Bloom into YOU

CH:38- The Ghosts of the Past

The next morning Bi and Riya arrived for breakfast and were sitting beside each other, Ammi as usual was reading the newspaper ignoring her best friend. After some time, Haseena and Karishma arrived and sat opposite to Bi and Riya. Noor Jahan's concentration broke for a few seconds after their arrival, she peeked at them through her newspaper, however, ignoring them, she diverted her attention back to the newspaper. On the other hand, Haseena glanced around the breakfast table and after not finding Zayan there, her heart sank. Nonetheless, Karishma noticed the dullness on her face and glided her hand to hold Haseena's between hers, in order to comfort her.

"Noor!" Bi politely pushed the newspaper from Noor-Jahan's face, "Kya bachpana hai, yaar?" She turned completely toward her friend.

"Salma don't tell me that I'm acting like a child," Noor Jahan threw the paper on the floor as her voice became rough, "first, my best friends hide things from me," she complained, "and, second, I don't know what is going on in my daughter's mind," she glanced at Haseena who was already staring at her mother.

"So, you don't have any problem with their relationship," Bi asked, calmly as she pointed towards Haseena and Karishma, however, Riya was watching the scene quietly.

"I do," Noor Jahan said gruffly, "I have a lot of problems with their relationship," she uttered without looking at Haseena and Karishma.

"But, you never had any problem with mine and Naina's relationship," Bi responded as she held her friend's hand, "you were the first person to stand by us regardless of all the bullying that we have to face in college," she made Noor Jahan looked at her, "what changed now, Noor?"

Haseena, Karishma, and Riya all three were shocked at this revelation, and Zayan who had just arrived for the breakfast, stood rooted at the entrance after hearing his mother's words.

"I was stupid back then," Noor Jahan avoided eye contact with her friend.

"I disagree," Bi leaned forward a little, "you can be anything but stupid, Noor," she bent a little to look into her friend's eyes, "doesn't she remind you of yourself?" Bi pointed toward Haseena, "she has your rebelliousness, a will to never back down, and willingness to fight for what she believes in," she placed her hand under Noor's chin and made her look at herself, "she is Noor 2.0, isn't she?" She asked with a playful glint in her eyes.

A smile broke on Noor Jahan's lips as she nodded her head, still without looking toward Hasena and Karishma.

All the younger generation was still in a state of shock as they were observing the two best friends conversing with each other as they have never seen talk like that before. 

"I know you are upset with me for not telling you about them," Bi moved her chair a little closer to Noor, "but trust me, I didn't have any ulterior motive," she glanced at Haseena and Karishma, "do you know for the longest, they didn't even know that they are falling for each other," she continued to hold Noor Jahan's hand, "neither I confronted them nor I put thoughts in their mind," she said sincerely, "and, I didn't want to tell you anything unless these two idiots were sure about it," she smiled while peeking at Haseena and Karishma, "moreover, I never thought you will have a problem."

"But, I do," Noor Jahan said, removing her hand from Bi's hand, "I have a problem with them being together."

"What is bothering you, Noor?" Bi asked as she leaned backward on her chair, still unaware of Zayan's presence in the room.

"You were able to get married," Noor Jahan made eye contact with her friend, "you were able to have a son," her voice was calm, "you were able to build a life for yourself," she turned towards Haseena and Karishma for the first time, "do you think so they will be able to have a family as you have?"