Scarred

Chapter 27

"Time turns all my best pages before I've finished reading them." 

-Lauren Eden (Of YesterYear)

The crisp sunshine was spread across the large lawn of the Kirmani House as the gardener ran the mower last time on the finely trimmed grass, the man with salt and pepper hair turned to look around the garden he had worked on from last a decade and has been taking care of it every single day, trees of different fruits ranging from mango, cheeku (sapodilla), custard apple, mulberry, banana, coconut and guava decorating one side of the garden while the other side had roses of various colors, jasmine, sun flowers, daisies and much more.

"Aray chacha kesay hayn?" (Oh uncle! How are you?) Munir jumped and turned on the sweet yet flirtiest voice, his yellow teeth appeared as he smiled and his eyes wander on the girl in front of him, with a tall height crossing his 5'4" one, wearing a short bright red kameez cladding her figure tightly which was paired with a black Patiala shalwar and a chiffon dupatta around her neck. Smirking at the man who was the age of her father, Roshni pushed her braid on her back which was tied with red color cords with golden thread embroidered, without waiting for the reply she turned towards the passage which would lead her away from the servant corner to the entrance of the house.

Whistling a song, Roshni came towards the front garden and walked towards large wooden gates and before she could enter she saw one of the maids moping the floor in front of the stairs, her large and wide frame on the floor on her all fours as she wiped it with full concentration.

"Khala! Kahan ghayib thi?" (Auntie! Where were you missing?) she smiled widely and stopped in front of the old woman who got on her knees and smiled.

"Aray Roshni! You know my son, Idrees, bechara bacha, he was taken to the jail—" Roshni rolled her eyes and decided to stop the woman.

"Araay Khala meri suno!" (Oh Khala! Listen to me!) Roshni frantically moved her hand and got near to the woman, she looked around before smirking and continuing, "Did you get to know about Janaan?"

"Janaan bibi!?" the older woman asked narrowing her eyes and Roshni rolled her eyes again in annoyance.

"Nahi meri maa,"(no! my mother!) she hissed, "yes your Janaan bibi, she ran away!"

"What?" the woman gasped with a shriek.

"Shh! She wasn't out of the city in these days she eloped—"

"Hut jhooti!" (Liar!)

"Fine don't believe me! These past few days, oh my!" shaking her head with an exaggerated expression Roshni looked at the stairs.

"Tell me everything," the woman now came closer, the mopping cloth long forgotten on the floor as she wiped her face which was drenched with sweat.

"Aray khala—"

"What are you two talking about?" before the other words could come out of Roshni's mouth, Gul appeared on the stairs, carrying Daniyah's handbag and shopping bag she descended the stairs and looked at the other two woman critically, "Shano bibi, you have come after almost a month and now you are passing time gossiping and you Roshni, Janaan bibi is looking for you." Conveying the message Gul didn't stop and went towards the living room while the other two cursed her behind her back.

The women of the house were supposed to start the shopping and the three were getting ready to leave the house, Gul entered the living room where Talat Kirmani was checking her credit cards and keeping the money safely in her purse.

"Where are Daniyah and Janaan?" Talat Kirmani looked at Gul who stood beside the couch where she had placed Daniyah's belonging.

"They both are coming." She politely replied.