Contacts OF Hearts

Mrs.Ajmal was determined to wake him up. Just then Minkii came out of her room and her eyes fell on Zain’s room. Yes, Mrs. Ajmal was there. She immediately understood that aunty was trying to wake him up, but he was never going to get up. So she walked into the room and said, "Aunt, he’s very stubborn. He’ll never get up. Stop wasting your time on him." Minkii was Ali and Zain’s cousin. All of them lived in the same house. Minkii was twenty-three and Zain was twenty-four. "Yes, yes, I’m stubborn. And you’re just so perfect? Your mamma scolds you every other minute, and did I ever get involved in that?" Zain shot back. "Oh hello mister, my mamma never scolds me for useless things. What’s the point of you staying up till midnight and sleeping till half the day? Is that your new rule now?" Minkii replied. "Aunt, let me complain about him to Ali bhai. He’s the only one who can set him straight. We can’t handle him," Minkii said to Mrs.Ajmal, glaring at Zain. She was talking to Mrs.Ajmal, but her eyes were fixed on Zain. Zain and Minkii had been like this since childhood. They were always bickering. They fought, and then made up like nothing had happened. Everyone knew their habit. Their teasing only made their friendship deeper. Just then Mrs.Ajmal said, "I’m leaving from here. You better be downstairs in five minutes. I want to see you in the lounge in five minutes. Your brother will be here soon. You’re going to get a huge scolding both of you. You always get me and your father and your brother to scold you." Saying this, Mrs.Ajmal walked out of the room. Minkii was about to follow her when Zain suddenly jumped off the bed and ran in front of Minkii, blocking her way. He came running like he had the speed of lightning. "Hmm, so what was Mrs Minkii saying?" he said, standing with both hands behind his back. Minkii also put both hands on her waist and stood her ground. She wasn’t any less than him. If he was Zain, she was Minkii. Both were one step ahead of the other. "That’s exactly what I was saying — that you’re very quarrelsome and very stubborn." "I didn’t say quarrelsome," Zain said. "Hmm, if you knew I didn’t say quarrelsome, I said stubborn, then what was the point of asking?" Minkii replied. " Zain, hmm, we can’t win against you in words," Zain said. "What do you mean we can’t win in words? You can’t win against me in anything," Minkii said. "Hmm," Zain replied. She came and grabbed his arm, overacting as usual. The moment she got the chance, she immediately ran away from there. Turning back at the door, she made a face at him and said, "Oh, you big brave guy. If you’ve got guts, come catch me now!" And with that, she ran off. Zain stood there, running his hand through his hair, thinking to himself, Nothing can be done about this girl. Zain had just graduated a few days ago. Earlier he used to say, "I have to go to university." But now even that excuse was over. Now he would just lie in bed till twelve. But the moment he realized that it was almost time for his brother to come back, he start planning to get up. The problem was, he never actually got up untill her mama herself came and wake him. --- Reena, Minky’s elder sister, was twenty-six. She was in the kitchen helping her mother, Mrs.Ahmed, prepare lunch. The two of them were working together, chatting as they cooked. Reena genuinely loved doing housework, and she especially liked cooking the meals herself. They were in the middle of cooking when Mrs. Ajmal walked into the kitchen. Reena looked up and said, "Aunt, don’t worry, I’ve already woken that boy up. I’m sure he’ll be down before Ali gets home." "Alright. So, what are we making for lunch today?" Mrs.Ajmal asked. Mrs.Ahmed, Reena's mother and sister-in-law to Mrs.Ajmal replied, "I was thinking of making chicken. Chicken korma. How does that sound?" "Yes, yes, that’s a great idea,"Mrs.Ajmal said. "Do you need any help?" "Just these onions,"Mrs.Ahmed said, pointing to the basket on the counter. "Chop them for the salad." So Mrs.Ajmal sat down at the kitchen table and started chopping onions, talking as she worked. Reena, meanwhile, was stirring the pot, leaning against the kitchen counter with a ladle in her hand. Suddenly Reena said, "I had a dream last night. Should I tell you?" "Yes, yes, tell us, dear," misses Ajmal said. "I dreamt that Anus bhai was getting married," Reena said. "What? Anus’s wedding? Wow, that’s a wonderful dream," Mrs.Ajmal exclaimed. "Yes, it was a very good dream," Mrs Ahmed agreed. "But who was he marrying?" "I don’t know. It was some stranger girl. I didn’t recognize her. But the wedding was so much fun," Reena said, and all three of them burst out laughing. "Wow, you had so much fun at a wedding in your dream," Mrs.Ajmal teased. "Yes, aunt! If I had that much fun in a dream, imagine how much fun I’ll have at a real one," Reena laughed. "Now please, arrange brother’s wedding." Mrs. Ahmed smiled and said, "Alright, we’ll think about your brother too. But for now, focus on the food. Don’t let it burn." Reena slapped her forehead. "Oh no!" and immediately turned back to the stove. --- About the Family Mr. Ajmal and Mr. Ahmed were brothers. They shared a deep bond. They ran their textile business together, and their reputation for quality and honesty was known everywhere. Both brothers went to the same office and worked side by side. Their families lived together too, because as they say there is blessing in unity. And that blessing was clearly visible in the Khan House. --- --- "Okay brother, you wait here. I’ll go ask Dua if she wants to come. If she agrees, we’ll drop her off," Annie said. "Yes, I’m standing right here. Go ask her and come back," Ali replied. Annie turned and started calling from behind, "Dua! Dua! Listen to me!" Dua had only taken a few steps forward when she stopped and turned around. Annie caught up to her. "Dear, listen. We can drop you home if you want." "No, no, there’s no need. I’ll go myself," Dua said. "Come on Dear, your house is right on the way. It comes on our route to home. We’ll drop you," Annie insisted. "No Annie, I’ll go on my own. There’s no need to make a fuss. I’ll manage. You don’t worry," Dua said firmly. "Alright, fine," Annie said. "But Dear, what will happen if we drop you off? Please na, for my sake, please please." Dua keeps refusing again and again, but Annie is Annie. She’s the kind of girl who gets her way no matter what. She keeps insisting to Dua, and in the end Dua gives in. Ali, who was standing behind, was watching all of this. It became clear to him that Annie had managed to convince Dua. He gave a slight smile. He had fair skin, and when he smiled, dimples would appear on his cheeks. They made him look really handsome. He only gave a small smile, but those dimples on his cheeks made it even deeper. Just then Annie came holding Dua’s hand and brought her toward the car. Ali immediately went and sat in the driver’s seat. Annie and Dua sat in the back. Annie sat right behind the driver’s seat, behind Ali. And Dua sat on the other side. Ali had already turned the rearview mirror toward his side before they reached the car. But when Dua sat down, he turned the mirror facing her, so he could keep an eye on her. Dua sat there quietly, while Annie just kept talking and talking and talking. That was her nature — once she started talking, there was no stopping her. Everyone else would get annoyed by her chatter, but the family loved listening to her. And Dua liked it too, because Dua knew her really well. She understood what kind of girl Annie was. She liked her talks and never interrupted her. Annie just kept going on and on, and Dua would only nod and say "hmm hmm." As for Ali, his eyes kept falling on Dua through the mirror in front. He wasn’t that kind of guy at all. He was very different. But today it was like someone had cast a spell on him. Like Dua had some effect on him. He wanted to keep looking at her. That’s probably why he offered to drop her home, and turned the mirror toward her so he could keep watching her. Finally, Annie’s talks didn’t end, but Dua’s house arrived. Her house was only a ten-minute distance from the university. So she either went by bus or took a taxi. Dua shook Annie and said loudly, "Annie Annie, my house has come." Annie: "Yes? Where, where?" Actually Annie had never seen her house before. But Dua always told her that her house was nearby. "Yes, where is your house?" "Right here. Right in front. The one with the second gate." "Oh okay, this is your house? Yes, alright." Ali was listening to everything from the front seat. He drove the car that way and stopped it. Dua got down, said bye to Annie, and left. Ali kept standing there watching her from behind until she went inside the gate. As soon as she went in, he also turned the car toward home. The moment Dua went inside, she bolted the gate. ...... Ali was on her mind. She had been told that his brother was the most different, but he didn’t seem worse than those aimless boys. And it was true Ali was looking at her very intently. No girl would like it if someone looked at her like that. But there was a world of difference between his gaze and the gaze of other boys. He was looking, yes, but with clean intentions. With eyes full of affection, not with lust, not with a bad eye, and not with bad thoughts. But Dua thought he was just like the other boys. Then she shook her head and said to herself, "Whatever." "Mama!" Dua said softly, tiptoeing into the kitchen where Nazima was busy cooking. She came up from behind and hugged her. "Hi Mama." "Hmm, you’re here, my daughter?" "Yes Mama. Today I made food of my daughter’s choice." "What, Mama? Pasta?" "Oh thank you so much!" "You’re welcome. Now go, get fresh quickly. Until then I’ll plate the pasta, then we’ll eat together." "Okay, Mama." Nazima that was Dua’s mother. Dua’s father had passed away when she was very young, so her mother raised her alone. Dua was her only daughter. Dua herself did online work so she could pay her university fees, her travel expenses, and even help a little at home. She was very intelligent, which is why she got 80% off on her university fees. It was the same in college too. Nazima did tailoring work at home. People from all over the area would bring her clothes because she did the work very well. Because of that she knew a lot of people, and that’s how she ran the household. They didn’t have much, but they were among those who were grateful and content with what little they had. Dua didn’t like rich people. She was fed up with them. She never wanted to be friends with any rich girl. But Annie seemed a little different to her, so she became friends with her. Because before this, every time she had met a rich person, they were full of attitude and arrogance. She thought the whole world was like that. But when she met Annie, she realized no, not all rich people are the same.