Roots

Chapter Twenty-One

RAYANNA's P.O.V

My hands became pools of sweat as I looked outside the window, watching the streets of Peshawar as Nassar was driving to Aiden's house. My heart began to beat faster by the minute as well as my thoughts ran through my head. 

This was it. 

I was going to find out everything, the reason why I was in foster care all this time; how I ended up in England. 

"Ray? Are you okay?"Elena asked as she placed her hand on my arm. I looked up and wiped my hands against my shawl. My lower lip began to quiver and I nodded.

She smiled softly. "It is okay to be nervous."She whispered."You've been waiting so long for answers and you might be finally getting them."

I nodded and smiled."You are right."But then my smile faded away when I realized it might not be the answers I want it to be. "But what if it isn't what I want?"

Elena squeezed my arm gently. "That's okay too because either way, you are getting answers, aren't you?"

I nodded in agreement, I looked up to see Nassar looking at me through the rearview mirror. He looked at me then quickly looked in front of him, trying to pretend as if he was focused on the road in front of him. 

Before I knew it, Nassar parked in front of Aiden's house. He turned over his shoulder and looked at me and Elena. "I hope you get the answers you need."

I nodded. "Thank you, "I spoke but it came out like a whisper. I turned myself to the door and pressed my fingers against the handle. My heart racing through the roof. I opened the door and picked myself up to get out of the car. 

I closed the door and turned around to see Aiden standing there with Elena next to him. "That was fast," I said with a chuckle as I looked at him with a smile, masking my nerves away. 

"Well, what can I say? I am very fast."Aiden said with a chuckle.

"Come on, let's go in," Elena said as she pulled out her hand for me to hold. I took her hand into mine then we began to walk inside Aiden's gigantic house. 

"Where's your mom?"I asked Aiden as we entered the house. 

"Everyone has gone to Islamabad," Aiden replied as he looked at me with a smile on his face. "I thought we can sit upstairs on the balcony? and I'll make us some tea too?"

"O-Oh, T-Tea?"

"It's okay, Ray. If you just want to get straight to it, I'm sure Aiden will."Elena replied as she squeezed my hand to show moral support. 

"I guess Aiden can make t-tea."I said with a smile on my face, trying not to stutter." I and Elena can head up to the balcony?"

Elena nodded and she looked at Aiden. "Let's see if Ray likes your sugary tea."

Aiden's eyes widened and his eyebrows knitted together. "How dare you discriminate against my tea? It is not even sugary, it's khukle."

"Yeah, I don't think so. You like to add salt kala kala, not sugar too."Elena joked as she grinned. "I don't think Ray wants salty chai today."

Aiden rolled his eyes playfully. "You were the one who added salt into my chai, okay, I know how to make chai."

Elena laughed and looked at me. "Ray can decide if you make good chai or not."

I nodded and let out a chuckle. "Sure, I guess I can judge if your chai is good or not, "I said. "Just don't forget to bring the cocomos with you."

I and Elena walked down the stairs and went upstairs to the balcony. I sat down on the chair and looked at the well-lit-up area of Zaryab Colony with people talking and laughing, having so much fun. So much joy and laughter.

Before I knew it, Aiden was placing the tea on the table in front of me with the cocomos and sat next to Elena. They looked so happy when they were with each other. You could see it in their eyes. Aiden picked up the teapot and poured tea into a cup. 

"That's for you, Ray."He said with a smile on his face as he placed the teapot down in the middle of the coffee table. "I hope you like it."

Elena elbowed him. "Where is mine? Why didn't you pour it for me?"

"Well, tasara lassona shta khana o ta melaman na yi."Aiden replied in a cheeky tone with a grin on his face.

You've got hands and you aren't a guest either so.

I laughed and then picked up the teacup, my hands curled up around the cup as I looked at them. 

"If aunty was here, you would be over this balcony by now," Elena said as she looked at him seriously, picking up a cocomo packet. 

"Well she's not," Aiden said with a shrug. "And those cocomos aren't even for you anyway, they are for Rayanna."

"Well if you didn't have important information for Ray, I would have chucked the tea at you by now," Elena said with a sweet smile on her face.

Aiden rolled his eyes at her and looked at me. "Are you ready now?"

I took a sip of my tea and nodded. "Ready as I ever will be."

Aiden pulled out like six pages from behind him and he looked at them then looked up at me. "Ray."

I nodded, holding on to the teacup for dear life.

"Your parents are alive. Gulbano and Arsharf."Aiden stated as he looked at me. "But, the papers don't state how you got to England, nothing like that. All he found out is your parents are alive, and their addresses, along with two siblings you have as well. That's it."

"G-Gulbano?"

Aiden nodded. It was as a lump formed in my throat as I tried to process the information. My parents are alive and I have two siblings. Two! There are two others of me.

"Ray?"Elena spoke as she looked at me, her face filled with concern.

I shook my head, to snap myself out of the thoughts and looked at them. "Where do they live?"

Aiden looked at Elena and pressed his lips together, Elena looked at him then looked at the papers. She looked up at me. "They live in Abbottabad."

"W-Where is that?"

"It's in KPK," Aiden replied as he looked at me. "But what do you want to do now?"

"I want to meet them and know why, "I stated as I looked at them both seriously. "I came all this way and I need to know."

Nassar walked in."I'm so sorry, I got stuck on the phone then I couldn't find parking at all."Nassar said as he sat down next to me. "What did I miss?"

"We are going to Abbottabad tomorrow, "I replied as I looked at all three of them. "I'm going to meet my family."