FF: Through The Monsoon #1 - Link to #2 on pg 1

"And you're telling me this now, Prasad? I had told you to clear this matter with me by Tuesday, and it's Sunday today. Damn it, I had plans with my family too. Now I'll have to cancel them. Accha theek hai, forget it. I'll sort it out. Thanks," Asad reprimanded Prasad over the phone as he paced back and forth in his room. He tossed his phone on the bed once he was done, and raised his hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose as he thought deeply. Ammi was surely going to kill him if he bailed on her today. But he really couldn't see another way out of this. He walked over to the bathroom and shut the door, oblivious to the fact that Tanveer had been standing outside his door and eavesdropping.

Tanveer clapped her hands in glee upon hearing that Asad was not going to be able to go to Ayesha Bi's house with them that afternoon. Now all she needed to do was find an excuse to stay back as well, then she and Asad would be all alone in the house. And she would then be able to execute her plan! Tanveer scrambled over to the kitchen to grab an apple before hurrying over to her room. She shut her room door and locked it, before searching her drawers for that vial of liquid she was looking for.

"This drug may cause some side-effects including sedative, hypnotic, dissociative and amnesiac effects. Once taken, effects are felt within 15 to 20 minutes, peak at two hours, and can last up to 12 hours or more," Tanveer read out the label of the Benzodiazepine tranquilizer she held in her palm. She attached the vial to a syringe and then injected the liquid into the apple, her smile resembling one of a lunatic.

"Now when everyone's gone, I will make Asad eat this apple. And then the rest is history!" Tanveer laughed evilly, as she wrapped the apple in her dupatta and made her way downstairs. She instantly masked her expression with one of an innocent, lost person when she bumped into Dilshaad, inwardly rolling her eyes. Getting pass Dilshaad would be a piece of cake.

"Tanveer, Zoya kahan hai?" Dilshaad asked, just as Tanveer was about to tell Dilshaad that she doesn't want to go. Tanveer tried to keep the irritation from showing on her face and shrugged her shoulders in response to her question. Zoya, Zoya, Zoya. She was starting to get really sick of that name. Tanveer snapped out of her thoughts when Zoya came out of her room, looking uncharacteristically scruffy.

"Kya hua Zoya? Tum theek toh ho?" Najma asked, as she and Dilshaad approached her out of concern. Tanveer watched as Najma and Dilshaad got distracted with Zoya and took the opportunity to discretely walk to the kitchen and place the drugged apple on top of the other fruits in the fruit basket on the dining table. She could casually take it from there later when she offers Asad some fruit, it'd be less suspicious that way.

"Phuphi, mujhe kuch theek nahi lag raha. I don't really feel like going today," Zoya explained, as she gently clasped Dilshaad's hand in her own. Dilshaad swept Zoya's hair away from her eyes and noted that her eyes seemed to be pretty red and puffy. She cupped her chin and nodded, before enveloping her in a small hug.

"No problem Zoya, you stay home and rest. The monsoon season is making everyone fall sick these days. Najma, you stay with her and take care of her alright?" Dilshaad instructed, and Najma nodded gladly in response. Tanveer fumed at the change of events, controlling herself from stomping her foot on the ground in frustration. She tapped Dilshaad's shoulder, deciding to tell her that she could stay instead of Najma. She could still carry out her plan while Zoya rested in her room, no problem.

"Ammi, please don't get mad okay? I just got a phonecall from Prasad, and I urgently need to get some work done, so I don't think I can go with you guys today," Asad said apologetically, as he strided out of his room, completely cutting Tanveer off as well. Dilshaad pouted at her son and shook her head disappointedly.

"And no amount of emotional blackmail would work on you either, so I'm not even going to bother to argue. Ayesha Bi hasn't been keeping well for quite a while now, it is important that I go visit her. So I'll still go with Tanveer and Najma. You stay home with Zoya," Dilshaad announced, changing the plans yet again. Asad stared at his mom in confusion and then looked over at Zoya, getting his answer at the mere sight of her. She really looked unwell. He gave his mom a short nod as Najma guided Zoya back to her room by her shoulders. Since Miss Farooqui was ill, she'd just rest silently in her room and not bother him at all. It couldn't possibly be too bad.

"Khaala! I was thinking, maybe I could stay back too? I mean, Jammy has work to do, he'll probably have to go to his office too. I doubt he's going to have time to check on Zoya. So I could stay and take care of her instead," Tanveer finally managed to interject, her voice dripping with syrup. She kept the smile on her face as she held her breath, waiting for Dilshaad's answer.

"Don't be silly Tanveer, there's no one at the office on a Sunday anyway. Asad can just work from home. And it's only a matter of a few hours. I'm sure Asad can handle keeping an eye on her for such a short time. We'll be back before dinner anyway," Dilshaad dismissed Tanveer's suggestion with the wave of her hand, just as Najma returned from Zoya's room. The sound of thunder stopped Tanveer from continuing her argument, as Dilshaad and Najma began walking to the front door. Tanveer stalked behind them dejectedly, finally admitting defeat. Her plan would have to be put on hold for now.

"Asad, I'll prepare dinner after coming back. But if you want to have a snack in between, there's some leftover parathas from lunch. As for Zoya, check on her once in a while, and speak to her nicely. I repeat, NICELY. Alright?" Dilshaad ordered, as Asad crossed his arms across his chest and rolled his eyes at her.

"Ammi, I'm an adult now, please stop babying me," Asad complained, as Dilshaad pinched his cheek in jest before walking towards the car where Najma and Tanveer had already settled in. Asad closed the car door for his mother and leaned in to speak to the driver.

"Drive carefully alright, I think there's a thunderstorm approaching," Asad told him, as he pointed to the overcast sky. The driver nodded and began reversing out of the gate. Asad waved them goodbye and walked back into the house, shutting the front door alongside another roar of thunder. He instinctively began walking towards Zoya's room, but then stopped in his tracks halfway. Najma had just brought Zoya to her room in front of him and she looked fine. There was no need to him to check on her so soon. He realised that only his mind was agreeable to that reasoning, not his heart. But he still managed to ignore his heart and walk towards his room to get his laptop and start on his work. He'd check on her in a while - that's what his mind convinced his heart.