A very angry mother was sitting at the dining table faced them.  

"Where were you Areesha? No note and your cell phone was turned off too. I've been worried sick about you." Her mother said to her angrily with her hands on her hips.

"Ma-"

"Assalam-o-Alaikum Mama." Zayan interrupted her nervously as he entered  the house behind Areesha that evening after they came from the Amusement park.

His mother did a double take at seeing him here after so much time. She had thought that he had left them.

"Walaikum salam. And what are you doing here may I ask?" She said looking at him with an emotionless face.

"Mama I came here for you two. I missed you people." He said to her while Areesha watched the entire exchange uncomfortably.

"Oh really? I thought you had forgotten about us after all we did for you!" She said sarcastically. He knew convincing his mother would be nothing like his sister.

"I'm sorry." He said looking down.

"Yeah right!" She snorted and went to her room.

"Don't worry. She'll come around soon." Zayan said patting his sister's shoulder as he looked at her worried face.

"Funny how that should have been my line. I'm such a fucked up person." She said to him shaking her head as she plopped down on the couch.

"Stop swearing Areesha!" Zayan reprimanded her angrily.

"What else do I do with this life then?" Her eyes suddenly welled up with tears.

One second she was all laughing and smiling and the next she was crying. If Zayan didn't know better he'd think that she was being bipolar.

"Areesha, you're going to get nowhere with all that self pity. Come out of that. You have accepted what has happened but you don't stop wallowing in self-pity. Life can be unfair and hard, yes, but that's never a reason to give up everything or give in to despondency. This is a test from Allah. Allah gives you the strength to endure whatever He tests you with, you just need to use that strength."

"No. I don't have that strength."

"You do. If you feel like you can't do it anymore, pray to Allah. We are living to please Allah. Don't make someone else your destination. Your aim should be pleasing Allah and Him alone. If you think you were living because of Aamir's love, then you are wrong. You won't die without him. Life will go on. People come and go from your life. Allah is the only one who stays forever. You only need Allah's mercy to live. Ask him for mercy. He's the Most Merciful. Turn to Him, not away from Him. " He said trying his best to make him understand.

"I know. You are right. I just keep forgetting my destination." Areesha said with her head hung low.

"Keep reminding yourself then. What's for dinner?"

"Nothing." For the past few days she had been having leftovers or just ordered something. Her mother always ate with her friends outside.

"Ok. Let's make something then!"

"Nope! I am not cooking today."

"Who said we are eating your food? I don't want to die of food poisoning. It's to early for me to die!" He joked

"Who else is cooking then? You?" She scoffed.

"Yup!"

"You? Do you even know how to light the stove?" She said sarcastically.

"Course I do! How else do you think I survived in England all by myself?"

"Point! You would have been even more fatter eating junk food."

"Did I just hear right? I am not fat! This is all muscle!" He said flexing his biceps.

"So what should Chef Z make for you today, Your highness." He said bowing at her

"Chef Z?!" She scoffed.

"So you want anything or not?" He said frowning at her.

"Yeah. Course I do. I want pasta, chicken roast, biryani and - "

"How much do you eat fatty?" He said cutting her off

"No, make a little of everything." 

"Do I look like your slave?" He said incredulously.

"Yeah as a matter of fact you do!" She smirked at him.

"Whatever. Pasta it is!"

"It better taste like pasta then. Not some inedible junk."

"Yes ma'am," he said saluting her

He started adding spices to the chicken, while she just watched him absentmindedly her mind completely somewhere else. Yes, he was right. She shouldn't pity herself. There are so many people who faced more than her, but still came out in one piece. She was a determined girl who loved challenges. She saw this as a challenge too. She felt so guilty about cutting herself. If suicide was haram, so was self-harm. She promised herself that she'd never be so reckless again.

"What's up with you?" Her brothers voice snapped her out of her train of thoughts.

"I was thinking."

"No shit, Sherlock!"

"No swearing!" She reprimanded him like he had done earlier.

"So what were you thinking? It's news to me that you can even think!"

"Nothing in particular." She wasn't going to tell Zayan that she had cut herself.

"I know a lie when I see one."

"I'm not lying," she said frowning, surprised at how he could see right through her.

"I know you like the back of my hand. Besides I'm a lawyer, so I know when I am being lied to" He smirked at her.

"Yeah sure. Whatever sails your boat."

"Why don't you make yourself useful? Here chop these veges," he said handing her the cutting board. 

She took the knife from his hand and tried to cut them evenly.

"At this rate we aren't going to get the food ready till tomorrow. " zayan commented eyeing her slow pace.

"Gosh! I'm doing it, aren't I? Stop being so ungrateful."

"On second thoughts you leave this. Go set the table." He ordered

"Yes sir!" She saluted giggling.

Their mother heard the whole exchange between them from the living room next to the kitchen. She felt relieved to see her daughter laugh wholeheartedly after such a long time. It was as of a huge burden was lifted off her chest. She had always felt guilty seeing her Areesha depressed and sad. For once she felt thankful to Zayan who was taking the role of a parent in Areesha's life when she had failed to do that.

 She regretted her behavior towards her for the past two years since her husband had passed away.  Areesha reminded her of her husband in every way. She might resemble her in looks but her personality, her way of talking, the gestures she made while talking, her sarcastic remarks, her determined behavior everything reminded her of her husband. She couldn't look at her without remembering him. She missed him so terribly that her heart ached in agony. Areesha would get married, have kids and move on but she had no way to forget him.

"Mama, the pasta is ready. Come have some dinner!" Areesha's voice from the dining room shook her out of her memories. She wiped the tears that had been silently falling on her cheeks.

"Coming beta!" She said.

Areesha set the table quickly and took her seat waiting for her mother. Her mouth watered whetting her appetite when Zayan brought the dish and placed it on the table.

Together they ate as a family after a long time. It was a silent affair overall. There was only one problem: the head of the family was missing. His absence was felt deeply by his kids and his wife. The tension in the air was tangible before Zayan broke it.

"So how do you like my pasta?" Zayan asked the them wiggling his eyebrows.

"This is really yummy! I can't believe that living in England for some time would do so much good to you. Your wife's gonna be very lucky-" Areesha abruptly stopped when she saw the look on her brothers face. How silly of her to bring this topic up so carelessly when he was obviously hurting so much, she thought regretfully.

"Mama how do you like it?" Zayan asked his mother hoping to get a reaction  out of her.

"It's very tasty, beta" she said with a genuine smile taking both the siblings off guard. Her heart had warmed towards him considerably when she saw the same old smile on Areesha's face.

"Thanks! I'm flattered ladies!" He said with a wink after regaining his composure. He had been very surprised to see his mother smiling at him.

"So bro, what's for desert?"

"You are going to treat us with ice-cream!" He said pointing at his sister.

"Who me?"she asked with raised eyebrows.

"Yes you. It's only fair." He said shrugging his shoulders. 

"What a mean older brother you are! Instead of-"

"Last time I checked we were of the same age." He said cutting her of

"Oh yeah? Whenever you have to be bossy you become older by a few days and when you have to wiggle out of something we're of the same age! You cant change that to your convenience!" 

It had been always like this even when they were younger. Zayan was actually a few days older only but he liked to change that according to the situation.

"Ok kids stop bickering. The ice cream is on me. Happy?" Their mother intervened. Even when they were younger, their mother always had to come in between.

***

After that they ate the ice-cream together. Areesha felt so good in along time. Their mother was conversing with them freely, but it still wasn't like before. She wasn't worried however as she knew that now that her brother was here he would handle everything. 

She relied on him to take care of the situation even when they were younger. From dealing with bullies to the neighbors she pissed off with her antics, Zayan handled it all. When she got a scolding from her father for bringing a kitten home, Zayan took the blame on himself.

"Ok guys! I'm gonna call it a night. Allah Hafiz! " Zayan said stifling a yawn.

"Zayan? Come to my room first. We need to talk." Mama said to him.

Exchanging a worried glance with Areesha who just shrugged, he followed his mother in her room. 

She sat on the bed and Zayan sat next to her with only one thought in his mind: what was all this about.

To be continued....

What is this all about? 

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