"You're going to be my present and my future. You're going to hold all my babies because I'm going to be the lucky man to marry you. You're going to love me again, Maryam Khan. Slowly and then all together. And I will watch you as you do."
Imran and...
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The continuous clacking of the keys on the keyboard filled the area around me. My eyes never left the screen as I input the latest sales figures into the Excel file until I hear the faint buzz of my phone.
I spare it a second's glance and reach out to grab it. Swiftly swiping right to the Unknown number, I place the device between my shoulder and my right ear.
"Haallo," I say in a lazy casual voice, expecting an automated voice's response promoting another life insurance policy.
Silence.
No one speaks up from the other side for a good long minute, causing me to repeate my salutation.
"Ab tum baat nahi kare to maamla shuru kaisa hota?" I joke, resuming the data entry, receiving no response but shuffling this time.
"Hello, Rani hai?" My fingers halt abruptly, eyebrows furrowing at the phrase.
"Who is this?"
"Hello, Rani hai?" The voice came again.
I grip the phone in my hand and move away from the screen. The wheels in my heads starting to turn.
No one calls me by that name. Except for two people. Arbaaz and. . .
"Talha?" I hear my own voice lower than a whisper over my racing heart. A beat of silences passed by after which the three words were said for the third time.
"Hello, Rani hai?"
"KAMINEY!" I yell out of joy, springing to my feet. The chatter around me suddenly stops as my colleagues regard me with puzzled stares.
"Sorry, um, excuse me," Flashing them an apologetic smile, I spin around and jog towards the fire exit door. Stepping onto the staircase, I don't even wait for the door to shut behind me and burst out.
"Zinda hai? Kaha hai? Kaisa hai? Ab time milgya ghareeb dost se baat karne ka? Aagayi yaad humari? Hyderabad me hai ya abhi tak China me baithke noodles khara?"
(Where are you? How are you? Alive still? Finally got the time to check on old friends? Are you in Hyderabad or still in China eating noodles?)
"Breath meri Rani, sit down somewhere." Talha says with a chuckle.
"Can't do. Teri awaaz sunke 440 Volt ka shock laga. Now spill,"
"Yes, I am in Hyderabad. Just landed this morning. Aur sabse pehla phone meri Rani ko kara, dekh."
"I'm honored." I grin, leaning my back against the cold wall.
