I got some time this week so I thought of giving you all a treat! Hope you all like it!

Enjoy:)

The storm comes and goes, the rain never stops the caravan. When the wind is too strong people pause but life never stops for anything, it goes on and on until the end. Raiyan had hit a rock bottom in recent weeks yet he was in the office preparing for a meeting. He had his laptop on the table and papers scared around, he had a file in his hand and glasses on his nose. He was reading the paper in his hand suddenly a deep frown made its way on his forehead. A few minutes later the door opened and Sufyaan entered followed by his friends. 

"It is upsetting, she has been looking forward to start working and then had to leave the job on the very first day, without any reason. I feel her boss was unfair." Sufyaan kept a water bottle in front of Raiyan before saying, "Drink this and ease those brows. Everything will be fine." He then walked to the other side of the table where Afzal and Aman took a seat. "She is holding up fine but again she has always been the strong one."

"She is a lawyer, right? Haajar?" Afzal said which immediately made Raiyan looked up at him. 

"Yeah, she is a lawyer," Sufyaan said with a shake of his head, "She has such a bright future in front of her, she is a talented and courageous girl but life seems to be very harsh on her."

"This is best for her, Allah has a bigger plan for her," Aman said making Afzal shake his head. "That firm was not good for her so even before she could begin she left. She is safe now. Oh, Raiyan, are you done? Come and sit, I haven't seen you sit since the minute you walked in the office."

"Yeah, I am done." He closed his laptop and kept the file on top of it before walking towards them. " What are you guys talking about? Something serious happened?"

"Not that bad," Afzal started, "Sufyaan's cousin was going to start working in a law firm but her boss decided to leave the firm and made her do the same."

"That seems unfair, why didn't she retract?"

"I am wondering the same. She seems to be fine with that, so I didn't say anything," Sufyaan explained, "Hopefully things will turn out well. Now, back to the presentation, what did you want to share Raiyaan?"

"Yeah! Let me bring my laptop."

Following that conversation, their mind got occupied with work and it was until the end. Around nine they all left the office and it was ten when Raiyan found himself in his room again. He kept the bag on the bed before laying down next to it. He closed his eyes and wrapped them with his hand. He was battling with his mind, he did not wish to meet a worrying topic but failed as he remembered the envelope he found in the morning. Before the topic could take over his mind, he heard a soft knock on his door. He quickly sat up straight when he saw his mother and made space for her to sit. She sat next to him and smiled softly. "How was your day? Did the meeting go well?"

"It did. How was your day? What did you do? Did you have lunch with khala?"

"I did, then we even went shopping. Her daughter is almost at the finish line, the baby will be here any day." 

"I find it difficult to believe that Hania is about to become a mother. I feel bad for the baby. She is too clumsy for it."

"Motherhood teaches everything. She will be fine, now you tell me did you have your dinner? Let us have it together. It will be nice."

"Sure. I would love that. Let me get changed and come to you quickly."

Smiling his mother left the room bring freshness in his mood and behaviour. He stood up and got changed before heading to his mother for a dinner date. The weekend that followed did not bring much to them, Raiyan spent most of his time in his room while his mother was with her sister and the newborn baby girl. Raiyan tried to find amusement around him but failed to attract anything then to his rescue Afzal called him and invited him for a brunch on Sunday which became the highlight that he looked forward to.

Then the next day, he woke up early, and was ready to leave but it was too early to be a guest so he walked around his house, watched some TV and then took a nap yet there were two more hours to kill. As staying at home brought no peace he took his car and drove to his mother. He spent some time with her and the baby girl who seemed too little to him. By the time he left his aunt's house, it was thirty minutes past the invited time, so without hesitation he drove to Sufyaan's house. Most of the people were there when he reached which was calming for him. The beautiful sun, that illuminated their faces complimented them and depicted their heart's condition. For almost an hour they talked and laughed about topics that matter, and the topics that didn't matter. And the same was the case inside the house where women talked and talked and talked.....

"I did not believe it at first! I thought Zeeshan was joking but when he showed me the paper I could not stop myself from laughing loudly! I am so proud of him, so proud! He is the best doctor in the city and deserved to be recognised. Recently he has been spending a lot of time at an addiction centre helping the researcher find ways to break the chain and also to stop teenagers from getting addicted to things. I thought that was his focus but no being a good doctor is his first love."

"You could have said that in fewer words you know, " Zyva said making everyone laugh but making Noor frowned. She smiled before saying, "Sorry, you are happy. Stay like that. Continue with your feeling proud."

"I am happy! It is a thing to get happy about! I am so proud of my husband! He is amazing! "

"And there was a time she was too busy fighting with him," Kehara said, "I knew you would be smitten but by Zeeshan was a surprise. I am still surprised. "

"I have noticed this, all of you have been making a lot of fun of me! Can I know the reason for this injustice? Is there no one else who can be laughed at? Why always me?"

"Your daughter will be a teenager in two years Noor, two years." Zyva pointed at the fact.

"We say teenager a lot. Every since Manal and the twins had their birthday, I only hear this word." Yamina said as she sat down on a chair, "Are we surprised at their speed of growth or are we worried at our speed of growth?"

"I guess it's their age. They were toddlers just a few years ago. How can that be possible? I had two babies running around and now they look like humans. I feel emotional at times." Kehara said with a shake of her head.

"It is emotional. I mean I still remember the day they were born. I was sitting next to my phone the whole day to know if they were two girls or two boys but it was better than our predictions," Zyva said with a smile, "And Manal! I was in the hospital that day. She is the first newborn baby I took in my arms. I was so scared and now look at them sitting there. They seem to be having a serious conversation. what are they talking about? Politics or economy?" 

"Surely something more interesting than this!" Noor said with a frown, "And you guys make fun of me! I still bring hope and happiness here. You girls are boring. Don't you agree Haajar? Haajar? Haajar!?"

"Yeah? Sorry. I was texting my boss. She sends scary texts over the weekend. What were you asking?"

"It's okay. You have bigger walls to break. It must be difficult. Do not think a lot, everything will be fine soon." Haajar smiled with a shake of her head. "Speaking of difficult, Raiyan has it difficult as well! I feel so bad for him. Poor guy."

"It is a tragic story," Kehara sighed, "I saw him in the living room." Haajar frowned and looked at Kehara immediately. " He looks crushed. He has been so strong for so long, and now this. I wonder what he was thinking. "

"Maybe he was thinking of his mother, " Yamina said, " She must have been broken after her son's death. Even if he wasn't the best of the sons, he was hers." Haajar raised her eyebrows leaning toward Yamina.

"True. It must be hard for both of them. Their life is not difficult. I feel for them" Zyva said before pressing her lips together. Haajar frowned again before she looked up at the ceiling. 

"Me too, but what is up with you Haajar?" Noor asked. "Your expressions keep changing. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, I was just wondering who this person is who you all know. Not just know him but his worries. What am I missing?"

"You don't know Raiyan?" Kehara asked her cousin. "You met him the other day at our house. He came to drop a file."

"I was with Amal in her room. I don't remember any guest."

"He was there in last years picnic as well! Remember he was the one who made those yummy sandwiches?" Noor said next. 

"I remember sandwiches, I do not remember the maker. I do not remember the day!"

"He was the one who built that huge project for the trio," Yamina tried to help, " They won the first prize in the science exhibition."

"I remember an employee of your husbands did that."

"I got it!" Zyva exclaimed gathering everyone's attention. " He was the one who said you should warm up for fifteen minutes, workout for 30 to 40 minutes and then cool down to bring your heart rate back."

"Guy in the blue shirt!" Haajar exclaimed pointing her hand at Zyva making everyone burst out laughing.
Kehara shaking her head said," One needs to bring fitness in the story to get your attention. The guy is not always here but enough for you to know him. Where have you been for the past few years?"

"Behind my books. Anyway, can we please eat! I am really starving." 

"You are right, it is almost time. Let's go," Zyva said and she started to walk towards the kitchen where everyone followed her. Zyva and Haajar garnished the dishes into different bowls and plates, Kehara worked on her dessert while Yamina and Noor took the food out in the backyard. There Suyaan and Aman set the table for food, Afzal and Zeeshan brought the chairs while Raiyan was sitting on one of them, lost in the world where the surroundings did not exist. Everything was almost ready, they were about to start their meal when Kehara called Haajar's name asking her to bring a chair for her mother. The voice caught Raiyan's attention who quickly looked up to look for the owner of the name. Soon Haajar walked past him and took a chair that was kept in the left corner of the yard but as she was returning he had to stop her from moving. 

"Excuse me. You are Haajar, right?" She softly nodded her head in a yes. "Oh, hello. I am Raiyan."

"I know who you are!" She suddenly exclaimed surprising him and her own self. "I mean, Yeah I know you. Hi. Sorry."

"No problem. I actually wanted to talk to you about something, do you have some time?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Not here. Can we talk somewhere else?"

"Now?"

"No, no. After the weekend. Can I get your number?" Haajar kept looking at him without moving, wondering how to respond to that. "Please do not get any wrong idea. It is strictly about work. You are a lawyer, right?" She nodded her head once again. "I need some help, that is it. I won't take a lot of your time. Just some."

"Okay, sure, why not. We can talk about work anytime you want. No issues there."

"Thank you. Can I get your card?"

"Ah, that I do not have but you can, wait I have one!" Excusing herself Haajar delivered the chair to Kehara then went back into the house and after five minutes was once again standing in front of him. She extended a card before saying, "This is not my card, my boss's old one but it has my number."

"Your boss printed her assistance's number on her card?"

"I was not her assistant actually, I was just an intern. She is a little weird but great at work. You won't be disappointed by her."

"Thank you so much. I will keep this safe. See you on Monday. Have a great weekend. Thanks once again."

That was the last time they talked that day for until the end they both had different groups to talk to and different topics to discuss which kept them inches away. The weekend that brings peace came to an end sooner than anyone wanted and then came the blue side of Monday morning where they met.