"Wa Alaikum-" She couldn't finish her greeting though.

Someone came from the backside and hit Saad's head, making him turn back.

"I told you to wait for us," Asad whisper-yelled.

Asma could recognize him easily as Samad who is going to be engaged to Sadaf, her best friend. He looked very similar to the one who was standing before her.

A tad bit of difference is that, even though she had heard they both were twins. In character, they both looked poles apart.

Samad - the one who is going to be engaged - has once visited Palestine and he was very quiet, wore elegance in his speech and had an innocent vibe around him while his twin half looked the opposite of him.

Saad rubbed the back of his head, "You did take forever to park."

"You can't blame me if there was no empty parking space."

"Stop it you too," A girl her age cut them off, coming into view.

"Khadija-"

"Mamu-"

"Oh! Please, not Mamu," Asad almost whined.

"You are her Mamu. She will obviously call you that!" Jesima spoke for the first time.

"Not you too-" Asad's gaze fell on her and his face beamed with delight. "Assalamu Alaikum, Jessie."

"Guess you have not changed one percent." Jesima shook her head, regardless, replying to the Salam.

"I have told you many times. Change is not for the legends."

Saad coughed pushing his glasses up while earning a glare from Asad. He then rolled his eyes and moved to welcome Sadaf, "Assalamu Alaikum Bhabhi to be."

Sadaf slightly blushed at the last part.

After she had replied, Asad and Khadija looked at Asma in the wheelchair, finally giving her attention. "Woah!" Khadija exclaimed.

Asad was first to come out of his reverie.   He suddenly walked up to her, kneeling on the concrete pavement, he placed his hands on either side of the chair.

"Is this beauty, Asma?"

Asma's heart was in her throat, the closeness of his gesture knocking off something inside her.

"Asad-" Jesima laughed nervously, calling out to him.

He held one of his hands up to let him continue.

"You are." He whispered to himself.

Asma almost felt jittery. The nerve of this guy.

Words failed to come out of her mouth and her face became warm. When he realized that she wouldn't reply, he broke the silence, "I can say," He got up and took a few steps back, "She looks like your xerox copy, "He said to her mother, Jesima. "Except for her–"

"Eyes?" Jesima finished him up, her tone matter-of-factly.

Asad nodded, "Except for her eyes."

Everything seemed to quiet down for a moment as if giving tribute to the one whose eyes she has inherited from. Causing the lump in her throat to tighten, again and again. Indeed she knew everything about her Dad, the irony was she only knew.

" Welcome home, Asma." Asad's voice brought her back to her senses. As she was yet to find her voice, she replied with a small smile, meeting his eyes and after a second, looking away.

"He sure knows how to grab all the attention, " Khadija declared, her steps jumpy as she strolled towards Asma. Bending to her height and hugging her, "Myself Khadija."

"And I am Asma," Asma replied giddily, her hands flying up to wrap themselves around Khadija.

"I think we will become the best of friends," Khadija said after the hug.

Asma smiled warmly. "I hope so too!"

"Do you people plan on becoming friends in the airport or do you plan to go home and continue the process of becoming friends?" Asad chirped haughtily, air quoting at the end.

"Mamu!"

"Not again!"

"Everyone," Saad called out, "It's time to leave."

Jesima and Sadaf laughed out loud and started following Asad's lead along with Khadija on the toe.

Saad stood rooted to his spot, his hand rubbing the back of his head and shifting weight from one leg to another. His red open shirt swapped his torso as the night breeze continued to breeze.

Asma looked at him in acknowledgement.

"Uh! Do you need help?"

Of course, she didn't. She could easily push herself to the exit but something in his tone felt like he was not asking out of pity but rather showed how he cared. Jesima had always told her about how he took extra effort in caring for people he loved. She had mentioned it was his second nature.

"Sure!"

That made him delighted and Asma laughed at the pace of how quickly he sauntered to her back, holding the two hand holders and pushed the wheelchair forward. They followed the way the rest of their family took off.

"What kept you from visiting here? It's been a decade."

"I don't know. I think the right time didn't come?"

"Right time?"

Asma chuckled. " Attending your best friend's engagement sounds like the right time for me."

Saad nodded and when he realized she couldn't see him nod, he quickly opted to reply. "But you should have. People here love and care for you. All these years, never a day went by without missing you and your mother."

"So you do have listened about me on a daily basis!" Asma replied, twisting her neck to look at him.

"So did you?" He asked quizzically.

"Of course! You are a legendary topic to discuss on breakfasts."

"You are joking."

"Do I sound joking?"

"Omg!" Saad grinned with eyes going wide, "You should visit my house then."

"Well! I am visiting now."

"Oh yes! You are."

They laughed as they chatted and Asma felt as if she was immediately connecting with every person she met. Especially with Saad, she could see all of her mother's teasing going down the drain. He was friendly and she could smell their friendship brewing.

It was almost midnight when they reached home but the night never really crestfallen over them. As they reached Maahi's house, the aura of the whole welcoming part was majestic.

Shabna, Maahi, and Khadija's twin brother Muhammad along with Fathima welcomed them. Asma was forced to eat so many sweets that she felt nearly sweet-sick. Jesima felt the same too and they were glad they dropped Sadaf at her house on the way back.

"Jessie, time did fly by quickly!" Shabna grimaced remembering old times, her face showing images of how much she wanted to go back to those days yet it also portrayed how she was content and happy.

"Yes, dear. I think that every time I shower my aging skin."

"Oh yes! My arms are starting to wrinkle too."

"Shab! It's about time," Maahi winked.

"Don't make me feel older than I am, Maahi!" Shabna pouted.

"No, Of course not. To me, you will always remain the same."

The children were awed, enjoying the bickering of their parents. It was fun, fulfilling, and in other words, glorious.

Shabna and Maahi's house was a two-story villa with a compact living room, a kitchen, and a guest bedroom on the ground floor, and on the first floor, there were three bedrooms. Smaller in size but alive with the enchanting presence of the family members.

The theme and decor were very neatly done. With a simple and optimistic tone. The bedroom downstairs was Saad's as no matter how much he was treated as family, he still wasn't. As Shabna and Khadija needed to be wearing the hijab around him, he had agreed to give them some privacy.

But now, as Asma couldn't go up the stairs due to her state, it was decided to leave the guests to stay in Saad's room.

It was after Fajr that everyone decided to call it a night. Jesima helped Asma to climb the bed and pulling the bedspread to cover her completely, she joined her daughter.

"The night was wholesome, Mama."

"I know right?" Jesima reminisced, "These people are so close to my heart."

"I am glad that I can finally understand your perspective."

Jesima turned towards her daughter's direction, pushing a strand of hair to the back of her ear. "Are you comfortable, my dear? Do you need more space?"

"Yes, yes I am."

Jesima slightly nodded, closing her eyes as a tired yawn left her mouth. She covered it with the back of her left hand.

"Mama?" Asma called out.

"Yes?"

"Can we visit our house tomorrow?"

Just as the query was put forth, the peaceful aura around the mother and daughter duo turned perky. The air turned tense, hard to even breathe.

Jesima knew that in some part of the journey, she would be pushed to go back to the part she has ignored for years. To open the door which she had tried to close but had failed to. To relive the moments she had refused to die out of.

To walk back into the house where she got her everything and had also lost them.

Jesima moved closer to Asma, pulling her into a sideways hug. Her touch was so delicate yet screaming how much she mattered to her. Asma was now her everything.

Everything that she had.

And Asma deserved to go to the place where she was born. No matter how hard of a toll it would take on her, she will never fail to provide what her daughter needs. Even if it meant walking on thorns, she will happily oblige to do so.

"In shaa Allah! Sure."

Well! It's just the beginning....

🙅👉👈

Your thoughts, please?