"Mir beta, you are again working in the kitchen?" Farhana asked, in apprehension.

A small smile came across Izmir's face before he turned around to face his mother. "It's just breakfast, Mama."

She shook her head. "You have to go to work, dear. How many times have I asked you that I will manage it."

Izmir held her shoulder. "No way that you are going to work, Mama. You need rest."

"Since how many years have I been only resting? I am getting tired of resting," she murmured, sighing.

"Leave it, Mama. I won't let us become any means of trouble for you. You already did so much for us. It's time you should enjoy seeing your sons being responsible and serving you," Izmir said, with a smirk.

Farhana just rolled her eyes. "I many times told you to hire someone who can take care of household chores so that you all can be freed from these duties, but you guys never listen."

Izmir huffed. "C'mon Mama. I am not ready for any new experience. Remember the last maid who used to steal money from mine and Aryan's wallets?"

What Izmir said wasn't wrong. It wasn't only him who managed the household chores. Instead, the four of the brothers had divided the work between them. They felt it suitable to handle things like this. Many times the offer of the maid was overruled by the brothers themselves. And even when they tried to hire some, they only got disturbed by the extra hindrance of an extra woman in the house and ended up firing her.

One such notable example was when, a few years ago, they got a young maid for cooking and cleaning purposes. However, she was so lazy that she used to sleep the whole time and didn't cook the meals on time. Other than that, she often remained busy on phone calls which was already irksome to see. The extreme of it was seen when one woman working as their cleaning lady didn't iron the clothes properly. So, in short, the brothers soon started to become irritated by the presence of the maid. First, they didn't work properly because Farhana was not able to handle them, and second,d, because they also demanded extra perks. So all four of them had decided that it was better if it was only about them.

Breakfast was mostly made by Izmir, while the dishwashing after it was the duty of Aryan. Hamza took care of cleaning occasionally while it was Yousuf's work to give their mother's medication to her on time after eating. For lunch and dinner, duties rotated between them. And in this way, they coordinated together.

Farhana raised a brow in amusement. "Then there is only one solution for it. You get married and bring your wife into this house. I just feel like this house needs a woman who can at least see what's happening around without any limitations. Because of this, people who come here must know that there's someone who can watch them and keep an eye on them. And none will take her lightly because she is wheelchair-bound. Who can take care of you and this house as her own."

Izmir grabbed her hand. "Mama, what kind of things are you saying? This house is yours and none can take your place. You are our brave mother who collected our broken pieces with her devotion, love, and strength after our father died. No one will come here to take your place, Mama."

Farhana bit her lower lip. "I didn't mean it like that, beta. But I want you to get married now. I want to see you happy in your life."

"And I am happy, Mama. I am very happy in my life," he announced, unapologetically.

"Izmir!" Farhana pointed out.

He exhaled. "Mama, I'll have to marry eventually. And it will happen despite any circumstances. I just don't want to overwhelm my sanity over this. When the time comes, you will see your daughter-in-law. Besides, my life is very busy these days because of work. To suddenly pull out the time and protocol for a wife is feeling a bit rushed for me."

"But Mir, one has to get married. It's the natural cycle of life," she tried to make him understand.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I ain't denying that, Mama. But for now, I need a bit of space for myself. Work is already filling up my throat now. I don't want to add more to my burden."

Farhana stared at her beloved son with adoration, who was currently the man of this house, and he really acted as one as well. After his father's death, he became the strength that his mother and brothers needed. Farhana had been paralyzed for more than a decade. However, she felt the actual loss of her legs after her husband left this world. Yet her eldest son was the one who pulled everything together. He was just twenty-three when they got depraved from the cool shadow of the father. Her other sons were even more younger with young Yousuf was just six years old.

Before she could say anything, a reckless Yousuf entered the kitchen.

"Is breakfast ready, Mir Bhai? I am getting late from school," he spat, quickly.

"Take these plates and set them on the table," Izmir mumbled, serving breakfast on the plates and tea in the cups. "Hamza get here quickly. Help Yousuf."

Without moments, Hamza, too, came, and both the brothers diligently grasped trays and plates. That was a great thing that his younger brothers regarded him and gave him so much respect. As Izmir was seeing his brother's work, he was simultaneously giving instructions to his manager through his earbuds.

"Should I start looking for any proposal for you, Mir?" Farhan spoke after he was freed from both tasks.

Izmir narrowed his eyes, pulling out the bud. "Mama. You are at it again. Why are you suddenly getting any urge to get me married?"

His mother's brown eyes twinkled with unshed tears. "Because I am seeing how busy you have got yourself. You got no time for yourself, Mir. The way you had just prepared breakfast and talked to your manager at the same time was already mind-boggling. A wife will bring you back on the track."

Izmir slightly chuckled. "Really? What's the guarantee that a wife will bring me on the track but not the other way round?"

Farhana didn't say anything in reply but just kept on staring at him in confusion.

"By the way Mama. Parents love it when their children perform household chores, and us doing the same thing is mind-boggling for them. Huh?" He continued with laughing.

"That's the other thing. Don't take talks in another direction, Mir," she reprimanded him.

"Okay!" He said, pushing his back towards the slab of the kitchen and folding his arms over his chest. "Let's say that I will marry tomorrow. What if your daughter in law will push me away from you and my brothers? What if she wouldn't like that I have so many responsibilities? What if she asks me to bring her to a separate home? There are so many what-ifs, Mama. I won't experiment with these what-ifs unless Hamza and Yousuf become independent and don't need me as much as they do now."

Farhana puffed out a harsh breath. "You are just overthinking, Mir. Not every woman wed someone with such a mentality. It's not good to think negative always."

He moved towards her and then kissed her forehead. "Mama, we'll talk about that later on. Right now, I need to hurry to the office. You, too, come for breakfast,t, or else it will get cold."

She regarded him with despair. He always used to do that. He always reverted or ignored the talks concerning him like this. Izmir was selfless when it came to his family. And the reason he didn't want to marry right now was his younger brothers, who needed him as a father. However, she had made up her mind. She wouldn't sit back now. She would try to search for girls for her son. All of her sons deserve happiness, and Izmir had the right to it the most because he had sacrificed his life, his youth, and his likes and dislikes for his brothers to provide them with a father figure after they became orphans.

She held the handles of her wheelchair and moved them out of the kitchen. Farhana's wheelchair was electric, and hence it didn't need any mechanical push. That was easier for her to move around the house autonomously like this.

And that proved when, after breakfast, Farhana came into her room and called her friend who knew about some matchmaking women. She didn't want to waste this chance to bring happiness to Izmir. What if she wouldn't be in this world after today? Izmir shouldn't sacrifice his life for his selflessness.

________________

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