Laila
"Laila..come here," her bhaiyya screamed from upstairs."Where's my socks? I can't seem to find them anywhere here".
He was on the verge of explosion by the time Laila raced upstairs.
'Where the hell were you? I had been screaming for ages.'
'What's the matter, Bebo? I was in the kitchen' the 16-year-old said in between efforts to catch her breath.
'Where's my socks? I can't find them' he repeated.
Huh..was that all!!?
'Did you even bother to look for them, Bebo,' she said as she thrust a pair of socks to his hands from the cupboard. 'Even I'm late for school.I've got better things to do than finding your socks and shirts'.
'Now don't you dare use that tone with me, Laila. Wait till I tell Abbu'
'Whatever,' Laila muttered rolling her eyes at him.
That was the last thing she wanted him to do. Her Abbu won't tolerate a little finger raised towards his precious little son. "My gem," Abbu would call him. Everywhere they went Abbu would say, his head raised high. 'My son is going to make me proud a day'.
Labib, her brother was only a year older than she was. And yet her Abbu had high hopes for him, even though she was a much brighter kid than him.
'I'm going to make you feel great someday Abba,' she said to herself as she slowly made her way back to the kitchen.
'I was starting to think you weren't coming back again,' Sakeena, her Ammi said smiling.
'What the hell would I do that son of yours maa!!..I'm sick of doing things for him all the time' she let out a sigh.
'Don't let your Abbu hear that,' Ammi laughed as she cupped her face with those slender fingers and looked at her for a long second lost in thought. 'Now hurry up and get ready for school, else you'll be late again.'
'Did you even bother to look for them, Bebo,' she said as she thrust a pair of socks to his hands from the cupboard. 'Even I'm late for school.I've got better things to do than finding your socks and shirts'.
'Now don't you dare use that tone with me, Laila. Wait till I tell Abbu'
'Whatever,' Laila muttered rolling her eyes at him.
That was the last thing she wanted him to do. Her Abbu won't tolerate a little finger raised towards his precious little son. "My gem," Abbu would call him. Everywhere they went Abbu would say, his head raised high. 'My son is going to make me proud a day'.
Labib, her brother was only a year older than she was. And yet her Abbu had high hopes for him, even though she was a much brighter kid than him.
'I'm going to make you feel great someday Abba,' she said to herself as she slowly made her way back to the kitchen.
'I was starting to think you weren't coming back again,' Sakeena, her Ammi said smiling.
'What the hell would I do that son of yours maa!!..I'm sick of doing things for him all the time' she let out a sigh.
'Don't let your Abbu hear that,' Ammi laughed as she cupped her face with those slender fingers and looked at her for a long second lost in thought. 'Now hurry up and get ready for school, else you'll be late again.'
'Ah Ah Ammi, I'm going' she said going out to the bath.
She couldn't help wondering why those eyes always seemed sad when she looked at her. Her Ammi meant the world to her. Even in her forties, her Ammi was a very beautiful woman. Laila was glad she looked like her mom and not her dad. Fair-skinned, red-headed with hazel eyes. She was gentle towards people like mom, unlike Abbu who never cared for people's feelings.
Laila got ready for school as fast she could. She was getting late again. Farisha Mam won't her go that easy today. She was already warned very well by her yesterday.
'But it's not my fault I'm late. What can I do?' she thought as she hurried downstairs her hair dangling in two loose pigtails.
Her mom was waiting there with her Tiffin ready. She shoved the lunch box into her backpack and ran towards the front door stopping right in front of her Abbu.
'Where are you scurrying off to this early you little mice,' Abbu growled at her.
'I've school Abbu,' she said silently. Doesn't he know that?
'What difference does it make whether you go or not. You are of no use to us anyway. Why don't you just stay home and help Ammi at least? I don't see any point in you going to school' he shrugged.
Laila bit back her retort and looked at Ammi. She nods at her smiling, in a 'leave it' kind of way. Bhaiyya might've reached school by now. We both are from the same house but how come he gets to leave early every day. Bhaiyya's at least got a cycle while I had to walk the distance. I'll certainly be late today and Abbu still thinks I'm early. It's not fair!!
She starts towards the gate with quick paces, her face in a scowl.
'Goodbye Ammi, see you in the evening,' she waves at Ammi not turning back. But she could feel her Ammi smile and wave back at her.
Laila lets out a smile unconsciously as she walks towards the road.
Even if the whole world went against her, she knew her Ammi would be there at the end waiting. That's why she loved her Ammi so dearly.
She couldn't help wondering why those eyes always seemed sad when she looked at her. Her Ammi meant the world to her. Even in her forties, her Ammi was a very beautiful woman. Laila was glad she looked like her mom and not her dad. Fair-skinned, red-headed with hazel eyes. She was gentle towards people like mom, unlike Abbu who never cared for people's feelings.
Laila got ready for school as fast she could. She was getting late again. Farisha Mam won't her go that easy today. She was already warned very well by her yesterday.
'But it's not my fault I'm late. What can I do?' she thought as she hurried downstairs her hair dangling in two loose pigtails.
Her mom was waiting there with her Tiffin ready. She shoved the lunch box into her backpack and ran towards the front door stopping right in front of her Abbu.
'Where are you scurrying off to this early you little mice,' Abbu growled at her.
'I've school Abbu,' she said silently. Doesn't he know that?
'What difference does it make whether you go or not. You are of no use to us anyway. Why don't you just stay home and help Ammi at least? I don't see any point in you going to school' he shrugged.
Laila bit back her retort and looked at Ammi. She nods at her smiling, in a 'leave it' kind of way. Bhaiyya might've reached school by now. We both are from the same house but how come he gets to leave early every day. Bhaiyya's at least got a cycle while I had to walk the distance. I'll certainly be late today and Abbu still thinks I'm early. It's not fair!!
She starts towards the gate with quick paces, her face in a scowl.
'Goodbye Ammi, see you in the evening,' she waves at Ammi not turning back. But she could feel her Ammi smile and wave back at her.
Laila lets out a smile unconsciously as she walks towards the road.
Even if the whole world went against her, she knew her Ammi would be there at the end waiting. That's why she loved her Ammi so dearly.
