**Scene 1: The Last Hug**
*(Jinnah International Departures – 3:15 PM)*
Ammi's embrace felt like anchors sinking into Ayesha's bones. Khadija clung to her *dupatta*.
**Ammi** (voice thick): *"Phone *on*… *always*. Even if just *silence*."*
**Khadija**: *"Dadi, I left Mr. Bunny under your pillow! *Guard* him!"*
**Imran** (gently prying her off): *"*Beta*, boarding time. *Bunny's* got *army backup*."*
Maryam pressed Amina's hand to the car window—Ammi's tear-streaked face growing smaller, smaller, *gone*.
---
**Scene 2: Terminal Tensions**
*(Check-in Counter – 3:35 PM)*
Irfan frowned at the queue snaking like a restless serpent.
**Irfan**: *"*Ya Allah*, half of Karachi's flying today?"*
**Maryam** (scanning boards): *"EK-603… *Gate 7*. *Boarding* in 20 minutes!"*
Hamza zoomed his toy suitcase into Ayesha's ankles.
**Ayesha**: *"*Beta*! *Suitcases* aren't *tanks*!"*
**Khadija** (dancing): *"I need *bathroom*! *Now*!"*
---
**Scene 3: The Bathroom Crisis**
*(Restroom Entrance – 3:50 PM)*
Khadija vanished into a stall. Ayesha tapped her foot.
**Ayesha** (yelling): *"*Five minutes*, jaan! Flight won't wait!"*
**Khadija's Voice**: *"*Almost done*! *Pinky promise*!"*
Imran paced outside.
**Imran** (muttering): *"Of *all* times for *bladder rebellion*…"*
A tinny PA announcement echoed:
**PA System**: *"*Final call*, Emirates EK-603 to Dubai. Passengers AYESHA RICHMOND, KHADIJA RICHMOND—*proceed immediately to Gate 7*."*
---
**Scene 4: Sprint of Shame**
*(Terminal Corridor – 3:58 PM)*
Ayesha dragged Khadija past stunned travelers.
**Khadija** (wailing): *"My *sandal strap broke*!"*
**Ayesha** (scooping her up): *"*Hold on*! *Ammi-turned-Usain Bolt*!"*
At Gate 7, a stewardess tapped her watch.
**Stewardess**: *"*Cutting it fine*, Madam."*
**Imran** (gasping): *"Blame… *pinky promises*…"*
---
**Scene 5: Wheels Up**
*(Emirates Flight EK-603 – 4:25 PM)*
As the plane clawed into the sky, Maryam watched Karachi shrink—a mosaic of rooftops and longing.
**Irfan** (covering her hand): *"*Homesick already*?"*
**Maryam** (leaning into him): *"Not sick. *Full*. Like I swallowed the sun."*
Amina slept, Ammi's rose petals spilling from her tiny Quran.
---
**Scene 6: Karachi in Retrospect**
*(Cruising Altitude – 6:00 PM PKT)*
Maryam closed her eyes. Memories flickered:
- **Gulabo's** gentle lowing
- **Butcher Bhai's** blade flashing under Eid sun
- **Ammi's** hands kneading dough like whispered prayers
- **Khadija** kissing beggar children's foreheads with meat-stained fingers
*"You gave them dignity,"* Maryam had whispered.
*"Dadi says Allah sees us in *their eyes*,"* Khadija replied.
---
**Scene 7: Layover Limbo**
*(Dubai International – 7:15 PM GST)*
Khadija pressed her nose to the terminal's aquarium glass.
**Khadija**: *"*Abbu*, that fish has *Dadi's frown*!"*
**Imran** (dialing): *"Babar Bhai? *Hum pohanch gaye*! *Arrivals Gate C*?"*
**Babar's Voice** (crackling): *"*Acha*! *Toyota Highlander*. License plate: *JIHAD 69*—*don't ask*!"*
**Ayesha** (facepalming): *"Why did we *trust* your college *misfit* friend?"*
---
**Scene 8: Touchdown Tears**
*(Dulles International – 10:30 PM EST)*
Rain lashed the windows. Amina woke crying.
**Amina**: *"*Gulabo*? *Dadi*?"*
**Maryam** (rocking her): *"They're in *duas*, jaan. Like stars—*seen when dark*."*
Irfan pulled out Ammi's handkerchief—stained with *mehndi* and tears.
**Irfan**: *"Karachi's *scent*… already fading."*
---
**Scene 9: The Babar Experience**
*(Arrivals Lane – 11:00 PM)*
Babar leaned against a mud-splattered SUV, grinning.
**Babar**: *"*Salaam Alaikum*, *gora log*! Missed *real traffic*?"*
**Imran** (hugging him): *"*Bhai*, your license plate's *FBI bait*!"*
**Babar** (winking): *"Relax! Changed it to *PEACE 420*!"*
He tossed Maryam a Walmart bag.
**Babar**: *"*Welcome-back gift*! *Halal chicken nuggets*—*American Hajj*!"*
---
**Scene 10: Rain-Slicked Roads**
*(Highway to Richmond – 11:45 PM)*
Khadija and Hamza slept in car seats. Babar blasted *Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan* on speakers.
**Babar**: *"*So? Karachi *therapized* Maryam?"*
**Maryam** (smiling): *"It rewired my soul."*
**Babar**: *"*Alhamdulillah*! Now *survive* reverse culture shock: *No one bargains at Target*."*
Rain drummed the roof—a softer echo of Karachi's gunfire lullabies.
---
**Scene 11: Empty Echoes**
*(Richmond Home – 12:30 AM)*
The house smelled of dust and absence. Ayesha flicked lights on.
**Ayesha**: *"So… *quiet*."*
**Imran** (dropping bags): *"No Ammi yelling *'Chai garam hai!'*"*
Maryam placed Ammi's spice jars on the counter—soldiers guarding a foreign land.
**Irfan** (holding her): *"We brought back *Karachi's heartbeat*."*
Outside, Virginia rain whispered secrets to soil that didn't understand.
---
**Scene 12: Midnight Rations**
*(Kitchen – 1:00 AM)*
Ayesha microwaved Babar's nuggets. Khadija sleepwalked in.
**Khadija**: *"*Ammi*… *Dadi's paratha*?"*
**Ayesha** (swallowing tears): *"Tomorrow, *beta*. Tonight… *American jihad*."*
Maryam bit into a nugget—bland, foreign. *Ammi's nihari* lingered on her tongue like a ghost.
---