You, Me & the Alter(cations) - Farmeed AU

23.

"Jee behtar. Aap mujhe is hi number pe text kar dein." Umeed strolled back and forth, her phone on the kitchen counter alongside her laptop. Things were progressing for her once again, she had started planning for the upcoming event she was organising for and had even finalised the dates for her flight.

"Thank you Umeed." Her latest client, a lovely lady to her fortune, spoke on the other end of the line.

"No worries Farheen baaji, bas ab mulaqat hoti hai, phir karte hain sab kuch." Umeed refrained from showing any overexcitement, trying to remain calm as if this was her day-to-day job.

It may as well be in the future, but it was not the norm for her, far from that. These opportunities were new, these chances were new. This sudden boost in her professional profile had come all after one event which opened many gates for her.

The Hashims' wedding had been life-changing for her in many ways, professionally and personally. It was all overwhelming to think of the great changes in her life and greater additions - both professionally and personally.

She bit her lip, looking at her screen and focusing back on what she was doing before Farheen called, which was for the same event.

Just as she placed her phone facing down to get her work done, it rang again, making her sigh.

However, once she saw the name, she had to answer. She knew she was unjust when it came to them, she could not put herself in the position to be even more curel than she already was.

"Hello." She put the call on speaker.

"Zinda ho?" Haya spoke, earning a smile from Umeed.

"Haan yaar." She scrolled down until she found what she had been searching for for the past fifteen minutes. "Tum batao?"

"Umeed tum waqayi bhool gayi ho humein?" Haya asked. It did not feel as comic as it did the previous few times. Umeed could sense the genuine sadness in her best friend and dearest person's voice. It hurt.

"Nahi Haya, tumhein kese bhool sakti hoon?" She played it off lightly, not showing that it got to her or that she may have felt emotional.

It was another quality, making it seem like she was okay, unbothered, unaffected. She did not want to concern the other person. She knew that Haya would be even more concerned if she sensed unease in Umeed's tone, she did not want to bring that tension in her life. So she would make sure she showed herself to be happy, if that meant her family was not worried for her.

"Bohot khush sunayi de rahi ho." Haya added, earning another smile from Umeed, and a light chuckle. It was not a wrong statement, she was feeling happy, she was feeling relieved.

"Haan..." Umeed nodded to herself. "Waqt acha guzar raha hai. Kaam bhi bohot acha chal raha hai." She gave the partial reasons for her contentment, skipping on parts she felt would not be of as much relevance.

"Tum aage busy ho?"

"Haan. Abhi ye hafta hai, phir aglay haftay Islamabad jaa rahi hoon." She shared her schedule. It was an exciting one too. The weather was in her favour, it was cloudy and breezy but no forecast for any rain, which was a great risk for Islamabad and an even greater risk for an outdoor wedding in the hills.

"Tum poore Pakistan ke projects accept karo gi, Karachi kyun nahi?"

"Acha, ab agar aagay Karachi ka kuch aaya tou wo bhi kar loon gi." Umeed reassured Haya. "I promise." And she meant it.

With how things were going, with how she was flourishing both professionally and personally; her work, her friends, Farjaad, Umeed felt unstoppable. She felt an odd sense of closure over many things.