"Wait for me Shahzain," Irsia shouted while catching up to the boys, who were running, sans Sibtain who was talking to his mother in the second terrace garden of Nishat Garden while she was still in the first.

The whole family had decided to visit the Mughal Gardens and let children have fun before Rehamtullah and his family moved back to the States which was due in two days time.
"Irsia catch us if you can," Shahzain, a cute and plump chubby brown-eyed boy, shouted over his shoulder.

Irsia pouted and increased her speed but she was still lagging behind. She tripped over a stone, that was laying innocently in her way, and scratched her knee. She looked with teary eyes at the three boys playing in the pavilion(baradari) of the third terrace and a lone tear fell on her cheek. "Get up and wipe away your tears," Sibtain said while extending his hand. She looked up at him and he gave her a small smile. She held his extended hand and got up.
"I scratched my knee," she whined a little. Sibtain dusted off her skirt and examined her knee.
"It is just a little scratch. Now come along if you want to play with us."
"Okay but can you walk a bit slowly please? My knee is really hurting." Sibtain nodded his head and held her hand again while slowing his pace for her.

Irsia was playing with Arzin, her maternal cousin, in her room. The soft wind entered through the open window, where Irsia was standing, and swayed the curtains to the side. Irsia looked out the window and her eyes landed right into the honey brown orbs that were staring back into her dark brown ones as if reading her soul. She looked away and resumed her game.

Some time later a knock came on her door.

"Who is it? The door is open," Irsia asked but no one answered. Without giving it a second thought Irsia and Arzin resumed their game. After few minutes another knock sounded on the door. Again Irsia asked and again there was no reply.

"Aazir is it you?" She asked but no answer came. The third knock sounded and she decided to open the door without asking any questions. She looked outside her door and around the corridor but found no one there. She got a little scared and looked back at Arzin whose face held the same expression that was plastered on Irsia's.

She was about to step back into her room when someone placed a hand on her shoulder. She shrieked at the top of her lungs and on hearing her cousin's shriek Arzin shouted as well while her brother and cousins laughed loudly. Irsia Began to cry while the boys continued to laugh.
Safa came running towards them. "What happened? Why are you crying Irsia?" Safa asked while cupping her face and wiping away the tears.

"They scared me," she answered pointing her index finger at boys. Safa hugged her and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"Don't cry. You are my brave princess. Go play in your room and I'll scold them right away." Irsia gave her a teary eyed smile and walked into her room while wiping her still flowing tears with the back of her hand. Safa smiled gently at Arzin and then turned towards boys.

"Why did you guys scare her?" She asked sternly.

"It was just a joke. We didn't mean to actually scare her," Sibtain answered.

"Don't repeat it in future. You're the eldest among them," she said pointing to other three boys. "I wasn't expecting this from you."

"But mom-"

"No buts." His mother silenced him with a look. "I don't want this kind of behavior from you ever again. Got it?"

"Yes mom."

"Good. Now let the girls play and you boys go play outside."

"We had such a great time chacha Jaan. I seriously don't want to leave my Kashmir."

"I told your father all those years ago not to leave Kashmir but he didn't listen to me then and now all he wants is to be back here. There is no place like home."

"You are right bhaijaan. I should have listened to you but I was young and always thought as if I could never live my life to the fullest here so I left. No doubt I lived my life quite well there but I always felt something was missing. At first I thought it was just my family but then I realized it was not just family but Kashmir. The life here, customs, traditions, even it's air and mountains, everything starts to seem extraordinary. I missed everything about it. When it snowed there I longed to see people wearing pheran and holding kangri. I longed to speak in my mother tongue, Kashmiri. Everything that seems so ordinary here was so special and close to my heart there.

"Believe me when I say this, Kashmir is not just a land but it is who you are. It's generosity, love, hospitality, brotherhood has no match elsewhere. After a while you long for your home, your people, your identity. Home is where your heart is and mine never left Kashmir. I'm forever bound to my land. America could never be my home. It'll always be Kashmir." Rehamtullah then added with a sad smile. "But these words are meaningless now. The time that has gone won't come back. I got so busy with my job that even though I wanted to come back I couldn't."

"Now let's not talk about that. What has happened was meant to be. We couldn't have changed that it would have happened anyway," Noor-din Khan answered.

"Yes you are right. If, like Emperor Jahangir, I was asked on my death bed about my cherished desire my answer would be the same as his: 'Kashmir, the rest is worthless'."

"Like Amir Khusrau said, 'agar firdaus bar roy-e- zamin ast, hamin ast-o hamin ast-o hamin ast'. Now cheer up and visit again soon. Last time when you had visited Irsia and Abu Bakar were born and now it is five years already. Even Zahra is 3 now. Why do you wait for such long intervals? You should visit often. We miss you here."

"In shaa Allah we will visit again soon."

"I think we should load the luggage in the car now or else we will miss our flight," Hamzah said while standing up and walking towards the luggage that was piled neatly near the door.
"Children say your good byes to each other," Baneen said.
"I'm sorry about yesterday," Sibtain said while shaking Irsia's hand. She gave him a smile in return. "Bye."

"Bye." Sibtain answered back.

"I think we should leave now. We are getting late," Safa said after hugging Baneen and her sister-in-law.

"I'll start the car," Ali Akbar said.

"Baba, can I come with you?" Irsia asked her father.

"Not now Irsia. I've some work to attend to from there." She pouted but nodded her head.
Amid hugs and kisses they finally bade good-bye to each other and left.