To Our Doom (Paused)

Chapter 14: The Barbeque

alt title: Jinn, Baby Talk, Yelp

With the arrival of Sarah and Ibrahim and their mothers and siblings, the Barbeque officially begins. The fathers had already started the fires on the stoves, lighting the charcoal. It was difficult to maintain the fires as it crackled, roared, and then dissipated because of the wind. But with a consistent effort from the three fathers, they had managed to keep a steady fire ready for the Barbeque.

Maryam carried the marinated meat skewers from the mother's side to the father's side with the help of Hania. Ishaaq too was the messenger, bringing hotpots filled with grilled meat to the mother's side with the help of Ismail.

Sometimes, the four of them walked together to and from the mother's and father's circles – especially when bringing the toasted marshmallows after toasting them over the stove at the father's side.

Now, they stopped in between the mother's and father's sides. Ishaaq was waiting for Ismail to deliver the toasted marshmallows to the mother's side and Maryam was waiting for Hania to deliver the chocolate and biscuits to the father's side for them to make smores.

Ishaaq was smiling at small Ismail's approaching figure. He was holding three skewers of toasted marshmallows in both hands.

Maryam was acutely aware of Ishaaq's presence half a meter or less away from her. She took a sidelong glance at him, her heart stopping at the sunlight on half of his face and that ever-so-charming smile. Allahumma Barik.

Oh right. Lower your gaze, Maryam.

Too late though. Ishaaq noticed a gaze on him and turned to meet Maryam's eyes. He gave her a nod, wearing his small smile of politeness – the small smile that decorates his face and brings summer to Maryam despite the cool winter breeze.

He turned back to Ismail to receive the skewers. He continued waiting for Ismail to bring the rest of the skewers to bring more marshmallows back to the mothers.

Sana and Sarah were finally alone together after the hustles of the trip. They ran off into the tree-covered forest nearby to talk and catch up.

"Yeah, so what did you have to say?" Sana turned to face Sarah after they sat down with their backs against the tree they chose to sit by.

"The new guy was there in the star-gazing platform that day," Sarah spilled all the tea there was in the kettle. This is an idiom, even though she is very capable of doing it literally too.

"Ah, your new neighbor," Sana remembered, looking up at the sky that was now tinted orange.

"He's not mine–" Sarah retorted, making Sana give her an amused smirk.

"I didn't say that." Sana tilted her head, trying to figure out her best friend. "So, you two were alone together that day?" Sana asked, curious and concerned. She was too invested in Sarah's spilled tea to realize that she was shivering. She had left her woolen sweater in the hotel room despite constant reminders from her parents Ayyub and even Ismail.

"Yeah, but we were more than half a meter apart so–"

"That's good then," Sana gave her friend a small, relieved smile. "Let me know if he ever bothers you,"

"He's not that kind of a person," Sarah dismissed Sana's threat. Sana looked ahead at the sky orange meeting the grassy hills, and how the trees swayed slightly in the breeze.

Hasan was going through his stuff on the father's side mat to find a can of tuna. He had found a mother cat with three of her kittens to feed. He realized he brought an extra sweater jacket and kept it away – unsure of what to do with it. That's when he looked in front of him and saw Sana – hugging herself – without a sweater – in the distance. Was she freezing? Then she really needs this jacket.