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I rang the doorbell as bhaiya fidgited with my luggage helplessly. Mom opened the door. The pairs of eyes gleamed with joy. Her face astral. She leaped forward with a springly gait. Her free end of the saree swept the floor. Her sqalid bangles jingled round the wrist as she held my face between her hands and gently kissed my temple. "My sweetheart, you have returned."  I became stiff, careful not to abstain or indulge too ardently.

Bhaiya saw us with disgust. Thrusting the baggage inside the door he said in grimly, "If your melodrama is over, please move aside both of you and let me keep these luggages inside."

"You wont understand the pain of a mother whose daughter is not near her eyes." She stepped aside without letting me go off my shouldeirs. I kissed her on the cheek and said with sparkling delight, "mom, i am home."

"Mom she is not going to her husband's house today, chill." Another vague comment from bhaiya. He began removing his shoes at the threshold. Leaning on the door to keep himself balanced. I moved inside with my sandles, scowling at him.

It was my trun to rebuke him " why dont you get him married, mom. He keeps roaming around like a wild ox in the house." So the bugle for battle was blown. He paced forward to hit me with his just removed rotten stinking socks. I shrieked in horror. Maa..." my mother saved me in the nick of time.

Alarmed and furiously she said. "Sajid, behave yourself. Dad is in the house. You have grown to become an software engineer with no brains. Go to your room." Bhaiya quitly moved aside giving me angry glances.

"Come upstairs, I am waiting for my revenge." His eyes said those words. Mother told me to get fresh for the dinner as dad would be eager to meet me at the table.

I went to my room. Small but tidy. The blinds folded and white linen neatly draped on the bed. Lampshade coyly hung on the bedside. The massive poster of Enrique on the right wall, one of the best painting that i ever made. My innumeral craft items ostentatious in glass case. My father installed it for me which i never gave due recognition. The painted ivory candelabra, the torn tapestry of a cowboy, houseboat made from old coins, icecreamstick robot, painted pots and other trifle belongings of my chool days. Nothing has changed over the years except my size and height. The first thing i did was make a call to "ayan bestie".

"Hello Ayan, i reached home, safely. Thanks for the chocolates and medicine." I said on phone.

"Hey, How was the jounney?" He asked. I could here his fingers fiercely typing alphabets on laptop.

"You are busy. Talk to you later then." I said, finding an excuse to save my bladders from bursting after the exhaustible journey.

"No its fine. Go on. " he said. I heard the typing stop abruptly.

"So the journey was..." i said turning around to lock my room so that i dont ignite a doubt for my family on the very first hour of my homecoming. I moved swiftly across the room but bhaiya stood at the door carrying a cockroach by its antenna ready to dipose it on me.

I shouted "Nooooo..." grabbing the pillow from the bed i gave a ferocious batting to the cockroach. I escaped that creature and the pillow hit bhaiya. Another victory but a breathtaking one.

Ayan shouted from the other side of phone, "What happened farha. Are you ok?"

"Yeah, i am fine. Talk tou you later."  I disconnected the phone and shoved it on the bed.

"I caught that for you little sister from the kitchen today. Trust me it was a very tough job." Sajid said, smiling shamelessly at his useless accomplishment. I ignored him like a garbage trash on roadside and went inside the washroom with my clothes.
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*Dear readers, did you enjoy this chapter?*