Twin Rivalry Unleashed

Chapter 9: Unspoken longing

Zia gracefully carried the succulent meat Ejaz had purchased for him to his mother, Umma. Umma sat on a traditional chair crafted for household chores, delicately cutting onions. Zia approached her and settled himself not far away, finding balance as he sat down. "Umma, are you cutting onions?" he inquired, not because he could see the onion but because he could perceive its fragrant aroma. Umma raised her gaze and met his eyes. "Yes, I'm almost done," she replied to her son. Zia nodded and spoke briefly, "Okay, this meat was bought by Ejaz. We can have it once you're finished cutting."

Umma's eyes sparkled with delight as she asked, "Did you two fight again?" She posed the question, knowing that when Ejaz and Zia had a disagreement, one of them would have to bribe the other before they could make amends.

Zia convulsed with laughter, a warm and joyful sound filling the room. "Umma, that was then. But now, we hardly ever fight. Well, maybe a few misunderstandings from time to time," he replied, a genuine smile spreading across his face. Umma grinned from ear to ear, her heart relieved. She truly disliked it whenever her two boys fought. "Okay, so there's no misunderstanding this time?" Umma asked, focusing on cutting the last onion in the bowl.

Zia extended his palm, waving it gently. "No, Umma, nothing happened. It's just a gift," he reassured her.

Umma breathed a sigh of relief, her worries dissipating. She didn't want any tension between her beloved sons. "Alright, I'll be right there," she said as she carried the bowl filled with freshly cut onions, stood up gracefully, and headed to the kitchen.

Meanwhile, Ejaz went back to the meat seller and purchased another portion of meat, this time for his own family. As he arrived home, he changed his clothes before settling down on a comfortable three-seater chair. Stretching his hand towards the center table, he picked up the remote and changed the channel to his preferred program. "Ummi!!!" he called out, summoning his sister.

Ummi was in her room, engrossed in a chat with her school friends. When she heard her older brother's voice calling her name, she sighed in annoyance and made her way to his room. The expression on her face revealed her reluctance, but the sound of her footsteps conveyed her desire to return to her own room. Perhaps she was truly enjoying the moment. She stood in front of Ejaz like a statue, avoiding direct eye contact. He didn't look at her either but rather instructed her on what he wanted her to do. "The food you brought is cold. I need it warmed up," he said absentmindedly, his attention fixed on the television.

Ummi pursed her lips, pressing them together. "But Yaya, you know how busy I am..." she started to say, only to be interrupted by Ejaz's furious glare.

"Will you do as I said or not?" he bellowed, his voice resonating with a deep, intimidating tone.

Without uttering a word, Ummi grabbed the plate of food and hurried out of the room. She knew that any additional words could provoke Ejaz and potentially lead to a physical altercation. She quickly warmed up the food and brought it back, placing it back where she had taken it from. Ejaz smiled at her, appreciating her compliance. "Thank you, dear. That's your reward," he pointed at the meat wrapped in a black nylon bag.

Ummi joyfully exclaimed, "Thank you, Yaya! I never expected this. You always seem to know exactly what I'm longing for." He simply smiled and began eating his food, while Ummi held the nylon bag, her face filled with happiness.

Aroush had been eagerly awaiting a response from Jad after messaging him on WhatsApp. She scrolled through her messages, hoping to find a reply from him. "Maybe he's busy," she thought to herself after seeing no new messages. Setting her pillow aside, she grabbed her phone and slowly got up from her bed, preparing to head out. She draped her veil over her shoulder with a leisurely grace, intending to go where she would find a bustling crowd but not encounter Sarah or Nas, as she didn't want to face any questions about her troubled state.