Scene 1: The Night Before Departure**
*(Richmond Home – 10:30 PM)*
The house hummed with pre-travel chaos. Suitcases lay sprawled open in the hallway, half-packed with clothes and last-minute additions.
**Maryam (calling from upstairs):** *"Irfan, did you pack Amina's allergy medicine?"*
**Irfan (digging through a toiletry bag):** *"Got it right here—and the doctor's note in case security asks."*
In the living room, Hamza zoomed his toy plane across the couch while Khadija carefully arranged her stuffed animals in her suitcase.
**Khadija (seriously):** *"Mr. Bunny needs his own passport, Mama."*
**Ayesha (laughing):** *"I think he'll be fine as a carry-on, beta."*
**Imran (checking his watch):** *"We need to leave by 5 AM sharp. Flight's at 9:15—Emirates EK-232 to Dubai, then EK-600 to Karachi."*
**Amina (clutching her favorite doll):** *"Dolly go too?"*
**Maryam (booping her nose):** *"Yes, habibi. Dolly's got a first-class ticket."*
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**Scene 2: Dawn of Departure**
*(Richmond Home – 4:45 AM)*
The alarm blared. Irfan stumbled into the kitchen, where Maryam was packing a cooler bag with sandwiches and sliced fruit.
**Irfan (rubbing his eyes):** *"You made food? We'll get meals on the plane."*
**Maryam (smirking):** *"You really want to pay $18 for airport yogurt? And Hamza won't eat airplane pasta—you know how he gets."*
Outside, the Uber XL idled—a massive Chevrolet Suburban. Imran heaved suitcases into the trunk while Ayesha wrestled a half-asleep Hamza into his jacket.
**Khadija (whining):** *"It's still *night*! Why do planes hate sleep?"*
**Imran (grinning):** *"Because, Captain Khadija, the sky waits for no one."*
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**Scene 3: Check-In Chaos**
*(Washington Dulles Airport – 6:50 AM)*
The Emirates counter was a sea of families and overstuffed luggage. Ayesha bit her lip as the agent weighed their bags.
**Agent (frowning at the scale):** *"This one's 24.1 kilos. Limit's 23."*
**Imran (sighing):** *"Fine—Irfan, throw my gym shoes into your backpack."*
Nearby, Khadija stared up at the massive departure board, tracing their route with her finger.
**Khadija (excited):** *"We fly over the *whole ocean* to Dubai, then another plane to Karachi! That's like… a *million* miles!"*
**Ayesha (smiling):** *"Not quite, but it'll feel like it by the time we land."*
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**Scene 4: Boarding the Giant Bird**
*(Gate B42 – 8:40 AM)*
Hamza's jaw dropped when he saw the Airbus A380. *"WHOAAAA! It's a *dinosaur* plane!"*
**Irfan (laughing):** *"Close enough, buddy. That's our ride to the other side of the world."*
Inside, Khadija immediately plugged into the seatback screen, gasping. *"Mama! They have *Moana* in *Urdu*!"*
**Ayesha (buckling Hamza in):** *"Alhamdulillah for small mercies."*
As the engines roared to life, Amina clutched Irfan's arm. *"Too loud, Baba!"*
**Maryam (handing her noise-canceling headphones):** *"Here, sweetheart. You'll feel better."*
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**Scene 5: The Long Haul**
*(Somewhere Over the Atlantic – 2:17 PM EST)*
Six hours in, Khadija had watched *Moana* twice. Hamza, hyped on apple juice, kept kicking the seat in front of him until Imran gave *The Look*.
**Maryam (stretching):** *"I forgot how much these seats hate spines."*
**Irfan (pointing at the flight map):** *"We're passing Iceland now. Next stop: Europe, then the Arabian desert."*
Ayesha unwrapped foil-covered *parathas*, the smell of ghee wafting through the cabin.
**Imran (sniffing):** *"You *smuggled* homemade food?!"*
**Ayesha (smug):** *"Airport breakfast is a crime against taste buds."*
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**Scene 6: Layover Adventures**
*(Dubai International Airport – 7:30 AM GST Next Day)*
After 14 hours, they stumbled into Dubai's glittering terminal. Hamza bolted toward a giant aquarium display.
**Hamza (yelling):** *"SHARK! *REAL* SHARK!"*
**Imran (checking his watch):** *"Three-hour layover. Quick breakfast or duty-free shopping?"*
**Maryam (eyeing a Starbucks):** *"Coffee. *Lots* of coffee."*
At the café, Amina smeared pancake syrup on everything while Ayesha FaceTimed Ammi.
**Mrs. Najma (pixelated but beaming):** *"Beta, I've made *siri paye*! Your favorite!"*
**Ayesha (teary):** *"We're almost home, Ammi."*
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**Scene 7: The Final Hop**
*(Emirates Flight EK-600 to Karachi – 10:45 AM GST)*
The Boeing 777 felt tiny after the A380. Khadija pouted. *"No upstairs? *Lame*."*
**Irfan (laughing):** *"Only an hour and a half, princess. You'll survive."*
As they ascended, Maryam pointed out the window.
**Maryam:** *"Look—the Burj Khalifa! Tallest building in the world!"*
Amina pressed her face to the glass. *"It's *sparkly*!"*
Hamza, mid-juicebox, announced loudly: *"I HAVE TO PEE."*
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**Scene 8: Homecoming Tears**
*(Jinnah International Airport, Karachi – 2:30 PM PKT)*
The second they cleared customs, Mrs. Najma's voice cut through the crowd. *"AYESHA! MERI BETI!"*
A whirl of embroidered *shalwar kameez* and *attar* engulfed them. Amina, startled, buried her face in Maryam's shoulder.
**Mrs. Najma (cupping Amina's cheeks):** *"Mashallah, she has your eyes, Maryam!"*
**Khadija (tugging her dupatta):** *"Grandma, I brought you *American* chocolates!"*
Outside, Karachi's heat hit them like a wall. Porters loaded bags into a waiting van as the familiar scent of gasoline and *biryani* filled the air.
**Irfan (inhaling deeply):** *"Ahhh… smells like chaos and home."*
**Imran (grinning):** *"Same old Karachi."*
As the van pulled away, Ayesha squeezed Imran's hand.
**Ayesha (softly):** *"We made it."*
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**End of Chapter 202: Roots and Wings**
*(To be continued…)*
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