Scene 7 - In The Dining Room

 

(The family sit around the table for supper. Akhtar and Malini give out most of the plates. Thahmin sits down, waiting for her plate but Mozaquir looks at her)

 

Mozaquir - (to Thahmin) Why don’t you help Akhtar today Thahmin?

Thahmin - (surprised) Me? Sorry dad but…

Mozaquir - Go on daughter. You can do it!

Thahmin - But…(laughs)

Imdad - Go Thahmin do it!

Malini - (smiles happily. To Thahmin) Come Thahmin! It would be an honour!

Mozaquir - (gestures Malini to sit down. To Malini) You sit down Malini. You need some rest!

Malini - (unhappily) but dad I…

Mozaquir - Just sit down!

Imdad - Yeah let Thahmin do it tonight! You rest. You can join Akhtar tomorrow!

Iqbal - (to Malini) You can do it tomorrow!

 

(Malini sits down, but not purposely. Her face reveals that she is quite upset)

 

Malini - (thinking) Oh well…theirs always tomorrow. I’ll do my job then.

 

(Akhtar and Thahmin both enjoy helping out the dining table. Thahmin places many plates neatly and everyone are quite impressed)

 

Aneetha - (to Thahmin) Wow Thahmin! You’ve done quite a good job! Have you done stuff like this before?

Thahmin - (placing a water glass onto the table) No not really. But I have seen my two sister-in-laws do it in the last few days and so I kinda learnt it while watching.

Akash - That’s great…!

Megha - Now we have another helper in the house…!

Mozaquir - (talking to Megha) No I don’t think Thahmin would be a worker in our house. Its like were saying that she’s only a servant in this house. She is going to be treated as a family member.

Thahmin - its ok dad. I mean I don’t mind helping members of this family in doing something. that’s what’s our family is for right? Helping others. Working with others…

Aneetha - (happily) It certainly is!

Imdad - (to Thahmin) Why don’t you help sister-in-law with the cooking from now on?

Malini - (to Imdad) Sorry Imdad, I’ll still be doing that with Akhtar.

Imdad - (to Mozaquir) Dad what do you think?

Mozaquir - (to Imdad) Well…that’s if Thahmin agrees to. Its her only decision.

Thahmin - (happily) I would love to!

 

(Mozaquir and the rest of the family members smile at Thahmin. Thahmin utters a quiet cry of happiness)

 

Mozaquir - (to everyone) I was thinking that we should all go out for a walk in a few days time. Plus we have Thahmin with us, we can celebrate the arrival of Thahmin is a splendid way.

 

(Thahmin smiles)

 

 

Imdad - Oh cool but where to?

Mozaquir - Maybe the park? Or somewhere…peaceful.

 

(many family members agree by nodding a ‘yes’.) everyone start eating their supper but Malini stares blindly)

 

Malini - (thinking) Thahmin working and cooking? That is not what I had expected a few days ago! I am noticing some changes about the way everyone is treating her in this house. Was it a good idea to have everyone respect Thahmin? Or if everyone respect her, will they start forgetting about me? I have to keep an eye on Thahmin and the respect she is given!

 

Scene 8 - Day Out

 

Three days later - Thursday 28^th August 1997

 

(The whole family enter a massive park, beautifully decorated with flower beds across the field. Children are running around playing all sorts of games. The family are walking to a picnic site)

 

Imdad - Once again the day is beautiful!

Iqbal - (sarcastic) No its not!

Imdad - Shut up squirm!

Iqbal - (mimics) Shut up squirm!

 

(Imdad cuffs Iqbal on the head. Iqbal screams and everyone are startled. Aneetha furiously grabs Imdad’s arm and pulls it off Iqbal’s head)

 

Aneetha - (to Imdad) How many times do I have to tell you not to cuff Iqbal on the head like that! Jees, Imdad you sometimes give me a headache!

Anurag - (to Aneetha) Its not old news mother!

 

(Imdad sneers)

 

He always used to do that!

 

Mozaquir - Ok shut up end of discussion. Lets continue walking!

 

(everyone continue walking on a path. Akash is still stood still for a few seconds)

 

Akash - (thinking) Of course, its Thahmin’s fault for the change in our family!

(Akash follows the family members. They all reach to a field and they sit down on different locations. Anurag and Akhtar sit together. Rakesh and Malini sit together, Aneetha and Mozaquir sit together, Thahmin, Imdad, Iqbal and Megha sit together)

 

Aneetha - (shouting to Imdad) Are you all ok over there!?

Imdad - (shouting) Haven’t been any better!!

Mozaquir - (shouting) Stay where you all are!

 

(Megha whines)

 

Megha - (to herself) That is so not fair

Iqbal - (to Megha) What do you mean its not fair?

Megha - Do you find it fun to sit in one place for an hour!?

Iqbal - …No.

Megha - So don’t you think we should go somewhere?

Iqbal - Go where? Were in the park, where else would you like to go?

Megha - I mean the proper park!

Iqbal - Oh I see! The place with swings and roundabouts right?

Megha - Yeah!

Iqbal - (sadly) Hmm…were not aloud!

Megha - (shouts) forget you! Your old enough not to go but I want to! Me!!

Iqbal - (very quickly) Ok now I know what your trying to say! (much slower) you want to go to the play area right?

Megha - (shouts) Yes! (fed up) Oh god! It takes a million years to make you understand!

Imdad - Its not unusual! He’s always been like that!

Iqbal - (to Imdad) Well not like you! Cuffing me all the time!

Thahmin - (nods a ‘no’ and laughs) I cant believe brothers like you always love harassing each other!

Imdad - Hey its always like that! Not only me and stupid Iqbal…

 

(Iqbal grunts)

 

But every family brothers are like this.

 

(Imdad and Thahmin laugh)

 

Iqbal - (to Thahmin angrily) Why are you laughing? You don’t know what brothers are anyway!

 

(Thahmin and Imdad’s smile wear off rapidly)

 

Imdad - (to Iqbal angrily) You idiot!

 

(Imdad slaps Iqbal across the head)

 

Why did you say that?

Thahmin - Its ok Imdad. Iqbal has a right to say that…

Megha - A right? Thahmin, he just said something about family to you in a bad way!

Thahmin - Just forget it. It doesn’t matter!

Imdad - Yes it does! (to Iqbal. He grabs Iqbal’s ears) Say sorry to Thahmin now!

Iqbal - (to Thahmin) Sorry!

 

(Imdad lets go of Iqbal’s ears. Iqbal looks at Imdad angrily)

 

INTERMISSION