Madawa

7

"Maher, you need to come back. Hareem has been trying to get in touch with you since forever. Papa needs you." Ayla spoke from the other end of the line.

Ayla was Maher's twin sister and his favorite member of his fcked-up family. She had gone to the States for Grad School where she met her husband. They got married and she decided to permanently move to Boston. Even the geographical distance couldn't drift the twins apart. Maher would visit her every holiday until he broke away from his family. He didn't lose contact with Ayla but it wasn't the same. She never directly told it but he knew deep down that she too felt he was wrong; that he shouldn't have left home.

"Oh so now, they've roped in you too," he replied, a hint of derision laced his words. "Do saalon mein kya hogaya unko? Need me to prove his guilty-as-fck-self innocent again?" He bitterly spitted, he felt no remorse nor any shame talking about his father like this. Not anymore.

She ignored his remark, understanding his stance, "Papa is not well, Maher," she said. Her tone mimicked the gravity of the situation. His expressions softened for a fraction of a second before the stone hard expressions returned. He didn't reply, which signaled Ayla to continue. "Cirrhosis of the liver. It's bad," her voice broke as she mentioned the disease.

—

It's incurable.

He doesn't have much time.

Considering his father's drinking habits, cirrhosis, albeit potentially fatal, didn't sound surprising to Maher but still Ayla's words rang like a giant bell in his head. He puffed two cigarettes one after another. He hadn't been crying but his eyes were moist. His father, the murderer he left behind for good was dying and it killed Maher. He didn't want things to end like this. The ringing in his ears had returned but it wasn't from Ayla's words anymore. It was accompanied by the throbbing pain in his head.

***
"Dekhoongi, yaar. I don't know if I'll be able to make it," Saman had her phone pressed between her ear and shoulder as she made a quick breakfast for her brother. She was running late for work so she thought of skipping breakfast herself. Amina, her best friend since grade school, was on the call with her.

"Khuda ka khauff karo, Saman! Meri shaadi horahi hai, yaar! Koi birthday party nahi hai jo tum 'dekho gi'" Amina almost scolded her, as if Saman had said something blasphemous. "Tum reunion par bhi nahi aayi thi but theek hai, I understand that. But meri shaadi?! Especially since you e known about this for months now!" She added. "Saim bhai bhi acha feel karengay sab se milke," she said, further attempting to persuade Saman. "Please, Saman. Mana nahi karna."

"Acha theek hai," Saman gave in. "I'll come." She added.

"Yayy!" Amina rejoiced. "I'll have you and Saim bhai picked up Friday evening. You'll spend the weekend here—oooh itna maza aayega!" She excitedly added and Saman couldn't help but let out a chuckle.

"Chalo I'm getting late—baad mein baat karte hain," Saman said before they said their goodbyes.

She checked on her brother as she set out his breakfast in his room and left. His help, Majid would be here a little later than usual but her brother had everything he needed until he arrived so she was relieved.

—
She made it to work just in time and her unending day began.

***
He realized Ayla would need him so he typed in the words he'd never thought of ever uttering.

I'll be there.

He had been to Pakistan since he left but never home. He hadn't ever thought about going home, let alone in just 2 years... but there was something else about visiting Pakistan now. For a moment he didn't even care about his father. He felt selfish but apart from being there for Ayla, the only reason he booked this ticket was because he wanted to meet Saman and to him, it felt like the Universe had conjured up this opportunity for him. But at the same time, going back home terrified him because... what if he came across her again? And suddenly his excitement of meeting Saman plummeted.