Muntazir | ✓

Chapter-15

Zaviyar woke up to an empty bed, Mau was licking his face which made him wake up.

"Ariha?" He looked around, pushing Mau away from his face but he just jumped back, sitting on his shoulder to lick the other cheek.

"Eat your food, what is wrong with you?" He picked up Mau with one hand, raising him up in the air.

Putting him down on the floor, he got up in a sitting position, looking at the bathroom's door but the lights were off.

She was there when they woke up for the morning prayer, where did she go?

He looked at the clock, realising it was way past 11, "Shit." He cursed, getting off the bed as he rushed to get ready.

Upon reaching downstairs, when he didn't spot her among everyone, he panicked, checking for her in her old room but she wasn't there either.

"Ammi? Where's Ariha?" He asked his mother, who was cutting vegetables in the hall.

"Hogi yahin kahin, subh se dekha nahi maine." She replied.
(She must be somewhere around, I haven't seen her since morning.)

Cursing under his breath, he walked out of the house, dialling her number but she didn't answer the call.

"Zara." He called loudly, walking back inside the house, "Zara!"

"Kya bhaijaan, do second ka wait to karein." Zara complained, coming out of her room.
(What is this bhaijaan? Wait for a second or two!)

"Where's Ariha?"

"Mujhe kya pata?" She shrugged.
(How would I know?)

"Tumhe nahi pata, Ammi ko nahi pata, kisi ko pata hai ki wo kahan hai?" He asked in frustration.
(You don't know, Ammi doesn't know, does anyone even know where she is?)

"Aapke saath hi toh thi woh, aapko pata hona chahiye na." Zara frowned.
(She was with you only, you should know where she is.)

"Would I be standing here and asking stupid questions if I knew where she was?" He asked, dialling her number again, this time, it was switched off.

His breathing laboured with the passing minutes, first, she wasn't answering his calls, now her phone was switched off and on top of everything, no one knew where she was.

"Bhaijaan? Are you okay?" Zara asked, keeping a hand over his shoulder as she made him sit on a chair.

She poured him a glass of water while his mother got up, wiping his forehead with her dupatta.

"...aaj toh hum do baar naha liye!" Ariha walked in, completely drenched in water.
(I showered twice today.)

She stopped fanning herself when his gaze fell on Zaviyar surrounded by his sister and his mother.

Walking closer to them, she whispered in his mother's ear, "Kya hua inhe?"
(What happened to him?)

Ayat jumped in surprise, "Ariha! Sudhar jao!" She clutched her heart.

Hearing her name, Zaviyar instantly looked up, "Where were you?" He asked, getting up.

"Kya hua tha inhe?" She asked Zara, not bothering to look at him.
(What happened to him?)

"Ohh, woh tum mil nahi rahi thi na toh bhai ko panic attack aane wala tha." Zara informed with a grin.
(Ohh, he couldn't find you anywhere so he was about to have a panic attack.)

"Ya Allah, umar ho rahi hai aapki, aise tension lenge to budhape me kya hoga? Attack wagerah aajata toh? Abhi se dil ke mareez ban jaate aap." She shook her head, "Acha lagega hum apne bacho ko explain karenge ki unke baba itni dawaiyan kyun khaate hain?" She asked.