EXPLICIT BLOOM

23• A homecoming

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Like every normal day where she would be seen outside, she was dressed in one of her best outfits. The only difference that time around was that she did not carry that confidence she always had nor the expression.

Her confidence had been dragged down to zero ever since she learned of her brother's disappearance, and so was her mood. She simply shut every way she had lived before and just stuck with the things most important to her. Her family.

As she drove into the compound of her aunt's house, she couldn't help but remember one person. Someone she was clearly warned about. The same person had been on her mind ever since her last encounter with him. She just couldn't take him off her mind no matter how hard she tried.

The fact that she had nothing to be doing almost all the time added to the amount of reminiscence.

Haifa parked at the spot she usually does every time she visits her aunt's. There was other spaces she could use to park her car but she was used to parking at that particular spot. It was more convenient for her.

She didn't bring anything with her, not even her phone. So when she climbed out of the car, she held nothing in her hands.

The front door was opened when Haifa arrived hence she had no worries of ringing a bell or knocking on the door to have someone open it to her. She just walked right in while saying her taslim.

She found no one to answer her taslim in the parlour so she walked to her aunt's room and said the taslim again. That time around, her aunt answered it.

"My baby" Reshma smiled brightly while opening her arms for a hug. Haifa smiled with equal amount of energy and feelings before she walked right into her aunt's embrace. "For a moment I thought you have forgotten about me" Reshma said again after they broke the hug.

"I wouldn't dare!" Haifa voiced and Reshma chuckled. "Good to know" Reshma smiled.

"How are you feeling now?" Haifa asked about her aunt's health. Considering she hadn't met her since that day at the hospital.

It was all Abbu's idea for Haifa to stay away from the hospital after the stunt Raoul pulled the last time she was there. He was afraid he might return again and do something worse to her and he couldn't risk it. Even so, he placed security at the entrance of Reshma's ward to keep him away. But surprisingly, he was never seen or heard from again since that faithful day and everyone couldn't be more glad.

"I could climb a mountain with the amount of health and energy surging in me" Reshma joked and Haifa chuckled. "Oh wow then I'm sure you're stronger then I am now, because I could not for once think of climbing anywhere except stairs that is" Haifa also joked while they both laughed.

"Allahumma yahdeeki" Reshma commented still laughing lightly.

"I was not going to prepare anything for lunch, but since my baby is here, let me go make something special" Reshma said. "You don't have to, you know if I'm hungry I could just go in and prepare it myself right?" Haifa tried to stop her.

"Like I'll listen" Reshma scoffed, her smile not wavering for even a second. "Let me come help you then" Haifa offered knowing well she could not convince her aunt to do otherwise.

The two walked out of the room while chattering and voicing anything and everything they could remember. That cooking session became a great bonding time for the both of them.

It was no news that Haifa was her favourite, judging from the frequenting visit and care between them. They meet even more often than Reshma meets her sister. And so they had the strongest bond in the family.