After a very long ride from the airport, Ahad's eyes roamed around the familiar streets of Shareefabad. The same streets, the same foggy environment of sunrise, same morning rush, children running out of the home in uniforms, holding their bags. It felt the same as before like nothing has changed in this past year.
Ahad drops his head back, the memories of walking on these streets with friends got refreshed in his mind. He turns his head to the window and watches the houses pass one by one, including the house where he once lived.
Within fifteen minutes, Ahad was climbing the stairs to Moosa's office, but a low sound of sobs made him stop and he starts walking in the direction where it is coming from. The sobs got louder when he reached the store just below the staircase.
A frown formed on his face, as he opens the store door and found a girl sitting with her face buried in her knees. By two black long braids, Ahad realized who the person is. It was Shahina.
He sighed. Stepping out of the store, he makes a quick call to Moosa.
"Hello, Ahad?" He heard Moosa's voice.
"You're needed, in the store below your office staircase." Ahad said.
"What?"
"Just come quick." He said and ends the call.
Ahad silently stood next to the door, looking at Shahina, who stopped sobbing but covered her head with a dupatta.
What is she doing here...?
He wanted to ask, but knowing Shahina, he kept quiet and waits for Moosa, who came rushing down and directly went into the store after nodding at Ahad in acknowledgement. After a few minutes, Ahad heard Moosa calling for the head housemaid.
"Amma Bi (mother)." On his voice, a middle-aged woman comes towards the door.
"Ji (yes) Moosa?"
"Call Nats, ask her to come and take Shahina to a salon. Also, help her to her room." Moosa said, coming out of the store and Amma Bi rushed in.
"What happened?" Ahad asked Moosa as they start to make their way to his office.
"She accidentally burned her hair." Moosa sighed.
"What?"
"Yeah, the end of a few strands of her hair is burnt from the stove."
"That's... odd." Ahad replied.
"Odd things happen to Shahina very often, now we are used to it... Anyway, how are you?" He said, taking a seat on the sofa in his office and so does Ahad.
"Alhamdulillah, and how are things going here? Especially in Shareefabad?"
"Things are going as usual and about Shareefabad,... your idea really worked out. People here are really keeping their mouth shut since we start picking students after graduation." Moosa said, putting his arm on the back of the sofa.
"I told you it would work." Ahad smirked.
"There is something about your family that I need to tell you." Moosa said carefully, keeping his eyes glued to Ahad's face.
"That they got to know I joined Black Eagles? .... Don't worry about it, I made myself ready for it since you threw me into this business stuff. They would've realized after knowing of whom I am working for." Ahad said.
"And your fiancé's parents decided to break off the engagement." Ahad's jaws clenched.
"And what did Kanwal say?" Ahad asked after a long moment of silence.
"I don't have any information on that." Moosa answered.
"Hm... I will see about it. Anyway,... I better get going now."
"Wouldn't you be staying here till dinner? Nats and Sarmad are also coming." Said Moosa.
"I will come back before dinner. But I have to go somewhere right now." Ahad said. Moosa only nodded and doesn't ask anything else.
Ahad opened his mouth to say 'Allah Hafiz' but a knock on the door made him quiet. Both of them turn to the newcomer.
"Assalam o Alaikum, Ahad Bhai... How are you?" Yawar quickly came to him and shook his hand with a big smile. Which Ahad found strange because Yawar likes to keep his distance from him as much as possible. He once said that he hates how Ahad gets under a person's skin.
Saying this in the presence of Ahad, Yawar dug his own grave, because since then, Ahad keeps his eyes on Yawar and never misses the chance to annoy him. Ahad likes irritating his younger, he used to do that to Mahnoor too, but Mahnoor got the upper hand since Kanwal started avoiding him. However, now he has a new target, who has a few secrets of his own and avoids him so he wouldn't get the chance to know.
"Wallaikum Assalam, Yawar. Where were you?" Ahad replied warmly and received a suspicious look from Yawar.
"I went outside for some work." He answered.
"What work?" Moosa asked.
"Just,...awain (no reason), MB." Yawar said to Moosa.
"When did you leave?" Moosa inquired.
"Um.... fifteen minutes ago?" It came out as a question.
"Where were you before fifteen minutes ago?" Moosa asked in a serious tone.
"In my room." Yawar answered.
"You sure? Because I remember you going into the kitchen." Moosa raised his eyebrow and Ahad turns his face to hide his smile. He remembers talking to Moosa twenty minutes ago, he wasn't home either. He shot an arrow into the darkness to get the truth out of Yawar.
Yawar couldn't make an answer and kept silent.
"Elders aren't fools, you know." Ahad said, patting Yawar's shoulder and smile, "Allah Hafiz, see you at dinner." With that, he left the office.
Ahad quickly strides out of the house, feeling a strange restlessness and made his way to the car. His driver opens the door for him and he slides inside saying, "To the graveyard."
