Muntazir مَنتظِر

one

It was a dreary rainy day. Jahara Begum's heart was restless since fajr. She prayed and made Dua to her Rabb. She still couldn't find peace. A catastrophe was awaiting to befall her family.

She knocked on her elder son's door. Rayyan was getting ready to go to work and Duaa was fussing over him.

Jahara Begum smiled at that.
Two years after Eshal's birth, Rayyan had come clean on the sin that he had committed. They were shocked and had given him an earful.

Jahara Begum had not spoken to her son for a month. She didn't know where she went wrong in her upbringing.

It was Duaa who told her the entire story and she finally forgave her beloved first child. That was a period of trial.

Seeing them alright, she wished them a good morning not wanting to scare them unnecessarily; and went to look for her youngest baby. A baby of 28 years - Furqaan.
It was almost 8:30 and he would be in the home gym.

On her way there, she called up Azaan. He and Faiqa were visiting her ailing parents. They were missing their daughter and grandsons. Her darling grandbabies Shahveer and Bakhtiyaar.

Azaan, Faiqa and the babies were fine. They had decided to extend their stay for a week more. The weather was not cooperating and this would also give them more time with the children's maternal grandparents.

As she had guessed, Furqaan was busy in the gym. That was his routine.
Wake up for fajr, go for a run, come back and harass her to make something fun for breakfast, drink his gross protein smoothie and hit the gym.

He was worse than the kids. Still a Mama's boy her Furqaan.
She left him to his bicep curls and finally went to check on her husband. She found him in the lounge.

Mubarak Hussain was busy with his grandchildren. Musa was sipping his chocolate milk with a book spread out in front of him, while asking his Daadajaan questions about something.
Eshal was sitting on the ottoman and he was feeding her.
Jahara Begum decides to give them company and consoles her self that her fear is baseless. Her family is safe.

"Assalamualaikum Daadijaan, did you know, that hummingbirds can't fly backwards and they have to eat every few minutes or they would die?" Musa asked her with an intelligent glint in his eyes.

"Walaikum As Salam, Meri jaan. I didn't know that but now because of my super smart boy, I do. What are you reading?" She asked him kissing his little forehead.
Musa has always been a pensive kid.
He was way more focused and smart than kids his age, just like his daddy. He was also kind and soft hearted, loyal and protective too just like his mother.

"The encyclopedia. Daadajaan let me borrow it from the library. He promised me if I finished this one he would let me read more! It would be so much fun. I can't wait for it" he exclaimed enthusiastically.

Jahara Begum was not surprised. At the age where most kids couldn't get enough of the television, her grandson was more interested in the workings of the world around him. He has so much of Rayyan in him.

" That's amazing Mera baccha! And what is my guriya doing? Kya aapne bhi kuch naya seekha apne Bhai se?" She gathered Eshal in her arms and kissed both her cheeks soundly.
For a girl of three, Eshal was of a small stature. With her big grey eyes and golden brown hair in two braids, she was a tiny, mischievous little fairy.

Eshal cupped her Daadijaan's face and kissed her cheeks as well. She was the darling of the family.

"I ate this Daadijaan. It was so ...not nice" she said pointing at her bowl of oatmeal and fruits, making a face.

"Mama and Baba will have a hard time searching for her dulha. Iss nautanki ke nakhre koi bardaasht nahi kar payega Daadijaan!" Musa shook his head in exasperation. Eshal just pouted at her Moosy Bhai.

The grandparents laughed at their ever serious eldest grandson. How blessed were they.
"Ab aisi toh koi baat nahi hai. Kitni pyari hai humari ye choti si billi" Mubarak Hussain said caressing her hair.

"My princess is not going anywhere, anytime soon" Furqaan sauntered in at a leisurely pace, greeted his parents and took Eshal from his mama.

He adored all the kids, but Eshal had a special place in his heart; in everyone's heart. The boys were just brats, teasing her and making her cry. Her chachu was her knight in shining armor. She giggled when he threw her up and caught her.

There was a shocked outrage from afar. Rayyan. The overprotective Daddy!

"Meri shehzaadi ko yu hawe me mat uchaalo, Furqaan. Usse chot lag sakti hai!"

"Bhabhi, apne shohar ko sambhale, jaaye inhe naashta de. Khali pet ye mera damagh kha jayege. Ye meri warrior princess hai. Haina baby?"

Eshal nodded her head enthusiastically but was restless seeing her baba. She wanted to go to him.
"achu, down. I wanna go Baba" He gingerly put her down.

  She rushed to her father, jumped in his awaiting arms and kissed his face all over. He was her favorite person.
Over his shoulder, she greeted her mama and that earned her a kiss from her mother as well.

Furqaan huffed in fake annoyance and pouted, "Baba ki chamchi. No chocolate for you. Sirf mera Musa hi apne chachu see pyaar karta hai, hai na Moosy Moose?"

"Chachu, did you know, Brachiosaurus is named after the Brachium? Your arms are as big as the dinosaur chachu." Musa told him with a straight face. Everyone laughed at the Walking Wikipedia that is Musa.

"Is that so? Let me show you dinosaur boy." Furqaan flipped Musa on his shoulders like a sack of potatoes and ran out of there to the dining room. The little boy just giggled at his chachu's antics. He was just too funny!

They all made a beeline after Furqaan to the dining table. Their meals were always together.

Halfway through the breakfast, the landline rang incessantly and then it stopped.
A servant probably received the call

Eshal looked up from her father's lap,
"Mama is it Bak'yaar and Veer? They no back? Bhai nahi khelte hai mere saath. I miss tayi ammi."

Eshal had tears spilling out of her big eyes. Rayyan consoled her with some excuse and  Furqaan distracted her with a chocolate bar.

"Badi Begum, aapke Bhai ke Ghar se phone aaya hai. Koi choti ladki hai, bohot ro rahi hai"
A servant who had rushed to inform them blurted out.

Jahara Begum hastily left the room and attended the call. She listened on with rapt attention and a few seconds later the receiver fell from her hands. This was it. The impending doom that her heart was foreboding.