Chapter 4

Chapter 4

 

Saturday did not start off well for Maryam.  She had woken up with a sore throat so she sounded awful in the singing class, her whole body was aching from Friday's basketball practice, and her mother had yelled at her for forgetting to wash the dishes the night before.  On top of all this, her father had received a call from the hospital and once again would be spending most of the day there.  Why couldn't he get weekends off?

 

After the singing class, Maryam called up Anne and asked her if she wanted to hang out at the mall for a while.  Anne agreed and they decided to meet there.  Maryam let her parents know where she was going, grabbed her bike and headed towards downtown.

 

Maryam and Anne spent an hour shopping and trying on clothes and then went to the food court for lunch.  None of the fast food appealed to them so they decided to leave the mall and walk to The Cheesecake Factory, which was across the street.  Just as they arrived at the restaurant and were seated by the waiters, Maryam noticed Imraan and Sabah sitting at a table nearby.

 

Sabah seemed to be telling Imraan a story, and he was hanging on to every word.  The way he looked at her was as if he had never seen anyone so beautiful before.  Maryam couldn't believe how obvious he was!  Yes, Sabah was gorgeous, but come on!  There had to be more to this.  Imraan was definitely in love.

 

They were so involved in their conversation that Maryam decided not to disturb them.  Instead, she and Anne placed their order and began talking about the latest middle school gossip.  It wasn't until Imraan and Sabah stood up to leave that Imraan noticed them.  He gave Maryam a nervous smile.  Before either of them could say anything, Sabah saw Maryam as well.

 

Sabah: Hi Maryam!  I didn't know you were here.

 

Sabah and Imraan walked over to their table.

 

Maryam: I didn't want to disturb your conversation.  By the way, I thought you two were going to be studying all day.

 

Sabah and Imraan looked at each other.

 

Imraan: We were just…um…

 

Imraan looked around nervously.

 

Sabah: …taking a break and decided to have lunch.

 

Maryam looked down to keep from laughing.  Why did her brother seem so tense?  There was nothing unnatural about a couple of friends having lunch together.  But he was making it clear that for him, it was more than just lunch with a friend.  If Sabah didn't know about his feelings by now, she had to be completely clueless.

 

Imraan finally pulled himself together and introduced Sabah to Anne.  They all talked for a few minutes, then Maryam and Anne's lunch arrived, and Imraan and Sabah left to get back to their books.

 

After lunch, Maryam stayed at the mall with Anne for another hour, and then returned home.  While putting her bike in the garage, Maryam heard a car pull up in the driveway next door.  She looked up and saw Rehan getting out of the car with a large white box in his hands. 

 

Maryam: Hi Rehan bhai.

 

Rehan: Hi Maryam.  Just the person I wanted to see.

 

Maryam: Main? Kyoon?  Me?  Why?

 

Rehan: Ek cheez dikhaani hai.  Pehle Samira ko yahaan le aao please.  I wanted to show you something.  First could you please bring Samira here?

 

Maryam: Theek hai, ek second.  Okay, one second.

 

She went into her house and ran up to Samira's room.  Samira was practicing her singing, but as soon as Maryam mentioned Rehan's name, she quickly turned off the music and they both went outside.  Samira noticed the white box in Rehan's hands.

 

Samira: Woh is dibbe mein hai?  It's in the box?

 

Rehan: Haan, zara andar chalo phir tumhen dikhaata hoon.  Yeah, just come inside and I will show it to you.

 

Puzzled, Maryam followed the two of them into Rehan's living room.  After they closed the front door, she heard Amaan's voice from the kitchen.

 

Amaan: Bhaiya, aap usko le aaye?  Bhaiya, you brought it?

 

Rehan: Haan, abhi nikaalta hoon.  Jaldi aao.  Yes, I'm going to take it out.  Come quickly.

 

Amaan ran into the living room, but seeing Samira and Maryam there, he slowed down.

 

Amaan: Oh, hi.

 

Samira and Maryam returned the greeting.  Rehan put the box on the ground and crouched down next to it.  He slowly opened the flaps and pulled out something small and white.  Maryam moved to the front to get a closer look and realized that it was a kitten, completely white, except for green eyes and pink nose. 

 

Rehan: Here is the newest member of the Akhtar family.  Maryam, Samira ne bataaya ke tum dono ko kittens pasand hain, to maine socha tumhen dikha doon.  Here is the newest member of the Akhtar family.  Maryam, Samira told me that you both love kittens, so I thought you might want to see her.

 

Maryam: Bahut pyaari hai.  Kahaan se mili?  She's adorable!  Where did you get her?

 

Rehan gave the kitten to Amaan.

 

Rehan: Koyi bech raha tha.  Unke paas abhi bhi do hain, agar tumhen chaahiye.  Someone was selling them.  They still have two more if you want one.

 

Samira: Hum nahin le sakte.  Papa ko allergy hai.  We can't have one.  Papa is allergic to cats.

 

Just then, Rehan's parents came down the stairs.  After greeting Maryam and Samira, they all sat down on the sofa, and Amaan passed the kitten on to his mother, who eagerly took her and began playing with her.  Rehan's father was also thrilled about the new addition in the family.

 

Zaheer (Rehan's Dad): Iske aane se ghar mein thodi aur ronaq aa jaayegi.  Lekin jab hum apne family trips par jaayenge, to iska kya karenge?  She'll make our home a little more pleasant.  But what will we do with her when we go on family trips?

 

Rehan: Mahine main do din ke liye hi jaate hain.  Is ko saath le jaayenge, ya phir Samira ke paas chhod denge.  We only go for one weekend a month.  We'll take her with us, or just leave her with Samira.

 

Samira: I would love to have her.  But I'll have to keep her away from Papa.

 

Maryam suddenly couldn't stand being there.  This family was so perfect that she was almost angry at them.  She knew she was being unreasonable.  But seriously, family trips every month?!  Her family hadn't taken a trip together for at least two years.  Maryam got up from the sofa.

 

Maryam: Sorry, mujhe ghar jaana chaahiye.  Mujhe kuch kaam karna hai.  Sorry, I should go home.  I have some work to do.

 

Samira gave her a suspicious look.

 

Fatima (Rehan's Mom): Alright, beta.  It was nice seeing you.

 

Samira: Main bhi chalti hoon.  Thanks for inviting us, Rehan.  I should go too.  Thanks for inviting us, Rehan.

 

Rehan: Of course.

 

Zaheer: Sabah se please keh dena ke woh dinner se pehle ghar aa jaaye.  Please tell Sabah to return home before dinner.

 

Samira: Keh doongi, Uncle.  Bye.  I'll tell her, Uncle.  Bye.

 

Maryam was afraid that Samira would ask her why she was in such a hurry to leave, but fortunately for her, she didn't mention it.  Back in her room, Maryam wondered what made her react that way.  Was she angry at her father for being away from home so much?  She didn't want to be.  He was out there saving lives and working hard so his family could live in luxury.

 

Maryam needed to talk to someone about this.  Her mind immediately went to her oldest sister Aisha.  Would Aisha understand Maryam's feelings, or would she think that she is overreacting?  With some hesitation, Maryam dialed Aisha's cell phone number.

 

Aisha: Hello?

 

Maryam: Hi Apa Jaan.  Maryam bol rahi hoon.  Hi Apa Jaan.  It's Maryam.

 

Aisha: Oh, hi Maryam.  Kaisi ho?  Oh, hi Maryam.  How are you?

 

Maryam replied that she was fine, and then asked Aisha about how her classes were going.  Aisha answered her but seemed very disinterested in the conversation, almost as if she would rather be somewhere else.  Maryam had almost forgotten that Aisha was no longer the same person she used to be, but in just a few seconds, it all came back to her.  She remembered the entire summer she had spent trying to get Aisha to come out of the room and enjoy her time with the family.  Despite all her efforts, Aisha remained unresponsive and secluded. 

 

Why was Aisha acting this way?  Maryam decided to get to the bottom of it.

 

Maryam: Apa, main jaanti hoon ke koyi baat hai jo aap ko pareshaan kar rahi hai.  Aap humein bata kyoon nahin deti?  Apa, I know that something is bothering you.  Why don't you tell us what's wrong?

 

Aisha: Aisi koyi baat nahin hai.  Main bilkul theek hoon.  There's nothing wrong.  I'm perfectly fine.

 

Maryam: To phir aap itni badal kyoon gayi hain?  Pehle har din mujhe phone kiya karti theen.  Aur jab bhi chhutiyon mein ghar aati theen, to humaare saath waqt guzaarti theen.  Kahaan gaya woh sab kuch?  Then why have you changed so much?  Before you used to call me every day.  And whenever you would come home during vacations, you would spend time with us.  What happened to all of that?

 

Aisha: I've gotten older.  Waqt ke saath logon ki aadatein badal jaati hain.  I've gotten older.  People's habits change with time. 

 

Maryam: Nahin, yeh baat nahin hai.  Aap mujhse kuch chhupa rahi hain.  No, that's not it.  You're hiding something from me.

 

Aisha (angrily): Theek hai, chhupa rahi hoon!  Agar main tumhen nahin bataana chaahti, to mujhe pareshaan kyoon kar rahi ho?  Just leave me alone!  Fine, I'm hiding something!  If I don't want to tell you, why are you bothering me?  Just leave me alone.

 

Maryam was shocked.  Aisha had never spoken to her that way before. 

 

Maryam: I'm sorry, Apa.  Main aapse phir kabhi is baare mein kuch nahin poochhoongi.  I'm sorry, Apa.  I'll never ask you about it again.

 

Aisha (calming down a little): Good.  Maryam, main tumse phir baat karoongi.  Meri roommate khaane pe bula rahi hai.  Good.  Maryam, I will talk to you later.  My roommate is calling me to have dinner.

 

Maryam: Okay, bye.

 

Aisha: Bye.

 

Maryam's day had just gone from bad to worse.  She wished she had never picked up the phone.  She didn't want her sister to be angry with her, but she was still worried about her.  No one's personality changes that much unless something is seriously wrong.