Wasl

۰05۰ Invite/دعوت نامہ

The cutlery clattered against each other as the Hussain family had their first meal of the day sitting together. Every month, once in a week, the entire family has to gather and have breakfast or any other meal together. Even Ahad and Rubina were present too. No matter how much Ahad wanted to crawl out of that place, but he sat still eating his breakfast with languid speed. The food before him was awesome in taste, but the company he was in made it taste like cardboard. Sawera's gaze wandered toward the members and finally settled on the only emptied chair beside Ghazal.

"Zaviyar kidhar ha?"
(Where is Zaviyar)

Her question came as a sharp needle that pricked Ghazal's perfect persona. Clearing her throat, she replied leisurely

"He's still sleeping. He was up till late last night." She cut a small piece of her omelette and put it in her mouth.

"Was he out partying again?"

Sawera's gaze hardened when Ghazal took a little too long to reply. Her hesitance to give a proper reply irked Sawera's temper inch by inch before she exploded.

"He's not a carefree teenager anymore. He crossed that phase years ago. When will he learn to accept his duties and responsibilities towards this family?"

The silence that fall over the table was loud and deafening. The cluttering of the utensils stopped as all eyes were skipping from one to other. The atmosphere was suddenly so awkward until a voice crashed it into many uncountable pieces. Thankfully.

"Good morning." There stood Zaviyar still dressed from the clothes from last night with his hair all over the place. He leisurely jogged to the dining table and placed a kiss on his mother's forehead who passed him a small, tight smile. His arrival happened at the wrong time. A very wrong time.

Sawera's lips moved to talk some sense into Zaviyar when Ghazal interrupted

"It's good you're up. Now eat fast and join Ahad to the company."

Zaviyar's eyes crinkled as he assessed the meaning behind his mother's sudden demand. He had different ways in mind to spend his day, but sitting through office meetings was none of them. Just the mere idea of sitting through countless meetings and hearing people talk about stocks and marketing made him want to run to the hills and jump off a cliff. But he wasn't an idiot. He knew very well why his mother said what she said, so plastering a tight lipped smile on his lips, he faced his grandmother

"I'll accompany Bhai to the company." A vein throbbed in his head as his grandmother bored holes into his soul before a less cold look replaced her freezing stare and a low mumble left her lips

"Delightful."

She shared a look with Ahad to which he just nodded. His eyes collided with that of lazy one of his brother's. Zaviyar tipped his head in his direction before everyone went back to their food.
********************

Ahad was well aware of the state his younger brother was in. He was annoyed and bored. Typical Zaviyar. Never stick to one thing. Jumping to one after other like one changes clothes. Ahad noticed with the corner of his eyes the way he flipped the pages of the files nonchalantly.

"Anything that's bothering you?"

He asked finally, keeping his tab aside and keeping his chin on his hands. Zaviyar shook his head before he went back to reading carelessly from the file open before him. A smile crept on Ahad's face. He might not like the way he behaves, but still he's his younger brother.

"Let's head for lunch. We can order your favourite cuisine." He announced before standing up and taking his coat from the rack.

"Thank God, I was starving."