Virtuoso

Chapter 5

How did one excuse themselves from family dinners with unwanted guests? I asked that question from myself for the thousandth time and came up with no answer whatsoever. It wasn't possible. Swaying my stubborn big brother and his equally stubborn wife was impossible. I had no choice but to get dressed for dinner tonight. They had insisted that I should accompany them in their car rather than drive my own to Islamabad Club. I knew the reason behind that outrageous demand. They figured out that I would run away at the first opportunity I got. So they had taken upon them not to let me out of their sight for dinner tonight.

All that asshole had to do was see me on the road and call Alisha, wanting a reunion. As if I could believe that shit about him wanting to reconnect with her. What an ass!! I should've known that he was going to do this. I watched as Anis took the U-Turn towards Islamabad Club and my heart fluttered. Hashim must be inside, waiting or perhaps he wouldn't be coming at all. Maybe, he caught a bug and had taken to his bed already. A large part of me didn't want him to be there when we arrived but a smaller, insignificant part wanted him to be there, wanted to see him one last time, and wanted to remember how he looked. That small part of me made my heart flutter and my breath constrict as we stepped out of the car and made our way towards the lounge where mom and dad were waiting for us.

I found mom and dad as soon as I stepped into the lounge. Although there were a few other patrons sitting there, but the ruckus of laughter that dad was creating could be heard over the others quite easily. He had some friends accompanying him as we neared them and then I smiled. They were dad's oldest schoolmate and best friend, Saleem Javed, who had recently moved from America to Islamabad due to some health issues. Their daughter, Maheen, was closer to my age and we had been good friends.

I reached them before Alisha and Anis, who by the looks of them were in deep discussion about something. I greeted them and then smiled warmly at their son, Hashir, and an unknown female who was accompanying him.

"Hashir bhai, who is she?" I asked jovially, my eyes glittering with mischief. He smiled and his face lit with the effect of the smile. I had seen an identical look on Anis's face when he had first started dating Alisha.

"That's my fiancé, Aida." He said fondly. Then he introduced us and I clearly took to her. She was shy, quiet and demure which made me like her a lot. It reminded me of the time of Alisha's accident and how she had changed. Just then Anis and Alisha reached us and as they greeted everyone, Anis looked at Hashir.

"So the rumors are true." He said as he clasped Hashir in a brotherly hug and grinned.

"It is true." He agreed and grinned at him.

"Did the bureau give you a hard time over this?" Anis asked as he took a seat beside Hashir and I watched as Hashir grinned.

"Well actually, they did so I decided to quit. I've had enough of the investigative time at the bureau already and I think it's time to finally live again so, I've decided to join the family business." Hashir smiled at Anis's I-told-you-so look.

I turned my attention from them to Alisha and Aida who were smiling at each other in awkward friendliness. I knew what they were thinking: it was so weird sitting there without knowing each other so I decided on something.

Standing up, I informed everyone.

"I'm tired of being sitting here on such a fine evening so I'm going for a stroll into the gardens before dinner. Alisha, you want to join me?" I asked with mischievous smile. She took my cue and stood up, inviting Aida along. We, as a trio, made our way towards the garden situated beside the Family Hall.