Written In The Stars

Winter Wonderland

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Faiz

"I d-don't want t-t-to go and live with him, Mamma." Hareem sobbed, leaning against Mamma, who had her arm around her shoulders, as they sat on a sofa together. "I want to stay with you and everyone here." 

We were all gathered in the living room for a family meeting to discuss the latest situation.

"You won't be going anywhere, Hareem. Relax." I reassured her.

Mamma looked at me, anxiously. I knew what she was worried about: Dad's finest lawyers. Paid more than some people's annual salaries, they were exceptional at their job and helped Dad out through any and every situation. 

"Why does Dad want Hareem anyway?" Rumi asked. "Didn't he basically blame the breakdown of the marriage on us kids? So, why does he want to have Hareem's custody now?" 

"Just to spite Mamma, I'm sure." Dania muttered.

"No matter why he's doing that, he won't win." I muttered. "I won't let him. Harry stays with us, and that's final."

"Come, Hareem. Let's get some ice cream." Dania grabbed our youngest sister's arm and helped her up. "You can have as much chocolate sauce over it as you want." 

Dania, Hareem and Rumaisa went off into the kitchen, with the elder two cheerfully trying to make Hareem smile.

"Sumi, how was your first day of work?" Anaya asked Sumaira, who was too quiet and lost in thoughts.

Sumi looked at me, almost accusingly. "So, Neha Aunty is working in HR, is it?"

Oh, brilliant. Just what I'd been trying to avoid. "You know." I said it as a statement, not a question.

"You knew and didn't tell us?" 

"I only found out while Anaya was in Pakistan." I wearily pinched the bridge of my nose, closing my eyes. "I had no idea before that. Being a CEO doesn't mean that you know every single employee." 

"Neha is an employee there?" Mamma looked shocked. "He married an employee?" 

"Yes, Mamma. Our father, Mr Hypocrite, married an employee, despite warning us not to have 'romantic entanglements' with employees." Sumi looked at me. "Isn't that the phrase he used? Like we were some sort of out-of-control characters of a TV show, and will end up having a wild and forbidden office romance with the first person who peaked our interest?" 

Well, that's how he made us seem like. 

"Sumi, no matter what, he's still your father." Mamma had to be her good self as usual. "Don't talk about him like this, please. This isn't how I raised you." 

"Just answer one question, Mamma." Sumi said. "Why have six kids if he lost interest in you? Why not stop when he realised that he's stopped having feelings for you?" 

"Sumi, you're getting a little personal." I warned.

"That's a legitimate question!" She cried. 

"I didn't notice his decreasing interest in me. That's my fault." Mamma sighed. "But..."

"No." I said. "You didn't deserve to be cheated on because you were focusing on the kids that you had with him." I looked her directly in the eye. "I'm going to fight this, and we're going to win, In Sha Allah. I will not let him take Hareem away from you, away from all of us."