REMARKABLE

52

It's long but I hope you guys enjoy it!!

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Skinny love
(n.) When two people love each other but are too shy to admit it yet they show it.

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"What happened, Yahya Firas?"Hajra said, coming out of the kitchen when she saw Yahya Firas sitting in the living room, watching television, alone.

It was one of those times when the house was peacefully silent, Anaam must have taken Sarah and Mahir to the park.

Yahya Firas didn't reply and Hajra realized, he wasn't watching. Just staring at the television screen, lost in his own thoughts.

"Betay," Hajra called out, derailing his train of thoughts as she got closer to where he sat on the L shaped couch.

"What happened, Yahya Firas? What's bothering you?" Hajra sat beside him and Yahya Firas picked the remote sitting in his thigh to turn down the volume.

"Nothing, "Yahya Firas shrugged his shoulders, smiling, softly. "It's nothing, don't worry."

"You have been like that since your return from Lebanon," Hajra said, smiling as Yahya's eyebrows pulled together. "Yaad tou nahi karrahay kisi ko?" (Are you missing someone?)

Yahya Firas straightened, visibly and ran a nervous hand through his hair, laughing a little," Nahi. Nahi, Ammi. Mein kiyoon yaad karoonga? Aisi koi baat nahi hai." (No. No, Ammi. Why would I miss anyone? It's not like that.)

Hajra's shoulders shook with silent laughter," betay, aapkay kaan kiyoon laal horahay hain?" (Son, why are your ears turning red?)

Adam came out of the prayer room. He saw Yahya Firas lean forward and cover his ears with his palms, his elbows resting on his thighs and his head bowed. He was flustered and he couldn't have been more obvious.

"Aaj chai ka nahi poochaingi, Hajra?" (Won't you ask of tea, today, Hajra?) Adam said as he stopped in front of them and Yahya Firas was lowkey grateful for his father's timely interruption that saved him from saying anything. He had nothing to say in his defense, his ears along with his neck were traitors.

Hajra nodded, "Jain kitchen mein, main aakar poochti hoon." (Go into the kitchen. I'll come to ask you.)

Adam returned her affectionate gaze and then, walked off into the kitchen, just as Hajra had told him. It was something Yahya Firas admired, he had always seen them do that. Adam would return from office, offer his prayers and then, he and Hajra would go into the kitchen or his study or anywhere in the house, just the two of them to spend an hour, together, privately. Yahya Firas used to wonder what they'd talk about but then, Hajra and Adam were always aware of the latest happenings at home or office and Yahya Firas knew what they talked about, anything and everything.

It's not what he and Armineh shared but seeing her at home before him, roaming around or just sitting with Alizeh sharing a cup of tea in the garden had been enough. It was enough and the happy realization was both comforting and disconcerting because he was- he found himself terribly missing her, her presence, the lovely sight of her when he returned from work on her first day of absence.

"Aapka tou teen din mein yeh haal hogaya hai, MashaAllah. Baaqi chaar din kia karaingay?" (Look at your condition and it's only been three days. What are you going to do in the next four days?)

The office was the same or maybe, he had just been busy, too busy to even look up to notice her empty cabin. Her absence hadn't hit him until his return home and by morning, he looked like he was in mourning. He didn't shave and skipped breakfast. Her empty seat beside his own was a glaring reminder and it didn't sit well with Yahya Firas, at all. He's been sulking and moping for three days. He couldn't have imagined it would affect him so much and to think there was a time, he had thought he wasn't free with her.