REMARKABLE

27

Armineh hurried to the door when the door bell rang.

'I am coming.' She yelled, fumbling with the earrings in her hands.

She pulled the door open, trying to wear her earing at the same time. She had been late coming from the office, stuck in the rush hour for forty five minutes and they have been running on borrowed time, since then. Auntie Hajra would be furious, Armineh grimaced thinking that. It didn't help that Yahya Firas hadn't stepped out of his room, too.

'Thank God, you're here.' Armineh said with evident relief, pulling her brother in law inside the loft,'Please, get your brother to come out of the room. We are running late as it is.'

'Where is he?' Anaam asked, shoving a hand in his hair as he picked up on Armineh's nervousness. He wasn't feeling any better but for a very different reason.

'Where else, in his room.' Armineh told him already walking away.'Please, bring him out while I do the last minute preparations.' She said, glancing down at her bare feet. She had yet to wear her heels, it's going to be a painful night.

Yahya First cuffed his sleeves and ran a hand through his hair, checking if he looked presentable enough for the dinner his mother had arranged for Armineh's introduction.

The dark circles around his were less prominent than they had been a month ago, his beard trimmed as it no longer brushed against his Adam's apple.

Yahya Firas quickly buttoned his shirt when a knock resounded on the door.

'May I come in, Bhai?' He heard his brother through the door.

'Come, come.' Yahya Firas told him, running a comb in his hair, setting them back as he shrugged his blazer on.

'What the fuck!' Anaam cursed as he inhaled the smoke as soon as he had pushed the door open.

'What the fuck, Bhai!' He said a few more colorful words and stopped only when a coughing fit wrecked his body and his hand flew to clutch his chest.

Yahya Firas waited for it to subside, regretting smoking in the room the moment his brother coughed. He didn't even open the windows to let it out instead allowing it to accumulate in his room.

'Did you fucking blew a whole pack in here?' Anaam said in between coughs, his eyes searching for the ashtray as he was bent over his knees, trying to contain the coughs.

Yahya wondered if it was only him or the smoke had really affected his brother, too much.

Straightening to his full height, Anaam wiped the tears from his eyes and ran a hand on his mouth, after a few minutes. He relaxed when it came up clean.

'Are you ready?' Anaam rasped, stepping inside as he closed the door behind him, rubbing a hand over his aching chest and allowing his lungs get used to the toxic air.

'I am ready, Let's go.' Yahya Firas said as he patted his brother's shoulders. Last time, it had been Amaan who had come into his room and Yahya Firas had punched him. God Forbid, if the same fate awaited Anaam.

Anaam didn't move as he pulled a tissue from his pocket and dabbed it to his forehead. His heart beating out of his chest as he blew out a deep breath, finding some measure of comfort.

It's nothing.

It's nothing, Anaam.

You can do i! Just do it, man!

It's time. You can't not do it!

Anaam chanted in his head as he gulped, loosening the tie around his neck that felt like a noose in the moment.