I See Fire

Epilogue

A Year Ago...

Rishikesh, India

13/09/20

12:30PM

"You people should stay together. I don't want to hear stories later that somebody is missing." Their mother scolded as she picked at a piece of steak with her fork.

"Yes. We're going to see your uncle and his wife with Usama, your Aunty Airah, Nabeeha and uncle Adeel."

Angry murmurs erupted from her audience as Alhaji Abdulrahman joined their mother in reprimanding them for choosing to go sight seeing in little groups that would most likely get lost before the days end.

This wasn't their first time in India so they felt they already had a map of the country memorized by their brains.

Amira wished to go anywhere as long as it was with Zayda while Nadine and Aamanee planned to go for a spa appointment together and the boys didn't have any plans at all but had decided to wander about in the city till they found something to do.

The aunt's and uncle laughed at the children's disapproval. Adeel tried to convince his older brother to take Amira and Aamanee while Hajiya Waleeda's sisters were advocates for all their nieces and nephews to join them for the visit.

Aamanee seemed eager to accept her uncle's idea but her parents wouldn't hear any of it.

"Can they visit with us tomorrow then?" Arfa beseeched, holding her older sisters hands.

"Ok." She smiled and everyone on the table showed appreciation with smiles and a series of yay's.

Once they finished their meals, they each returned to their rooms, planning to return in thirty minutes to meet in the lobby and off to their in-laws house.

The children remained on the table arguing about their parents reasons for not taking them along. They argued for half an hour before leaving the restaurant and allowing it to return to it's peaceful state.

"Where are we going to now?" Yusuf scratched at his hairy head with his other hand on his waist.

"Let's just go off to wherever!" Aamanee offered, "We can always say we forgot."

"You want to get us in trouble ba?" Nadine shrieked.

Farouk laughed and held his hands in the air for Aamanee to slap, "I like your idea." He turned to Nadine and threw an arm around her shoulder, "Nadine chill, if anything happens we'll just keep quiet. Remember, we're in this together. I know you're thinking umma will say you're the oldest and you let us but we'll back you up and give an excuse."

The idea suddenly seemed plausible to her so she accepted their reasoning not without giving them an earful of what were imaginations if things turned sour for them.

"See, better come back by six thirty. Abu and Umma will not return till eight. At least we have an hour and thirty minutes to get back into our rooms and pretend we haven't been anywhere."

Heads were being nodded and noises of agreement were being made as they discussed all the way upstairs to their rooms.

On the way, a man stopped them, stretched his hands out to shake Yusuf and Farouk who reluctantly took his hands in theirs.

"Namaste." He greeted with a courteous bow and a smile that was hidden behind the ball of hair living on his face.

"Is there any problem?" Nadine inquired, standing akimbo with a scowl on her face.

"Well, depends on who's asking." He joked but none of the siblings understood the joke that would soon become their reality as they all stood in a biting silence, staring at him, waiting for an explanation.