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My first try at Nano Wrimo |
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** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** My first try at Nano Wrimo
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| “Don’t try to act smart, Saima.” You didn’t even deserve that B+, it happened only because Fariha had helped you out.” Saima seethed with rage every time she remembered last night’s conversation with her mother. Yes, it was true that accounting was not one of her best subjects, and she did seek advice from Fariha about a lot of the important chapters before the final doomsday, the paper-one of O-levels. Still, the “teacher’s pet” ended up with an A+, and she had to be satisfied with just a B+, a mere 70 percent out of hundred. Fariha was already in seventh heaven with a massive 85 percent. Why Oh Why? Letter grades meant a lot to Saima. She belonged to the so called elite class people, where good results meant a sign of status. She owned an apartment in Gulshan, a posh area where almost all the embassies and the leading corporate companies were situated. Her family had sixteen of the most luxurious cars sitting in her garage; she was the heiress of a property worth millions. Everything a girl of her age could dream had come to her feet even before she asked. “Hey Fari…how’s everything going on?” Saima rang up just to check on Miss Popular. “Hey Sam, yes, everything going great…how are you?” “You don’t want me to be good, do you? ” Saima thought out loud, which reached the other side of the phone as well. Fariha could not comprehend the sudden transformation of her best friend amongst the girls. “Sam, are you okay?” She enquired, naturally a little bit panicked. “Why would you care, Miss Popular?” Saima shouted, “go and rot in hell…you’ll never be happy, never ever!” Saima hung up with a bang. Fariha despised being cursed, she hardly cursed anyone, as she believed whatever one does to others, is the same thing he or she gets back from the surroundings. She just sat in front of an open window, with a cold coffee. She just listlessly toyed with her curls, as flashbacks of some great moments spent with Saima kept coming back to her. “What did I do to be cursed in such a rude way?” She wondered. Fariha chose to avoid Saima for a few days from then on. She expected an apology from Saima, which did not come even after a fortnight. This time Fariha did not go first to solve the problem, which was against her nature. Sometimes, her heart just flew to her friend whenever she saw Saima sitting with a group of peers, chatting merrily just as before. Only Fariha could not share all the fun. She just hoped everything would come back to normal, soon.   ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** Check out
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| Shanto’s father was a very hot-tempered person. Normally, when he was in a good mood, he would go on long drives with his son, or maybe go to the Star Cineplex to catch a good movie. Or maybe they would go to a nearby restaurant to grab a hot Chili Chicken. Shanto had lost his mother when he was just a three-year- old toddler. His father preferred to be a widower instead of bringing a stepmother for his son. Bringing up a teenage son all alone was not an easy job. He did take help from some of his relatives when Shanto was younger, but now neither he, nor his son liked to be disturbed by strangers except for a few close friends and relatives. Shanto’s father’s colleagues, preferably the senior ones, were welcome to their home. “Heya, champ, wanna go visit Water Kingdom?” Shanto’s father suggested one day. The roller-coaster ride called O-levels was finally over, and his son badly needed to relax. Water Kingdom was part of Fantasy Kingdom, an amusement park situated a little away from all the chaos of Dhaka city. Shanto enjoyed jumping into the water, he loved to swim. So, Water Kingdom definitely got his vote for being one of the best places for amusement, and of course, hanging out with friends. Soon after, Shanto heard his father shouting at someone over phone. He just could not match Papa’s two sides. The middle aged man was a very amiable person to be with, but once he became angry, he just lost his mind. He would start breaking things, or he became angry at people without reason. “Come on, champ, gear up! We’ll be out in ten minutes.” Shanto’s father said, gathering refreshments to eat at the park. It was not always wise to eat out, save some good quality fast food shops or restaurants. Shanto looked at himself standing in front of a full-length mirror. His thick, reddish-black hair needed one or two pulp full of styling gel, and tiny bits of beard peeped out of his oval, tanned face. Regular visits to the local gym gave him such a physique, any boy of his age would be envious of. He had a lot of admirers at school, but he preferred to keep some good friends. He had a good relation with all his classmates, but he did not like making new friends every two days. “You know, friends are special relatives we make for ourselves. One wrong pick might lead us to destruction. So, I’m very choosy about friends.” He used to tell his father, whenever he was asked about the comparatively smaller group of friends.  Water Kingdom was a lot of fun. Jumping, rolling, swimming and sliding into the cool ripples were a real treat in the scorching summer sun. They also took a ride on the Santa Maria, a replica of one of Columbus’s ships, which would take the riders really high in a jiffy, and back down with great force within seconds. The train was a little childish, yet it was nice. “So, it was a good day, huh?” Shanto’s father, Mr. Raihan Kader, asked as he walked into his son’s room to wish him good night. “Papa, don’t you have class tomorrow? Why are you up so late at night?” Shanto questioned, as he put down the novel he was reading. “Well, teaching Physics to a bunch of uninterested pupils is not so easy, son. I only have a few good brains like Fariha or Saima in my class.” “Well, you can always quit teaching; you also have a little business to run.” The teen suggested. “I had dreamt of teaching since childhood, my boy. I can’t give up so easily. I’ll have to brush up the others. I want the whole class to become good science students. If they enjoy arts or commerce subjects, they will enjoy science as well, God willing.” Mr. Raihan had a spark in his eyes, which showed faith in himself. He knew his work very well. A huge photograph hung on one of Shanto’s bedroom walls. He did not have any memories of his mother, except for that one still picture. His mother had a very sweet smile, and happiness painted all over her face. It was taken when he was in her womb. Just after two years of his time in the mortal world, he mother left him forever. She died of post pregnancy complications on the day his sister was born. The three of them apparently seemed happy, and grief did not touch them that much, but at times Shanto really missed his mother. “Hey Fariha, it’s been a long time since we last met Shanto. I wonder how he’s doing. Any news? What is he up to these days?” Parveen asked his daughter one day at breakfast table. “He’s good, Ma, uncle’s taking him to those entire father and son trips lately, and sometimes the little missy joins in too.” Fariha replied. Although Shanto’s sister was just two years younger than him, still she was better known as “The Little Missy” everywhere. She used to look a lot younger than she actually was. “I wonder if you could invite them over to dinner today. Mr. Raihan’s daughter is at a study tour, so it’s just the two of them. Their maid’s not a good cook you see.” Monir recommended. Shanto’s mother was Parveen’s college friend. Monir respected and adored that lady just like a younger sister. Right after matrimony, both the newlywed couples had spent most of their weekends together. Their favorite pastime was doing a little picnic at their village home as often as they could, because both the ladies enjoyed being in the rural atmosphere, in the lap of mother- nature as they would say. On the other hand, picnics allowed both the husbands to do just as they liked. Quite often, Parveen would find Monir milking a cow, and Shanto’s mother spotted his father in poultry farms helping the farmers collect eggs. He would even take the eggs out to various shops to help with the selling. He called it his own social work. The wives did not restrict their husbands from doing what they liked, as the ladies got similar advantages from the gents. “Wow! Aunty…so many dishes! I’m already salivating!” Shanto rolled his eyes at the sight of at least five of his favorite dishes at the dinner table that day. “Sister, anything special today? Raihan asked, admiring the feast with his eyes. The tempting aroma of mutton and vegetables satisfied half of his hunger already. Monir gave Raihan a meaningful look. Shanto gave his father a poke on the back, and Raihan almost choked. “Oh, it was your anniversary a few days back, right sister?” Raihan asked. “Happy twenty years of tying the knot. I wish Shila was here with us today. “She’s always with us, brother. She resides in our hearts. She’s the brightest star twinkling on the sky, watching over us like the guardian angel.” Parveen started, while Monir gave the finishing touch. “How’s Mishty doing? I miss my little Missy, uncle.” Fariha tried to change the subject. She was well aware of the strong bond between her teacher and his deceased wife; she did not want anyone to look sad, especially in a family get together. “Mishty’s doing just fine, dear; she’s really enjoying her study tour. She misses us though.” Raihan tried to look cheerful, although his mind kept going back to the moments spent with his beloved Shila, his very own Juliet, his inspiration…the list of adjectives goes on and on. He would never be able to give her place to anyone else. He would live with her memories and her children for the rest of his life. Shanto gave Fariha a thumb- up sign as the rather gloomy atmosphere became cheery again at the mention of his little sister. Raihan began discussing certain recent political issues with Monir between bites, Parveen and Fariha helped to serve the dishes. Shanto sat with a keyboard to play a favorite tune, as he had already completed dinner. He was not a voracious eater, but did not like spending too much time at the dining table. After dinner homemade chocolate, a favorite amongst everyone who had tasted it was served. Shanto helped Fariha complete the incomplete lyrics of her song. The men relaxed on the divan in front of the TV. Parveen joined the teens after completing the domestic work. The children would go back to school just the day after, so that was a perfect ending to a great vacation. ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** Check out
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| Days passed, and a month just flew away. Fariha had been working her brain out for the O-levels, because she was well aware of the importance of her first public exam. She had received the International Statement of Entry on time, and she had a good set of stationary to help her highlight the important parts of her answer sheet. Visual appeal had a good impact on the examiner, so she focused on good handwriting and neatness besides proper preparation. “Fariha dear, all set? Are you ready to take off? We’ll accompany you.” Both her parents said the same sentence on the day of her accounting paper-one exam. “Sure, I’m ready!” It didn’t take her long to hop into their car. Monir took the steering wheel, and Parveen took the seat beside him. Fariha sat comfortably in the back seat. The radio was set to a favorite station, and instrumental music circulated inside the vehicle, creating an addictive environment for all of them. The car came to a sudden halt at Mohakhali Flyover, still far away from their destination. Fariha had to take that particular exam at City Grand Hall, which was normally 30 minutes away from Hassan Cottage. Unfortunately, it had been pouring heavily since morning. As a result, about fifteen other vehicles were already on the flyover, jostling their way forward. The continuous rain had flooded the flyover and the surrounding roads. Despite having a good drainage system, the water flowed away from the vehicles at a snail’s pace. Some of the other vehicles also had O- level candidates in them. Fariha even noticed Shanto’s black car not far from hers. He was seated just beside the driver. Droplets of sweat formed on his forehead, his eyes reflected lack of sleep. Their exam was supposed to start at 4:30 pm, and her wristwatch already showed 4:25. Shanto’s condition was imaginable. Even her own stomach churned, she was fighting back nausea with all her might. They would never make it on time. Even a moment seemed like a year now. “Don’t worry, dear, Allah will help you.” Parveen tried to lift up Fariha’s spirit. “It’s ok, champ, you’ll be able to give a great exam.” Shanto’s father tried to encourage his son. “I hope you’re right, Papa!” Shanto smiled. About an hour later, Fariha and her friend reached the venue. Accounting required hundred percent concentration, and clever usage of the scarce resource called time. At first, the room invigilator did not allow them in, but some other candidates trapped in the rain joined them within minutes, and a joint plea worked like the magic key to the hall. “All the best, buddy.”Shanto wished his friend as they took their respective seats. A shiver ran down Fariha’s spine as she looked at the question paper. It had options, but still, the compulsory questions were lengthy, demanding complex calculations, and she just had two hours to complete a three-and-half hour long paper. “Err! Why does this always happen to me? I’m a good for nothing fellow!” Fariha cursed herself for being late. She was tense, but it did not take her long to settle down. Something was better than nothing, so she just began with the easiest question. Fariha’s head was spinning; the extreme tension was showing its effects now. Still, she didn’t learn to give up, so she just gathered as much confidence as she could, saying a silent prayer at regular intervals. On the other hand, Shanto scribbled away, without even moving in his seat. He needed to catch up with the Single Entry and the Manufacturing Accounts. The next paper was going to be harder, so he wanted to gain as much points as he could from paper- one. “Hey, buddy, could you finish all the accounts?” Shanto asked Fariha, as they waited in the lift lobby after the exams. “Yes, thanks to Allah!” Fariha was finally relieved after what seemed like a rapid fire round of calculations. “What about you, chum?” Fariha asked. “And did uncle…?” “Yes, I at least could finish. God! That hour on the flyover seemed like an eternity. No, dad’s being very sweet lately.” Shanto replied. Fariha seemed like his female version. She always stayed with him through thick and thin. ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** Check out
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“Mind making me a little bowl of fruit custard? I’m starving!” Monir handed them the bags of fruits, untying the knot of his dark grey tie. “I don’t mind, Abbu, but finish your lunch first.” Fahmida's voice had a playful, yet stern tone. “Heard that? I agree with her. No dessert before the main meal.” Parveen joined in the conversation. “Ok, my little mother, you win, and you too, madam!” Monir gave his wife a little wink. Fahmida accompanied her mother to the kitchen. It was true that her paternal aunt was a professional chef in a well-known restaurant, but to her, mom was “the one” for homemade food, even watching her make the preparations was a nice cooking lesson in itself. “Ammu, did I show you this?” she asked, holding up the sketch. “Hey, isn’t that a work of your Physics teacher? You must’ve done many good deeds today.” "Wow! that's an exquisite work of art. You can also use it as a picture prompt to develop a nice story." Monir commented, as he appeared in the scene. The Looney Tunes T-shirt complemented his cotton trousers well. Fahmida frowned at her father, making a face. "You look like a kid!" "The kid I fell in love with, many years back." A soft smile created an instant glow on Parveen's face. "Tell me more, please..." "Stories have to wait, my darling, lunchtime now."  Fahmida shared most of her daily events with her mother, save some special teen talks, which were kept in stock for Shanto or Saima. Teenage musings were always mysterious, and teens naturally did not prefer to share their thoughts with complete adults, especially parents. Fortunately, Parveen was friendly with the girl ever since she was a child, which did not give rise to what is known as generation gap these days. At times, they would just sit sunbathing in the balcony, with a bit of knitting, needle or crochet work. Sometimes these hobbies did strain their eyes, but once a sweater for Monir, or an embroidered tablecloth was completed, it gave them immense pleasure. Moreover, gardening was also a nice way of spending quality time together. The hobbies previously mentioned were only for the females, but Monir admired the potted-plant garden, which motivated him to join in the fertilizing or the plant-watering. A few mango, jackfruit, lychee and blackberry trees resided both inside the garage and outside the gate of Hasan Cottage. Bangladesh was definitely a lovely evergreen country with trees and rivers spread widely across the map. However, the capital city did not get as much trees as needed, thanks to the widespread developer companies. These business people, as Parveen called the developers, took up every single piece of vacant land for their high-storied apartments. On top of that, people hardly got fresh air to breathe, thanks to the traffic congestion Dhaka city was famous for. “I think that rose plant needs some more fertilizer, honey.” Monir commented, as he noticed an almost withered rose plant while watering. “Maybe a bit of sunlight too. Why don’t you help with the fertilizing, handsome?” Parveen suggested, with a heart-melting smile. “Come here, beautiful…”Monir summoned her, spreading his arms wide. “Watch out, your daughter’s not a baby anymore. She might appear any minute.” Parveen warned, walking into a warm embrace. Monir lifted up his wife’s chin, to sink deep into the black, kohl -lined eyes. Even after two decades of married life, Parveen had a lot to turn him on. Hair cascading down her shoulders past her moderate waist line, with an intoxicating smell of jasmine all around her. The only hair products Parveen used were hair oil, shampoo and occasionally henna to bring a shade of red to her greyish-black curls. The brands of her hair oil varied, so did the smell. Sometimes her tresses had the scent of jasmine, sometimes the natural aroma of Indian gooseberry or almonds. “Ahem!” The sound of a small cough brought the couple back to reality. Fahmida had sneaked in, the entrance to the rooftop had been kept ajar, and the teen had silently tiptoed inside. “Happy Anniversary, both of you.” She announced. A colorful package wrapped in handmade paper occupied her hands; she just stood in the middle of her parents. “Whoa! Little lady, you have a sharp memory indeed!” Both of them took the parcel together. A lovely set of family photographs were placed in the four heart shaped chambers of the frame Fahmida had bought some days before. One of the photographs had Parveen dressed up in her red wedding hand loom Shari and a matching veil. Two others had the couple in two different poses, and the last one showed the whole family, a precious moment captured on Fahmida's first birthday. Parveen had given one of their family albums to her daughter for safekeeping. She took out four diamonds out of that gem-mine, to decorate her gift. “This one’s the best of them all.” Parveen pointed at the fourth photograph. “You’re the best present we could ever get, little mother.” Monir said, as Fahmida threw herself in her father’s inviting arms. ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** Check out
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| Tring-ring! went the recess bell. Many of the students stormed out of the classroom to grab a bite from the cafeteria. There was a teenage boy in charge of beverages. Owing to the constant hot weather, his chocolate milk was an all time favorite. The little refrigerator became empty at the blink of an eye. To grab a packet of cool, unsweetened milk-drink, one had to hurry. Recess, naturally, was an all-time favorite among most of the students. Some liked to play chase, others immersed themselves in classic novels. A few boys engaged themselves with soccer or handball. There were a few pairs of teen love birds as well, and these could be found in quiet corners, merrily chatting away about God knows what. Fahmida relaxed on a chair under the mango tree just beside their classroom. The plastic chair was a bit rickety; it swayed a little. Saima was nowhere in sight. Normally, they would always share their lunch; Fahmida wondered what had happened to her friend that day. She opened her lunchbox, revealing some mouthwatering Tehari . The tempting aroma wafted through the air, luring the gatekeeper’s pet dog to her. She was about to give the second piece of bone to the animal, when she noticed Saima walking at a snail's pace towards her. “Sam, where were you? I kept waiting with food here.” Fahmida's melodious voice seldom sounded nice when she was irritated. “I…um… am in a little trouble. Can you help?” Saima was trembling a little, and her voice was shaky with nervousness. “Hey come on, I have a remedy to that, don’t worry” Fahmida watched with an assuring smile as she watched her friend cross the cafeteria towards the ladies’ rest room. “Come; let’s go grab a cup of coffee. I could use some caffeine to ease the pain." Saima suggested. The cafeteria was buzzing with busy bees everywhere. Some were sipping freshly brewed Nescafe, some were chewing bones of a Tandoori Chicken, and some were just licking on two-in-one ice creams. The two friends occupied a table in the middle, to get a good view of the whole place. They just had to pass some time before the next class, so one of the girls took a ginger tea, and the other ordered a chicken toast and a tall serving of ice coffee. Just then, they noticed a pair of seniors practicing music. One was playing a traditional bamboo flute; the other was playing a guitar. That fusion looked a little unusual, but surprisingly, seemed very soothing. Those two were quite popular around the whole campus. Known as the musical duo, they not only attracted students of all ages, but were a favorite amongst teachers too. “Hey there brothers, mind if we join in?” Saima asked. “No, not at all, the more, the merrier!” Both of them said in unison. Saima had a velvet voice, and could completely sink into music when she was in the mood. Fahmida could work as a co-artist well, as she was addicted to music since childhood. So, she started a self-composed song, and soon everyone else joined in, adding more words and changing the melody at times: “My mind has touched yours I know it well Your beauty already has cast a spell Maybe it’s just a dream, or is it reality? You’re everywhere I go; you’re just so pretty…” Busy life and loads of homework had prevented Fahmida from completing the lyrics, but she intended to do so soon. For the time being, they just continued singing the same lines over and over again, just changing the tune. Music always worked as a great remedy to all ailments. Naturally, their grief was replaced by happiness soon. Singing always helped them re-energize when they felt blue. About fifteen minutes later, there was a call from the Physics teacher. Mr. Raihan Kader was an excellent teacher, besides being an extraordinary painter. A call from him filled the students with both dread and pleasure, because he was very strict about grading their papers. On the other hand, he would also give them sudden unexpected surprises like cash prizes, or a painting, if the assignment or project work could keep up to his expectations. With mixed feelings, Fahmida tiptoed to the little cubicle with Mr. Raihan’s name plate on it. He was already looking at her through his golden-framed spectacles. Her periscope rested on his table. He leafed through The Daily Star with one hand, and sipped tea from a fat ceramic mug with the other. “May I come in, sir?” “Sure, take a seat, young lady.” Raihan was always polite with females. “Great job with this, Fahmida , so… He paused, pointing to an orange envelope just beside his mug. “You deserve this.” A warm smile assured the girl that her three-hour-long effort with the project had brought out something good. She opened the envelope carefully once outside the cubicle. Out came a 1000 taka note, and a lovely sketch of a mermaid. She was confident about her work, such a lovely prize made her euphoric. “I’ll buy a gift for mom with this.” She thought, as she looked at the cash. “Hey, how did the meeting go?” Saima was waiting for her friend at the lobby. “Look what I got!” Fahmida exclaimed as she held up the artwork for Saima. “See this?” Saima showed a project report for the periscope. She had scored a B- . “Physics was never my favorite anyway. I just need to pass out. A simple D+ would do.” She remarked. It took her another half-hour to get out of the school. That day, Physics was the only class. Fahmida always kept some time to hang out with her friends. On her way back home, there was a branch of Archie’s Gallery, which had a huge collection of soft toys, cards, show-pieces, coin-boxes, jewelry cases etc. It was Monir and Parveen’s 20th anniversary after a week. After window shopping for some time, Fahmida picked up a crystal photo frame, with two heart shaped chambers on either side. It had space for four different photographs. “Perfect for Ammu and Abbu . Fariha thought as she got up on a cycle rickshaw. ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** Check out
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| Chapter: 1 -The Rays of the morning sun Fahmida was not someone who would bury her nose all day in study materials. She loved visiting her uncle's place, and helped with her aunt's kitchen work. Her aunt had excellent culinary skills, which she passed on to her niece. Fahmida also enjoyed reciting from the Holly Quran, and she prayed five times a day. She was allowed to wear both eastern and western attires, always in a decent way. She looked gorgeous in a long skirt and matching top, she looked breathtaking in a traditional Shalwar Kameez. The sixteen-year-old was always admired for her unique choice of fashion wherever she went. Fahmida sat on the nearby divan. A plastic bowl full of freshly picked Jasmine occupied a spot near her legs. Her fingers kept coming up and down, cautiously picking up flowers that formed into a long necklace. She kept flicking at a naughty strand of hair in front of her large forehead. A reddish-black, long braid jumped on her back as she moved forward to pick up flowers, one after another. 'Fahmida, put that craft aside now, it's time to study!' Parveen hardly discouraged her daughter's hobbies, but being a mother, she had to be stern at times. Being the only child of her parents, Fahmida wished to be pampered all the time. Parveen, on the other hand, believed in a balance of care and limitations. 'Mom, please, just a little bit more. I'll ace my quiz tomorrow, I promise!' Parveen looked down at the younger version of herself. The small, dark brown eyes adjusted with her round, tanned face well. A pair of thin gold earrings added more charm to her innocent beauty. Parveen planted a light kiss on her daughter's forehead. A group of house sparrows thronged around a few grains of rice. A few mango trees stood surrounding the large, white gate. Students of all shapes and sizes made their way towards their respective classrooms through that gate. All of them seemed to be in a hurry, worry splashed all over their faces. A gentle breeze blew past Fahmida's long braid as she entered through the large white gate into the school premises. Dry leaves cracked under her feet as she trudged towards her classroom a few steps away. The heavy schoolbag felt like a lump of stone on her back. A few of her juniors could be seen playing on the see-saw. Some occupied the slide and swings. Some were just practicing in the basketball court. "Hi everyone!" The teen greeted a few of her peers. She was dressed in a navy blue Kameez , white shalwar and a white Orna . A pair of black school footwear covered her feet. "Hey, "How's preparation for the Math class?" "We have a mock test today, right? I practiced for three hours last night." You're great in Math, I'm not.' The somber expression on Saima's face was enough to tell she was not really in a good mood. 'Come on Sam, you're not bad at all.' Fahmida gave her friend a short pat on the back. Saima looked up into Fahmida's eyes. Those confident eyes always made her envious. Unlike her friend , Saima had extremely dark complexion. On top of that, she was one of the shortest girls in class. She just wished she had a mother like Parveen aunty, who was always there for her daughter through thick and thin. Saima could seldom keep long hair, due to a severe hair fall problem. Her mother was a businesswoman, who never had the will to spend quality time with her. On the other hand, Saima's father had passed away due to a sudden cardiac arrest when she was just a toddler. Various plants decorated either side of the walk way. Ixora, Periwinkle, China Rose, Oleander, all sorts of shades and fragrances could be seen and smelt everywhere. Fariha's personal favorites were the guava trees. She would often enjoy the taste of sweet- and sour guava the gardener would keep for her. In return, he would charge just ten taka for each fruit. 'There's nothing like natural desserts!" Parveen commented one day, biting into a greenish-yellow guava. Fahmida picked up a bunch of Ixora flowers from a nearby bush."See , it's a two-in-one flower." she commented, as she placed the little Ixora petals one by one on her fingers. Her nails looked as if they were just painted with dark orange nail polish. "I like natural makeup, don't you?" Parveen asked her daughter. "Nope, I just like herbal face packs.' 'Right you are. Branded cosmetics are not bad; they can be used at times.' 'Cosmetics, right? I wonder what to suggest for Saima, she's always so worried about her skin.' Fariha enquired. She was well aware of her mother's passion for beauty. Parveen had done a four-month long beautician course when she was expecting. 'Come, let's take a seat.' Parveen pointed at one of the empty benches. The cement bench made them shiver. Tiny lizards climbed up their feet, but still they did not push the reptiles aside. Fariha played with a colorful pebble for some time. A hawk rested on one of the palm trees shading the bench they were sitting on. Fariha brushed a dry leaf away from her hair. Relaxed, they continued their conversation: 'Saima? Why should she be worried? She's pretty.' Parveen mentioned. 'I don't know. She's always complaining about her mother and says she wants a mother like you." "That is a bad practice indeed, we should always be happy with whatever we're blessed with. There are many people living in worse conditions than us." "I remember that Ammu, but how do I make her understand?" The sombre expression on Fahmida's face was enough to display genuine concern and love for her best friend. The sky wore a lovely red robe, with a little hint of violet in it. Pious people were on their way back from the mosque after saying evening prayers. Wild birds were chirping noticeably on the way back to their nests. The teen was busy in the kitchen preparing snacks for her father. He was about to return home from office. Unlike the other Bangladeshi mothers, Parveen always allowed her girl in the kitchen. Fahmida sometimes cooked a whole meal for them. The girl excelled at things she enjoyed, like cooking or studies. Moreover, her own wishes were always prior to anything else. Parveen or her husband Monir, did not want their girl to be overloaded with expectations. Fahmida just finished frying some potato dumplings when the telephone rang: "Hi , It's me, Saima. Did you complete your Physics homework yet?" "Oh hey Sam. How have you been? Yes, I had finished making the periscope about an hour ago." "So, what do you think? You'll get an A+ here?" "Letter grades doesn't really matter Sam. All I know is, I enjoyed doing my task, that's more important than an A+" |
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