Part 18: Bruised egos and high, high heels.

We got back to such a lovely scene on Sunday evening.

 Everybody was crowded around the table having coffee, tea and dippers. The conversation was animated and punctuated with roars of laughter. It looked like the work function had went off perfectly.

 It only took me a moment to realize that MiL wasn't amongst the merry-makers. I wasn't the only one that noticed...

 "where's mummy?", asked Imraan, dragging up chairs for me and him.
 "oh come I tell you'll what happen!", said Dadi
 Oh-0 I thought...what now...

 Sumayas expression was unreadable...no help there.
 "she broke her leg!", said shireen quickly.
 "no she didn't, she fractured her ankle.", said Bilal.
 "I think she sprained it." , said my FiL.

" Wait wait wait! I want to,explain to them.",Dadi began, from the beginning ofcorse, as old people always do...

" Fatima and Imraan, lucky you bought me the healthy shoes...otherwise I too would have been like bechari kayroon Gori.
 Yesterday at the function Kayroon stood one place by the door  saying "welcome, come in come in" to all the noorkers and their families."
"Then when everything started she sat chupchapti down and was listening, anything she wanted to say or do she send message with twins for Sumaya and Shireen. Ma bee, I'm thinking why she don't going here and there, you know she don't sit quietly...but I never ask her anything."

" Then it was time for her award...the man was telling about the award and called Kayroon Gori to come up to the stage."

 "Kayroon Gori woke up slowly, smiling smiling ne hando at everybody."

Dadi explained that as MiL got to the top step, the MC asked everybody to put their hands together for her...Dadi says she don't know what exactly happen but one second MiL was standing, next thing she was a puddle of fabric on the floor...

 OMW!!!! How awful!

 "I think her egos more bruised than her ankle, but we must all be sensitive to her." my FiL said.

 I could only imagine! The overtime award was MiLs proudest moment at the annual function, she looked forward to it the most.
She told me before, that she just loved hearing the story every year.

When Imraan's parents were newly married, my FiL worked very hard to build his business,when it was finally off the ground and established,Imraan's father decided to have a function after Eid to celebrate with his business family.

 One night while planning the function he thought of including awards as he mentioned categories my MiL pip'd in that she needs and award for the time she's alone with the children while my FiL is working....

 That year, at the very first function, my FiL surprised my MiL by calling her on stage to give her a gift for putting up with his long hours and standing besides him through the toughest years, he presented her with a beautiful watch. He then,joked that he hopes she won't expect one every year...

 The following year Imraan was born, that year my FiL got very ill and was unable to be at work for an extend period of time, my FiLs friend stood in for him and really held the business together, he himself was newly married.
once my FiL recovered, he wondered how to thank,his friend for his generous help, it was my MiL again who said that the wife deserve the thanks more. At that years function, my FiL had my MiL present their friends wife with a watch for her patience...and thus, the award was born.

 Every year, a watch is presented to the spouse of the employee who has the most overtime hours, however it has to be a different employee every year, once you have received it, you can't receive it again.
every year, my MiL is called up to present the watch and the story behind it is told.

 After Dadi told us what happen, Imraan and I went to check in on MiL, as I had assumed, she was more beat up over the embarrassment than any physical injury.
as she told her version of the event, I spied the pair of extremely high, high heels near the cupboard, my word! What had she been thinking!

 On the dresser was the watch she had been gifted originally, I admired the classic design.

I know that both Sumaya and Shireen
had been recipients of the award previously. I knew it was unlikely that I ever would be, Imraan was not part of the family business...he actually worked very hard not to be!

 ...but that too, is a story on its own.

Part 2-Savouries Saga

I rushed home after work to try and get things done as fast as I can, the time between Asr and Magrib is so short and I hate spending a second extra in the kitchen when its so precious for Ibadaat.

Luckily today my MiL had to prepare the main dish and my task was the savoury.

My big brother-in-law has to have mince samosas every single day to break his fast, if that isn't on the table I don't think the Muazzian would be able to call the Magrib azaan. Luckily his wife is efficient enough to bare this responsibility. 
My second brother-in-law only eats savouries in Ramadaan, no normal food...(can you believe it!...).
My husband may just be the only normal brother of the house...he eats almost anything, always normal food first and then later a savoury or two, usually after Tarawee. He even knows if he wants Badaam dood, sarbaat milkshake or cool drink. (lucky me)

I decided to pull out the savoury Chelsea buns I had and froze before Ramadaan for days like this when work and Ibadaat are fighting for my time. I shuffled through the labelled deep-freeze Tupperwares until I found my ready to heat and eat Chelsea buns...only thing, the container was suspiciously light! I took a peek in to find it already half empty, but we hadn't made these for iftaar yet! I'm so puzzled, could the maids be pinching savouries! Why would they, my MiL already gives then every single thing any neighbours or family members send.

While I contemplated what to do, my MiL walked in..."Oh you here Fatima... I thought I'll have to make the savoury too."
"just got held up a bit at work mummy"
"so what you going to make"
"savoury Chelsea buns and I'll see something else too..."
"oh yah. I took few out from there to give Ayesha, hope you don't mind...you know,her MiL doesn't make anything nice and with two boys she got no time! Just now she'll get paatri paatri and maandi so never-mind I pack jaraack jaraack for her, kaynee...Qasim too must see we make nice things not like them."
(that explains it then...time to find a plan b)

I set the buns to warm and put some kebabs my MiL had frozen to grill, that should be fine I thought as I set the table.

My MiL came in just as I was putting the finishing touches to the platter, "you made those kebabs Fatima, I was going to make them...you know Bilal is so fussy he won't eat the same thing twice in Ramadaan, becharo only eats all this too, I will have to make something else"

I just bit my tongue and carried the platter to the table, my Nanis words ringing loud in my head, "Barbie, meri yaad karjoor...sabir is your best friend in 'happy marriage life'"...saabir it is, for you Nani Ma.

After I prayed my Esha I saw a text from my mother and decided to call her, I fetched the cordless from the lounge and took it to my room to hear all my mothers stories...her voice has always been such a comfort for me.
"salaams mummy, how are you and papa?
gee I am well, Imraan is good too
gee his not back yet, hows Kala after that break in?she feeling better?
No. I can't hear any echo on the phone, must be something wrong with your line..."

As I listened to my mothers account of the break in on the same road as my Kala with all the dramatic effects that made me smile to myself, I realized I had left my cellphone in the lounge after calling my mother, I hmmmed and haaaaad appropriately as I made my way back to find my phone.

In the lounge my MiL was sitting, ear pressed against the receiver of the house phone, her hand cupped onto the mouthpiece!I starred in shock...

"...oh Fatima, sorry sorry, maaf my bethi I didn't know you were using the phone, salaams to you Mumtaz , I just picked up in the lounge to phone my sister, whole Ramadaan month went I never speak to her yet, nevermind but, take your time...I'll phone her sehri time, right salaams then"

...oh this was just sweet, excuse me while I scrape my jaw off the porcelain tiles...