Hiraeth

Chapter 53

Enjoy!
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After an hour or two, Rayaan, Daniyal and both of her tayas came to meet her. Hana had wrapped her head with a hijab. Hijab was wrapped like a Dupatta but not even a single strand was showing. Daniyal joked a bit with her and her tayas also talked to her about her health and pains which she exaggerated just to get some sympathy and get-well-soon gifts. Rayaan remained silent and just stood at a corner. He did not even look up to see her. Zayn was getting ready in the washroom as they brought his clothes with them. Nashwa was silently observing everything. She was just sitting on the sofa and said nothing. She looked at everything and observed everyone’s behavior with hana. Her facial expression showed her curiosity and happiness while observing hana with her brothers and cousins.

As Nashwa never got to experience love of a brother or father from the childhood, she was enjoying the shenanigans of hana and her cousins and brothers. She was happy but also was looking longingly at them as she also wanted to feel that same love and joy. She did not know that Hana also spent her childhood in the same way, always longing for her brothers’ attention and love.

After sometime, everyone left the room to go to office (Zayn, Daniyaal, both of hana’s uncles and Ibrahim) or to go home (In case of Hanan and Nashwa), leaving Rayaan in the room with Zamid and Hana. Zamid kept quite and just looked out the window while Rayaan sat on one of the chairs in the room. He was sitting in the center of both beds so that he can talk to both of them.

“Ap soye nhi thay? (Did you not sleep?)” Hana blurted after rayaan finally looked up at her face. His eyes were red and swollen a little. At her question, even Zamid turned to look at him.

“No! Just a little stressed due to office work!” Rayaan cleared his throat a little and then said dismissively. Zamid knew what the actual reason was! He just only hopes that Rayaan will not become someone who will shun and ignore hana just because she was sexually abused. He knew people will raise their fingers on his sister and will try to blame her even if it was not her fault. He just prayed that rayaan will not be one of them as he saw how other family members were trying to be normal with her and not to bring up this topic and to make his sister as comfortable as they can. Only rayaan was silent all this time!

“Oh okay!” Hana replied with a nod and accepted his lie without any further questioning. She was gullible like that! You tell her something and she will accept it without any further arguments.

“Acha ye batao, kiya khao gi! Main raat ko lay ao ga tmharay liye! Jo kaho gi wo lay ao ga! (Okay tell me, what do you want to eat? I will bring it at night for you! Whatever you want, I will get it!)” Rayaan put on a small smile and asked her. He was trying to act as normal as he can.

“Sachi? (Really?)” She excitedly asked while moving forward towards him. She was sitting with her back leaning on the wall behind her bed. Zamid was sitting in the same way. He was busy in Rayaan’s mobile, doing God knows what!

“Really!” He answered with a nod and his smile became a little more real.

“Umm, what about Chocolates and Ice Cream and Chips and Biscuits and Pineapple Juice and Lolipo-” She excitedly started her list but got interrupted in between by Zamid and Rayaan’s loud chuckles. She looked at them in confusion and then pouted while waiting for them to get over with their laughter so that she can answer her about their rude interruption in between her food list (Foodie Alert!).

“What!? Why are you guys laughing! I am talking about something serious and you guys are laughing! Rayaan Bhai, you did not have to ask if you were going to make fun of me and laugh at me! Humph!” She asked with a pout and annoyance clearly visible on her face. Zamid and Rayaan controlled their laughter and then looked at her with amusement.