Light Upon Light

#56 Honest Talk

السلام عليكم ورحمه الله وبركاته

Oh hey! Yes, I've caved in to certain familial pressures and updated... This one's for all of my cousins who offered to do my assignments. I've completed my half of the deal :P

Enjoy!

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#56 Honest Talk

If you ask me, Zaid Hashim has the worst timing in the world. This is not the first of his  great entries into Dadi’s room when I’m in the middle of a serious conversation with her. He even said the same dialogue.

“I hope I’m not disturbing you two,” what a sense of Deja Vu it was to hear him speak so. Only he looked a little bit more older, sounded a little bit more older and that gaze of his resting on me a second longer than usual, even that was old.

“Come in beta, what brings you to Ashiana? Do you need marital advice as well?”

Ya Allah! What was Dadi even thinking? Zaid's glance shifted to me once more and I averted my gaze, feeling the blood creep up into my cheeks. Ah traitorous body and traitorous Dadi! Our conversation was private, there was no need for her to hint at the subject matter. Especially to him. Twisting the fabric of my dupatta, I rose to leave the room before I did something stupid. However, Mr. Zaid Hashim had other plans. He spoke up quickly, arresting my movement.

“I sure hope not, Dadi jaan. I actually came here to talk to you and then Junaina here, if it’s okay with you.”

The heart skipped a couple of beats. Uh oh. Eyes widened I looked up only to finding him staring right at me. Pointedly. I’m definitely in trouble. And Iqra Bhabhi will be in trouble when she gets back. Speaking of whom...

“Okay, has Iqra come with you?” Dadi asked him, patting the spot next to her that I had just vacated. I felt like giving into the teenager within and throwing a tantrum.

“No, Ammi has taken her and the kids out to visit our relatives,” he answered her while readily sitting down next to my Dadi. Also taking my cushion into his lap. My red cushion, the little one with cute tassels.

“Dadi, I’ll see you later,” I said and made a move to leave.

“Wait a bit Juni beta. Zaid said he wanted to talk to you. I’d like to know about what and why.”

“I really don’t,” I mumbled, wringing my eyes shut.

“What was that?” Dadi asked.

“Nothing Dadi. I’m sure he’ll have all the answers to your questions. I just remembered that I have to go and help Di organize Abid's almirah.”

Dadi held me by hand before I could run out of the room. Ya Allah. What is going on here? That idiot Zaid Hashim has gotten me jammed up nicely and I didn’t want to speak to him, especially in front of Dadi. Not happening.

“Of course beta. I cannot permit him to speak to you alone however, and Iqra isn’t here...” Dadi was baiting me by leaving her sentence unfinished. Sighing, I gave in.

“Samir didn’t go to office today. We can talk in the terrace.”

I left the room in haste as soon as Dadi freed my hand from her grip. The excuse I had given to Dadi was actually not a lie. I took myself upstairs to Di's room which was completely in shambles. She had emptied all the cupboards and draws out and was busy categorizing them. Annu was there to help as well.

“What is this Di? Are you organizing or creating even more of a mess?” I asked as I walked in and tried to evade teetering piles of Jiju's books, and Abid’s toys that could hurt painfully should they be stepped on, and mounds of clothes and jewelry and other stuff strewn on every available surface.