The last thing Hisham had expected was for Stupid Yusra to bring Yasir to him by bus and that too at midnight.

"I still cannot believe that you made Yasir run after a bus. He could have gotten hurt you know?"

"Oh just grow up Hisham. Yasir loves the bus. Don't you habibi?" she asked as she looked around his house.

Yasir stood still not knowing what to answer. He couldn't say no neither could he say yes. Great.

"Whoa! This is even bigger than the Hosseini Mansion. Hisham are you sure you don't have a side business?"she asked as she slowly took in the grandness of his house.

'Side business like what?"

"Drugs maybe?"

Hisham laughed shaking his head. Drugs? Really now?

"Yes i do, please dont tell Baba though," he said as he helped Yasir sit down on the sofa.

"I knew it. Can i ask you for a loan?"

"Sorry, i don't lend money to family members. One of the Mafia rules," Hisham said smiling.

"Damn it. I knew i should not have married Yasir until like a year later. Just lost myself a loan," Yumnah said pretending to be really disappointed.

"Yumnah I'm sitting right here you know and you are the one who wanted to marry me as soon as possible," said Yasir, a frown on his face.

Waited for a year? Yeah right, as if he would have allowed that.

"Says the person who didn't even want a second meeting."

"It was because of the circumstances at that time. I would have lost you to Muneer," Yasir grumbled.

"Who is Muneer?"

"Thats a story for another day."

Hisham watched the two bicker and he smiled. He had been miserable since he had come back from work but having Yasir and Yumnah over had for sure lightened things up.

"Okay so do you have something like a swing?" asked Yumnah knowing that she needed to give the two brothers some space so that they could talk.

"Does this look like a park?" asked Hisham amusedly.

"Whaaat? Such a big mansion and no swing? What a loser."

Hisham laughed as he opened for her the door to the back garden which had a simple but beautiful swing.

Yumnah gasped upon seeing it and her eyes immediately began twinkling. Boy, was she going to have fun and that too at midnight.

"Yumnah?" asked Hisham.

"Yeah?"

"Not sure if you fall under the adult category but please don't make a lot of noise. My wife is sleeping."

"Dont worry. You won't even know I'm here."

Yasir internally muttered an "Ameen" but knowing his wife, he highly doubted it. He mentally prepared himself to hear squels from the garden just a few minutes from now.

"And I'l be right outside watching you two. Don't dare kiss my husband. Il sue you."

"Sue me for what?"

"Defamation."

"That does not even apply here," said Hisham almost bursting out in laughter. What on earth was wrong with this Stupid Yusra?

Yumnah too laughed as she made her way to the swing excitedly. Lets see how high this swing could take her.

"Bro, is you're wife normal?"

"Still trying to figure that out myself," said Yasir though Hisham didn't fail to notice the small smile that was playing on his younger brother's lips.

"Good luck with that."

"Thank you Akhi. I actually need it."

Hisham laughed as he plopped down next to Yasir but then quickly stood up again.

"Just give me minute bro, I will be right back."

"Okay."

Yasir waited patiently and minutes later, Hisham emerged from the kitchen, a plate in his hands.

A plate full of jam sandwiches.

"Wow Akhi, I should be coming over more often," joked Yasir as he took a large bite of his Akhi's sandwich.

"This house is yours as much as it is mine. You can come over whenever you want to," said Hisham guilt consuming him.

He had never invited any of his family members to his house. With Zulekha's numerous mood swings he never knew how she would react to him inviting people over. And the last thing he wanted was for his family to get a bad image of her.

"Hmm, so are you going to tell me what's wrong or do I have to ask you myself ?"

"Nothing is wrong Yasir."

"Yeah and my wife is normal and I can see."

Hisham sighed as he raked his hands through his hair in frustration. He had no idea of what to tell Yasir. His younger brother was smart and intelligent and he knew that he would not leave him until he got a valid reason.

"So who is it this time?" asked Yasir as his rested his forehead on the handle of his cane.

"What do you mean by that?"

"You know, for whom are you sacrificing you're happiness this time round?"

Hisham stared at his brother, shock etched all over his face. Yasir knew him too well.

"Does there have to be someone?"

"Knowing you Akhi, then Yes," replied Yasir.

Hisham sighed as he passed his hand over his beard. He didn't want to lie to Yasir but then again, did he even have an option?

"What if i tell you that this time I am doing it for myself. For my own happiness."

Yasir let out a small laugh as he shook his head.

"Go lie to someone else Akhi. If there was anything that would make you more than happy right now, then it would be you burning or disposing off Hitler's stuff from the Ceo's office so that you could put in yours," he said smiling and Hisham too laughed.

That was true. He had always planned that the minute Baba declared him Ceo, he would have removed all of Baba's old and boring stuff and replaced them with his own cool things. Video games being one of them. He had promised Khaleel that they would play the video games during lunch hours or whenever work sucked, which was always.

"No bro, really this time it's for me. I still want that position but then..."

"But then what?"

"But then i have more important things to pay attention to right now."

Yasir frowned not understanding where his Akhi was coming from.

"What is more important right now?" he asked.

Hisham sighed before answering.

"Yasir, you know that I just got married recently and my marriage is what needs my attention and time right now," he began and Yasir listened in keenly.

"I also got married recently Akhi. I still don't get you."

"Yasir, you got married under different circumstances. Yumnah loved you from the beginning and you too I guess, liked her as well. But as for me and Zulekha, it was more of an arranged marriage," he said not believing himself.

Since when had he become such a good liar?

May Allah forgive him but this was what was best for him.

"Ive just began settling down with her and I need time to enjoy my life as a married man. I can't take up that post now. Especially not now when things just started falling in place for both of us," he lied feeling extremely guilty.

But what else could he have told Yasir anyway? That he was doing this for his unborn child? That his wife was irresponsible and that his married life sucked?

"Oh," said Yasir as he slowly nodded his head. Things still didn't make sense to him anyway.

"Does Zulekha know about this?" he asked deep in thought.

He wondered what he would have done if he was in such a position. Firstly, he would have talked to Yumnah and knowing her, he knew that she would have encouraged him to take up his dream post.

As for settling down in their marriage, didn't they still have their whole life ahead of them? Even if Yumnah had loved him from before, it didn't mean that they weren't strangers to each other on their first day together. They had both taken a step at a time and in fact they were still getting to know something new about each other every day.

Wasn't that what marriage was all about? Was all okay in his Akhi's marriage?

"Are you sure that that is the only reason behind you're decision?"

"Yes ," said Hisham glad that his brother could not see the guilt that was etched all over his face.

"Fine then. I understand but don't take too long to settle down Akhi. Its time Baba got some rest too and this post is rightfully yours. Don't let it slip away," said Yasir.

"Thank you Yasir and maybe I just overreacted today. I should have just spoken to Baba. He would have understood."

"Yeah your exit was kind of really dramatic," said Yasir laughing.

Hisham too let out a fake laugh hoping that his brother would forgive him for lying to him.

"I am a Hosseini, we are born to be dramatic okay? So i guess Baba is really mad at me?"

"Well if him adding pepper instead of salt to his fries during dinner marks him as mad, then yes, he is really mad at you right now," said Yasir and Hisham laughed.

"See i told you, we are all dramatic. Its in our blood."

"I guess it is and don't worry about Baba. I will talk and explain things to him on you're behalf."

"JazakAllah."

"But Akhi?" asked Yasir, a serious expression on his face.

"Yes?"

"If you ever have a problem, you will tell me right?"

"Yes I will Yasir. Yes I will."

"Good."

Hisham quickly stood up in a bid to end the conversation because he knew that if they continued talking, Yasir just might discover that he was lying.

"Aren't you going to have the last sandwich?" he asked Yasir, who had been holding a sandwich in his hand for the past five minutes.

"No, ive saved it for Yumnah."

"Whoa...you love her that much huh?" Hisham asked smiling, his hands crossed over his chest as he watched his brother turn red.

"Its not about love Akhi. I always tell her that her cookies can never beat you're jam sandwiches, so ive saved this one so that she can taste it."

"I know right. My jam sandwiches are just the best. Well you can call her in while i go get my car keys. Il drop you guys home."

"Okay Akhi."

Before taking his keys, Hisham quickly rushed upstairs to tell his wife that he was leaving.

"Zulekha?"

No answer.

"Zulekha?"

"What?" she snapped.

"Im going to drop Yasir and Yumnah back home. Do you want to come and say Salam at least?"

"No and next time tell them about visiting hours," she said as she rolled over to his side of the bed.

"He is my brother Zulekha."

"Whatever."

Hisham sighed as he switched off the lights and closed the door behind him.

Guess somethings would never change...

Or would they?

********

The ride back home was a happy one and it helped Hisham forget his guilt for the time being.

"So Hisham, when are you inviting us over for a bro's date?" asked Yumnah.

"What is a bro's date?"

"Its when bros hang out you know. Like Yasir, me, Mama and Baba and Zulekha."

Yasir laughed while Hisham just shook his head.

"First of all, you and Mama are not bros, secondly, having Baba over for a date is not really a good idea and thirdly just say that you want to go back on that swing. We won't judge you," said Hisham smiling.

"Loser."

"Stupid Yusra."

"Alhamdullilah we are home. This car ride was suffocating," said Yumnah as she quickly got out of the car. She then helped Yasir out while Hisham quietly watched. He was glad that Yasir had found Yumnah. She truly was the one for him.

He waited in the car as he watched them slowly walk away. Maybe if he was not married, he would have also snuck out with them. That would have been fun. Maybe they could be sneaking out to go eat icecream or soemthing.

Why hadn't he ever thought of sneaking out before? Damn, guess Stupid Yusra always had better ideas.

"So who is Muneer?" he heard Yumnah ask Yasir as she led him away.

"Nobody."

Hisham laughed as he watched them. Yasir had for sure taken his hate for Muneer to another level.

"Yasir please tell me who Muneer is. Do I know him?"

"I don't want to hear that name please."

"Fine, if you don't tell me then im going to ring the doorbell. Let Hitler come down and open for us then you can tell him where we are coming from."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Try me."

Hisham smiled as he heard their voices fade away. How he wished that he too had such a relationship with his wife. A simple friendly relationship.

But then guess people never got what they always wanted. He just had to hold on a bit longer until Ameera was born.

He then planned on having such a relationship with his daughter. He planned to be a fun and friendly father. In Sha Allah.

He ignited his car and sped away into the empty streets with a heavy heart. A heart burdened with alot of things.

And he had just added one more burden to it.

******

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