They woke up at 11 in the morning and dressed in the clothes they bought from Millennia mall. Wearing light makeup and a single bracelet on their wrists, both of them looked decent and pretty.
"Abdul won't be here today." Tara said. I know she is Farah, but the girls still ignore last night's conversation with the manager of Royal Inn.
"What? I really wanted him to take us." Karina whispered in Min's ear. They both seemed to get along with Abdul. Hearing him not being able to come was very uncomfortable.
He was climbing the stairs down, fixing his coat when he saw them standing near the counter looking worried. His eyebrows tensed. "What's going on? Is there any problem?" Taimur asked, walking towards them.
"Your Tiara is our problem." Karina murmured.
"They want to take Abdul with them, but he is not here today." Tara explained. Her caked face shining in the morning lights of the hall. Minha took a deep breath and started twirling her earring. Taimur, who was standing in a grey suit today with his hands in his pockets, heaved a sigh and took his IPhone 11 pro max out of his pocket and dialed a number while Karina stared at the phone. Seeing her friend simp over a phone in front of her was really unfortunate. Minha pulled her back and pursed her lips. Taimur was talking to someone on his phone giving someone instructions.
"He said he'll be here in a couple of minutes. Did you girls have breakfast?" He asked keeping the IPhone back. "We will get it once we are outside." Minha replied this time and walked outside with Kay's arm in hers. Abdul was driving about the street corner and they could see him approaching.
They sat in the car and told Abdul to take them to a bakery. He took them to Faisal sweets and bakers.
They bought light sandwiches and coffee.
"Why are you being so rude to the manager?" Karina asked, munching on the sandwich.
"Why do we have to be polite to him?" Minha asked in response. Questioning the question.
"We don't have to be rude either." Kay replied.
"We are leaving today. Why do we have to extend a hand of friendship to others?" Min asked, looking out of the window. Her face was expressionless. Her palm beneath her left cheek, she looked upset. Kay looked at her briefly. Minha's moods changed in a very little span. One day she is joyful, and the other day she is depressed.
"Fine." Kay gave up.
"Where do you want to go?" Abdul asked. Minha pursed her lips again and took out her black palm size diary and flipped pages through it. Then she handed the opened page to the driver. "KAECHS, block 5, Ideal Bakery. Got it." Minha took the address book back and kept it inside her bag carefully. Then she took out the photo of her brother and tears swelled against her lower eyelid, but she didn't let them melt. Maaz wearing a white Kurta. His brown hair flicked back due to the wind. They were settling in their new house while Minha captured the photo. Kay clutched Min's shoulder and smiled with sad eyes. Minha smiled back and kept the photo safely inside the bag. Later they took photos with Abdul and traced their way on the map.
When they reached Ideal bakery, Abdul stopped the Van and asked, "Which street?" He asked. Minha remembered the area clearly in her mind. "We will walk from here." She told him. "Um, can you pick us back?" Minha asked Abdul.
He nodded, "Sure, ma'am. Here, this is my card. You can call the hotel if my number is off. Battery of my phone is unreliable." He was embarrassed. Minha took the card and smiled, "Thanks Abdul. Thank you so much!" She answered and both of them got out of the car.
The humid weather of Karachi was annoying for the girls. She lifted her chin and looked around. The houses were of all sorts. Large and small. Some of them were about 500 yards, some of them below it but rarely any above it. There were a lot of people and a lot of commercials. This street wasn't like the one on Burns road, but it was similar. Her blonde ponytail swung in the air captivating the others around. She walked with her head straight, Karina beside her. They were quiet. She turned into the first street. Walking past three houses, there was the most beautiful one. Walnut colored balcony, with star jasmine vine growing wild. And other red and yellow flower plants on the other side of the balcony. The gate was large and brown. A car was parked outside. Mercedes. The house looked about 500 yards. The wall below the balcony was carved with bold black Urdu letters, "The Qureshi's."
Karina rang the bell. All the lines she has been rehearsing since the start of the weekend, faded. She remembered nothing. Her senses were going fatal and she felt her knees out of energy. As if she would faint anytime. "Who's there?" A female voice called out from the speaker.
"Is this Maaz Qureshi's house?" Karina asked. There was silence. "Yes. Who is this?" the female voice called out. Then someone's footsteps were heard from behind the door. Tuk, tuk tuk. She galloped. She wasn't ready to confront so soon. She wanted to run away.
A female, with a scarf wrapped around her face emerged from behind the doors. And looked at Kay strangely. "It's Minha," She walked closer, "Zimal Qureshi."
Zimal's expression was blank. Just like hers. The time seemed to have stopped for a minute which now seemed like a decade. She was out of words. But she recognized her sister. Why wouldn't she?
Minha's arms were crossed on her chest, and she walked delicately inside the house as if she did that every day.
The house was tiled with white tiles. Garage was designed in an L shape. There was a big swing supported with strong ropes from the ceiling. A lot of plants placed along the walls. She climbed the stairs and pulled the brown door. There was a mirror in front of the door on the parallel wall. She gazed at her own reflection and bedded the hair strand back behind the ear. Then she bent down and started undoing her sandals. Baba didn't like people in with their shoes. She smiled at the memory.
The house was still the same. As she walked into the square lounge which was decorated with grey sofas around the large black framed glass table. The curtains were folded back and sunlight peeked in. She sighed and galloped her tears. Minha didn't stop. She walked towards the rooms ahead. There were two doors. Left one was their Parents' room and the left one was for both the sisters. Maaz's room was on the other side.
She paced her speed and headed towards the left one. Her white leather bag dropped down while she turned the knob and opened it.
The room still smelled like her father's perfumes. The king sized bed was covered with the maroon and marmalade colors. Autumn leaves falling everywhere. The dark brown polished furniture and the soft black and grey carpet beneath her bare feet. She could sense it all. Their presence, their mirth, their anxiety and everything that could possibly have been materialized in that room of life. Tears she was holding back since the morning came rushing out.
The dead body of Maaz, his bleeding face, his disappeared lower body, his melting eyes. The life in which he once used to pour his glee, was glued to smoke and soaked in blood. The nightmares holding her in cuffs and ropes, yelling at her to save her brother felt alive again. She screamed in pain. Louder. And with every pain and agony, Maaz's death body, her Parent's helpless faces ashamed of their daughter felt lifeless and the fire in them began burning again. The fire that was extinguished a few nights ago, started scorching with more anger inside her. She went out of strength and the gravity of the floor pulled her closer until she was hugging it. She was crying- bawling. Her one hand over her head and the other on the floor, she screeched for forgiveness and help. She screamed with the pain of fire in her bones, in her flesh. And the more she yelled out in pain, the more Earth swallowed her, and soon her vision darkened.
She was tied to something rough. There was a cloth tied over her mouth. She couldn't move. But even before she needed to a young man walked in front of her. Brown eyes and brown hair swept back. He smiled and looked into Minha's eyes. He extended his arms to hug Minha and waited for her to come. She wanted to move and hug him tight, but the ropes she was tied up with deepened in her flesh and she screamed without voice. A group of people came and started circling Maaz. She shrieked and exerted pressure against the ropes but they tortured her soul inside and kept holding her. She couldn't cry, she couldn't speak. People around Maaz sprayed a liquid around him. But Maaz was still looking at Minha, unknown of what was going around him. Then she came. With the same light Choco-colored hair and almond eyes. She came towards the circle but didn't save Maaz. She wasn't tied up, she could scream, she could help. But she didn't. Instead, she fired the piece of log and people ran away. The girl with almond eyes threw the fire log around Maaz and then looked at helpless Minha.
Minha pushed against the ropes. Maaz was burning. She made a voice. But the girl with almond eyes didn't notice. She kept walking. When she was an inch away from Minha she turned and saw Maaz disappearing. Then she looked at Minha's abandoned and pitiable eyes. She pulled one of her long nails inside Minha's chin but Minha shook her head to the other side and the lady with almond eyes squeaked louder than a pitch. Minha's face spun to the voice and she saw the fire creeping towards her. She cried in horror and everything darkened again.
She opened her eyes in dismay. A hand supported her. She felt a polite shrug and the hand drew away from her shoulder
She had her Choco brown hair tied up in a loose braid and her almond eyes looked worried. Minha jerked away. It was Zimal. "You killed my brother. You could save him." She was having a lot. Her chest blowing up fast. She backed on her knees. "Stay away from me!" she yelled.
"Calm down, Minha. You need to rest. You are not well." Zimal spoke in her soft voice pulling Minha closer, but she lurched her away and kept yelling until Kay reached her and hugged her tightly. She let Kay comfort her. She seemed scared of her elder sister. Karina kept soothing her.
"I am sorry, Minnie-"Zimal started speaking.
"Don't call me that!" Minha yelled at her. She raised her hands and pursed her lips the way Minha did.
"Okay. Do you want to know everything? I'll tell you." She surrendered. Minha lifted her eyes up at her. "So, you want to lie again and hand all the burden that's on your shoulders to be mine? No, Zimal."
"Believe me, Minnie." Minha looked at her sharply, with hawk's eyes. "Minha." Zimal corrected herself. "I swear I did not kill him. I feel the same regret you do. Can't you just forget it?" She begged with solemnity in her eyes.
"Forget what, Zimal? Maaz? Don't you dare say that?" She jolted away from Karina's grip towards Zimal who was sitting on the other edge of the bed, glaring at her little sister. "He is the only thing we share, Zimal." Her voice was low and scary.
At that very moment, she crawled out of the bed and walked out. Karina stayed there for a moment but then followed Minha out.
It was 6 in the evening and she was hungry. But she was afraid. Everything felt frightening. She was standing beside the pillar of the balcony. People were busy. None of them knew who died in the explosion 4 years ago. None of them knew the girl in the pretty face was crying secretly in her own self.
"Baba, What do I do?" She asked.
"I am afraid of this world." She sniffed. "This world ate my brother alive and now they are going to eat me too." She sniffed again. Her eyes watering. "I am afraid everything is gonna turn to ashes one day and everything we do is going to abandon us. No one is gonna remain with us." She wiped the tears and looked up at the sky. It was reflecting a lot of shades. Purple, pink, orange. But it seemed upset, like the pretty girl beneath it. "Is it because we stopped praying to God? Is it because we make mistakes? Is it because this world is a punishment?"
The sky changed colors to blue and violet. A group of crows flew above the roofs of the houses and the crowd beneath the balcony was getting noisier. The storm inside was too destructive to notice the one outside.
"This world is a game, my dear." Her Baba spoke in her heart. Her eyes dropped down to her heart. She wiped the tears that were making it hard for her to see. "It's a game of losing and winning. We receive awards if we are kind and loyal, but we are punished if we are wrong." She nodded. Someone was shouting beneath her feet. Cars were beeping. Men's voices were speeding up but she could only hear her father.
"And all of us make mistakes. But mistakes are made to learn. If you learn not to make them again and decide to be kind, forgiving and act like a composed and patient person, your life becomes easy." A smile appeared on her lips. If there was someone kinder than her father, it was the angel above the sky.
"Because this world is just a game. You face the levels of difficulty in a game, but you receive stars after the game is finished. And this isn't the end to it, Minnie. How can you lose in the beginning?" He was soothing and soft. His voice always melted Minha's heart.
When they were kids, she liked Mickey mouse and Minnie mouse. She devoted most of her childhood cartoons to Mickey and Minnie. And later on, everybody nicknamed her Minnie except some other people who used to call her Min. When baba bought a Minnie mouse hairband for Minha, Zimal wanted the same one. But baba explained to them that things are temporary. They are not the subject of rivals. Zimal never fought over Minha's things then. None that she knew of.
Someone disrupted her from her thoughts and she twisted her neck. It was Rohail. She turned back but didn't say anything. Life was so difficult. It ever gave us options. But when did someone promised us that it would be easier?
"I saw you from down there. I couldn't believe my eyes, but when I came up here, Zimal told me about your arrival. I met your friend." He said. His voice was shaky. He sure was a strong person. Even after their encounter in Bavaria, he still came for her. For her. For Minha. For Min. She tried to smile, or she thought she did.
"How are you? How is your Munich, Javeria? Or Bavaria, I guess." She didn't reply.
"Minha." He was serious now. "Look at me." He ensured a grip around her both arms and turned her around facing him. She was a little taken back, but she managed to look him in the eye. His brown eyes now looking pale golden were generous and keen as ever. "
Don't hurt yourself." He said. His voice, reassuring as always. Deepening in Minha's heart like always. But they were just friends. "You are killing yourself. Maaz could have told you about it. But you were out of the city, enjoying yourself with your friends. He didn't want to worry you. He didn't know he'd die. We stopped him from contacting you. If you would have been there you would have been dead too." He kept talking, defending the dead people. Her senses stopped reporting when she was around him. The feelings she once had always wound her wounds. She didn't want to say anything. She didn't want to hear any explanation. She was emotionally caught up. She thought it was easier. But when did anyone led an easy life?
"You knew about it."
Her words were the blade and they directly went through his heart. She was more hurt because they kept it from her for so long. Maaz kept fighting the fire inside him for so long, but she kept enjoying. She couldn't be a part of her loved ones' grief and that grief was frightening her with empty-faced demons. She felt the pain again of getting paralyzed and she closed her eyes. Trying to forget it.
"Min." His watery brown eyes looked at her lifeless existence. His arms were now around her cheekbones, facing her face. She didn't stop him from calling her Min today. She was too depressed about other things. "You kept it from me too. You all made me a stranger to him. I couldn't fight his war for him. I couldn't save him. You all tied me up with the rope, and…" she was crying and Rohail let her let it out, "…and, the fire reached him before reaching me. I could have saved him. The fire could have burned me instead. But he kept looking at me…" she looked in his eyes. Her face was wet. Her eyes empty and helpless. "He kept smiling. He didn't blame me. He didn't call me. He kept burning. And you guys didn't douse the fire. I waited for you all. But you guys didn't blow it off." Rohail crept her closer and clasped her together and clenched her tightly as if he would never let go. She embraced the feeling, but she kept crying.
"It wasn't your fault, Min. Maaz sacrificed himself for you. Now you have to be brave and prove to him that you could have been a stronger sister." He looked at her brown eyes and explained as a dad does to a child. Just like a big brother.
"And how will I do that, Rohail?" Her eyes were lost somewhere.
"You need to fix this, Min. Fix the mess he left behind."
"What mess?"
"You'll know about it once you open your eyes and decide to live with the pace. When you decide to let the past be past and live in your presence. Because living in past won't do any good to Maaz or you or-"He paused, "Or Zimal. She needs you. Fix this."
She backed and wiped her face with her palm. And sniffed.
"Min. I know you can do this." He said a smile appeared on his face. The smile that appeared for her only. The smile they shared. She stared at him for longer than a minute but then looked away biting her lower lip.
"She cooked for you. And your friend." He said after thinking. "I hope you accept the lunch, dinner whatever it is."
"Thanks, Rohail." She said when he was leaving. He turned around and gazed at her. He came closer.
"Are you staying?" He asked. She rubbed her eyes, "No we are leaving tonight." She was looking at the bust street now. The darkness of the sky overcome the busy street but the lights were shining everywhere. And among the noise, both of them were standing there, looking at each other as if talking telepathy.
He looked away. "Okay. Everyone is waiting for you in the dining room." And he walked out. She watched him disappear. He always did that. Why did she open up to him? Why she did started expecting from him? Then she walked to the balcony's limit and breathed heavily. "I am hungry. We'll see the rest of it later. I don't even have enough money to buy tonight's food." And she walked on his footsteps to the dining room.