A Midsummer Weekend (The Extended Version)

9. Déjà Vu

Quick Note: Thanks to @Veil_of_roses for pointing out a plot hole in the last chapter. Most Masters degrees are for two years, not three. So I altered the plot a bit. Feel free to read the last chapter again. But in summary, Kamran had decided to pursue a PhD just like his father and aimed to finish it in 3 years like his brother. Komal reminded him to not compare himself to his brother, to which he had replied "Why? Everyone else always does"

Farah

I had not been back to Islamabad since the last time our family had decided to take a trip to the mountains with the Tanvir family, almost three years ago now. But as soon as I stepped out of the airport it felt like I had never left. 

There was the same cool evening air, the traffic jam on Jinnah Avenue and the scenery seen from Margalla Avenue. Then the heavy wooden gates opened and we drove into a house whose memories I had re-lived many times in the last three years. 

Beenish Aunty and Tanvir Uncle stood at the doorway that had once been opened by a man who I could still envision raking his fingers through his hair and adjusting his glasses as our eyes met and time stood still for a moment. 

"Welcome, welcome. Please come in", Sadaf Aunty called out to our family as Tanvir Uncle took the box of mithai from me that Ami and Abu had asked me to hold. 

"So good to see you again Farah beti. How is medicine going?", Uncle gave me a smile that reminded of someone else. 

"It's going really well", I smiled meekly in return, well aware of his reputation as a stern and authoritarian sort of man. 

I followed my parents as they followed our hosts through the foyer lit up by a scintillating chandelier into the living room where I had once awkwardly sat making small talk with the aunties around me in an attempt to ignore the inquisitive gaze of a man who sat across that room amidst the uncles. 

But this time around, there were no stolen glances and moments that made me pause. This time there was only a sense of déjà vu, and a longing for a time gone by. 

"Farah! You made it!", I heard the chirpy voice that instantly made me smile. 

"Assalam alaikum Komal", I rose to give her a tight hug, like one does to a far away sister. 

We caught up for a little while but then I offered to help her in the kitchen as she lay out the scrumptious dishes and I poured the drinks while chatting about our upcoming trip. Suddenly, she paused and looked past me, her eyes darkening momentarily before she gestured for me to turn around. 

"Farah, have you met Ahad? He's the guy in all the pictures around the house", she smirked.

I turned to face the new intruder into the already cramped kitchen, only to reflexively take a few steps back. Familiar brown eyes behind rimless spectacles looked at me with a hint of amusement on his lips. His large hand extended out to shake mine and he spoke with that deep timbre that had made my heart flutter all those years ago. 

"Hi Farah", the man smiled, "What my sister here means to say is that I am the one who gets all the awards in this family, hence the pictures"

"That's not true", Komal immediately piped up. 

"Ok, fair enough. Akbar, our older brother does too. But he is camera shy. And whenever our little sister here...", he reached out to pinch his sister's cheek and she swatted his hand away, "Has gotten an award, it makes it to instagram before it ever graces the walls of this house"