feel like you fell out of love with me? After all I was the one to put an end to everything."
Atif smiled slightly. She was surely overanalyzing everything otherwise she wouldn't be asking him this.
"I hated your decision in the beginning. With everything I had in me. I was ready to do whatever I had in me to make you take it back. I even came to your place to convince you a few months later."
"You did?"
"Yes. You were sitting in the lawn with Issa. You both were discussing something business related. I guess by then you had officially joined the company. I was determined to talk to you and it was a good thing that Issa was also there. But then I stopped. Right there a few steps away from you, I stopped."
"Why?"
"I saw your face. You turned and suddenly you were in my direct view. You were.....happy. Happier than I had seen you in months. Your face was glowing with the acknowledgment that you were finally going to achieve what you always wanted to do. I stepped back. There were you, happy and content in life, and I was nowhere in the picture. This gave me the hint. This proved to be the sign I should've seen but wasn't paying any heed to it. Whoever said that every love has a timing of its own was so right, Bisma. Because it wasn't time for our love at all. After that I totally gave up the idea of us. Concentrated on the firm. Married Hariya and somehow I started enjoying the little blessings in life. We both moved on. Faced some troubled times of our own and came out as winners as well. But just recently, I felt that maybe this is the right time we didn't have back then? This is how it was supposed to be maybe? We weren't meant to live a life together to this point, in fact we were meant to spend this remaining life giving each other the needed solace. Maybe this is how the timing of love works? The people you think you will spend all your life with are meant to be in it for just a small period of time but just because it happened so late, after so much, don't mean it shouldn't happen. We can be each other's happy place, Bisma. We owe this love at least this much."
Bisma had a tear rolling down her cheek which she wiped with the back of her hand. The years gone by were flashing across the curtain of her mind.
They owed this love this chance. They owed each other this chance.
He had extended his hand forward.
The people who get a second chance in life are lucky. And those who avail it are luckier.
As Bisma held onto Atif's hand she had a feeling this chance wasn't going to be a miss.
_________
A bright morning on a winter day is nothing short of a blessing. The golden glow of it can't be expressed in mere words. But today the smile of Safwa Kirmani was marveling at everything bright and shiny. She was moving around in the campus with an air of happiness following her.
"She's like a butterfly today."
Elaf smiled at her beaming friend from afar. Safwa was talking to some of her class fellows regarding some assignment but even then her smile was infectious.
"She's happy."
Hesham commented while taking a sip of his coffee. Both of them were sitting on a table to the far end of the cafeteria. Sarim was on the counter getting their order as both Elaf and Hesham refused to get up as usual.
"That I can see. The question is, are you?"
She turned to him taking him off guard.
"Me what?"
"Are you happy with this new development?"
"Why are you interrogating me like I'm a troublemaker?"
"You're trying to dodge the question, Hesham Baig."
Hesham shook his head. Elaf could pick on when he was using his humor to divert a topic. The girl wasn't one of his closest friends for nothing.
"I'm happy. In the beginning it wasn't easy. But I think the credit here goes to my Dad. He never treated me just like a son. He was sometimes a mentor for me, sometimes a strict teacher and all the time a friend. I was really going to go a bratty baby way throwing tantrums, like a pampered only kid would do knowing he'll have to share the only relation he has. But then I thought of my Dad not just my dad but as a human being, as a person who really doesn't have anyone in his life, a partner, someone he can lean on. Yeah, he has me but who am I kidding? It's not the same."
Hesham picked a cookie from the open packet in front of Elaf. She narrowed her eyes but refrained from commenting on it.
"I see many people saying that being the children of our parents isn't the only thing in life for us. We have our own aspirations and own dreams to fulfill. I respect that but I think the same can be applied to parents as well. We are so habitual of seeing them as just our mum and dad that we often neglect this fact that before anything else, they're humans. They have human emotions and they had a life without us in the past as well. Allow them to make decisions like you want them to allow you. It's a two way road. Thinking on these lines really made a lot sense to me and now I'm happy for my Dad. I'm happy for myself as well. Bisma auntie is a very nice person and she's cool. So, yeah."
Hesham finished with a slight bobbing of his head. He was waiting for Elaf to say something but nothing came. But in a few seconds the packet of the cookies he had just stolen from was in front of him.
Hesham looked at her questionably who just shrugged her shoulders.
"You are a good kid so I thought you should be rewarded."
"Let me get this straight, now that my Dad is going to be really busy in his own life, you're planning on adopting me?"
"Do I look like I dropped my brain somewhere?"
"I'm a good kid."
"Doesn't make you less annoying."
"I'm told when I was born our firm became an instant hit in the law market, I brought fortune. You and Sarim will be playing in money."
"Where did Sarim come from?"
"Don't you know, Shorty? Only couples can adopt kids. "
Elaf swatted his arm away.
"Shut up! You talk senseless!"
Hesham laughed seeing her not meeting his eyes due to embarrassment.
"What are you guys on about now?"
Sarim placed the tray on the table. Hesham's eyes glinted with mischief while Elaf wanted to hide herself somewhere.
Calling him a good kid was a mistake. But she could do nothing about it.
"Nothing, I just gave you and shorty's first born some competition and shorty here isn't liking it."
"What?"
"SHUT UP, HESHAM!"
Yes, a mistake. Not a good kid. Not at all.
________
"I got an idea when Hesham was talking about it. Good to know that his father will not be living this life alone anymore."
Memoona said arranging the books on Izaan's study table. He shook his head, not seeing the point of it. He wasn't messy at all when it came to his room, still whenever Memoona used to come here she'd start sorting already sorted things out. He was sitting on his bed leaning against the pillows with his notes opened in front of him. He had just casually told Memoona about this new development between Bisma and Atif. It was the hot topic anyway because both Safwa and Hesham wouldn't stop talking about it.
"Hesham is happy with it. That's what matters the most. He's very optimistic. I just hope all this works out well for everyone."
"It will. Safwa was beside herself with joy when she mentioned it. Such a cute bean she is."
Izaan didn't say anything in return. It was a usual thing in his household now. They all used to talk about Safwa so fondly like she was a family friend of them all.
"By the way, you told me this so casually. Why didn't you tell me anything about Safwa and Hesham's situation when it happened?"
Guilty as charged. Izaan looked from behind his notes at his stern looking mother and shook his head.
"I don't gossip, Amma. You know that."
"Yeah, try coming up with a good reply next time. You didn't purposely tell me."
"And why would I do that?"
The way Memoona looked at him was enough of an indication. She didn't say anything. Her typical mothers knew everything look was telling the untold.
"I have to complete this reading by night so I'm going back to it."
"Yeah, sure."
She ruffled his hair on her way out. Izaan was trying his best to concentrate back on his notes but now he was distracted. His mother's one look had told him what he was trying to push at the back of his mind for so long just so the impact would lessen.
But that's the thing about blooming love. It comes in full force and makes its presence known.
_______
"I told you to stay out of the kitchen! You aren't here for long anyway and you'll spend all that time in the kitchen, Irma."
Farwa cried for the umpteenth time but Irma didn't even flinch. She kept on stirring the gravy with a smile on her face.
It had been after almost a month of marriage that she came for a proper visit. She was here for a week now and Farwa could tell how much of a difference it made now that she was here. The house had gotten back its liveliness which had lost somewhere the moment Irma had crossed the threshold of the door.
She had been here for two days now. Farwa was filling her up with everything that went down in this whole month. Not that they weren't connected on the phone but conversing by face is some other kind of satisfaction.
"Ammi, after this I'm going to bake some cookies. Sarim is asleep right now. Once he wakes up we'll enjoy those with tea in his room. Two days have it been and this guy is so busy he can't take time out for me as well."
Irma's rant was justified. Farwa had also seen how Sarim had gotten so neck deep in work and university stuff that he barely had time for anything else. But he had always dodged staying home more than necessary so Farwa couldn't say anything with conviction on how busy he actually was. He was happy though, with his work, with his friends and now that Irma was home.
"How's he by the way?"
Irma's question made Farwa think. How was he? She had to think.
"You can ask him once he wakes up."
"You know what I'm talking about, Ammi. Is he still coming home late and leaving any chance he gets?"
Farwa sighed deeply. Irma was no fool. She understood right away.
"I should talk to him then."
"You won't."
"But, Ammi..."
"No, Irma. You won't. Let him be."
"But he doesn't realize he's neglecting you this way, Ammi. "
"He isn't. He's a good son. I call him once and he's here to do whatever I ask from him. That's not the problem."
"Then what is it, Ammi?"
Farwa left the task in hand and looked around. Irma was eyeing her questionably.
"He lives here but he doesn't consider this house his home. That's all to it."
Irma opened her mouth to say something but then closed it again. This had been her truth as well for the whole time she lived here at her parents'.
"It breaks my heart that both my children never felt at ease in their own house. They always thought of it as some shelter made of bricks and stones not some place where their heart was. And it's not their fault as well."
She wiped a tear from her eye trying to compose herself but it wasn't easy.
"I knew it but always thought with time it would get better. Both of you will make peace with it somehow because expecting your father to change was never even an option. But I was wrong. You got married and I'm so happy that you are in a far better place than you were here. Sarim is counting days till he leaves as well. This wasn't the kind of atmosphere I wanted to give to my children."
"Ammi, you weren't a bad mother. Never think like that."
"But I could be a better one."
"You can't change everything. Trust me when I say that you were the only person this house was worth staying in for, both for me and Sarim. We love you so much and never ever think that you failed somewhere as a mother. You didn't. I'm happy in my life. Sarim is also going to get his share of that soon. It's not about houses. It's about the people and you'll always have a home in our heart, Ammi. Please don't beat yourself down for the things you couldn't change. That's only going to bring you pain."
She had hugged Farwa trying her best to put her words into action as well.
"Now we will talk about only good things. I'm making the tea and we'll have it in Sarim's room. You go and wake him up, okay. He gets grumpy when he's woken from a deep sleep. You're the only person he doesn't lash out on."
Farwa nodded and cleaning her hands came out of the kitchen. Her eyes darted towards the open door of Nauman's study where he could be seen talking to someone over the phone. His tea cup was resting on the table closeby. Farwa didn't know why but going inside and asking him if he needed her to warm it for him felt like an uphill task. Normally she'd walk straight into the study and do as she would be told but today she just didn't feel like it.
Instead she turned the corner towards the stairs.
_________
Pastel colors flowing around with a particular scent of warmth infused in the air, the aura of Kirmani House was different today. Safwa leaned against the glass window playing with her perfectly straightened hair looking at the couple surrounded by the rest of the people.
Atif and Bisma.
Just after their Nikkah.
The small gathering of friends and family fit perfectly in the space. Every face was smiling and praying for the couple an eternal bond ahead.
Bisma was talking to Nusrat Aapa about something. She wasn't dolled up like typical brides.
"I'm not a typical bride."
That was her argument and respecting her wish to keep the ceremony as simple as possible they had acted on it. The result was here. A cozy affair with not many people invited, just those who were genuinely happy for Atif and Bisma.
Safwa spotted Hesham behind the couch the couple was sitting. He was also looking at her. She gave him a nod and he reciprocated. How different this setting was. Once, they were sure they'd be the one sitting on this very couch but how life had played its cards. And they weren't even complaining. This was how it was supposed to happen.
"I think it's time."
Nusrat Aapa announced and looked at Atif and Bisma who got up immediately.
It was time for Bisma to leave.
The moment Safwa was both anticipating and dreading. It wasn't any rocket science that Bisma would stay with Atif now. They had covered a huge milestone in their life. It was time for them to be the life partners and soulmates to each other they were always destined to be.
Safwa gave her phupho the warmest hug when she came forward to meet her. She didn't know what was being said, who was saying it. She just inhaled Bisma's scent which always reminded her of home and warmth. So close to a mother's but still not a mother's.
Hesham was the one driving them to Baig House. He was already waiting by the car. Safwa saw everyone making their way towards the exit to see Bisma off. But instead of following them, she took a step back. Then another and in no time she had disappeared behind the corner.
Izaan smiled at Hesham as he bobbed his head like a chauffeur before opening the door and getting inside to finally zoom away. Elaf and Sarim were also with him shaking their heads at Hesham's goofiness. But it didn't take Izaan much time to know something was amiss. Someone wasn't here.
His search ended when he knocked at her room door and got the cue entered inside. She was wiping her tears hurriedly but who'd tell her he had already seen it.
"You should be downstairs with everyone else."
"I know. But I wanted some time alone. Here. Sit."
She patted the seat next to her on her bed. Izaan slowly sat down looking at her with concern.
"I was looking through our magic memory box. Phupho and I really have just each other and it shows in our photos, see."
She extended the frame towards him which he took carefully. It was a photo of Safwa's high school graduation day. She was standing next to Bisma with her arm around her shoulder.
"No one in my class used to believe she was my aunt. Everyone said she looks like my elder sister and I was so offended because I wanted them to say she looked like my mother. It was so silly of me."
She brought out another one where Safwa was making Bisma eat cake and by the looks of it Bisma wasn't pleased.
"She hates celebrating her birthday. I hope it changes now. She is someone whose birthday should always be celebrated. I'll ask Atif uncle to arrange a big party for her. She'll try acting annoyed but seeing so many people gathered around to celebrate her special day, she'll melt."
Her eyes were again welling up. She wiped moisture away but failed anyway.
"Damn, I'm such an idiot. I should be happy that finally she's going to get her fair share of happiness but here I'm being a crying mess reminiscing over the past. There's something very wrong about me right now."
"Safwa..."
She looked at him and Izaan could see how hard she was trying to keep it together. Right this moment he suddenly felt the enormity of the situation. This girl in front of her had only her Phupho as her whole family. She wasn't that wealthy when it came to relations and that's why even though she was so happy for her aunt but still the fact that she had to part with her was making her cry.
He extended his arm and bringing it around her shoulder pulled her to his side.
"I'm here and It's okay. You can cry as much as you want."
This was the cue. He didn't tell her to stop or control herself. He just told her it was okay to cry. Safwa shifted so that her face was in the cocoon of his neck while she was hugging him from the sides. Her shoulder shook from the sobs.
"I miss her already."
Izaan ran his fingers in her hair soothingly. He wished he could do more than that to make her feel better. Anything.
"I know and It's all right."
The hold of her fists around his shirt increased some more as if she was telling him to never let go.
And he wasn't going to either.
__________
"Thank you for stopping me otherwise I'd have dashed towards Safwa's room without even thinking anything. Thank God I didn't disturb something."
Elaf exclaimed, taking a sip of her hot choco. She was sitting facing the garden of Kirmani house through the glass window.
"Mention not."
Sarim smiled but then his brows scrunched.
"You aren't cold today?"
"Nah. I'm draped in my warm shawl, drinking hot choco. I'm not cold today. What did you think? I'll always need your hoodies to stay warm?"
His face fell.
"Yes."
"The joke's on you, Sarim Haider."
Elaf laughed. Sarim shook his head and pulled his hoodie aside as there was no need for it anymore. Elaf was eyeing his every action closely. It was all fine but when she saw him casting the hoodie aside almost tossing it, she held his hand.
"Give it to me."
"I thought you were draped in a shawl sipping on your hot choco. You don't need it."
Elaf made a face. It was true but she was suddenly reminded of how warm and comfy this piece of his clothing was.
"You're mean, Sarim Haider."
She said, making him laugh lightly. He gave it to her the next moment and didn't have to wait long for her to wear it as well.
"I don't know about you but your hoodies are amazing."
"Deep down you know I'm also amazing but let's not get into that."
"Whatever!"
She had come prepared today but once again Sarim Haider and his hoodie just made their way somehow.
Maybe she'd always need his hoodies around and him by her side to stay warm.
_________
"You're joking right?"
Bisma looked incredulously between Atif and Hesham. They were standing right outside of Baig House and Hesham had just dropped the news that they both would be staying here alone for the next few weeks.
"I'm afraid I can't say that because I'm not."
"What about Rashid?"
"I sent him to his village for a few days. He was asking for a leave for quite sometime now."
"But where will you go?"
"That's where being the only heir to Baig riches comes in handy. I'll stay at Dad's apartment for the time being. But that's beside the point."
"This isn't right. I mean..."
"Bisma auntie."
Hesham held her hand and looked between her and his father.
"As much as you deny but you both need it. Think of you two as just two people who are finally able to have their happy ever after. Nothing else. Right now you should focus on each other. Everything else can wait and it will. Now go to your house and turn it into a home. Your and Dad's."
"And yours too!"
Bisma corrected him on which he smiled sheepishly.
"Yes, mine too. Now go!"
Hesham watched them taking slow steps towards the entrance and then into the house. He was leaning against his car. The submerged in semi darkness Baig House illuminated with lights the next moment. It was an indication that the owners had come back home.
He looked above at the starry sky of a winter night. The stars on the horizon had no competition with this house right now.
But the same wasn't true for the house in another corner of the city. Zonish rested her elbows on the railing and looked down in the lounge. Hejab was sitting between Tabrez and Saima and by the looks of it, her truth about her love story was well received. Saima was beside herself with joy while Tabrez was also smiling. Taimoor looked excited too.
Situation cleared without any intervention needed.
Zonish left the railing and walking along the hallway entered her room. Whatever happening downstairs had already faded to the back of her mind. She was picking up her current read from the table when she looked at the window glass and the starry sky smiling at her through this.
She tried but she couldn't smile back.
It didn't have what she was searching for anyway so what was the point even.
But little did she know, this world under this horizon has something for everyone. Some are getting it, some are getting familiarized with the idea of getting it and some are yet to get it.
But there's something for everyone.
_________