A middle aged lady was putting out clothes in the sun when she saw her son leaving for work
"Beta Hassan"
"Jee Ammi"
"Office se aate waqt raashan lete aana, khatm ho gaya hai"
"Jee"
"Salma mere kapde nahin mil rahe" A man in his 60s came out with a frown on his face
"Aati hun baba...aapko toh mere begair kuch nahin milta" Salma shook her head and went inside to help her husband who sometimes behaved like a child.
"Hatein aap..idhar aayein"
Pushing her husband aside, she took out his clothes "Ye pakdein aur jaldi se naha kar aayein"
"Hassan ki shaadi waadi karaani hai ya nahin"
Salma asked closing the door of their room. They were done with their lunch and thought of taking a nap.
"Hmm karaani toh hai par ye ladka kya chahta hai kuch batata bhi toh nahin...socha tha naukri rehte rehte dono bachchon ki shaadi kar dunga lekin aapke sahabzaade ke tewar nahin dekhe"
"Retirement me jo paise mile hain de dein use"
"Aur phir humaara kya hoga agar business doob gaya toh...arre loan le kar use MBA karaya toh koi dhang ki job karle kya business ki taraf baar baar mur jata hai" Iqbal found the idea of starting a business at this junction very risky.
"Bolta hai 9-5 job nahin chahiye" Salma said tying her hair in a loose braid
"Kuch saal apni yahi naukri kar ke savings kar le...phir business wisness dekhta rahega" Iqbal frowned
"Shaadi ke maamle me bolta hai ladki Angrezi bolni waali chahiye" Salma shook her head at her son's demands
"Ye kya demand hai.....Angrezi hume bolni nahin aati toh hume bhi ghar se nikaal dega kya" Iqbal was exasperated.
"Arre aisa bhi nalayak nahin hai humara beta.....waise Hashir" Salma's words halted midway by a sweet voice
"Chachi"
"Haan aa rahi hoon" Salma got up and opened the door
"Chachi..ye Ammi ne chicken korma bheja hai..kitchen me rakh de rahi hun"
"Arre waah....aaj koi khaas din tha kya" Salma smiled at her niece who lived on the first floor.
Iqbal Khan and Ashraf Khan were fraternal twins.
Iqbal with his family lived on the ground floor while Ashraf on the first.
Iqbal had two sons Hasheer and Hassan while Ashraf had only one daughter Umaima.
"Aaj mere achhe marks aaye na isliye" Umaima giggled covering the bowl with a spare plate
"Oho phir to party banti hai"
"Haan haan aaj gupchup wale bhaiya aayein toh mai sabko party dungi..ghar ke aangan me hi bula lenge" Umaima's eyes had a twinkle
"Bilkul bilkul" Salma pulled her cheek. She really loved the girl.
"Umi aayi thi" Iqbal asked as Salma entered the room
"Haan apne chachu ka favourite Chicken korma le kar aayi thi...aur shaam me gupchup ki invitation dene bhi" Salma chuckled
"Badi pyaari hai.......Hasheer ka toh rishta isse pakka kar ke rahungi"
"Ashraf khud chahta hai yeh...bol raha tha beti ko paraye ghar nahin bhejega...Allah ke rehmat se Hashir ki sarkaari naukri lagi gayi hai aur mujhse zyaada Ashraf khush hai is baat ko le kar" Iqbaal shook his head remembering his brother's happiness a month ago
