As Ouahib arrives in town , carrying the weight of a family that has weathered hardships, including parental separation, and the lingering echoes of a once vibrant home, he embarks on a new beginning, yearning for a different chapter.
In contrast...
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Today I'm meeting Isabella at the cafe down the road. Afterwards I'll surprise Ouahib with a visit at his office, as Yemma has complained, about how he is not taking care of himself and just working constantly.
I'm currently baking the cookies he had mentioned he liked and just like the last time, I'm puting less sugar and chocolate, because of his diet.
"Haider yaar, mat khao!" I scolded my hungry brother who was eager to eat all the cookies. (Haider, don't eat!)
"Main nahi khaunga toh kon khayega?" He replied, as if he's the only existent person on this whole planet. (If I won't eat them, then who will?)
"Main bhi kha sakti hoon, khala?" Farah came into the kitchen, looking at the cookies with a hungry gaze. (Can I eat too, aunt?)
"Haan mera baccha, lelo." I replied, slapping Haider's hand which was about to take one and handed it to Farah instead. (Yes my baby, here take this.)
"Haww! I just ate one!" He whinned like a baby, he isn't.
"Lying is Haram, Haider mamu!" Farah interjected, after swallowing the first bite of her cookie. (Uncle)
"I'm not lying!" Haider defended himself, but Farah gave him a skeptical look and he just raised his hands, as if in surrender.
"Are these for Ouahib khalo?" Farah asked, after she showed Haider the way out of the kitchen.
"Yes, how did you know?" I asked, trying to hide the big smile which is dying to form on my lips, just at the mention of him.
"Because you're smiling so much and you've checked the ingredients, at least thrice before mixing them, which you usually don't do, because you have the recipe in you head." She pointed out and I was speechless.
How could she notice all these little things?
I looked at her smudged mouth which was showing me all her teeth, except for the one which she lost last week.
"You have pretty sharp eyes, I must say!" I gave in, not wanting to lie about it.
I did check the ingredients multiple times, because it is the first time I'm backing something for him and I didn't want to miss anything and ruin it.
I can surely say that she is right about the smiling part too, because I catch myself smiling and grinning like a fool, often when I think about him. Not that I do, all the time.
"I do!" She agreed happily, when my phone started ringing.
"Farah, can you please check who's calling?" I told her, as I was busy packing the cookies into a separate box and on top of that I was getting late.
"It says Bella with a sunflower emoji," she replied, after taking my phone which was lying in my bag, on the other counter.
Oh shoot! She must be already there! Gosh it's because of Haider, that I'm getting late. Otherwise, I'm always punctual!
