The tip tap of rain caused Adnan Sultan's attention to waver. It was like a never ending charade that made him restless and caused him to think irrevocably about his past. His mazii. Things and memories that he wanted to forget. Memories he wanted to bury in the soil for good.
Shrugging away his thoughts, he got up from his revolving chair. A glance around his magnificent office, he felt like throwing up. The rain was making him think of that night. The raining was a curse for him, and he knew so.
Rushing out, and grabbing his car keys, he ran down the corridor in haste. Everyone looked at him, in bewilderment.
They probably would be thinking that I have seen a ghost or something.
He thought, snidely.
Coming to a halt, in front of his La Voiture Noir, he opened the driving side door and quickly got in.
Starting the engine, he backed the car out, of the huge back gates of the White House.
He drove like a madman. As though a ghost was really after him.
The rain was so heavy, that dew started to make way on the car. His eyes widened in horror, and his knuckled turned white in terror.
Breathe Adnan, breathe.
He realized he had forgotten to breathe.
You can't think about that. You simply cannot. You will lose the exterior façade you have put up. You will loose yourself. Your sense. Your everything.
He kept repeating to himself, as his knuckles turned pale-white and his veins throbbed outwards.
He was interrupted in his reverie by the shrill ringtone of his Blackberry. He picked it up to see it was from his butler, Raines.
"Yes?"
His voice sounded tired to his own ears.
"Mr. Sultan, your mother is here."
The butler replied.
Oh shoot! She had to come today and I forgot.
Face palming himself, he said,
"I will be there in five."
With that he cancelled the call, and drove like a freaking aeroplane.
He drove over the speed limit mark, nearly hitting over a man in his hastiness.
"Finally! Where were you gone?"
Just as his butler opened the door to his posh office, his mother shot a question at him.
Dressed in a chifon violet gown, she looked diminutive and royal. It didn't helped that she had a bun tied, which gave her the sparks of being a queen. She looked majestic, not just in words but also looks, and manners.
"Gone for a drive, mom."
Adnan answered, warily.
He walked up to his glass desk and sat in his chair. He felt as if now, he is in control of his thoughts and emotions.
"Adnan. Have you thought about it?"
His mother tentatively asked.
"My answer was no, and now also it's no."
Brushing aside papers, he pretended to look for a file.
"But Adnan! It's a wedding for God's sake!"
"No mom, I am not interested in going to any weddings."
"Darling, I know but--"
"Mom, you know that once I make up my mind no one can make me change it."
He held the pen, with which he was writing in the file, so tightly that his knuckles started turning white.
"Adnan they're your family. They are your father's family. They are not strangers and Ibrahim is just like a brother to you."
His mother tried persuading him.
"I don't even know them all, mom. I feel like the odd one out. Also, the last time I went there, I was eighteen years old, and now I am 26. It's like I haven't seen them in decades!"
"Just shut up! You know what Adnan, who do you think you are talking to? You do whatever you think is right! Never listen to your elders!"
Oh boy..Mom has burst.
"Mom, just listen to me-"
He started backing up a little. No, no, he wasn't afraid by his mother, he just respected her alot to bear her tension.
"No, Adnan Sultan Zaidi! You listen to me! Who do you think you have become? Okay, you are the upcoming President but it doesn't mean YOU TALK BACK to your mother! The mother who gave birth to you and fed you and you are talking back to her?!"
Oh maan! Mom is raging.
"Okay, okay. If it pleases you than I will go to Dubai and attend the wedding."
He said, internally he groaned in annoyance.
What the fuck. Mom, you know I don't like going there. Mingling in the family.
As suddenly as it came, his mother became calm and sweet again. Looking at him lovingly.
"My baby. I knew it. You won't say no to your momma. I love you."
With that she gave a kiss on his cheek.
"I'm not a baby, mom! And this is my office." He said, rubbing away at the spot, his mother just kissed.
"And Adnan, don't forget to pack everything. Call Warda if you need any help. Do the packing yourself, don't tell Raines to do it for you."
"Yes, yes mom. Now am I allowed to continue my work? In peace and quiet now?"
"Of course, darling! Just tell me when will you be going there? Me and Warda are taking the private jet tomorrow, to the Villa."
His mother inquired.
"I have some important meetings to attend to in Sweden, Germany, Kolkata, Denmark and Venezuela, and than I'll be free to fly over."
He said, reading his schedule which his assistant and best friend, Kabir had left on the desk.
"Hmm, okay. Than see you next week, darling. Call Raines in, I am leaving."
He called the butler in.
"Raines, escort mom out, please."
While the butler gathered all of Mrs. Sultan's things, Mrs. Sultan was busy in blowing her son air kisses. They both walked out after bidding him good-bye.
He didn't really wanted to go there. It wasn't that he didn't like them, it eas because he mingled with the least possible number of people. Maybe because he had this superiority complex, or perhaps bacause of his more than horrible past, which he constantly tried to eradicate from his memories.
His fingers trembled as he thought about her.
That girl.
Who destroyed my peace.
Why can't she just leave me alone?
He gripped the paper, making indentations of his skin appear in its texture. He just couldn't let go of it, as he felt like it was his last hope to survive.
"Mr. Sultan. Mr. Sultan."
He felt someone shaking him, and he got up faster than a tiger to attack whoever it was with his gun at hand, and poised over that someone.
Realizing its just Raines, he dropped the gun on his desk, causing it to make a clutter lot of noise.
The glass hitting the steel.
The calm hitting the monster.
Shrugging his thoughts, he turned to see Raines looking at him concernedly.
Before the butler could voice his doubts, Adnan butted in.
"I am fine. No need to worry about it."
"But my dear sir, you don't look fine at all."
Raines said, his words laced in scepticism.
"I am fine, I repeat again. Please sit down."
Adnan said, sitting again in his chair.
"But you look so tired. I think that it's good Mrs. Sultan is taking you back home."
Raines said, taking the seat reserved for guests.
"Good? You of all people are saying that! When you know everything that happenend!"
Adnan exclaimed.
"Yes,I know dear Sir, but it doesn't mean that you start to boycott happiness."
"I am not boycotting anything."
Adnan scowled, relaxing back into his chair.
"It wasn't your fault, that happened. Moreover, you need to have some normal time apart from working all day."
Raines expressed, everything with a saint-like expression.
"But Raines, you know that I don't like mingling with people!"
He suddenly again charged at the old butler.
"You are doing this to yourself. Your father is relying on you to be the best of the best."
"What will the public say when they get to know that their to-be President is a coward man, who couldn't even save himself."
"You aren't a coward. You are just making yourself believe your own words."
Raines interjected.
"Raines you know I am a Sadi--"
A soft knock rattled him, as he swallowed the words he wanted to say. He relaxed himself into the chair once again, holding all the power.
Composing himself he nodded at Raines, who said,
"Come in."
The door opened to reveal a girl. Maybe in twenties, who wore a freaking short dress. Black dress, with equally dark lipstick, staining her lips in the most seductive of ways.
Walking or more like gliding towards the table, in her black stilettos, she introduced herself.
"It's I, Aina Riaz."
"Please take a seat."
Raines addressed her.
"Adnan Sultan. Should I be knowing who you are?"
Adnan added, just as she sat down.
"Maybe, maybe not. It depends if you know your cousin's names'.
Tapping her long, manicured finger nails on the lush couch, she drawled.
There was some kind of lisp in her tone, that made Adnan want her. Not because he loved her or anything, just because she looked damn sexy in that black dress. He diverted his glance towards Raines who politely said,
"She's your cousin, from your father's side. Your father's brother's daughter."
"Oh! But I don't understand why have you come to my office?"
Puzzled, he asked.
"Seriously? You don't answer to any calls, you don't talk to anyone from the family. Heck! None of them have even seen you in years!"
"I am not interested. Just tell me why you're here and we shall get this over with."
Huffing, which literally blew smoke out of her ears, that were adorned with large crystal earrings she passed him a file.
"What is it?"
He questioned, not even bothering to open it.
"As you don't contact us, we thought of sending you an invitation card for the wedding."
"Big honor? I just don't understa4you people."
"Grandma was saying that you have to some. That's why the honor of bring you the invitation has been undertaken by me."
"Wow. I am impressed."
Adnan said, mocking her.
"Just be there, okay? People want to get a glimpse of you."
"Sheesh! Okay, I will be there. I already told mom."
He said, pushing the file on the desktop towards Raines.
"Please take this away."
And to Aina he turned and said,
"Thank you for bringing the invitation. I will make sure to be there."
"Okay, good bye."
She nodded to him, and stood up. Taking her bad, she sashayed out of his huge cabin.