...

It was a warm afternoon when Kaveh and Salman arrived at their country club.

It was situated on acres of land, near the sea, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, with the view of ferry boats.

They were sitting under one of the white gazebos facing the swimming pool near the coffee house. Salman Bashir was drumming his fingers against the table, his eyes on the paper Kaveh had been reading moments ago.

"Dad gets out at five," Kaveh spoke, breaking the silence between them, as he kept scrolling through his phone. "After that he wants me to meet with the investors. Discuss a new project. Not sure how long it's going to last," he said, finally looking up.

"You know, by the rate we've been coming here, and you're attending meetings, I feel like we're slowly starting to turn into one of Arshad Fayyad's old friends," Salman said, eyes twinkling with mirth. "Might as well start playing golf too."

Kaveh shot him a derisive look. "You will play golf?"

"We grew up playing cricket in this club, we have to grow old playing golf," Salman huffed. "It's a rite of passage."

"I played cricket, you applied sunscreen and sat on the bleachers."

"I don't actually have to play, I just have to dress up for the part," he said, rolling his eyes dramatically. "As I am pretending to be a sophisticated adult gentleman now." He pointed to his grey slacks.

"Thought your life long aspiration was to stay young forever and become a leather jacket wearing uncle for Malika's children."

Salman's lips turned up in a lazy, crooked grin. "Now my aspiration is to become a sophisticated rich old man who drinks expensive coffee and gives children big notes for chips."

Before Kaveh could respond to his ridiculousness, a disembodied voice cut them off.

"Boys!" Fardin called out.

Two boys appeared in their view. Their high school friend, and Salman's cousin Raad, neared their table with smiling faces. Both Salman and Kaveh got to their feet to greet and embrace them.

"Did you watch the game last night?" Fardin asked them as soon as they were done exchanging formalities.

Salman's eyes lit up. "Did you see Ronaldo's goal?"

They excitedly replayed and discussed the match as they made room on the table for the new comers.

"So my parents are looking for a bride for my brother, right?" Raad said suddenly. "And get this, Rani Aunty expressed interest in him for her daughter!" Raad's excited voice cried, snapping Salman out of his chain of thoughts.

Raad's words knocked the wind out of him and Salman swiftly looked up at his cousin. "For Rashid bhaia?" he cried. He could feel Kaveh's eyes boring on the side of his face, which he ignored.

"Yup."

"They want Farrah for Rashid Bhaia?" he repeated with disbelief.

"Seems so."

"Isn't he, like, fifty?" Salman remarked.

"My brother is only thirty one!" Raad cried in an offended tone.

"Same difference," Salman swatted a hand in the air.

"I mean Rani aunty didn't say it outright," Raad continued, darting his gaze over his friends. "But she was asking about bhaia's job and education."

"How do you know about this?" he asked.

"They were discussing this openly at my house. And have you ever heard those women talk? Their voice carries."

Fardin looked up from his phone, his eyes suddenly sparkling with interest. "Farrah, as in like our Farrah? Fat Farrah?"

"Apparently."

Salman blocked out the conversation between his friends. He was shocked - that's the only way he could describe what he was feeling.

Farrah - the witty, stubborn, know-it-all Farrah - was now old enough to be the subject of marriage talk. And that too to his cousin, of all the people in this world.

His first instinct was to call her and make fun of her till the end of time. He even took out his phone to do so. But then Salman realized he couldn't, not anymore.

They were both adults now. This wouldn't be appropriate.

"I just don't see it," he spoke up. "I mean Farrah and Rashid Bhaia, I couldn't think of two people more different," he stated, shaking his head.

"Best of luck to your brother, huh." Fardin mockingly said, slapping Raad's back. His snarky tone elicited a half-hearted laughter from Salman.

"Nothing's set in stone yet," Raad told them. "I mean, my family haven't even sent a formal proposal yet. It's probably not even going anywhere."

"Yeah. Probably."

Farrah's morning started with period cramps and a healthy dose of her mother's drama.

"Everything is falling apart," she heard Rani cry as she entered their dining room to get breakfast.

Farrah quietly, but swiftly took out her overnight oats from the fridge to take upstairs into her room, hoping to pass by unnoticed. She had no desire to get roped into a conversation while Rani was in a mood.

"Your father is coming home."

Farrah stopped what she was doing and turned to face Rani. Her shock overruled her desire to escape her mom.

"He is?" she asked. "When?"

"Next week most likely," Rani replied with irritation. "He didn't confirm."

Farrah couldn't remember the last time she had actually seen her father. Yaqub Hussain preferred to spend time around the world for work rather than stay home with his family.

"Did he say why? I mean, is there an important upcoming family event I don't know about?"

"Who knows when it comes to that man." Rani waved a hand dismissively. "The kitchen is in shambles and now I have to stop the renovations halfway. You know your father has dust allergy. You're doing it wrong again," she shrieked at one of the workers painting the kitchen and walked past Farrah, momentarily forgetting all about their conversation.

Farrah took this opportunity to slip upstairs into her room.

The absence of her father never bothered Farrah - even as a child. Given that his appearance was as rare as Rani's sanity, Farrah barely developed any relationship with that man. He was just her father by name, the one who sent them the monthly check to pay bills and buy groceries - that's all. In fact, his presence was more unpleasant for her.

A deep frustration was starting to engulf her. Farrah was starting to wonder if coming back had been a good decision. Things were just like she left them. The aunties were still gossiping, her mother was still crazy, her father still gave her anxiety.

Those unstable feelings for Salman, the ones she had worked so hard to subdue, were resurfacing again.

Its not like she had much of a choice... after graduation she just couldn't keep living with those relatives who provided her with space to complete her Bachelor's degree, she had no excuse to. Living away from home and on her own wasn't safe.

But Farrah could have applied for a Master's degree or an internship abroad and delayed coming home, now she was really regretting not doing that. Because the five years she spent out of this community were the best of her life. Farrah had a great life and met a new set of people who had the same interests as her.

She wasn't sure if she could adjust to this dysfunctional community again.

Farrah spent the rest of the morning buried under her fuzzy blanket.

It was late afternoon when Layla Fayyad trudged into her room with a bag of chocolates and a bottle of ice-cold Coca Cola.

"So your mom caught me on the stairs." Layla started, while taking off her shoes at the door. "Asked me to tell you that Nur Aunty's son is the religious kind, just like you want."

Farrah closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. That woman!

"She got you into it too?" she asked incredulously. "Unbelievable." Farrah moved aside to make room for her friend.

Layla let out a chuckle. "Your mom's talking about Rashid bhaia, right?

"Who knows?" Farrah scoffed.

"You know... from what I remember he's not half bad," Layla pondered. "He's got that quiet, intellectual type going on for him."

Farrah shot her a look. "Has my mom's ghost possessed you?"

Layla rolled her eyes, plopped into her feather soft bed and opened her heavy bag. "I was just saying. Here, have some chocolate." she asked, plucking out a bar of Toblerone.

"Thanks." Farrah said, irritation still lacing her voice, but her eyes softening slightly at the sight of KitKats." God knows I need it."

Farrah got into a more comfortable position. "So, what brings you here?" she asked, nibbling into bite size pieces of chocolate.

"You have been looking so upset, I decided to cheer you up." Layla finished, shoving the bag of sugar concoctions towards her encouragingly.

Farrah's heart filled with a rush of affection. It was such a small gesture, yet, to have noticed her distress and take action for it was something that meant the world to Farrah.

"Thanks." Farrah smiled at her warmly.

"No problem," Layla said. "Want to watch something?" she asked, tilting her head towards the laptop screen.

"Sure."

Farrah opened a random video and the two girls watched quietly.

The conversation left her overwhelmed. Farrah thought she had time, at least that's how she felt up until a few months ago.

Now everyone was asking about their wedding, careers, ambitions and suddenly the future they always talked about wasn't in the distant anymore. It was already knocking at their door.

She had planned her life meticulously, but it was still feeling like she was being pushed off the cliff without a warning.

The two girls spent the evening in bed, watching random videos and eating chocolate, with very little words being exchanged.