Winged Dreams

Chapter 6: Don't give up on your Dreams. You're all they have to come Alive.

12th October, 2015

Dedicated to @Dontmindtheusername for being one of the most genuine and sweetest people I've ever come across in my life. :')

Verily Allah knows (all) the hidden things of the heavens and the earth: verily He has full knowledge of all that is in (men's) hearts.

[35: Fatir-38]

Chapter 6:

Don't give up on your dreams, You're all they have to come Alive

Dina stopped sipping the orange juice, scrunching her eyebrows in confusion and removed the glass from her lips as she heard some shuffling from outside.

She walked to the hall, and saw her four year old brother, Ishaq, standing on a chair. A genuine laugh, which hadn't been heard in a long time, escaped her lips when she laid eyes on his attire. Her little munchkin was shirtless, he had her red scarf tied around his neck to resemble a Cape, and he was wearing his Red briefs over his black pants.

"Ishaq, what's up buddy?"

"Superman to the rescue!" He screeched, puffing his cheeks and before Dina could comment further, he jumped down from the chair, striking a Superman stance with one hand in the air.

Dina rushed to his side, afraid that he might fall, but he stood quite firmly on his legs, showing his muscles. Dina's eyes twinkled in amusement and she asked, referring to his last week's fantasy, "So today you're Superman? What happened to A spider stung me, now I'm a Spiderman?"

"No, Superman is cooler. He even has a Cape!" He exclaimed, running around the house and enjoying as the red scarf flew by the force.

"Now that you're Superman, can you tell me why is it that you're wearing your red briefs over your pants? I never quite understood," she said, bringing her finger to her chin and pretending to deeply ponder over the question.

Ishaq took one full turn around the couches and came to stand in front of Dina. He thought for a while and said, his eyes lighting up, "It's because Superman wants to hide his torn pants, so he wears them outside!"

Dina threw her head back and laughed at her brother's imagination. That was quite a convincing theory!

She was still laughing when she walked into the kitchen and started preparing breakfast. Rashida and Khalid were gone for two days to attend Dina's Aunt's Husband's Sister's Daughter's Son's wedding or something like that, Dina never really understood the lineage of Rashida's vast family. And since the wedding was taking place outside the city, Dina was pretty much in charge of the two kids. Rashida, like the usual times, would have left them at Zulfia or some other sister's place, but since all of them were travelling, Dina was the perfect choice.

So getting in the big sister mode, she popped four slices of bread in the toaster and walked towards Aarifa's room.

"Aarifa? You ready?" She called and her sister nodded as she stood in front of the mirror, clad in her uniform, as she plaited her hair.

"Almost done," she replied, and Dina observed her from where she stood. She never acted like a ten year old, and although Dina tried giving her the attention she could as an elder sister, it was never enough.

Aarifa almost every time was seen sticking around with her mom, which explained why she never really got close to Dina.

"Di, my school van will be here in fifteen minutes, did you pack my lunch? And what about my breakfast?"

Dina did not exactly like her commanding tone, but the last thing she wanted was for her to start crying and carry a complaint, for almost anything she said offended her. So, like every other moment she encountered in this house, she chose to remain neutral.