Last First Chance (Al-Ameen Family Spin-Off)

Medicated

MAHEEN

"Maheenya," my grandma storms into my room. "Utho sanka maya. Aapka dost ko dekhat, kono khabar kya hoy raha hai ee ghar ma. (Wake up you rascal and go check on your friend. Who knows what's happening in this house)."

"Dadi," I groan as she pulls the covers away. I see the time on phone as 11:30am. Hasan was always a morning person, he might already be awake. "Chalo." I lead the way.

"Aap dono sach ma dostoj hi ho ke...? (You two really are just friends right?)," she asks as we reach the door to my brother's old bedroom.

"Bas Dadi. Aise aap puch puch ke mujhe sharminda kar rahe ho. (Please grandma, I don't like that you keep asking me the same thing over and over again)," I wail.

I knock on the door. "Come in."

"Morning," I smile meekly, opening the door wider. "I didn't know your address so I had to bring you here, sorry. How are you feeling?" He looked like he'd just woken up too.

"Ee ka angregi ma chapar chapar kari ho? (What are you going on about in English?)," my grandma hits the back of my calf with her walking stick. "Kaisa lagat hai aapko bitwa? Haath ma dard kam ho ke na? (How are you feeling dear? Has the pain in your arm gone?)," she walks over to him.

"Ji dadiji. Ab theek hai mujhe. Aap ko itni takleef di maine, maaf kijiye ga. Mai chalta hoon abhi. (Yes Dadi, I am feeling better now. I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused, I'll get going now)," he goes to stand up but my grandma puts a hand on his good arm, pushing him back down.

"Kahe bhaag rahe ho? O sanka maya. Jao kuch acha khavat banayi do. Khana khay ki hi jao Hasan bitwa. (Where are you running off to? Go rascal, make some nice lunch for everyone. Eat and then go Hasan dear)," my grandma announces, as if she's just declared the end of a war.

I begrudgingly head into the bathroom, quickly freshening up so I can start on breakfast. I had to keep it quick and easy with some poha and omelets. I had just started on parathas when my grandma and Hasan came to the dining table laughing like old pals.

"What's this?" Hasan points to the poha.

"Eeka poha kehvat hai babua. Khao khao. (It's called poha son, eat up)," my grandma pours a big heap onto his plate. I gesture to him to eat it like cereal. He takes a bite, slowly nodding as he begins to like it.

My Dadi's cellphone rings from the living room and she hobbles off to find it.

I bring the few parathas I've made to the table and join him. His eyes are looking around the kitchen, no doubt noticing all the changes I've made since he was last in here almost a decade ago.

"I have a question," he says hesitantly. I nod, with a mouthful of poha for him to continue. "Where's Rayyan?"

I was not expecting that question but I guess it makes sense for Hasan to ask now that he's spent a whole night in his bedroom and he wasn't there.

"Rayyan's in the US. He's been there for basically all of the last ten years."

"His room hasn't changed much," he notes.

"Yeah, he hasn't been around much to change it," I say to myself mostly.

"When was the last time he visited?" Hasan asks dubiously.

I glare at him. "Why the interrogation Hasan?"

"Why are you getting so defensive over some normal questions Maheen?" he counters.

He had me there. I sigh, setting down my spoon. "He hasn't been back at all. We haven't been in touch as much as we should."

Hasan's expression falters. "Mah-"