Daneen

PROLOGUE

DANEEN

I couldn't stop the tears as they began streaming down my face and unto the framed picture in my hands. The only one I managed to keep after dad cleared everything about her, as though she never lived here. But that doesn't matter much to me as I still have this picture as well as the pleasant memories.

I smiled through my tears as they memory of the day it the picture was taken flooded my head. It was in front of her medium sized but welcoming blue themed bakery. It was after she upgraded it. I can clearly remember contributing a lot -well, that my eight year old mind could come up with. Her, my mum, brother, Sanaullah and I were all in the picture. We all wore happy smiles.

May Allah forgive your shortcomings grandma. Aameen.

Wiping the tear droplets off the picture, I shoved it back into the the dressing mirror cupboard before shutting it. I looked up at the mirror to stare at my reflection, big wide very light brown eyes stared back at me. Fortunately, there wasn't the slightest shade of red in my whites to prove I've been crying. As if on cue, my door flew open. Well, only one person does that...

"Hey Nina", my brother Izhar said as he sauntered across my room towards where I was seated. He looked excited as a bright smile enhanced his handsome face. What's up with him.

"For the last time it's Daneen", I pouted at him through the mirror.

"Aww, come on baby sis. I know you love my nickname, besides it's unique", he reached me and placed a hand on my shoulder with the other hand behind him. What is he hiding?

"Yeah, using someone else's name as a nickname is quite unique", I replied sarcastically, rolling my eyes.

"Whatever, I'll keep on calling you that, whether you like it or not, you don't have a say", he smirked at my reflection.

"Okay zee-zee", I replied with a smirk of my own causing his to drop.

"Not cool, at least yours suits your gender", he frowns at the mirror.

"Whether you like it or not, you don't have a say", I repeated what he said using his own tone and my smirk deepened.

He gave a mischievous look before pinching my cheek knowing how much I hated it.

"Hey! Stop!" I said swatting his hand away causing him to chuckle. I knew exactly what that meant - 'baby'. I'm definitely not a baby, I'm thirteen for crying out loud.

"Yeah, whatever the...baby wants". He laughed emphasizing on the word baby. Having enough of his taunts, I stood up abruptly to face him directly, then I noticed what he was hiding behind him.

Curiosity overpowered my need for revenge so I asked. "What's that?".

He glanced down at his hand before looking back up at me, the excitement coming back to his visage. He handed the paper to me and I immediately read through the contents. My eyes widened while my heart lurched in happiness.

"Oh my God, you got admitted!", I squealed and wrapped my hands around his neck, careful not to squish the paper still in my grasp.

He chuckled before hugging me back. "I told you so".

"I knew you would make it", I smiled up at him after breaking the embrace.

If you're still confused, my brother just got admitted into NDA. He wants to be an officer just like my dad. Air force to be precise. This was like a dream come true.

"Congratulations zee-zee!".

"Thanks", he replied still beaming at me. He pinched my cheek before backing off.
"I'll go tell mum". I gave him back the slip and he patted my head before walking out.

Alhamdulillah

I walked back to my bed still unable to wipe the smile off my face. I can only imagine the smug smile that she would have been wearing.

"First a military wife, then a military mother and now a military grandmother", I'm pretty sure she would have said.
I miss you a lot grandma...