It was evening time. Everyone was gathered in the lounge. Inara and Hamad were chatting sitting on the carpet, eating snacks. Elders were watching television, discussing some family issues they were having with one of their relatives.
Zulaid walked into the lounge. He was still dressed in his scrubs. He must be exhausted from the continuous surgeries.
"Are beta aj phir late ho gaye" His mother asked with displeasure.
(You also came late today)
"There was an emergency case. I had to deal with it" He muttered sitting next to his mother on the sofa.
"You look so tired beta!" She caressed his hair lovingly.
"No mama! I am fine" He passed her a little smile.
"Mama! Ap bhai ke lie biwi lain aye na jissy dekh ke bhai ki sari thakan utar jae" Hamad teased him with a mischievous smile.
(Mama! You should get a wife for him. He wouldn't be exhausted after seeing her pretty face)
"Na to ab kia khud se nikkah parha ke le aoon. Jis ny karni hy wo to razi ho" Saman was annoyed with his son's continuous refusal to marry.
"Should I marry her myself because the one who needs to be married isn't interested yet)
"Toba hy begum" Ayub laughed at the sentence of his wife. Everyone joined him except Zulaid.
"Zoi bhai se shadi kare ga kon. Bechari roti rahe gi sari Zindagi" Inara couldn't get a hold of her tongue.
(Who will marry her. Who would do, will cry for the rest of her life)
"I second you beta!" Before Farida could scold her daughter for her bluntness, Saman agreed with her.
"Tumhe kia takleef hy. Wo roye ya hasse. Apne kam se kam rakho. Chachi jan ma kuch dinu se dekh raha hoon ye badtameez ho gai hy" Zulaid threw daggers at her.
(So what's your problem if my wife cries or laughs. Mind your own business. And auntie I have been noticing she is getting ilmannered)
"I know beta! She is getting spoiled" Farida never disagreed with him.
Inara rolled her eyes at them. When would they understand that speaking facts isn't the same as being ilmannered.
"Acha leave. Tell me should I serve dinner for you right now or you will have it after freshening up" Saman changed the topic.
"I am coming back in 10 minutes" He walked to his room.
"Bhabi! You should think of his marriage now. Mashallah he is going to be 33 soon!" Farida asked his sister in law.
"Haye Farida! Ye many tab na" Saman was eager to get a daughter in law but her son had different plans.
"He wanted to be done with his specialization but it's been years now. I think we need to talk to him. He doesn't even have time to sit with us" Ayub wasn't happy either with his routine.
"Bhai! He has a tough job. It's not easy to be a surgeon. You know about the patient load. He will manage his routine with time. Just softly make him understand that he should get settled now" Ibrahim took the side of his favourite nephew.
"Mama! Mujhy to lagta hy bhai kisi larki ke firaq main shadi nahi kar rahe" Hamad gave his opinion.
(I think bhai isn't getting married because of a girl's abandonment)
"Na karo" Inara literally shrieked.
(Don't tell me)
"Why you shouted idiot" Hamad slapped her head.
"He can't love someone. He just can't. He doesn't have a heart" Inara said dramatically.
"Oh yes, that's what I am saying. He is heartless because he has already given his heart to someone. He is roaming without heart" Hamad made his point clear.
"No, he was always like that sara hua karela" She couldn't stop herself from calling him names.
"Inara badtameez larki" Farida glared at her.
(Behave yourself)
"Oops sorry!" She clicked her tongue, with a fake apology.
"Mama! Amreeka main koi gori ly uri hy apke bete ko. Kiya pata bhai ny wahan shadi kar rakhi ho. Kiya pata unke bachy bhi hoon" Hamad kept teasing his mother.
(Mama! He might have got married in America. He might have kids there)
"Shut up Hamad ke bache! Mar khani hy tum ny" Saman slapped his shoulder.
(You want to be beaten)
"Woooo! Mama I don't have kids. Don't accuse me. Ask your first born he might have some" He got up from the carpet to not get another slap from her mother.
"What do I have?" Zulaid asked walking near them. He was feeling less tired after showering.
"Kids" Hamad mumbled, scratching his neck. He didn't want to get heard but he had already been heard.
"What?" He didn't get him.
"KIDS" Hamad said loudly this time.
"What" He literally screamed.
Inara laughed at his reaction. He glared at her but she couldn't stop herself. She was enjoying the scenario.
"Why are you laughing like a manic?" He rested his hands on his sides and asked clenching his teeth.
"Because I am one" She laughed even louder.
"What a level of self awareness" Hamad couldn't stop his laugh.
"Kal class main sari hassi nikalta hoon main tumhari" He nodded at her plainly.
(I will see how you will laugh in class tomorrow)
"No. No. I was just kidding. Sorry Zoi bhai. I mean Zoi..ni.ni..Zulaid bhai" She shook her head aggressively.
(No.No)
Him scolding her again in front of the whole damn batch and doctors. No freaking way.
"I will see you" His eyes said to her.
"You are already watching me. How much do you want to see. I am not that pretty, you know" She said in panic.
"How are you so self-awared Inara?" Hamad asked her seriously.
"Silence everyone. Go have your dinner beta!" Ibrahim couldn't see his nephew in an uncomfortable situation. He came forward to help him.
Hamad just tried to tease his mother but Saman was now seriously thinking about the reluctance of his son to get married. She thought about his foreign trip a few weeks back. Was there a woman in his life already whom he was hiding from them?
...
"Tera bera tare Arman! Bechari ko rula diya" Inara muttered looking at the mobile screen.
(Arman! You will be punished for making a girl cry)
"Who is Arman?" He suddenly asked strictly. Inara jumped at her place. He literally scared her with his presence. She was sitting alone in the lawn. She didn't get the idea when he came there.
"What" She questioned, calming her nerves.
"Arman. Who are you talking about?" He repeated himself monotonously.
"Larka hy" She increased his knowledge.
(He is a boy)
"And who is this boy exactly?" He crossed his arms at his chest, waited for an answer from her.
"Why are you asking?" She made a point.
"I asked who he is?" He was getting annoyed with her behavior.
"And I asked why are you asking me" She asked politely.
"Can't I ask you Inara?" He asked plainly, eyes fixed at her. His voice was devoid of any kind of strictness or softness. In fact his voice was dangerously deep like his aura which was indimating to her.
"Yes, you can. And he is no one. Just an actor!" She showed him her mobile screen.
"Stupid" He muttered under his breath. He thought he was some kind of friend of her. He was about to leave when she stopped him.
"Who you called stupid" She minded him.
"Ziada zuban nahi chalne lag gai tumhari" He stared at her.
(Haven't you started speaking much)
"I am always like that" She shook her head.
"Don't talk to me in that way again" He pointed his finger at her.
"Professor hoon gy ap hospital main. Yaha ghar main kyu robb jamate hain" She complained like a child.
(You are a professor at the hospital. Why do you behave strictly at home too)
"Because I am your elder brother" He shrugged his shoulders.
"Hain. Kab se" She asked dilating her pupils. She kinda looks cute to him.
(From when)
"Are you mad?"
"No, I am not and you never treated me like a sister. You have always been nice to Hamad only because he is your blood sibling. You always ignored me. Do you remember when you talked nicely to me in the past?" She spat it out not thinking twice.
"Excuse me" He narrowed his eyes at her, not getting her point.
"Excused" She muttered and ran to stairs before he could say anything further.
..................................................................
Inara is getting braveð
Are you liking their bickeringð«¶
Aren't they cuteð©ââ¤ï¸âð¨