*
"How was the flight?"
"Too high up for my taste," Adnan replied with a grimace.
"I can't believe you're still afraid of heights at this point in your life," Nafisa laughed at
*"You're back," Yusuf said as he stepped into the living room. It was exactly five minutes to midnight, and everyone in the house had gone to bed. Or at least they pretended to. Adnan was sitting in the living room, his eyes staring unfocused at the TV, where a boring sitcom was showing. He looked up slowly at his father, waiting to see something which wasn't there anymore.
*"Afrah?""I am not getting married to Fahad, Umma," she said immediately, struggling to keep her breathing steady. "I do notwantto get married to him."
*"Halima, it's Maimuna.""Where is Afrah?"
*"Sit," Yusuf said forcibly, gesturing to the seat beside him. Adnan remained standing, his feet in a small puddle which remained as an aftermath from the rain. Yusuf was staring at the swimming pool, even though it was covered and empty. Beside him was a bottle of coke with two glasses filled with ice cubes. Adnan was thankful it wasn't something else.
*The nightmare was finally over.Afrah had done it.
*Maryam had been reluctant to call Adnan ever since they left their house. Her mother had given her his phone number despite her refusal, and insisted she call him at once.Mercifully, her attention had been drawn elsewhere afterwards, and she didn't get a chance to pressurize her any further. But once she had dealt with the problem at hand, she returned to her daughter's room with a purposeful stride.
*Halima had always had such beautiful hair, right from her childhood. It fell right down to her shoulders, thick and jet-black with a sheen unlike any other. Her hair was one of the many things Afrah was glad she inherited."Abba doesn't know how lucky he is," Amina said as she watched Afrah plaiting her hair. They were sitting in Halima's room, where the noise of the men down below couldn't be heard.
*Afrah had straightened up and smoothed out her gown by the time Adnan came up the balcony. She had more than enough time, seeing as he got lost twice on the way up, with no one to guide him. The first time, he wound up in the upstairs kitchen where he found a man who appeared to be just as lost as him."I... I was looking for the bathroom," he said, with his phone pressed to his ear and a guilty look on his face. "D... Do you know where t