Retrouvailles

In B/W 5 (iii)

Karachi, 9:10 AM

It had taken her barely half an hour to freshen up and change into a fresh kurta before she came downstairs and though she knew there was nothing to get embarrassed about she still felt needles to face everyone. The silent house nowadays was not unusual for them as everyone used to go to their school college or factory. Most of the time it was just Amma and Fehmi phoophu with Anaya and this remainder somehow calmed her before she entered the lounge after exiting the stairs.

But her hopes shattered when she found Ayman and her mother on the swing talking about some kind of cloth material and seeing her, they looked up and their smile that seemed harmless touched her insides strangely and she wished them and then almost ran towards the kitchen.

On the kitchen chair was another check post waiting for her and this one was the worst of all... "Faiza"

Without meeting her smirking eyes Annie poured herself some water and while sipping her water her eyes wandered to the empty island.

"Didn't they cook anything or were they already done with breakfast...also she didn't see Anaya with any of them and Fakhir also was missing." she wondered but didn't turn to Faiza for help.

Faiza herself made it easy, " why so sulky Annie? ...Na salam dua, all good?" she asked narrowing her eyes from behind her glasses.

"Hmm, I just thought you were busy studying so didn't disturb you." Annie answered and turned to her, thanking herself for getting saved from Faiza'.

"No...I wasn't that busy, and if you are looking for anything to eat then please boil some noodles yaar, bhookh se bura hal ho raha ab to." Faiza requested her.

"Noodles...but why, didn't Amma cook anything!" Annie finally met her sister's eyes.

"Ask His Highness Fakhir Ahmad... he told Amma not to cook anything as he would bring something from the market and it's been two hours of that promise." Faiza made her face.

This seemed the right moment to ask about Fakhir's whereabouts and she didn't have to wait.

"oh, he told me to let you sleep as Anaya troubled you guys a lot last night...

And suddenly Annie remembered the strange way Anaya came into their room last night.

"Thanks to you..." she crossed her arms in front of her. " what did you tell her, she said she hated you."

"Oh nothing...I just wanted to trouble Fakhir a little." Faiza winked at her. "I know Anaya was not recognising him and because he didn't bring all the things I asked him last evening I thought to take a little revenge."

"Oh ho, you wanted to trouble us that is why you troubled Anaya and what else you needed by the way, I saw the bill it was already too much." Now it was Annie's turn to narrow her eyes at Faiza.

"Annie yaar that is between Fakhir and Me and if there is one thing I hate after your wedding then it is how we stopped teaming up to trouble Fakhir." Faiza made a face and left Annie speechless.

"ok meri Amma... ab ye bhi bata do where is His highness Fakhir and Anaya, how could she even leave with him?"

"well, she didn't technically leave with Fakhir, Badi Ammi is also with her." Faiza told her. "they have gone to Bade Abbu's Kabar."

"oh... Fakhir didn't mention any of it last night." she talked with herself.

"You know what Amma was telling me how she found Fakhir waiting for someone to unlock the door when she woke up because he was up very early and was ready to go for a run...those doley sholey are indeed real.' Faiza rolled her eyes to match the admiration in her words.