Sisters in Sync and Strife

A Farewell Morning to Remember

The sunlight crept into Aliza's room, casting soft peachy rays over the furniture. It was her college farewell day, and she felt a whirlwind of emotions—excitement mixed with the pressure of perfection. She rummaged through her wardrobe frantically, tossing out shirts and scarves. A frown settled on her face as frustration mounted.

"Mom! Mom! Mom!" Aliza called out loudly, her voice echoing through the house. "Have you seen my peach-colored dress? I can't find it anywhere!"

A moment later, her mother appeared at the door, wiping her hands on a kitchen towel, her expression exasperated.
"Aliza," her mother scolded gently. "When will you finally grow up and learn to take care of your own things?"

Before Aliza could reply, Aaliya waltzed into the room with a mischievous grin plastered on her face. To Aliza's shock, Aaliya was wearing her peach-colored dress. The sight of her younger sister twirling in the outfit was like a slap to her efforts of trying to look perfect for the farewell party.

"How good does this look on me?" Aaliya asked teasingly, smoothing the fabric over her slim figure. "I'm thinking of sending it to the tailor for a better fit."

Aliza's eyes widened. "You mean...! How shameless are you to wear my suit without asking! And now you want to steal it for good? You think I won't need it today?"

Aaliya threw her head back and laughed, thoroughly enjoying her sister's outrage. Their mother crossed her arms, giving Aaliya a stern look.
"On one hand, you're bothering your sister," she said sharply, "and on the other, you find it funny! Go change right now and give her the suit—she's already running late!"

Aaliya, making a pouty face, turned to Aliza, her voice dripping with mock pleading. "Oh come on, let me wear it just this once! I feel amazing in this!"

"No way!" Aliza shot back, her arms akimbo. "Take it off! Now!"

Their mother raised her hand, signaling the end of the argument. "Enough! Both of you—downstairs for breakfast. Aaliya, give the suit back immediately." With that, she left the room, leaving the sisters to settle their dispute.

Grumbling under her breath, Aaliya retreated to the washroom, returning a few minutes later with a different outfit. She tossed the peach dress onto Aliza's bed with a sheepish apology. "There. Happy now?"

Aliza snatched the dress with a triumphant huff. "Finally."

They ate breakfast together, laughing off the tension from earlier, and soon they were in the car with the driver, heading to college.


---

Ramadan Moon Sighted

Months passed in the blink of an eye. One warm evening, Aliza, Aaliya, and their mother stood on the rooftop, gazing up at the night sky. It was the first night of Ramadan, and the sisters were eager to spot the crescent moon. Aaliya, however, had her phone glued to her hand, her fingers tapping away furiously on the screen.

"Aaliya!" their mother called out sternly. "What are you doing?"

Aliza shot her sister a disapproving glance. "It's time to pray, and you're busy on your phone?"

Aaliya, not even looking up, mumbled, "I'm just congratulating my friends and cousins on the sighting of the Ramadan moon."

Their mother sighed deeply. "Enough with the phone. Join us in prayer."

"Okay, okay—just two minutes!" Aaliya replied with a grin, though it was clear she wouldn't put the phone away until she was done.

Aliza suddenly pointed toward the west, excitement lighting up her face. "Look, mother! The moon is gone! Happy Ramadan to you both. Let's pray."

Following Aliza's gesture, they turned to face the sky, then clasped their hands in prayer. The three women stood in silence, embracing the sacredness of the moment.

Once their prayers ended, they descended the stairs, and their mother headed to the kitchen. She gave the cook detailed instructions for sehri preparation, reminding him to have everything ready on time. Before retiring to her room to pray, she reminded the girls to wake up promptly for sehri.


---

The Sehri Challenge

At 3:15 a.m., alarms buzzed throughout the house. Aliza stirred, rubbing her eyes and switching off her phone alarm. Across the hall, their mother was already awake, her prayer mat neatly laid out. But in Aaliya's room, things were different.

Aaliya had lazily turned off her alarm and fallen back asleep. Aliza gritted her teeth. "I knew this would happen," she muttered, throwing off her blanket and storming toward her sister's room.

Pushing the door open, she found Aaliya sleeping soundly, her face serene. Aliza's anger flared. "Aaliya!" she barked, but her sister didn't stir.

With a devilish grin, Aliza grabbed the water bottle from Aaliya's bedside table and emptied it over her sister's face.

Aaliya jerked awake with a shriek. "What the...!" She blinked in confusion, wiping water from her eyes.

"Get up, you lazybones!" Aliza shouted. "There are only 20 minutes left for sehri! Do you plan on fasting or sleeping through it?"

Aaliya scrambled to her feet, fully awake now. "Why didn't you wake me sooner?" she grumbled, rushing past her sister.

"I did," Aliza muttered under her breath as she left the room. "Mother tells me not to scold you, but you deserve every bit of it."

Minutes later, Aaliya joined the others at the dining table. They ate in comfortable silence, savoring the pre-dawn meal. Afterward, they prayed Fajr together before the sisters collapsed back into their beds for a few hours of sleep.


---

Iftar Adventures Gone Awry

The day passed slowly, and by late afternoon, the house bustled with activity as the kitchen staff prepared for iftar. When their mother returned home from work at 2 p.m., she brought with her an assortment of fruits and snacks. She instructed the cook to have everything ready by sunset, then retreated to her room for a quick nap.

At around 5 p.m., just before Asr prayers, she was startled awake by a commotion from the kitchen. Frowning, she followed the noise to find Aaliya enthusiastically stirring a pot, the kitchen in utter disarray.

"Aaliya!" their mother shouted, hands on her hips. "What is going on here?"

Aaliya looked up, unfazed. "I was trying a new recipe! It's going to be amazing, I promise."

The cook gave their mother a helpless shrug, surrounded by spilled flour and half-chopped vegetables. Aliza appeared at the doorway, taking one look at her sister and bursting into laughter.

"You look hilarious!" Aliza teased. "What are you even making?"

Aaliya stuck her tongue out at her sister. "You'll see at iftar. It's going to be legendary."

Their mother shook her head, her annoyance fading into reluctant amusement. "Alright, enough of this chaos. Clean up and get changed—it's almost time for prayers."


---

Breaking the Fast

An hour later, everyone gathered at the dining table, the aroma of freshly fried snacks filling the room. As they waited for the iftar siren, Aliza couldn't resist teasing her sister.

"So, Aaliya," she said with a sly grin, "is your new recipe ready for us?"

Aaliya shot her a glare but stayed silent, determined not to rise to the bait.

The siren finally sounded, and they broke their fast with dates and water, followed by a joyful meal. As the Maghrib azan echoed through the house, they made their way to pray, grateful for the shared moments—arguments, laughter, and all.


---