Cherreads

Chapter 207 - Sparks, Spices, and Skewers

**Scene 1: Lazy Eid Mornings** 

*(Living Room – 11:15 AM)* 

Khadija and Hamza lay tangled in a nest of cushions, Gulabo's bell abandoned on the rug. Amina toddled past, clutching a glittery Eid card. 

**Hamza** (rubbing eyes): *"Gulabo's bell *haunted* my dreams!"* 

**Khadija** (grabbing remote): *"*ARY Digital* has *Eid special*! Move, *bhai*!"* 

Irfan and Imran nursed *doodh patti*, eyes glazed. 

**Imran** (yawning): *"I dreamt of butcher knives. *Trauma*."* 

**Irfan** (pointing): *"*Ali Zafar's live concert*! *Finally* culture."* 

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**Scene 2: Kitchen Commanders** 

*(Kitchen – 11:45 AM)* 

Ammi battled a mountain of dishes while Ayesha sorted spices. Maryam scrubbed stubborn *haldi* stains. 

**Ayesha** (grinning): *"Turmeric stains are Karachi's *permanent makeup*."* 

**Maryam** (showing yellow palms): *"Becoming *desi* from the outside in."* 

**Ammi** (slamming a pot): *"Eid feasts: *janat* for tummies, *jahannum* for sinks!"* 

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**Scene 3: Brunch Bombardment** 

*(Dining Table – 12:30 PM)* 

Leftover *nihari* sat beside congealed *sheer khurma*. Khadija eyed a meat chunk suspiciously. 

**Khadija**: *"Is this… *Gulabo*?"* 

**Imran** (covering it): *"*Nahi beti*! That's… *Uncle Cow* from yesterday."* 

Ammi dropped her announcement mid-bite. 

**Ammi**: *"*Beef pulao* and *barbecue* tonight."* 

**Hamza** (jumping): *"*FIRE! BIG FIRE!"* 

**Khadija**: *"*Kababs*! *Skewers*!"* 

**Ayesha** (to Maryam): *"You unleashed *fire jinns*, *Chachi*."* 

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**Scene 4: The Task Tango** 

*(Dining Table – 12:45 PM)* 

**Ayesha** (raising lassi glass): *"I'll marinate! *Ammi's secret weapon*: Coca-Cola!"* 

**Ammi** (scandalized): *"*Haram*! *Cola* in *qurbani* meat?"* 

**Ayesha**: *"*Haram* only if *Molvi Sahab* sniffs!"* 

**Maryam** (timidly): *"I'll handle salads and *raita*?"* 

**Khadija**: *"*Chachi*, no *maple syrup* this time!"* 

**Ammi**: *"*Theek hai*. I'll make *parathas* and *pulao*. *Bas*—no *Canadian surprises*."* 

**Irfan** (raising hand): *"We'll manage… *fire logistics*?"* 

**Imran** (snorting): *"*Logistics*? You mean *lighting matches*?"* 

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**Scene 5: Marination Mayhem** 

*(Kitchen Counter – 1:30 PM)* 

Ayesha transformed into a spice alchemist. *Kalonji*, *sauf*, and dried pomegranate seeds rained into her mortar. 

**Maryam** (sneezing): *"It smells like… *volcano* and *grandma's attic*!"* 

**Ayesha** (rubbing paste on beef): *"*Chaos in a bowl*! Secret's the *papaya paste*—tenderizes like *magic*."* 

Khadija tiptoed in with pink glitter. 

**Khadija**: *"For *sparkly kababs*!"* 

**Ayesha** (blocking her): *"*Shaitaan*'s weapon! Glitter is *forever*—even in *toilets*!"* 

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**Scene 6: Salad Struggles** 

*(Vegetable Station – 2:00 PM)* 

Maryam faced cucumbers like enemy combatants. 

**Maryam** (muttering): *"In Toronto, salads came *pre-chopped*. *Civilization*."* 

**Khadija** (peering): *"*Chachi*, why's the cucumber *bald*?"* 

Maryam looked down at the sad, over-peeled stick. 

**Maryam** (defeated): *"It… *surrendered*."* 

**Ayesha** (tossing a knife): *"*Chop like it owes you money*, *gori*!"* 

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**Scene 7: Pulao Pandemonium** 

*(Stovetop – 2:45 PM)* 

Ammi stirred the *degh* like a sorceress. 

**Maryam**: *"Why's the rice *golden*, Ammi?"* 

**Ammi**: *"*Zarda* color. *Saffron*? *Nahi*—*food dye*. *Budget magic*."* 

**Imran** (sneaking a bite): *"*Arrey*! *Kachcha chawal*!"* 

**Ammi** (smacking his hand): *"*Jinnat* steal *pulao* from thieves! *Sabr*!"* 

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**Scene 8: Kabab Bootcamp** 

*(Marination Table – 3:00 PM)* 

Ayesha shaped perfect discs. Maryam's skewers flopped like dead fish. 

**Maryam** (frowning): *"Mine look… *depressed*."* 

**Ayesha** (adjusting her grip): *"*Dum lagao*, not *strangle*! Gentle!"* 

Hamza burst in waving a lighter. 

**Hamza**: *"I help *Abbu* with *FIRE*!"* 

**Imran** (sprinting after him): *"*Beta*, that's *Ammi's* *sari* lighter! *Danger décor*!"* 

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**Scene 9: Grill Guardians** 

*(Garden – 3:15 PM)* 

Irfan and Imran "inspected" the rusty grill with grave intensity. 

**Imran** (poking charcoal): *"*Structural integrity*: *critical*."* 

**Irfan** (nodding): *"Need *combustion catalyst*… *aka* petrol."* 

From the kitchen, Maryam watched them. 

**Maryam**: *"They look… *focused*."* 

**Ayesha** (rolling dough): *"*Acting*. Men and grills—*drama queen combo*."* 

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**Scene 10: The Calm Before the Smoke** 

*(Backyard – 3:45 PM)* 

Marinated meat glistened in trays. Salads gleamed (after Maryam's third attempt). 

**Ammi** (wiping brow): *"*Allah ka shukar*! *Kabab jihad* done."* 

**Khadija** (hugging Maryam): *"*Chachi*, your salad's *less scary* now!"* 

Hamza raced past with the lighter. 

**Hamza**: *"*ABBULET'S BURN STUFF!"* 

**Imran** (chasing): *"*Beta*! That's *Chachi's* *hennaed* hand! *Not kindling*!"* 

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(To be continued) 

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