I drove to my moms house for her annual family dinner. I actually loved her dinners, it was the one time of year apart from weddings I got to see my whole family.
I drove up to the driveway and turned my car off. right when I was about to get out of the car my phone went off. when I looked I saw fawads name flashing. "hello?"
"hey babes."
"hey."
"woke up already?" he asked me confused
"I woke up and I'm dressed..remember moms annual dinner?"
"oh yeah! you mom called, she wanted me to come."
"yeah..anyways what are you doing?"
"laying down in bed. I just
got up."
"I see, we should tell everyone about us today."
"we should..I'll come in a bit..what colors are you wearing by the way?"
"maroon and white..why?"
"nothing just making sure you follow the Xmas spirit."
"whatever..ok I have to go.."
"ok. bye. loooovvvee you." he stretched out the love part. "I know you love me! who doesn't? ok bye."
"hold it. say it back."
"it back." I was laughing my pants off inside. "Ashi."
"fawad" i mimicked. "say it back na!" he was whining like Ali. "I said it back na!"
"fine bye."
"okok okok! I love you too!" and I hung up. I loved messing with him. honestly I was happier with fawad rather than hussain. I think we rushed it too much. anyways.
I got out my car and went to the door. before I was able to knock the door swung open. "god Ashi your late!!" the familiar voice said. I was digging through my purse to find something. I looked up and saw fawad standing in the door way. he was wearing a white button down with a slim maroon tie with kaki pants and black dress shoes. "fawad? you're already here?"
"well if you see me than yes."
"but you said your in bed."
"I know...I lied." I punched his chest and hugged him.
"mamma!!!" Alia came running to me. "mamma! mamo is scaring me!"
"Alia!" Adnan was running to Alia. "Ashi?"
"hey Adnan." I didn't visit my house at all in the past years..I just sent over the kids with aena when I was working. Adnan hugged me really tight. "Ashi..why haven't you come home in all these years? do you have any idea how much I missed you?" Adnan sounded like he was crying. "Adnan..himmat nahi thi mujhme.." I cried into his shoulder. "nahi hai mujhme itni himmat Adnan..mein kya karoon? my life is just messed up."
"shh chote..ab tu aagayye hai na? everything will be fine.."
I let go and wiped my tears. "I know..isi liye maine aj himmat ki aane ki. I wouldn't miss mammas annual dinner for anything.."
Adnan kissed my forehead.
"Ashi?" I heard Amir bhai.
"Amir bhai?" I was shocked to see him, he had also gone out of the country for a couple of years. he was in Dubai. I ran to him. I needed my big brother. "Amir bhai!" I sobbed into his shoulders. "Ashi. I missed you so much jaan."
"you have no idea how much I needed you. I missed you so much! please don't ever leave me." he kissed my cheek. "I won't leave you jaan.."
"bas karo meri bachi ko rolana." my mom yelled from behind Amir bhai.
I let go and wiped off my cheeks yet again. "mamma." I hugged her. "Kaise hai mere bachi?"
"I'm fine mamma..I'm going to re-do my makeup and meet baba." she nodded and kissed my forehead.
~.~
after all that drama with everyone. we finally sat in the living room and talked. we watched old videos and looked through old albums. it felt great to be with my family..I don't know why I stayed away for so long.
"attention everyone." fawad stood in the door way with a glass of coke. typical fawad.
"Ashi and I would like to make an announcement." he gestured me to go stand next to him. I went and stood next to him and he grabbed my hand intertwining our fingers. "so as some of you know last night Ashi and I went on a date. and over that date I proposed..finally."he looked down at me.."and she said yes." he looked at me with so much love in his eyes. "I love you Ashi and I promise I won't ever hurt you..I'll be an amazing husband along with an amazing father. I promise." I felt tears blurr my vision. "I love you too." I almost whispered.
everyone came up and started congratulating us. "mamma!" Ali came running to me. he gave me a tight hug. "will baba live with us now?" I looked up at fawad. he bent down "of course..I'm going to start living with you..I'll move in this weekend."
"yay! baba will live with us." Alia screamed. I laughed "yeah baby. baba will live with us now."
"time for pictures." Amir bhai yelled. we all took photos and suddenly the door bell rang. "I'll get it! you guys carry on." I walked up to the door and opened it. "huss-hussain?" I stammered. "uh..come in." I smiled. "your mom called me over, she said she wanted to talk to me."
"uh..ok? she's in the family room."
he walked into the family room and everyone went silent. "what is that dickhead doing here?" I heard Raneem ask. I walked over to her and smacked her butt. "stop it..behave Raneem." she rolled her eyes. "Hussain....i didn't think you'd be coming." my mom raised an eyebrow.
"you said you wanted to talk to me..I figured it would be important."
"ok come to the study."
they walked into the study and closed the door.
they came out about 20 minutes later and they looked relieved. it looked like my mom went off on him because when they came out he just started walking towards the door. "Ashi come on let's take a family picture. hold on hussain! can you take the picture for us?"
"uh..sure." we all stood in the living room and hussain in front of us. he looked hurt. he took the pic and gave Amir bhai the camera. while everyone were fighting to look at the picture I took that moment to talk to hussain.
"Hussain?"
"yea?"
"what did mom say to you? you look so hurt."
"she just said to stay away from you..that's it..she told me how you haven't come here the past 5 years..and it was all because of me and I'm guilty. I'm sorry. I won't ever show up in your life again." and he turned around and left.
I stood there just thinking..I don't know what I was thinking about. I felt bad that my mom yelled at him but what I don't understand is why I care...I'm pretty sure I don't love him anymore..maybe I wanted to be friends with him.
I was snapped out of my thoughts when fawad came to me. "hey babe..what are you doing out here?"
"nothing just thinking..thinking about why I haven't come here all these years. I missed all of this. I feel bad that I canceled out everyone except you and my kids. I just felt so broken until you came..you fixed me..you taught me how to live life again..and I could never thank you enough. you gave me a reason to move on.. you gave my kids their father..I could never love you enough."
"hey hey..." he pulled me into his chest. "you don't have to do anything..I fell in love with you..I could care less about your past...as long as it won't affect our future..and I love Alia and Ali just as if they were my own kids..if I could change any of your past, you know I would. I love you too god damn much to care about anything."
"I love yo-" "ALIA COME INSIDE NAYAB HAS SOMETHING TO TELL EVERYONE!" Raneem yelled from the door. "coming.- let's go."
we turned around and went inside. let's see what surprise there is now...
