REMARKABLE

41

Armineh chuckled as Mahir fell on his butt along with the tray, staining his white pants green, his little hands grasping on the coffee table for support.

"It's okay,"Hajra crooned, ruffling his golden hair as she helped him to his feet, once again and Armineh picked the tray, keeping it beside herself on the wooden bench.

They sat in the garden Yahya Firas had nurtured with his own hands, under the evening sky painted with pink and orange hues. Armineh's nose was tinged pink and her skin had pebbled as Hajra tightened the woolen shawl around her shoulders while the cool breeze danced around them. They held the procelain cups in their hands, sipping teas, their affectionate gazes shifting between Sarah who played ball and Mahir who slowly moved around the table with hesitant steps, drool dribbling down his pink chin as he addressed his grandmother and Auntie with wrinkled eyes and excited gibberish.

Armineh pinched his chubby cheeks and laughed as he pushed her hands away.

"Asslamualaikum, ladies." Adam's loud greeting beheld their attention. It was a sight seeing Yahya Firas, Amaan and Anaam walk in their father's footsteps, literally. Yahya Firas was dressed to the nines in his dark blue suit like Adam but unlike his father, his hands were tucked in the pockets of his slacks, the winds carried his soft greeting to Armineh.

"Hey, little peanut and Hello there, pea."Anaam chuckled as he crouched in the grass only for Sarah to jump on his back and smack a kiss on his cheek, giggling. He adjusted Sarah on his back and put his blazer beside him, waiting for Mahir to climb in his lap who hurriedly began to crawl to his baba as soon as he heard his salaam. Armineh awed, internally.

Hajra scooted to the middle of the bench, opposite Armineh as Adam took his place on one side and Amaan moved around the bench to sit on the other, loosening the noose- tie around his neck and leaned his head on his mother's shoulder

"Long day?" Hajra inquired, patting Amaan's prickly cheek when she heard his heavy sigh.

"You have no idea, Ammi. I didn't see Anaaya. Where's she?" Anaam muttered as he closed his eyes, a content smile on his lips when Hajra didn't remove her hand.

"University, where else," Hajra turned her attention to Yahya Firas,"and how was your day, my son?" Hajra greeted, smiling at her eldest son.

"Long." Yahya agreed, his lips upturned at the corners as he smiled back at his mother.

"May I go?" Armineh frowned when twinge of hurt registered in her fragile heart and then, she remembered he didn't feel comfortable in her presence amongst his family.

Armineh cleared her throat,"I have something to do, Yahya Firas. Take a seat, please. I'll go." Armineh spoke, deserting her place on the bench.

"Why are you still standing, Yahys? Sit down." Adam said and Yahya Firas obliged, wordlessly as he sat down, opening the buttons of his blazer.

Anaam shook his head at his brother when he walked around to sit across him when he could have easily taken Armineh's place.

"What is it, betay?" Adam spoke, halting Armineh in her footsteps."If it's not something urgent, why don't you sit with us for a little while, more. Everyone's here."

"Baba, I-" Armineh swallowed, wrecking her brain for a plausible excuse but probably, Adam had caught her lie long before.