Enjoy the reading!!
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    The evening is approaching as I watch the sunset spreading its crimson colours across the horizon. It is a clear yet cold evening of winters.

I take a sip of my tea and then put it down on the table beside the laptop and type a new sentence to add it in the story.

“ Arzu my daughter, it is getting colder now. You should come downstairs.” Mother speaks softly to me and puts down a plate of nuggets.

“ Thank you, Mom.” I pick up a nugget and take a bite of it.

After a while I notice that mom is sitting quiet in her chair and staring at the sky.

“ What is it, Ma? What are you trying to find in the sky?” I slightly shake her knee and when she turns to look at me, I give her a smile.

“ Birds.” She again turns up her head to gaze at the sky.

“ Birds?” I squint my eyes and mimic her action.

We both see many pairs of birds flying in the sky in the same direction.

“ Why were you finding birds?”

“Not finding, just looking at them. They are all going towards their destination.” A few creases are formed on her forehead and this is a signal for me that mom is being serious.

I shut down my laptop and drag my chair a little near her and hold her hands in mine.

“ Is everything OK?”

“ Of course, my sweet daughter. All is OK.” She looks at me and smiles.

“ Then?”

“Then, it is just that these birds flying back to their destination remind me of my own destination.”

“ Ma....” She cuts me in.

“ We are all travelers in this world and are assigned certain duties. Once we are done with our responsibilities, we have to go back to our destination which is final.” A sigh escapes her lips.

“ Mom....” She looks at me.

“ Your dad is gone without me and soon I will have to join him there too.” She touches my hair and smooths them.

“ Mom. Please.” I jerk away her hand and jolt up from the chair to hug her.

“ Why do you always talk like this? Dad already left me. Why don't you try to think about living with me and for me instead of dying?” My eyes become glossy with tears and I successfully blink them away, but they leave a pinkish colour in my eyes.

“So what am I doing? Hun? I am living for you and just for you. The day your father died, I lost myself too. Today I have breath and power in me to stay alive only for you. But death never sends you a letter about its arrival. It is a strange guest.” She sighs again and I hear her breathe irregularly.
I instantly pick up her inhaler from the table that she brought with her on the roof and give it to her.

She takes two pumps of it, takes a deep breath and realising it she holds up my child with her fingers.

“I am in forties now. My body is losing its strength gradually. These asthma attacks are breaking my will power day by day.”

“ Please mom, nothing will ever happen to you. I am here, I will take care of you.” A smile spreads on her lips.

“ And what about you? Who will take care of you?”

“ You are and you will.”

“ Haha. But I won't stay always.”

“ Mom, please for God's sake stop talking about this. I can't even bear the thought of parting with you.” I scrunch up my face and I feel my heart getting heavy with emotions. Emotions of fear of losing what is the most beloved.

“ We all need someone.....” This is where I cut her in.

“ No. No, no no no. Not again. This all discussion of marriage is a headache mom. I have aims, dreams and promises to keep. I can't afford this three ring circus of marriage.” I get up from my chair and throwing up my arms in frustration and begin to stroll on the roof.

“ We all need to be a part of this circus one day. Today or tomorrow it has to happen.”

“ Today or tomorrow. Then why are we talking about this today? Leave this on tomorrow. And all I need from you today and always is, your prayers and support, Mom.” I come near her and crouch in front of her on the white marble floor of the roof.

“ My prayers are always with you. May you have someone who will keep his promises and all your dreams will become his own.” She kisses my forehead and I giggle at her.

“ Oh my mom. Such mister perfect type of men are found only in fiction.” She laughs.

“ You know very well. Hun?” She pinches my cheeks.

“ You are forgetting that your daughter is herself a story writer. I also make and read hundreds of such characters.” I wink at her, and she playfully twists my ear.

“ Shameless girl. How dare you to wink at your mother?”

“ Ouch! Oho, Mom. You are so beautiful, at least one wink should be allowed.” I tease her and grin at her sheepishly.

“ Mad girl.” She bursts into a joyful laughter and I throw my arms around her.

I often joke with my mother, her carefree laughter is fuel for me to keep going. And I always pray for her healthy and long life.

We both stay entangled in a hug for a minute and then untangling ourselves we both get up. It was getting foggy now. I collect my laptop and papers and follow mother, carrying empty tea cups and plates downstairs.

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    “As-salamu alaykum. Mumani Jan (aunt).” Sumbul greets my mom, shoving her hands into her handbag.

“ Sumbul dear. You are here, at this time. Is everything OK?” Mom asks her.

“Of course Mumani Jan(aunt), all is totally OK. Don't you see that I am dressed up to go out for some shopping and dinner.” She flashes her glamorous attire and stylishly curled dark black hair at us.

“OH. OK my child. Have fun.” Mom sits down in a sofa.

“Sumbul, have a seat.” I tell her to take a seat, and then I also sit in a seated sofa, but I am jerked up by Sumbul.

“What happened?” I ask wide-eyed.

“Mumani Jan. You want me to have fun, but I can't have fun without Arzu. Because we all are going out with Muneeb brother and his wife for enjoyment, but I will be bored there.” She pouts, and I suppress the urge of rolling my eyes.

“Arzu, if she is insisting so much then you can go.”

“What? But I have to work on an assignment....” Sumbul interrupts me at once.

“ You will have countless moments with your loving assignments but this enjoyment won't come again.” She grins at me and then looks at mom.

“Arzu, my daughter. You should go.” My mom gives me a look of, don't you even think of refusing again, and I have to helplessly kill the desire of an utter refusal.

“ Alright. Give me two minutes to carry my purse and shawl from my room.”

“ OK. Be quick.”

We both get out of the main gate of our house and find a black Mercedes parked right in front of us on the road. Junaid and Muneeb are sitting in front seats and I hop in the passenger seat with Sumbul and her brother's wife.

Throughout the whole journey, only one thought is playing in my mind that why Sumbul thought about taking me with her because I know her.
She might be my cousin, and we are often nice to each other, but she seldom cares about others enjoyment or comfort. We have even gone to shopping only once or twice together in our whole life. And her enjoyment can never rely upon me.

My heart is constantly sinking, and an unknown fear begins to linger on my heart and mind.

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TO BE CONTINUED......
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Any guesses about what is the reason behind Sumbul's taking Arzu with her on the dinner? Or is it just that Arzu is overthinking?

Comment below....

Stay tuned till the next update
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