Chapter 10- The Dinner

Kayan

My whole family gathered at my place and ordered takeout

From chinese to whatever the hell those were called to Pakistani dishes

All were there

And now they were all sitting in the living room and chatting away with Amyrah who had arrived a moment ago while I was in my room, getting ready

Allah knows what they were talking about

I wore my signature white tees and black sweats with black hoodie before setting my hair was inhaling a deep breath

You can do this!

I had told myself that millions of times and I always managed to do it

But now, I am not sure

I heard my mother's distant calling and knew she's looking for me

I wore my socks and walked out of my room downstairs to where the rest were

I noticed Karman, sitting on one couch on between Sahl and Safwah, the twins and talking to Amyrah, who was confused in between the twins

Kulthum set beside her and my mother was somewhere around the house while Abba set with Yaz, discussing something

"As salaamu alaikum" I made myself known

As usual my siblings muttered their replies and continued talking while Amyrah smile at me

"How's you?" I asked her, taking a seat in front of her and she shrugged

"Your brothers are keeping me entertained" she said and I chuckled leaning on the couch

"I am pretty entertaining" said Sahl and Safwah laughed

"Sure, leave the whole ordeal of becoming a lawyer and go into comedy" Remarked Safwah and the other twin began laughing hysterically

How am I related to them again?

"You are doing law?" Asked Amyrah, interested

Hmmm

I folded my arms over my chest and listened as she began conversing about law and history and what not with Sahl

Each statement of hers was accompanied by an unique expression

That amused me

"So Bhai, how much did we, well you, collect for the orphanage?" Asked Kulthum, sitting down beside Amyrah

Again

Where she went was what I did not know

"I don't know, Yaz?" I asked him and he snapped away from his conversation with Abba and answered me

"About a 200 thousand or so." He replied smiling brightly and I nodded

"There you go" I grinned and that's when my mother enetered the living room with snacks

Immediately we all dived for it

Food in my house meant war. The fastest gets the most while the slowest gets the least

I grabbed two samosas and one springroll, the last one

Yay me.

Ninja style

"MAMA!! that's not fair!!! Bhai has an extra samosa!!" Whined Kulthum and I shook my head, hiding away my plate

Come on! I only have like 3 snacks!

"I don't! I have like 3 only! Ask Yaz!" I retorted and Yaz shook his head hiding away his plate

"Ask the twins"

"Ask Karman"

"Shut up Di, you have more than anyone of us!" Retorted Karman moving away with his plates

Soon all of us were in a heated arguement on who has the most snacks

"BOYS!" Said mom and Kulthum showed us her tongue "-and Kulthum"

We stuck our tongue out at her

"We have a guest, please behave" said mother dejectedly and that's when I realized Amyrah was right there

"Oh no no Mrs. Zaeef-" she said and my mom stops her

"Call me Aunty or something dear. You make me sound like a grandmother!" Laughed my mother sitting beside Abba and Amyrah nodded

"Qaidah aunty it is" she smiled brightly "-I rather liked it the way they were all bickering. I realized I missed home" she admitted and soon my mother had her in her arms

"Awh honey! Why don't you come over every dinner, then? We will be here for a week or so" said ammi

What?

A week?

Here?

How come I was not informed of this?

I looked at my other siblings and almost automatically they shook their heads

We mind linked 😉

I looked at Abba questioningly and he shrugged

"So Karman, how is school?" We changed the topic to Karman

He sighed

"Normal" he replied grinning and I knew what his 'normal' meant

It meant he has pending homeworks and notes, practice for soccer and rugby is on point and his new artwork is giving people a hard time

Thats what he meant

"Amyrah Didi, how was your high school life?" Asked Karman as everyone nodded

Woah hold up

hold up

Amyrah DIDI?

Wallahi

My family joins relations very fast

"Ummmm mine...." She said and everyone turned to her to listen

All of them set in a circle around her waiting for her to answer

"Yes, go on Amyrah. We would like to hear all about it!" Squealed ammi

Ahem, umm where is my prim and proper mother?

"Well I went to one of the most prestigious Muslim high schools in Fiji. When I was in year 9, I met Aiyla and we became inseparable. We did many crazy things together. Like..... Walk out of class after every period which was strictly not allowed. We played volleyball during PE and played rugby with the ITaukei boys during recess, again not allowed. Ummm.... We followed rules but we broke quite a few. We vandalised the desks, a lot. We skipped boring classes at times but not always. I was my teachers pet so it was always okay. I spent my alone time in the large library, reading all sorts of books. And....... I was never in any school teams. We played inside the classroom. Four corners? We made it 15 corners coz we had a large group of friends. We played truth and dare and they were hilarious. Sometimes we all snuck out of class to sit under the shades and just talk crazy until the next class" she reminisced and I saw so many emotions flicker across her face

Happiness, sadness, regret?

"Thats crazy!" Said Karman in awe

"Yes but you don't do such things. You will get in trouble. We did. We had to stay back and clean the gardens after school for a week. It was total crazy" she said, laughing slightly

"Of course!" Said Karman but I knew he will do something out of that whole list

"We had a bucket list. Our group of friends. Since it was a large one, we decided that after many years, when we come back together and have a reunion, we would do them" she said and wiped tears away from her eyes

"You miss those moments, don't you?" Asked ammi and she merely nodded, smiling

Her nose was now red

"I guess I took those times for granted. I cherish those memories" she said and I smiled

"Much more than the memories you have now?" I asked her and she was taken back

"I guess so but then again, past is gone so why not live the present" she smiled and the rest nodded

"How was your high school life, aunty?" Asked Amyrah, sliding down to the floor beside Kulthum

"Ammi and Abba had love marriage didi!!" Grinned Kulthum and my brother whined causing my parents and Amyrah to laugh

"Really? Can I hear all about it?" She asked with hope in her eyes

Ammi laughed

It was a known fact that ammi and Abba were from the same high school, Abba was 2 years her senior and ammi was in his form. Due to her exceptional grades, she skipped two grades in primary school, I guess

"My high school was somewhat like this. I was two years younger than him and yet in the same level. I was an excellent student with tops in each subject. All but maths. And well maths was pretty important to me. I wanted to do majors in maths and science. And the topper for maths was him. We knew each other from school. He used to tease me, 'English murgi' meaning English chicken, coz I was a fluent in the language and spoke it all the time. Little did he know, my whole family spoke English all the time since we had been in Australia for years. We were friends I guess when in the final year he told me he likes me. He made it clear that it will be halal and no haraam business. From then on, things began changing. He would throw crazy comments and fail pickup lines and I would laugh pushing him away. The year ended and so did our crazy time together and with friends. I remember this one time when we were throwing fire crackers at the corridors when we got caught. He took the blame and saved us from the principal!" Laughed mama and I smiled when I saw her happiness radiate around the room

Amyrah had a small smile, a sad one on her face

"-then We kept contact but he left for UK to study while I studied here. I did get marriage proposals and that day, I was considering this proposal when his mother called mine and said they were coming home. From there is history!" She winked laughing and Abba hugged her sideways

"Was my only lady and still is my only lady" he laughed and I smiled at them

The kind of love I want

The kind of family I want

I want with Amyrah

I looked at her with a smile on my face

Let the courtship begin!