Cherreads

Chapter 208 - Embers and Echoes

**Scene 1: The Grill Inferno** 

*(Backyard – 8:15 PM)* 

Irfan and Imran hunched over the charcoal grill like mad scientists, flames licking the skewers. 

**Imran** (waving smoke): *"You marinated with *jet fuel*, Ayesha?!"* 

**Ayesha** (yelling from kitchen): *"Blame *Coca-Cola jihad*! Flip before they *carbonize*!"* 

Khadija cranked up Bluetooth speakers. Bollywood dance beats clashed with Ammi's hissed warning: 

**Ammi**: *"*Beta*, volume down! Neighbors think *qayamat* started!"* 

**Hamza** (waving glow sticks): *"I'm *disco jinn*!"* 

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**Scene 2: Salad Sabotage** 

*(Kitchen – 8:45 PM)* 

Maryam frantically rearranged cucumber roses while Amina smuggled olives into her pockets. 

**Maryam**: *"Amina! Those are for *raita*, not *treasure*!"* 

**Ayesha** (snatching back olives): *"*Chachi*, hide the *kachumbar*! Hamza thinks veggies are *enemy spies*."* 

A sudden *clang* echoed outside. 

**Irfan** (sheepishly): *"Skewer fell. *Five-second rule*?"* 

**Ammi** (throwing towel): *"*Janab*, this isn't *dumpster dining*!"* 

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**Scene 3: Generational Grooves** 

*(Lawn – 9:30 PM)* 

Ayesha dragged Maryam into a bhangra. Khadija attempted TikTok moves. 

**Khadija**: *"*Chachi*, do the *floss*!"* 

**Maryam** (stumbling): *"My hips only do *nun-walks*!"* 

Imran pulled Ammi into a waltz. 

**Ammi** (slapping his arm): *"*Pagal hai*? I'm *75*, not *Disco Dancer*!"* 

**Irfan** (filming): *"Going viral as *Granny Gangnam Style*!"* 

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**Scene 4: The Pranks Begin** 

*(Sofa – 9:50 PM)* 

Hamza "accidentally" spilled Fanta on Imran's *shalwar*. 

**Imran**: *"*Beta*! This is *designer*!"* 

**Hamza** (innocently): *"*Abbu* looked *thirsty*."* 

Khadija replaced Maryam's green tea with *nimboo pani*. 

**Maryam** (gagging): *"Why's chai *sour*?!"* 

**Khadija** (giggling): *"*Eid special*, *Chachi*!"* 

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**Scene 5: Feast Under Stars** 

*(Porch – 10:15 PM)* 

A checkered *dastarkhan* glowed under fairy lights. Dishes crowded the mat: 

- *Smoky seekh kababs* 

- *Saffron-tinted beef pulao* 

- *Cucumber raita* (sans Amina's olives) 

- *Ghee-layered parathas* 

- *Gulab jamun* floating in syrup 

**Ammi** (clapping): *"*Bismillah*! *Eid ki pehli dawat*!"* 

**Hamza** (grabbing kabab): *"I claim *biggest fire-meat*!"* 

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**Scene 6: Taste Test Tornado** 

*(Dining Mat – 10:40 PM)* 

**Irfan** (eating raita): *"Maryam, you *conquered* yogurt!"* 

**Maryam** (blushing): *"Ayesha hid the *maple syrup*."* 

**Khadija** (spitting pulao): *"*Ammi*! *Stone* in rice!"* 

**Ammi** (inspecting): *"*Hai Allah*! My *diamond earring*!"* 

**Imran** (mouth full): *"Kababs need *more cola*."* 

**Ayesha** (throwing napkin): *"*Molvi Sahab* is *coming* for you!"* 

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**Scene 7: Sugar Comas** 

*(Dastarkhan – 11:30 PM)* 

Khadija face-planted into gulab jamun syrup. Hamza snored atop three parathas. 

**Amina** (drowsily): *"*Ummi*… *meat* dreams…"* 

**Maryam** (wiping syrup): *"*Insha'Allah*, jaan."* 

Irfan and Imran carried kids inside like firewood. 

**Imran** (grunting): *"Hamza ate his *weight in kababs*."* 

**Irfan**: *"*Qurbani* was *lighter* than him!"* 

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**Scene 8: Midnight Tea Confessions** 

*(Living Room – 12:45 AM)* 

Ayesha poured *spearmint chai* as adults slumped on sofas. Kids slept in fathers' laps. 

**Ammi** (sighing): *"My *pulao earring*… *nazar* hit hard!"* 

**Maryam**: *"In Canada, we just order *Eid pizza*."* 

**Irfan** (stroking Amina's hair): *"Missed this. Karachi's chaos… *heals*."* 

**Ayesha**: *"*Chaos*? *Chachi* almost *flossed* into the grill!"* 

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**Scene 9: Ghosts of Eids Past** 

*(Quiet Moments – 1:30 AM)* 

**Imran** (softly): *"Remember Abbu's *Qurbani* lectures? *'Sacrifice isn't meat—it's *ego*.'"* 

**Ammi** (teary): *"*Haan*… He'd steal *my kebab* first."* 

**Maryam** (whispering): *"Today… I understood Eid. It's not *perfect*. It's *real*."* 

**Irfan** (squeezing her hand): *"Like us."* 

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**Scene 10: Karachi Lullaby** 

*(Staircase – 2:00 AM)* 

They tiptoed upstairs. Distant firecrackers popped like fading applause. 

**Ayesha** (yawning): *"Tomorrow… *bone soup* and *Eid laundry*."* 

**Maryam** (pausing at Amina's door): *"Worth every *glitter bomb*."* 

From the street, a final *tak-tak* of celebratory gunfire echoed. 

**Imran** (muttering): *"Karachi's *goodnight kiss*."* 

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*(To be continued…)*

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