Shards Of Glass

1. Dimwit On Purpose | Anayat

* Islamabad / Lahore *

"CHURAIL!" Nihal squealed as she swung the lid of Vaddey Abba's hukaah and aimed in the direction I was lounging at. I let out a cry or a chuckle, something midway though, and immediately reached out for the heavily embellished cushion besides me to block all possible objects coming my way.

"Ullu ki--" , Nihal cursed scrunching her nose, but halted instantly when she realized Baba was standing exactly behind her. The entire lot of us could sense the pained expression that had formed on her creamy, tanned face even though I wasn't watching as I still held my shield high, above my face. Failing to conceal all possible traces of smugness that might've shown through my mouth, that was pressed back hard, I tried to muster up an impression of embarrassment or guilt but it just didn't come. However Nihal was experiencing another phase all together. I inwardly exploded when the sight of a very humiliated Nihal befell my eyes. But in all honesty, it wasn't awkward at all. The unbearable kind? You get me alright. I mean it's Zaffar Baba we're talking about.

Zaffar Baba had always been the sort of person who literally didn't get mad at anyone but when it came to his nieces he couldn't manage so much of a scold. When he did attempt to knock some sense into us, it always ended up becoming a pat on the back or some other cute gesture.
I know helpless, lol.
But then he did speak "Do none of you have anything close to basic traits of civil human beings. Let alone young ladies of the Syed Household? " successfully masking the amusement that covered his features. Don't get me wrong, the man had an intense aura about him, which intimidated many, however such wasn't the case when he was home. He loved us beyond measure and was the kindest human being I've ever come across.

Having attended to our daily lunacy, he turned away and was about to leave when he reminded us,
"By the way don't use the lid again, it could be hot." The glint in his eyes, magnified, if that's possible, when they settled on Nihal's slackened jaw. All of us burst out laughing and even Azmara smiled from behind the screen of her Iphone couldn't help it. Zaffar Baba was truly a man among men, I thought as I wiped the tears that were blurring my vision now.

"Haye... I haven't been to the haveli in like forever, " I confessed, laying back on the summer-bed, feeling the amber velvet rubbing the back of my neck "It used to feel so wrong, not visiting dado, when I was in Chicago but we barely ever go there now-" I stopped tracing the solid pattern on the wood. "Even though it's like 7 hours' drive from here", Nihal completed, practically singing the last part.
Man I can't even say they've got a temper, cause clearly it's the same blood that runs through my own veins. Regardless, they too were annoyed by the restrictions we were expected to follow but I seemed to be the only one voicing the discontent. I mean would it ever end?

~°~
"Beta (child), things haven't been the same while you were gone. But it's going to get better, I promise " mama assured with uncertainty, omitting significant details, as she stroked my hair.
Untangling my rebellious curls as I rested my head in her lap, jet-lagged from the exhausting journey.
I missed her so much, I can't even begin to explain how much this not-so-quality mother-daughter time meant to me, even if it was another 4 hour drive to Lahore.
"Your father and Nael-" she was taken aback by the Maybach's abrupt stalling. There was another car that had screeched its way in front of us and had halted. Had it's driver lost his mind?

Our's dutifully informed mama,
"Bibi ji, Mujtaba mian is here."
That is when I realized the idiot had come. It was only justified that the description of the driver fitted him perfectly. Why was I even suprised. He opened the door with a jerk.
"Aslamualaikum chaachi" he greeted, facing me as his smile widened.
"Hey cousin" he smirked. His new found badass attitude would've given me a fit if my mother wasn't there, that moment. The sterness that vanished for a moment returned and he peered into my sleep-deprived eyes with his warm ones that rekindled endearment.
There was this serene placidity about his smile, that seemed almost too good to be be true, not the same whimsical expressions he once had.
"Oh Mujtaba, why do you do this? Appearing out of the blue like now?" my mom cried.
"Pardon chaachi, but there's no time to waste" he spoke with an unfamiliar urgency in his tone, which my mom seemed to recognize.
Wow! What a pleasant reception!
I thought to myself.
Glancing at me, he reasserted, the "you need to come with me Now." Mama, understood this, and was unusually passive about it, and she agreed without further inquiry. My eyes were still tired from the journey. The sun surprisingly they burned when I emerged out. The light was unbearably bright. I mistook the steps beneath my feet, and was on the verge of tripping, before Mujtaba came to the rescue and clutched my waist, anchoring me to him.