Imperfect Perfections

[16] The Hotel

"Fahim beta, but the preparations are going on!"

Babloo aunty was too persistent on leaving her little nephew just like that to a random hotel, that they had booked for his mates, instead of him. The kitchen was brimming in chefs and servants, so we had moved to the side pantry where there wasn't much crowd. Her whines kept tormenting Harith and me, while Fahim whose backpack hung on either of his arms.

"Aunty, I'm gonna be fine! Besides, Fidha asks me to go..."

Fahim pushed his way through to the inner side, in a moment that Babloo came t us to attack.

"Seriously?"

"Tell this boy, I'm telling for his good deeds itself"

We agreed, managing to be the good people instead of fighting out with her. For, from what we saw, she was the kind to keep going on with the conversation, unlike others who had better things to do than talk with kids.

"Yes Umma, but I will be here..with you...Besides, she ain't well too right?'

Out of the curtains, came the most impressive person in the world. The woman who had caught my gaze at the beginning itself. Fahim's mother, holding her son's ears.

"Ouch!"

"For this, why are you so asking me?"

Her glares got me biting my nails.

However, she met my gaze and smiled, then held my hands,

"Don't fret. You have my permission."

I jumped with joy while Harith screamed in a smile.

"But..."

The one word got the three of us staring at her.

"Gotta ask Gran. She might be reluctant about Fahim.."

I sighed. Of course, there had to be someone.

"Anyway, if you proceed as I say, then you three will be able to escape her hands too..."

I leaned forward with puppy eyes,

'Please~~~~"

She patted my head in a laugh. Fahim too smiled.

"But first, tell me how your head is"

I shrugged,

"Its fine, Umma-umm, Mom..umm, what shall I call-"

"Umma is good and beautiful"

Her fingers grazed my hair as my hijab fell down.

"You have beautiful hair", she smiled and complimented, reducing me to blush.

"Then Umma it is..."

Harith who was feeling bored stopped the two of us,

"At least help us with it before falling in love with her....", he pleaded, making her laugh and smack his forehead. 

"Just do this..."

She held the three of us by the shoulders as a circle mad whispered to us the secret.

The best one I had heard in my life.

                                      *                                                                                            *

"Where are you leaving?"

"Gran, I have to get my neck healed, and with all these preparations going on here, personally, Babloo aunty made it easier for me and Harith to go there"

She scanned the both of us and finally settled down to Fahim.

"You?"

"Umm..", he looked at me, like we know how the talking was distributed beforehand.

"Fahim won't be there for long, Gran. His missing assignments have been given to me, and I am given the responsibility to complete his works for this month"

Fahim immediately corrected,

"Help me...she will be helping me to do it. That is also why she came in hand, before the others"

I waited with a heartbeat who was yearning for this to work out.

Gran whose black burqa remained intact even with the fan flying its head off, closed her eyes and hummed,

"And this would mean, how many days?"

Harith spoke his line, without fail,

"A week. Plus, it's just the morning, Gran, and nights. Throughout the day, we shall be here"

I looked at Harith, who looked concerned now.

Her silence stood for few more minutes,

"I can agree but Fidha-"

"Let them go~ Granny~"

WE three looked up at the shrill beautiful voice. Giggling in a red hijab and churidar, she was looking like a blossomed rose. Undoubtedly, the Khairan wasn't joking when it came to their hereditary looks. Fidha was outstanding both in mind and body. Now, being an official Patani member too.

"I told them, to do it this way. It's for the best...besides I don't want Fahim bhaiyya losing his worthy education with my marriage plans"

She fell onto Gran's lap and talked, like an excited bird chirrupping for food.

Seriously, even if I had been in the position of Gran, I would have relented to such a beautiful girl.

So did Gran!

"Fine if my Fidha darling is saying..then why not?"

I could have screeched with happiness then.

But there was no time.

Almost immediately, Fidha got up and pushed the three of us oustdie, by saying,

"I will see them outside and come in!"

All the relatives didn't matter, as long as she was there. Keenly explaining the situation in few words, we made out of the big house in thirty seconds, all thanks to her. 

At the gates, a taxi awaited us.

"Booked?!"

Fahim picked out a card from his pocket and gave it to the driver who bowed respectfully.

"Oooh!, somebody is rich", Harith marked, back slapping him.

I wanted to pay but Harith's shake of a head said this wasn't the right time.

I twisted my wrists, a little and moved to Fidha who was waiting for to bid her goodbye.

"I guess, its a thank you!"

She giggled,

"Oh, its a pleasure..after all, with my silly nuisance, your neck..", guilt flashed through her face. I declined and held her hands,

"Oh no, please don't feel like that...we can be friends, you know..."

She clicked her tongue.

"Why not?", I asked, feeling bad.

Her grin got me smiling wider.

"We can be sisters..."

She embraced me softly, keeping the concern of my neck safe and hugged me tighter.

Our hug ended when somebody cleared his throat.

"Book a room, you two!"

Harith had to, didn't he?

Fidha laughed and held my hands,

"The hotel isn't far. So you can come here often, can't you..?"

"Ofcourse! You can come there too..."

But her eyes dimmed.

"I wish I could, but since the marriage is in a month, I'm all homie now...or have to be"

"Why?", now that was new to me.

"Its called something to do with Gran and Mama's theories. Though I don't like learning them like my science textbooks, I just have to go along.."

"I can't understand such theories, or I might never will.."

That is when she asked,

"Oh! Were are you from, actually? I never got to ask you that...."

I hiccuped in the shock.

Harith who was all ears, dragged my hand and smiled at Fidha,

"Guess we will see you later...the taxi shouldn't wait"

We three were crushed inside the backseat with me, at the middle, despite my arguments to be near the window. 

Our waves bid her goodbye.

Just as the visual of an aunt in abaya came pulling her in.

I held her face in my mind.

On how it had switched off at the mention of how she had to stay at home, because of the wedding.

How she didn't understand it.

How she wanted to know where I was from, so she could see if my household didn't carry such theories...

The curiosity from a bright soul attacked me, to such an extent, that I didn't even notice Fahim's legs were touching mine and so was Harith's.

That I didn't even notice, the hotel we had reached weren't of strangers.

It was of the Patanis.