Bismillah.

"Breakfast is ready. Come downstairs. Two of you!" Safia called her two children that were upstairs, busy. Murat, 18 years old, was going through some articles that he had marked for this morning. Moosa, 14 years old, on the other hand, was busy playing a video game.

Its noise was constantly ruining Murat's focus. Even if he tried to study, he couldn't and it was now getting irritating. He snapped his head out of the attic and looked at his younger brother whose tongue was stuck out as he raced his car, beating others.

"At least wear your headphones. Moosa." Murat spoke politely at first but he wasn't paying any heed.

Ok!, Murat tried to control the anger that boiled in him because his annoying brother was constantly ignoring him.

Slamming his book on the mattress that laid in the attic, he climbed down the wooden ladder, and without any fear, he snapped the switch out of the board. The TV died down. When Moosa saw tv screen go black. He looked at his brother, mouth agape, who stood by the switchboard. His arms neatly folded on his chest.

Moosa's anger shot to his brain as he abruptly stood up, fuming, pointing his forefinger at Murat. "What the hell is wrong with you!" He yelled at him angrily.

"Mom had been calling us from a good time for breakfast but no, you are too busy to answer."

"So what! She could have waited for a bit more. Earth wasn't going to collapse down if she had waited."

"She is calling us for breakfast for the past 15 minutes and you are saying she should have waited for more? Huh! Nice joke." Murat jeered at his brother before moving away from the place in order to go downstairs.

"I was in my final round. You get it! Final round! That too I was winning." Moosa shouted at the door that his brother has closed after him. "This whole house is filled with sick people who wouldn't let me live and play peacefully."

***

Suleiman was sitting on the mat, legs crossed, with his father who was the grandfather of the children. Safia placed a few plates before them as their breakfast.

Suleiman who was thinking something very deeply smiled at his wife. He remembered how she had always stayed with him, through thick and thin. Yet he had failed to provide her with the best of things.

After spending all the money on his two sons, nothing was left behind for these two. Father and mother both had sacrificed a lot in their lives just to make sure that their sons were wearing, living, and eating the best. Suleiman and Safia's dreams never got their way, wavering because of Murat and Moosa's expenses.

Suleiman turned to his father that was reciting something on tasbeeh. "Dada, I am so worried. The government is locking the bazaar down due to the current virus. Kesay jalay ga iss ghar ka cholha."

Dada placed his hands on his son's shoulder and spoke in his beautiful voice. "Allah Says: After every hardship comes ease. Just believe in Him. His plans are the best."

Dada's words soothed his heart, always.

"Assalam-o-Alaikum." Muraat walked in, washing his hands in the sink first and then sat down next to his father.

"Where is Moosa?" Safia asked when she brought a tray filled with five cups of tea. She crouched down and placed it on the dastarkhuwan.

"He must be in our room."

"Kaya banay ga iss larkay ka. Ye nashta karny q nai aa raha." Sofia mumbled to herself just as she walked inside to fetch some water and bread for Moosa who didn't eat anything else rather than his favorite egg and bread for breakfast.

"Moosa child. Come downstairs. Mama won't eat without you." Safia called for him, standing in stairs.

After a while, they finally heard someone stepping down.

"Speak of shaitaan and there he is," Murat stated whisperingly but Dada heard it and pinned him down with his sharp gaze. Dada loved both of them. But his love for the younger one was infinite. Dada's tenderness for Moosa was on another level and the whole family knew it.

When Moosa appeared, he looked furious, and apart from everything his nose was red. Dada patted the place next to him and Moosa sat down, his head bowed. It was as if he would pounce on anyone.

"Roye q ho?" Safia asked cooingly. He was hitting across or else Safia would have run her fingers through his velvety hair.

"Baita, Mama kya keh rai hain?" Suleiman briefly furrowed.

Moosa sniffled, "apny barray baity say poochain"

Dada, Suleiman, and Safia, three of them snapped their heads towards Murat who seemed quite relaxed, sipping on his tea. When Murat found them looking at him, he awkwardly smiled.

He put the cup down, gulping. "Seriously Abba. I didn't do anything. He was not lowering the volume of his game and it was constantly irking me as I was studying so I just disconnected the tv."

"Abba my headphones are broken otherwise I would have worn them."

"Chup! Both of you. Is that how I have brought you both up?" Safia scolded them and both didn't bother to speak then, lowering their heads they let their father speak now.

Suleiman thought for a while, rubbing his forehead. "Hmm. Moosa you shouldn't misbehave. After all, Murat is your elder brother." He explained to his little son that he was so huffing with anger. "And Murat you too. If he is bothering you, you should come and tell any of the elders instead of being rude to your younger brother."

"Just like elders, chotto ki bi izzat hoti ha." Suleiman completed and both nodded. Moosa had a victorious smile which he suppressed. "And as long as you are worried about the headphones. I will get them repaired soon."

Suleiman looked at Murat now. "All problems have solutions. Our religion teaches us to sit down and solve the issue by discussing it calmly rather than go aggressive."

He gave a nod, his eyes lowered all the while.

All heard Suleiman sigh loudly. "Let's eat breakfast now. Say Bismillah."

***

Safia was making dinner in the kitchen. Murat was sitting in the stairs as boredom was hitting him hard. He was sick of sitting at home. He studied but then he was cloyed of studies either. He heard Dada call them for Isha prayer.

Murat stood up and climbed up the rest of the stairs. He pushed the door open only to find Moosa already glued to his game. It wasn't a shock for him. This was his casual routine in quarantine.

"Moosa. Yaar thaktay b nahi ho ye game musalsal khail k. Neechay aajao. Dada nimaz k liye bulla rahay hain."

Moosa glanced his brother standing in the doorway before turning his attention back to the game. "Acha aatha hn. Tum jao."

"Wo intezaar kar rahay hain. Kamchori mat dikhao. Foran neechay aao." Murat warned him and closed the door after him.

Moosa shrugged it away and continued racing his car through the remote.

Dada was sitting on the prayer mat in the drawing-room, waiting for his two grandsons. Murat appeared from the stairs, alone.

"He said he would come after a while. But we both know he won't come like other days."

Dada nodded. "We will wait for a while."

They both waited. But like many other days, they offered Salah alone. Moosa didn't join them. It was one of the lame excuses that he used quite often for skipping prayers and played games.