"Nazia beta did you check the guest bathroom for extra towels? Please make sure there's extra toilet paper there too just in case Sylvia forgot to put in some," said Huma in a hurried tone to Nazia.
"Mom Sylvia is the best cleaning lady in all of Toronto probably even more finicky than you are about cleanliness. Relax. Everything is in perfect order, I checked the guest room before coming down," replied Nazia in a soothing tone for she could see that her Mother was working at full speed in the kitchen to finish up her cooking.
"Ok bacha please make the salad and set the table for dinner. I'm just about done frying the Shaami Kebabs and then I'll take a quick shower before our guests arrive. Raza must be at the airport already and it'll take them a good hour before they get here," Huma further instructed Nazia.
"Ok Mum, I'll take care of things down here don't you worry about anything. And please relax I have never seen you so frazzled like this before!"
"Oh Nazia, I'm not frazzled just excited that I have someone from my maika coming over after so long. After Ammi and Abbu passed away it seems like I have no family left. Salman Bhai was always like the brother I always wanted and never had and I'm just so happy he's coming over to stay at our place. I want everything to be perfect for them," replied Huma emotionally.
"Oh Mum Nano and Nana are in a better place now you know that. And I am never, ever going to leave you ever! So you don't need to worry about missing a family member ever again," replied Nazia giving her Mother a hug.
"Hmmm thank you mera bacha but I don't want you to stay forever and ever in this house. I want to be happy in your own home after marriage and Inshallah my beti will find eternal happiness where ever she goes," replied Huma softly hugging Nazia back.
"Acha chalo I don't know why I'm feeling so... probably because.....Oho look at the time! 6pm already! Nazia bacha I'm going upstairs now to get ready, you take care of things here," said Huma as she cut short whatever she was going to say and quickly left the kitchen to go to her room.
I wonder what Mum was going to say. She seems quite worked up today which is so not like her. Hmm probably the excitement of her cousin coming over mused Nazia as she went about gathering ingredients for a fresh salad from the refrigerator.
"Ok Miss Nazia let's make a salad that's going to make the British guests forget about any other salad they've had before," she said out loud as she started chopping onions.
***************************
"Huma you have outdone yourself! Everything tastes amazing. Reminds me of Shahida Khala's cooking. The mutton pulao is as delicious and fragrant as her's," said Salman nostalgically reminiscing about Huma's late mother's cooking back from his childhood days.
"Yes Huma everything you have cooked is simply delicious. Mashallah I remember you got married at such a young age but Shahida Khala did a great job in raising you and she was so proud of all that you achieved but mostly she was the proudest of your cooking skills! The last time we visited her in Pakistan before she died, she was bragging about the nargisi kofte you make which she claimed were even better than hers! No small feat I can tell you kids," added Samina (Salman's wife) enthusiastically praising Huma like her husband.
"Thank you Bhai and Bhabi, I'm just glad that you like everything. I am so happy that you all are here. Family is so important and living away from your people is never easy. I'm glad this younger lot is getting a chance to get reacquainted with each other, " replied Huma with a soft smile glancing at the younger generation sitting at the table.
YOU ARE READING
When The Stars Shine Bright
General Fiction"I think I will always want to aim for the stars; for they are always a guiding light. After all it is only in the darkest nights that the stars shine more brightly." That is what Nazia Ali wrote in her high school yearbook as her life defining quot...
