Ishq Kinara[Love Ashore] Complete

3. A regular Sunday

Sunday

9:00 AM

Kirmani House

Nusrat Bibi had been working for the Kirmanis since she was in her prime youth and now they graying hair on her head were enough to tell she had seen quite some years in this house. She was there when Issa Kirmani got married to Firdaus. She was there when Bisma Kirmani completed her business degree and showed her desire to get some work experience abroad. She was also the witness of the grief which struck the family when both Firdaus and Issa had lost their lives in a deadly accident. When Bisma was literally losing her sanity handling the business. She had seen it all.

But more than anyone else, the person Nusrat had spent the most time with, was the little baby Issa and Firdaus had left behind. Safwa was born in front of her eyes and was now touching her early twenties. Nusrat Aapa, as Bisma and Safwa both liked to call her, had the knack of reading Safwa like an open book and Safwa never minded. Nusrat Aapa was family. So, right now when Safwa showed her wish to prepare the breakfast herself, Nusrat Aapa just smiled and started arranging the needed ingredients for her. Not many people knew that Safwa an excellent cook and an ever better baker. She never thought much of it because she learnt cooking both as a basic life skill and also because when Bisma was out on foreign business trips, she'd have nothing to do to kill her time. So cooking seemed like a nice thing to learn and now she was almost pro at it. Contrary to Safwa, Bisma couldn't boil an egg without painting it in soot. Clearly both niece and aunt had their different areas of expertise.

"I smell heaven from here!"

Bisma exclaimed entering the kitchen. She was still in her night wear with her hair pulled up in a rough bun. The trim and sharp looking Bisma Kirmani was not big on getting out of her comfy clothes when lazying around in the house.

"When you live off the airline food service half the month, even the normal breakfast starts smelling like heaven."

Bisma shrugged her shoulders picking an apple from the fruit basket. She didn't try to take a chunk out of whatever Safwa was making. Interrupt Safwa Kirmani's cooking by eating before she had presented it to you and you'd have your head on a spike. That was the rule.

As Bisma sat down on the stool to Safwa's side, her eyes filled with the motherly warmth seeing how happy and contented Safwa was looking.

"It was one memorable birthday, wasn't it?"

Safwa nodded mixing the pancake batter.

"Yup! I wasn't expecting one and got two parties, kind of. I've taken so many photographs to hang on my memory wall. Will get to it after the breakfast."

Her tone was also suggesting of her happiness. Bisma silently sent a prayer to the Almighty to keep this contentment intact in Safwa's life.

"You didn't tell me about Hesham."

Safwa snorted.

"What about that clown?"

"Now,now! He arranged the party for you. Give him some credit here."

"After getting a reminder from Sarim, Sure."

There was a mirthful edge to the way she was talking about him. The same. The normal. The usual.