Urooj (Pakistani Short Stories)

Raqs|I|

Hadeed stared at Momina as she spooned oatmeal into her mouth at the speed of light. It was one bite, then a gulp of water, then two more, then she'd flip a page of her textbook.

"Okay, kiddo." He grabbed her textbook, closing it and placing it besides him. "Come up for air."

She grumbled at him, wiping her face with the back of her hand. "Bhai, I have a gigantic test. I need my textbook back!"

He shook his head. "You had all week to study and you did. Now you have to believe in yourself. And eat slowly. You're a walking choking hazard, Momina."

"You never understand me!" Momina wailed slamming her head down, brown hair flying haywire all around her.

Hadeed took the last sip of his coffee. "C'mon you little monkey. I'll drop you off before you self destruct."

He pushed off of the table, checking his phone for any notifications on the newest project he'd picked up as head of the family's architecture firm. Momina scurried fast behind him, grabbing her bag and textbook.

"Also, bhai, can you pick me up as well?"

Hadeed smiled. "Sure, kiddo."

"And can we get street food?"

"Mmm, I don't know about that."

"Please?"

He ruffled her hair, taking her bag from her hands. "Alright, just a little."

"Oooh! Also can we go to that one antique jewelry shop I told you about? It's in the local bazaar."

"Yes, Momina. We can."

///

If there was one thing Hadeed hated, it was uncertainty. Especially when it came to blueprints.

Each innovative idea began with a picture. An articulately drawn image of what was to come. And when there were drawbacks to what could be imagined, then there'd be many more gray areas to fill in later.

Hadeed stared blankly, flipping through the blueprints. "I don't think so."

"B-but sir! This is the third time I've revised them!" Jalal, his PA, stuttered, feigning a look of desolation when Hadeed could exactly count the number of things that Jalal had fixed and knew for a fact that Jalal had been trying to flirt with the front secretary rather than revise the blueprints.

"Which is why I'm not giving you another chance. Take these to Ms. Ahmed. She'll know what to do."

Jalal blanched, picking up the papers and knowing better not to argue. Hadeed was an architect by trade, but a cutthroat business man. There was no room for errors.

By no means was he a harsh boss. If anything, he was welcoming, encouraging. Warm. Except it was hard to not look intimidating when he stood as tall and broad as he did.

He worked around the clock, signing off on forms and in and out of meetings. Around lunch, he went to the construction site for the museum project he was undertaking.

The art museum was a dream. After ten years, his grandmother had finally let him take the reigns completely. He got to pick on the newest project, he was in charge of financing, and supervision of the construction even after the blueprints had transferred to structures in the ground.

By the time he got around to pick up his sister, he was fully spent. But that didn't stop Hadeed from smiling at her warmly as he handed her a bottle of chilled juice.

"You wanna eat first or go-!"

"Definitely the jewelry store. They close early on Wednesdays."

He drove out of the parking spot. "Why is that?"