QUEEN OF FALCON

♣Chapter 15♣

We were smothered with kisses and hugs by our respective families as soon as we got out of the airport. Me, Riya and Mrs.Rose bid goodbye and got in our cars with our respective families and drove out of the airport. My family was excited to have me back.

 It feels like ages being together with my family as we have our breakfast together. Mom and Ma have prepared my favorite dishes as they feed me lovingly. We talk a lot. Basically, I am the one sharing my experiences of my trip excitingly as they all listen to me happily.

After an hour or so I go to sleep before assuring Ziya that I will open all my bags of gifts after I wake up. I jump on my bed feeling its soft mattress against my palms. 'Oh how I missed my bed' I sigh as I lay my head on the pillow and soon doze off to sleep.

I groan as I feel the blanket being pulled off of me, "Hey let me sleep" I whine in protest stuffing my face in my pillow. I hear a sound of someone chuckling and giggling beside me. "Bhai, Ziya please let me sleep." "Common teddy you have been sleeping for the whole day. Its already time for Maghrib (evening prayers)." I hear Reyhan bhai speak. I wake up with sudden realization startling both of them.

"Whoa! Api, easy there. You woke up as if you have suddenly seen a ghost." Ziya laughs out. "Ziya, I did not pray for the whole day. Why didn't you wake me up early?" I complain making her roll her eyes. "Mom and dad's orders. And besides you were really tired so we thought of giving you some slack." She replies back. I realize my prayers have been inconsistent since my trip to New York.

"Common teddy get freshen up and perform your prayers. We are waiting for you in the living room." Bhai says making me sprint inside the bathroom. I perform my ablution and offer my prayers. I was still folding my prayer mat when Ziya enters my room. "Api Common now, all of them are waiting for you in the living room. Please open the gifts and show us the pictures." She smiles sheepishly at me containing her excitement. " I am coming. Did you on the laptop and fixed the projector?" I ask her. "All done. Common now." She replies happily pulling me towards the door.

I can see my beautiful family gathered in the hall. They smile lovingly as soon as their gaze land on mine. "Had a good sleep?" Dad asks. I nod smiling at him. "Uh... Api, bags..." I hear Ziya say eying the bags as I take a seat. Everyone laugh at her impatience. I open the bags and handover the gifts to all of them. Ziya is super happy to have all her things mentioned on her list and especially her stuffed toys. Later, I show them all the photos from our trip, to Khristina's birthday party. I introduce them to her family members and explain how we formed our friendship.

"Api, her brother is so hot! Ya Allah, I so want him to be my brother in law." Ziya whispers in my ear as she gawks at the photo. I snap my head in her direction as I look at her unbelievably. "Astaghfirullah! Ziya stop sputtering nonsense. You do know that is impossible and he is a christian for God's sake.." I give her an exasperating look. She smiles mischievously at me shrugging her shoulders, "So what, he is a human after all and that too a very rare hot specimen" I shake my head implausibly at her. "You clearly have lost your sense in my absence. Don't worry, now that I'm back, I will help you in gaining your sense back." I pat her knee playfully. She huffs and turns her head away from me making me chuckle at her puerility.

Later, we all have our dinner together before we all retire to our rooms calling it a night. I had got messages from Khristina asking about my journey and my well being. I reply to her texts and doze off to sleep.

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It has been months since I am back from New York. I got busy with my finals. Me and Khristina often talked to each other. I would also ask her about Anastasia and the babies. Sometimes Anastasia too talked to me but mostly she was busy with her work and family. I never dare to ask her about her brother. I dreaded to talk or hear anything about him. Those dark brown eyes haunt me in my dreams.