11.  She reads through me..

The next day, Wali had an off. It was the first time in five years he was sitting at home and not working. From the day he came to Canada, he had just worked hard to make himself free of every burden he had been facing since childhood, but today, surprisingly, he was NOT earning dollars and all thanks to FARAH!

He was aimlessly roaming about in his home, his wrist did hurt, but it was better.

Farah was in her office, working, and at lunchtime, she felt a strange in-completeness. There was no one she could head for.  She knew that Wali would be having an off today; his supervisor signed a two-day leave. She ate her canteen sandwiches, trying hard to drift away the feeling of emptiness. She had to accept that although there were a few days of their interaction but there was a strange string pulling her towards him. He was rude, unfriendly, but he was kind, he was sincere, he was respecting. There was no proof which her heart could present her mind for these attributes, but it was an affirmative feeling  she could not deny. Farah Behroz khan had never surrendered to her mind, and this time again she kept the tradition – her heart was taking over her mind.

Wali roamed his nearby markets and almost the whole day thinking what gift should he give his sister. It was the first time he had to buy something and he wasn't able to decide. Soon he returned home, realizing he wasn't the gift-giving material. He decided to ask his sister her opinion and send her what she will demand. He slept early, as his holiday finished, and tomorrow he had work, but he had to accept that somewhere - he ENJOYED!

Farah reached her home, her work was really keeping her busy, so her drinks were reduced a bit, but the carving was still there. She knew the moment she will finish this campaign, she will have to go back to drinks as she won't be able to handle the carving alone. And she feared that day.

Next afternoon:

"sandy I am going out for lunch", she hurriedly grabbed her mobile and informed her colleague.

"btw where do u go for ur lunches nowadays hun?", her colleague inquired with a naughty tinge in her voice, and to Farah's surprise, SHE BLUSHED! ,"shut up!", she managed to utter between her smiles and rushed out.

She reached the construction site, and she saw him, talking on mobile. She saw him after one whole day. Her heart was filled with contentment.

"hiiiiiiii!!!", the spoke up with extreme excitement and he dropped his mobile!, he turned to see her smiling face and forgot all his rage that came due to the sudden voice. "hath kaisa hai ab?",she asked, grabbing his left wrist, which now didn't have the bandage. Wali couldn't answer her, she had again started brushing her fingers on his wrist, in the same hypnotic circular motion, and this time to Wali's disadvantage, there was no barrier between his skin and hers', he could directly feel the slight rub against his wrist, the friction of her finger lines against his wrist. And before he could be further mesmerized he pulled his hand back. It hurt to do so, but he had to.

"thek hai, thank u", he coldly said, bending to pick his mobile. "zarminey I will talk to u later", he said on the phone and glancing at Farah who was having a curious look, he turned, and started walking towards the half- built building.

"sorry I disturbed, girlfriend se baat kar rahe they?", she was walking beside him and blurted out all which came to his mind.

"behn hai meri!", he stiffly replied, he didn't liked at all that her sister was confused with  girlfriend.

"oh!,awwwww..how sweet!!, tu baat kar lo na, band ku kar zarminey phone?", she sweetly advised and he again was shocked, shocked at her sudden frankness.

 "meri break khatm ho gai hia, I will talk later.", he said in his usual stiff voice and Farah shook her head, "ok fine!, waise kia baat hai?"

He started walking more quickly, and started breaking the concrete slab, Farah sat near him on another slab. He passed her a tough look, but she smiled sweetly, he turned back to work, knowing she won't listen.

"waise behn se kia baat kar rahe they?', the convince in her voice shocked Wali, "nothing important", he again bend to his excavation instrument, breaking the slab in pieces.

"I think it was something important, bht serious lag rahe they", she said, munching her sandwich. Wali took deep breath and kept on doing his work.

"bataon na!, girlfriend se baat kar rahe they tu privacy samjh main ati hai, bhen se kia keh rahe they ye tu bata sakte ho!", her constant mumbling was distracting him, he wasn't able to concentrate on the instrument, he took a deep breath again, re-setting the values. "batao na!"

"next week us ki anniversary hai, tu I was asking her about what gift does she wants!!",he finally spoke up, being irritated, hoping now she will stop talking.

"awwwwww..that is so sweet!", she started looking at him sweetly and Wali got uncomfortable with her love-filled gaze., "tu kia kaha zarminey ne?"

Wali unconsciously looked at her, she  even picked up the name!, "kuch nahi, I was about to ask, but break khatam ho gai hai", he drilled in the excavation machine.

"oh!, but u should give her a surprise na!, acha hua nahi pocha!, khud lo na", she had now finished her sandwich and was gulping down juice. Wali was now not answering; he had broken the slab in halves, now he had to make further pieces. "lekin mujhe nahi lagta u are the gift-giving type material!", she spoke after thinking much and Wali almost dropped the machine. This was the same exact words he thought about himself!!.

 "mian hi help kar deti hon", her voice made him realize that he was staring at him, so he bended on the slab again. "tumhari behn ka kuch favourite bataon mujhe", she moved close, as the voice of drilling machine was disturbing. He looked at her blankly.

"hmmm, as expected, kuch nahi pata na k kia favourite hai us ka! I knew, u are so heartless!,", she looked at him shaking her head and he looked away.

" btw first anniversary hai?'

"nahi!, fifth!", he had no choice but to answer.

"fifth?, tu pehle kaun gift deta tha?", she was shocked and she observed that his hands movements stopped with a jerk, but then resumed thier work, "meri maa, is saal death ho hai gai un ki", although the stiffness was there, but the vulnerability was evident, "oh!, I am sorry!",

Suddenly he felt such a kid to her, whose mom had died and now he had the responsibility of his family, a boy who was so confused how to handle such things which his mother used to do!, she suddenly wanted to hug him, "koi baat nahi is baar main help kar don gi tumhain, but u don't tell zarminey, I am sure wo tum se gift expect nahi kar rahi ho gi, tum surprise bhejo gey tu bht khush ho jaye gi!!", she spoke with enthusiasm and Wali was startled, she was right!, never did zarminey expect Wali to be courteous, since five years he had been sending money to his mother, he never even wished her, but he never did forgot also.

"tu thek hai, main aj sochti hon kuch, btw budget kitna hai tumahra?', she tried searching his face, "ummm..$500?', she made a guess and kept looking at his face, "ok then!, $500 main tu bht acha gift a jaye ga!", she stood up and Wali was blankly staring her, he didn't even spoke a word, then how come she guessed the exact figure that was in his mind??

"chalo ab main chalti hon, kal milte hian, I will think of options, kal lunch k baad off le lena, gift ki shopping karne chale gey" she jumped off from the slab, "bye!", she left the site and Wali was staring at her go, in amazement, the girl was unbelievable!.