Interwoven

The Date!

"Assalamualaikum mom!" I sat beside her, Aaban was playing with his toys on the floor, giggling and chuckling, all the while.
"How are you feeling?" I asked referring to her constant back pain.
"I'm good, how was work?"
"Exhausted, as always." I breathed out and rested my back against the couch.
"I got a proposal for you," mom exclaimed as calmly as she could.
However, I jerked up straight probably spraining my neck.

It was just about yesterday that I thought it is about two months for mom to bring up such an exchange of speech. I was wrong.
She was working on it. All of this time.
Aaban giggled, he emptied the box of his toys once again. Doing that from a time now. Putting his toys back and emptying it again.
Is he enjoying that?
I wondered.

"Harris?"
"Hm... Yes, mom?"
"How many of them rejected me before you know... Amm... Agreeing on your terms and conditions?"
"Don't state it like this, it sounds like an agreement."
Mom disagreed with the choice of my words.
"Ok, am sorry." I declared.
Sometimes I really feel bad for my mom, I am being too stiff with my situation here. She might have so much intended for me, I'm her only son.

"This is am... The seventh family," she said her eyes cast down.
"Are they known?"
She nodded.
"Is the girl ok to take in Aaban with me?" I was bewildered and amazed, together.

"Eehan!" She nodded again.
"They are open to the fact that he is my son?" I asked, cautiously.
She nodded, again.
"But why? Why do you want it this way, Harris?"
"I want everything right for Aaban. I don't want any finger pointed at him as an orphan, he is my son, mom. I want every best possible thing for him."
I held her hands in mine, assuring her.
"If I marry, I'll try my best to be a better husband too and I'll tell her the truth when time is right. I promise"
"Ok?"
Mom exhaled, taking in all the pieces.
"I believe you, my love."
She smiled.

"So when do you want to meet the family and the girl?"
She looked at me expected.
I stood up to leave, "harris?"
Mom pleaded.
"It's ok, mom, if you are ok, I'm good too."
"But...?"

~~~~~

"Assalamualaikum, Mana." I entered Samana's house with Aaban in my one hand and a tiffin box in another.
"Waalaikumassalam, bhai. How are you doing?"
Aaban ran to Samana who bribed him for the ice cream.
She knew we were coming?
Kids now tend to fascinate me.
I went in kept the tiffin box on the kitchen counter.

"You rearranged your dining area? And your tables are changed?" I enquired.
Weren't they just new?
"Yeah... I like it."
"Obviously!" I rolled my eyes, chuckling.
"Were you cooking?"
Why is she cooking? Mom has sent the dinner, right?

"This, uh... Yeah, nothing. Let me bring Mirha, down." She ran up giving me Aaban back.

My gazes travelled her back until she disappeared from the kitchen.
What happened to her?
I shrugged my shoulders and came out of my reverie when Aaban squeaked as the spoon went on flying out of his grasp, down from the kitchen counter.
"Oh... Hey little man! There you get another one."
I shifted as I handed him a spoon.

Samana came back and handed me, Mirha.
Aaban started giggling excitedly, his hands dancing in the air watching little Mirha.
"How is my little princess doing today?" I cooed and nuzzled my nose on her chubby cheeks making her giggle too.
I repeated that again and again, enjoying my time with these tiny tots. Living the pure and blissful moment of the day.

Aaban held my hand gesturing me to do the same with him too.
My gazes left on him for longer than ever. How would it have been felt if I had been there since he was born?
I could have seen him doing every little mischievous stuff.
I could have seen him grow.

"What happened, bhai?" Samana inquired, concerned.
"Ahh... Nothing." I shrugged.
I sighed.
"...Bhai?"
"Hmm?" I looked at her.
Aaban and Mirha conversing in their baby language.
Talking as if any intellectuals would do, using their hand movements too.
I chuckled.
"How about we meet the family?"
"Family?" I raised my left brow conjuring what she just asked.
Confused too!
"One which mom told you about?" Samana affirmed.
Wait a second?
Now that everything is falling on its place.
Mom asked Samana to pursue me to meet the family?"
That is why I am here?

"Are you sure, you don't...?"
I glared her before she could even complete her words.
"Well, then, ok... Mom had arranged your date for the wedding." She announced, loud and clear.
"Wait... Wha... Are you serious?" I asked, astonished.
My eyes which were getting too heavy to even open, are now wide open grasping in the information Samana just dumped in my face.
She nodded with urgency.

"How could she do this with me?" I asked disbelievingly. My voice rising gradually but not too loud to scare the shit out of kids.
"It is the tenth of next month which is twenty days from now." She shrugged, simply.
I sighed, raking my hairs roughly.
"Why don't you explain to her?" I pleaded.
"It is for your own good."
My nose flared in annoyance.
"I don't find that happening any time soon." I exhaled.
"You are going to do just fine, bhai, In sha Allah."
She smiled.
"Pass me a glass of water, please."
"Sure" she nodded.
Pitying his miserable brother.

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