Sorry again......

Haajar frowned before closing her eyes. She was hiding behind the slides, acting to be engrossed with the little three. Raiyan was still talking to the girls whereas Keyaan was sitting alone. Haajar turned her head to Adnan when she sensed Raiyan's eyes on her. 

"That is why I must go with Baba," Iiman said before giving a nod to her head. "but I will be back soon. It is just for a few days. Mumma won't come with us. She and Daniyal will stay here."

"Okay," Raiyan nodded his head before smiling. "I hope your trip goes well. Make sure you enjoy a lot."

Iiman smiled widely before her eyes fell on Amal. She quickly sat next to Manal and pressed her lips together. "We will miss you a lot," Manal said after a while to make Iiman feel better who immediately smiled. "I will miss you too and everyone. But Baba says it is just for a few days so we will be back soon. Then we can play. We will go to the aquarium then. Now baba says we do not have time. We leave tomorrow."

"Why are you going?" Amal asked with a frown. "Noor phuphu isn't going, then why are you going?"

"Baba said I must. I do not know why. He said we are going to meet someone. He said he knows me."

"Then he should come to meet you. Why do you have to go?"

"There must be some reason. Her father must have thought about it," Manal said before smiling at Iiman.

"Looks like Amal is going to miss Iiman the most. She does not want her to leave." Raiyan teased Amal.

"I did not say that. She can leave. I was just asking why. Nothing more." Amal shrugged her shoulders making Raiyan smile.

"Iiman look the swing is empty. You wanted to play on them. Let's go." Manal said before extending her hands. Iiman took it and they both ran to the swing. Amal watched them leave before resting her back on the bench. Raiyan observed her for a while before observing the girls by the swing. "Why don't you go and swing with them?" Amal shook her head but said no word. "Okay. Do you not like Iiman a lot?"

"No. She is my cousin.  I am just angry at Keyaan. We meet every day at school but I am not at home. He doesn't even care. I was being extra nice to him because of that and look at him. I am so angry."

"It is okay. He didn't do anything that bad. I am sure he misses you too."

"He does not have to miss me."

Raiyan gave a nod to his head. "He just needs to be a little considerate."

"Exactly."

Raiyan kept nodding his head. "Just an action, not even words that show that they care is enough. I get it."

"I am not going to talk to him. He is very annoying."

Raiyan smiled at her before looking at Keyaan who was now standing with Haajar. He raised his eyebrows then tilted his head. Haajar asked Keyaan to sit on a bench and she stood in front of him. She smiled before she began. "Are you upset with Amal?"

"No! Why will I be?"

"You two had an argument over the game, didn't you?"

"No. We just did not agree on the same thing. She wanted to play a game and Iiman wanted to play another one. We decided to take votes to decide. I sided with Iiman because she is the younger one. She will feel bad if we say no to her. Younger kids do not understand our reasoning."

Haajar smiled. "Older ones do not understand our reasoning as well. Sometimes it is not about age. When you sided with Iiman, Amal felt you went against her."

"I did not. I just voted for Iiman's game. I knew Manal would vote for Amal so I voted for Iiman."

"Which also means you went against Amal. You did not mean to but you did. Of course, you did not do it on purpose but for Amal, it felt like you do not like her. or maybe she felt betrayed."

"But I sided with the younger one. Iiman is our responsibility, right? That is why. I did not think of Amal."

"I know you did not but we need to take everything into consideration. You were polite and considerate like always but for one of them, while the other one felt exactly the opposite. It is always good to be kind but you need to think of how that action would affect all and not just one person. More than often, unknowingly you go against Amal. You do not mean to do it but it makes Amal feel like you do not care about her. Once in a while, it's fine but if it occurs again and again then she is bound to feel hurt, don't you think?"

"I think she will. Do I not think about her?"

"That is not what I mean. You are kind and very patient with her. But you two are a team. Even if you don't say it out loud but you both feel like that. You are always together. So when you are surrounded with people and you take their side it goes against the team spirit, right?"

Keyaan nodded his head. "Right. I did not think it that way."

"You are a great brother and an amazing human. You do not have to change anything. You just need to be careful and consider all sides and not just one." 

"I got it. I will improve myself and take care of it. Thank you Khalajaan for pointing it out. Now I can work on it."

Haajar frowned deeply. "You are too good for this world. Too good." 

"Salam," Keyaan said and he stood up. Haajar turned around to see who it was and found Raiyan and Amal walking towards them. "Amal are you angry? I will play your game. Do not be upset."

"It is okay. I know you did not mean bad." Haajar frowned. "Come let's go and have some ice cream. We will get it for everyone."

"Good idea. Let's go."

Haajar kept looking at them until they vanished behind a tree. "Did you do that? Amal does not melt that easy. Did you talk to her? Did she say something?"

Raiyan nodded his head. "She did. She is a sweet girl."

"You are impressive."

"Thank you. But I really did not do anything. We talked for just five minutes before she decided to come and talk to Keyaan. She is a wise girl who listens to people and what they want to say and then she does not dismiss it. She absorbs it." 

"That is true." Hajar turned to the twins. "Thank you."

"You do not have to say that. Rather I say you cannot say that. You handle them so well and daily. You work very well with Amal. I often see you two talking and I often hear others worrying about her."

"They worry because they don't understand her. It is not that she needs to be worried about. She is a smart and kind girl. She just is different which causes everyone to worry."

"I feel the same way. I feel she is misunderstood."

"She is. I understand she gives them reasons, Amal is not that easy but she is not as everyone thinks of her. She is not a bad person or a rude unkind one."

"I agree. But she will be fine. She has you after all."

"I try to be there for her, but I am not sure if I am of any help."

"Trying is enough. That is all that she needs. That is all that we all need." 

Haajar relaxed her forehead as she soaked Raiyan's words in. She looked at him for a brief moment before looking away. "Look who it is. I haven't seen you in a while." Raiyan and Haajar turned around to see the voice and found Sufiyan standing behind. "Hello, Rehan. I haven't seen you in a while too." 

Raiyan smiled but did not respond. Haajar waited for Raiyan to say something but he remained unmoved. Sufiyan turned his attention to Hajar and said, "Where have you been? I heard you are living with Zyva. I wonder how you do that. Is that house not uncomfortable?"

"Not at all. Why will it be uncomfortable?"

"I saw it from outside. It is too small and I assume not that well maintained either. Living in a space like that can be a task. Especially compared to your house. Rahemat mamu did not forget our taste and style. That is a relief."

"The house, its size and maintenance do not matter." Haajar came in her cousin's defence. "I found a very big and beautiful house uncomfortable but their house is the definition of comfort. And it is well maintained! My khalujan takes really good care of it. Even Zyva bhabhi is very much involved."

"It really is a good house. I like the interior," Raiyan quickly added.

"Of course you agree," Sufiyan smirked as he said. Haajar frowned immediately and her nose blew in size. "It is nice to see you all here. The kids are having a great time it seems. You all look like a family."

Haajar frowned deeper before she clenched her right fist. Raiyan turned around and saw Daniyal and Fadi trying to make Adnan smile. He smiled as they all started to laugh. Nodding he said, "They all are definitely family. All of them."

"You very much are too." Raiyan looked at Sufiyan as he said. "You seem to be very close to all of them. In fact, here it seems like you, the kids and Haajar are a family. Don't you think it is cute?" He said looking at Haajar. Haajar clenched her teeth and her nose blew more in size. Raiyan frowned at her expression but before he could think any further, Haajar walked to the kids and yelled, "We are going home! Keyaan bring everyone together and be out of the gate in a second."

"But khala we want to play for some more time," Amal said coming closer to her. 

"No, we are going now." 

"Raiyan bhai said he will stay with us if you want to go home."

"We are going, Amal."

"I can stay with them for a while. You can go home," Raiyan attempted to calm Haajar. 

"Keyaan come on."

"I will stay here," Raiyan began to speak but he was cut in the middle. 

"Raiyan!" He raised his eyebrows alarmed by her tone. "We are going." 

It was evident to all that she was upset which was not a frequent occurrence that was why none of them said a word. Keyaan guided the boys to the gate, Manal held Iiman's hand and Amal quickly followed them. Haajar waited for them to assemble before marching out of the park without turning back.

No words were exchanged, no other action than walking was done. Keyaan led the way with the boys and the girls were behind them whereas Haajar walked last, keeping an eye on them all. 

"What happened to her? Why is she so angry?" Adnan asked Daniyal.

"She must be hungry. When Iiman Apa is hungry she gets angry. Me too."

"Then we should buy her something. Or maybe there is something for her to eat at home," Fadi said making the other two shake their heads. 

"She is not hungry. She must be upset about something which is why we should not upset her anymore. Okay?" Keyaan said and the little ones nodded their heads immediately. 

"Maybe she and Raiyan bhai fought. Did you see how angry she looked when she was looking at him?" Manal whispered. 

"Maybe with that other Sufiyan uncle. She does not like him a lot." Amal whispered back. 

"I feel scared. I never felt scared of her."

"Me either. That is why we must be at our best behaviour." Amal wrapped her arms around Iiman just like Manal had and they walked a little faster.

Haajar's mind was flamed and the degree was of such intensity that she could not think nor could she find ease. She walked with clenched teeth and did nothing more. Soon they reached home and the kids quietly sat in the living room. Haajar gave them the snacks that as on the counter and sat in the kitchen leaving the kids alone. In less than an hour, the parents started to show up. First was Afzal who took his kid. Then Wildan picked up his son and took Iiman and Daniyal with him and the last to go were the twins who were asked to join their father at the end of the street. Amal went home for dinner as her aunt and grandparents were to join and ended up spending the night at home. She was thankful for the sudden change and so was Haajar who was filled with embarrassment. Once she had calmed down, once her mind settled, she realised how she overreacted and regretted the action instantly. She closed her eyes tight as she rolled on the bed, trying to forget the event. She kept thinking of how she seemed like a clown and how she made everyone feel but what she thought the most was what everyone thought of her, especially Raiyan and that thought took her sleep away that night.