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I'll keep the authors note short. This has been a long time coming. I kind of love this chapter and feel like it needs more work too.

***

#53 Old Ends and New Beginnings

The best part to coming home apart from the family reunion, is the reunion with the most awesome group of friends. To think I had lost all contact with my Dubai friends in less than a year, yet six years I've been away from Salimabad excluding the occasional visits, and the bonds that I formed before leaving have only gotten stronger.

My girls Lia, Najwa and Shikha came to Ashiana the very next day after my arrival. I had a great start to the day already, having breakfast with the family and sitting with Dadi for a while in her room. When Dadi had laid down to rest, I slipped out of her room. I saw Samir in the courtyard, making a presentation on his laptop, a bunch of files piled up next to it on the table. Faiz was also there, he was on what looked like a conference call.

"So much for vacation, you guys have jumped right back into work," I said, sitting down on one of the wicker chairs next to Samir. Faiz shushed me and continued talking to whoever was on his iPad screen. I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Funny how Mr I-Hate-People ended up choosing a career path that requires for him to be in constant communication for the sake of the company.

"I won't ask you to leave if you won't distract either of us," Samir commented without looking up from his laptop.

I mimed zipping my lips shut, locking them and throwing the key away. Pulling out my phone I scrolled through Instagram, saving some pictures for my design inspiration board. If I get to open a boutique as per plan, I want to put up all the latest trends out there. I had most of it figured out, and part of my plan included Murshida Bi and her children and students.

There was still a lot of fine tuning to do and more importantly, I needed a space for my boutique and capital. I will have to borrow from the family and then pay back as I earn. I was not really sure about how far it would work out for me. Passion I had and I was willing to work as hard as it would take to set my store up. It was permission and money that I needed.

Kashaf came running down the spiral stairs and straight towards me. She was closely followed by Ihsan who was struggling to break free from Bhai's grip on him. Bhai looked so cute with a baby bag slung over one shoulder and his son finally hooked over the other. I clicked a picture before he could stop me. Iqra Bhabhi was all grace as she came down the stairs bearing a sleeping Kanza.

"Ju Phups, we are going to Ammi home!!" Kashaf squealed as she jumped into my lap and hugged me. Faiz shook his head and I heard his muffled apologies as he stood up and went to the gents' living hall.

"Awesome! Give Dadu and Dadi and Khala my Salaam Kashaf Jaan," I said pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Okay. No salaam for Z Mamu?"

Iqra Bhabhi had great timing. I secretly wondered if she had taught Kashaf to mention her 'Zee Mamu' to me. Or maybe you Ms Junaina Javed Ali are doing that thing again with your head, it's called overthinking.

"No salaam for Z Mamu?" Bhabhi echoed with a teasing glint in her eyes. Samir stared at us, looking from one to the other. Kashaf was doing the same. Raising my brows in incredulity, I shrugged Bhabhi off and took my phone from Kashaf's hands. She was staring at the picture Samar had taken.

"Ju Phups, you and Mamu took a picture with only Ihsan and Kanza baby. No Kashaf," she whined.

Samar had shared the picture in the cousins group as promised. Alhamdulilah he had the sense not to do so in the Ali family group. That would have been impossible to evade. As it was, I was given a hard time till Samir put a stop to it.

"Chalo let's go Kashaf. Alhamdulilah that Baithun Noor is next door," Bhai sighed and started pulling his hair this way and that. Bhabhi saw him and slapped his hand away and started fussing over him.

"Aw Shoaib, you've aged so fast. You need Iqra's help with your hair, you've only come downstairs and you're wheezing," Samir said, making both Bhabhi and I laugh.

"Wait till you become a father of three Samir. Then we'll talk," he said and Samir blew him off with a scoff. "Look at this guy Iqra, underestimating me," he whined.

"What can I do about it? You call yourself a father of three and act like you're smaller than Kanza."

If Di and Jiju were the cute couple then these guys were the opposite. They kept pulling each other's legs, Shoaib Bhai never gave up being a kid and Bhabhi sometimes pulled a cold shoulder that went down to negative degree Celsius levels. But they also shared an understanding of each other that was totally couple goals.

"Alright let's go. I need to catch up with Zaid before he leaves for office. I told him to leave a bit late today and I don't want to delay him too much," Bhai said as he set a squirming Ihsan down. The little boy quickly tottered over to one of the potted plants lining the courtyard and started pawing the mud.

Bhabhi thrust Kanza into Bhai's arms and ran after her son before he messed up his crisp white t shirt. She pulled him up and walked back to us.

"Why don't you come with us Juni? Ayesha is going to be gone for a while since she has her appointment today. You'll be bored out by these fellas," Bhabhi suggested. She was right of course, but I didn't want to go. Right now Bhabhi was in match making mode and I didn't want to give her any opportunity to make good on her promise.

I was just cooking up an excuse in my head when in came my saviours. Lia, Najwa and Shikha walked past the entrance hall and came to the courtyard. I got Kashaf off my lap and rushed to hug my girls. Pulling all three into a group hug I squealed, " You guys! Your timing is awesome!"

"And here I was thinking maybe you'd have lost a little bit of that dramatic streak by now," said Shikha. Of the lot she remained unchanged. She sported the same mass of short curls and devil may care attitude on her face. She probably wore the kurta because she was coming to my home and had a small scarf wrapped around her neck. The jeans remained however and her feet were encased in her favourite Sparx sandals. The only time I've seen Shikha wear footwear that looks relatively girly is when she came for Bhai's wedding. Even then she chose plain black quilted ballerinas.

"And here I was thinking maybe you'd have grown your hair out by now!" I laughed. Shikha scoffed, derisive yet amused.

"It is so great to have you back!!" Lia gushed as she pulled me in for a hug again and we swayed from side to side, laughing, revelling in the joy of being together once more.

"Alhamdulilah yes, and I'm so happy you guys came over."

Najwa was greeting Bhabhi and cooing over the babies while Shikha exchanged pleasantries with Samir and Bhai. Kashaf came and pulled on my kurta bewildered by all the new faces around her.

"Ju Phups are these your friends?" she asked, hand tangled in her hair. I knelt down next to her and pulled Lia with me.

"Yes honey, this is Lia Didi," I introduced.

"I'm Kashaf," the little one said enthusiastically as Lia offered her salaam. Lia pinched her cheeks and cooed at how cute Kashaf was. I couldn't help going 'Aww' myself. Kashaf was like Iqra Bhabhi in a way. She took time to get used to strangers. Even Bhabhi came over amazed at how easily Kashaf was chatting away with Lia.

"What kind of magic was that?" Bhabhi asked as Kashaf finally ran after her Dad and Kanza out of the house.

"I just have my way with kids I guess," Lia smiled.

"Barak Allahu Feeki, thank you for that. I've always been so worried she won't adjust well beyond the places and people that she's familiar with," Bhabhi said giving Lia a sideways hug. And then she left.

Lia wrung her hands together with a shy smile on her face. Ever the same, unable to handle the compliments that came her way. Try telling her she's pretty and she'd give a list of flaws that she found in herself.

We joined Samir at the table with Shikha and Najwa. He had closed his laptop and stacked the files on top of it, immersed in conversation with Shikha about her brothers and their newly launched business. Najwa seemed like a mere onlooker. It was unlikely on Samir's part to make anyone feel like they couldn't be part of a conversation though. Interesting.

"It was great to catch up with you girls, I should go now. I don't want to be an intruder here," he said and took his stuff and walked in the direction of the gent's living hall.

If Najwa felt offended by Samir's uncharacteristic behaviour, she didn't show it. And I couldn't apologize on his behalf without drawing attention to the fact in the first place. Perhaps it was Najwa being distant herself, considering she's only been around Samir very rarely. If Samar was here maybe she would have been more involved.

Since Dadi was resting I took the girls to Chachi's room. All my aunt's were in there along with Di. Greetings and pleasantries were exchanged. I sat next to Shikha and watched as she spoke to Di about her pregnancy and gushing over kids. Najwa was accosted by both my Phuppis and Lia sat with me, absorbing everything.

"So Shikha was insinuating that you have something to tell us?" I asked her, squeezing her hand. Her cheeks flushed pink instantly and I poked them as she turned her face away from me.

Chachi left to check on Dadi and both Phuppis to the kitchen. They told us to head up to my room and Sumi Phuppi said she'd send refreshments with Annu. So I dragged Lia with me, linking her arm with mine, all the way up the stairs to my room.

"This girl will still be a kid when she has grandkids of her own!" Shikha commented to Di as they followed us.

"Dil to bachha hai ji!" I sang and winked at her, causing everyone to laugh.

This heart is indeed a child. Not only is it always feeling playful and happy but it's also naive and just doesn't know how to keep itself in check. And that's why ladies and gentlemen Junaina Javed Ali has the brain of an old woman. It is necessary to keep this baby heart of mine under control.

We reached my room and the girls made themselves comfortable. Annu came up bearing a tray laden with fresh juice, dry fruits and nuts and cookies that Di had baked. Little Abid had a sweet tooth just like his Ju Khala. He was so happy when I gave him a big bag of M&Ms yesterday when he came back from school. Chubby little dumpling was jumping around my room, yelling in glee and nearly knocked my bed lamp down in his excitement. Di had chided me for giving it to him directly, but I wanted to see that big dimpled smile on his face. He was a photocopy of Di and so adorable, especially when he was being naughty like his Mamu.

" I can't wait anymore Lia. The suspense is killing me!"

"Yes Lia, you refused to tell us until we meet Juni and now we're here. And even though we've pretty much guessed it, we want to hear it from you," Najwa said as she unpinned her hijab and loosened it. She was such a beauty Ma sha Allah Barak Allahu Feeha, her olive skin smooth and unblemished, eyes the most vivid and beautiful green, slender and of perfect height. If I were a guy, I would marry her. When I told her so, her face crumpled for the minutest bit of a second before she grinned and said, "I wish you were a boy. You'd be perfect!"

She was deflecting something and I was about to push further when Shikha subtly shook her head. It wasn't the time and place to talk about it.

"Well Lia, even baby dearest is excited, go on," Di prompted as stroked her full belly.

"You guys know everything. You're only doing this to tease me," Lia whined as she crushed one of my cushions.

"Of course. Now stop dilly dallying!" Shikha commanded.

"IgotengagedlastweekandmyNikahisinAugust," Lia blurted and buried her face in her hands.

"What was that? I didn't quite hear you Lia," I said tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear and cocking it in her direction. Najwa shoved my shoulder telling me to stop with all the teasing. As if that would ever happen. Teasing came with my blood.

"I got engaged last week and my Nikah is in August," she finally mumbled and she was blushing so much.

"Aww mabrook my dearest! I'm extremely happy for you, I always knew you'd be the first to get married in our group," I hugged her, probably squeezed the life out of her and then let go only for the other three to converge on her.

"How can you say that? It could easily have been any of us," Lia said.

"Nah. Shikha here has taken a vow of celibacy," I pointed out and got punched in return, "I am not thinking of marriage now and I'm planning to set up my own boutique. And Najwa darling hasn't finished her studies. Obviously it's your number first."

"Let's wait till your Dadi hears your plans," Najwa said. I alughed it off even though Di was also giving me that look which spoke volumes.

I knew Dadi's policy. She wants us girls to be equipped with knowledge so that should there be need for it we could help with the financial burden. Otherwise she preferred girls not going to work. Di had told me as much long back. But I'm going to call a family council, speak to all the elders and try my best. Its well and good to be a housewife. But I want to work, I want to create beautiful clothes and put my skills to use. I don't want them to get rusty.

The best part was that Mom completely supported me. Of course she would, given she's a woman with a career herself. She was thrilled about my ideas. I was waiting for her to come down here before I spoke to everyone else.

"What is his name dear?" Di asked, drawing me back into the present.

"Talha. And before you guys pester me, he's a software engineer, working in Bangalore and he's 26. He has two younger sisters and an elder brother. Ayesha Di you would probably know him. His father's side of the family has ties to Abrar Jiju's maternal family. Their house is in the same area as Khushnuma too."

"Oh! Talha as in Layla Ammi's uncle's grandson? Nuzhat Aunty's son right?" Di asked.

"I don't know the exact relation, but yeah. Their home is in the Southwest side too."

"Layla Ammi was talking about this to me. I didn't know you were the girl though. Talha is a very nice boy Ma Sha Allah. Simple and straightforward. He always reminds me of Samir."

Any guy who could remind Di of my brother was a gem. Samir is like one in a million. I always joke he's a guy out of his time.

"I hope he isn't a workaholic like my brother dearest," I joked and Lia blushed again.

Shikha prompted to Lia to show us his picture. She was very very reluctant and then she gave in when I said we could see his picture in Di's Facebook. She gave her phone to us. It was a picture taken on the day of their engagement. Talha was handing her a gift hamper in the picture. I could see why Di said he reminded her of Samir. He was dressed like a prim gentleman in a nice white shirt and black trousers, hair cut neatly and parted down the centre. He didn't sport the beard Samir had. He was about a head taller than Lia. He had a jovial smile on his face and had good boy written all over him.

Lia was flushed in the picture too. She looked like a little princess in her pink anarkali and grey satin hijab. I could tell that she was extremely nervous that day from her close lipped hesitant smile in the picture. They looked adorable together however.

" Seeing this makes me feel like finding a girl for Samir and getting him engaged ASAP. He'd look so handsome!"

"You siblings will be the death of this family. Yesterday when Abrar and I asked him about his intentions, he said he wouldn't get married before you," Di laughed as she pulled her legs up and sat cross legged.

"He can try," was the only thing I had to say.

"The sibling spat can easily be sorted. Get married on the same day, saves us the trouble of dressing up for two functions!" Shikha said crossing her arms with a smug smirk on her face.

"Let us just focus on Lia for now shall we? I need a treat!"

"Ah. You say something intelligible at last," Shikha grinned and I messed up all her curls. She gave me one of her death glares and blew her a kiss.

"I wish I could join you guys too, makes me miss my friends," Di said, nostalgia glazing her eyes. That's the part about marriage I hated. Why did friends have to lose contact? Iqra Bhabhi was thankfully married into our family, otherwise Di really wouldn't have any friends of hers. Most of them were scattered around the globe and only a few had even made it to her wedding all those years back. Facebook and WhatsApp contact just doesn't count.

"Lia I don't care if you settle in Bangalore, but if you don't check in with us every few months in person, I'm disowning you," I said mock seriously.

I ushered the girls out of my room and grabbed the tray with the empty glasses and bowls. Dadi was awake so we went to meet her. She was delighted with the news of Lia's engagement and prayed that soon Najwa and Shikha and I would find our prospective grooms as well. I may have been mistaken but Dadi actually raised her brows subtly as if to say 'I know you have someone in mind'.

No I don't. Of course not!

After taking Dadi's permission I made Samir drive us out to the mall. Just as we were about to walk away, he honked the horn to grab our attention. I gestured for the girls to go ahead. Najwa stayed with me however as she spotted all those guys sitting by the road on their bikes, leering at us. Height of joblessness. Samir left the car idling and jogged over to us. Najwa and I met him halfway.

"You left your purse in the car," Samir said and I was about to negate him when I realized he wasn't talking to me. He was addressing Najwa.

"Jazak Allahu Khairan, thank God you saw it immediately. Otherwise I'd have to come all the way to Ashiana to collect it again," Najwa smiled.

"Wa iyyaki. No troubles though. This one would have bugged me until I drove her to your house anyway," he grinned, poking me. I slapped his hand away.

"You've returned it right? Now go! I will summon you when it's time for us to get back," I shooed him away. Becoming a hero in front of my Najwa and that too by teasing me, who does he think he is?

"So ungrateful. Learn a few things from your friend Juni ki bachhi. It might come in handy! Assalamualaikum girls."

The audacity. Wait till I get home, I'm going to get back at him for this insult. As though he'd done a chivalrous deed by returning Najwa's purse. Samir the gentleman can sometimes be Samir the annoying elder brother.

Lia treated us to lunch and then ice cream for dessert. We had a good time together and I felt wonderful being back amongst my best friends. It was one of the things I missed the most when I went back. I had friends in class but none of them were like these girls or Haseeb.

"I was just thinking, what's Haseeb up to? It's been a long time since I last heard of him. Is he here in Salimabad?"

"He's due to visit soon I think. His summer break is around this time. Who would have thought he'd end up in the UK for further studies. Dude is juggling like two or three jobs, but he's the same ecstatic silly guy that he was. With an accent now," Shikha answered. With the way she talked about you'd think she was disinterested. But she was as fond of him as she was of us.

"God just thinking of all those old days makes me cringe and laugh at once," I chuckled.

"I've heard that Azhar's family has relocated to Mangalore for good. His brother has a business there. And he's helping out with it too," Najwa said, reading the question in my mind before I popped it.

"It's for the best I suppose. I wonder if he's still the cocksure guy that he was..."

"Who knows. I'm just really grateful we didn't have to tolerate him after he left Marwa," Lia said pensively.

"He wasn't that much of an ass after I left though?"

"Nah, but it was also his time to shine. Samar and Zaid were both gone. It was like the standard of Marwa dropped for a year. Less drama definitely, but more of idiocy. I didn't even want to take part in the fest that year. Rana and all those silly girls from their batch we're back to being their nasty selves. It just wasn't a good year," Najwa explained as she scraped the last bits of chocolate from the dish before her.

And so on the day went with us reminiscing the old times and talking about the years in between, catching up, discussing our college lives. All four of had gone in different directions. Najwa with medicine, Lia with home science and Shikha with commerce. Najwa was specializing in cardiology and had one more year to go before she completed her MD. Talha apparently had no issues if Lia wanted to go for further studies or a job, but our madam was looking forward to being a queen of her home.

Shikha had a couple of interviews lined up, in and outside Salimabad. She was inclined towards Salimabad for sure though, her brothers were settled out and she had an aged father to look after. Prabhu uncle was a fit man however and I always felt like Shikha inherited her resilient nature from him.

It was Dad who came to pick us up at the new park in Central Salimabad. He dropped off all of the girls to their homes and then it was just me and him. We were engulfed in a comfortable silence. I was tired after the catch up session and didn't feel like speaking. Dad looked like he had a lot of thoughts running through his head as well.

What preoccupied me was the fact that Najwa seemed to be hiding something from me. Not hiding perhaps, rather she was careful not to draw attention to the fact that she was deeply troubled, hurt even. I could see it as clear as daylight in her eyes. She was happy to be with us, but there was sorrow too. She seemed to be spaced out at times and disturbed.

Shikha was in the know. Not Lia. Or me. Not for long though, I will find out soon enough.

***

Let me know whatever you have in mind

Till next time, in Sha Allah.

Ann