I wake up to one of the most beautiful sights ever, my baby is in his father's arms. Both of them rubbing their noses against each other and Faizu is squealing like a schoolgirl who saw her first crush. His tiny fingers are running against his father's beard. This has to be the most iconic moment , I realise as I quickly capture it in the realms of my memory as well as my phone.
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Their bonding time is interrupted with the clearing of my throat and both men look at me with widened baby blue that can be the reason for a heart stroke. Aww, can I please freeze this time for a little longer just so I could gush over their cuteness.
Mr.Sadu goes back to his poker face. I mean doesn't he get bored of it? I shake my head walking towards my baby who is already squirming in his father's hands to come to me.
"Good morning baby! Kab utha mera bacha." I pick him in my arms and he instantly latches himself on my chest.
"Can you stop disrupting my time with my son?" I hear an irritated voice from beside me and I look up appalled. What's with his mood swings?
"Look Aman, whatever problems we have. Can we just call it a truce for now? We have to co-parent Faiz and I would be glad if you cooperate with me here." I speak exasperated at the prospect of fighting with him again.
He just looks at me weirdly, "Who told you to get attached to my son? Had you not acted all mother like for him, we wouldn't be in this problem right now." What is he even on about? I place Faizu in his cradle with his toys on his stomach so he could play with them until I deal with his crackhead of a father.
"I wasn't acting okay. It's just he is too cute to be ignored or treated any less than a prince. I had full plans to adopt him which I know is slightly wrong from your point of view but still, I just wanted him to have motherly love. Now that I am here, I was hoping you wouldn't be a hurdle in my path." I explain my views patiently, waiting for him to grasp the fact that this is nothing personal.
He looks at me with a calculating gaze for a little longer, then nods slightly. Finally, we have some common ground. I walk towards him, holding my hand out.
"So, will you be me friend again Aly?" I mimic the baby tone I had used on him when we first met 22 years ago. Even though I was just three at that time, he never let me forget it afterwards by bringing it up all the time. He seems to catch on to my tone as I finally see his walls cracking up slightly as he smiles.
He pulls his hand forward too, repeating exactly what his eight year old version had told me that day. "It would be my pleasure to befriend you Jasmine." And then I scrunch my eyebrows in mock annoyance.
"My name is not Jasmine. It's Amyra." I say in an irritated voice.
"Well, you are Jasmine for me, because you smell like them." He chirps and we suddenly burst out laughing reliving old days.
I then walk to my son picking him up and laying him on the bed to change his diapers but I realise its already been changed.
"I have already bathed him and changed his diaper. He is good for a few more hours." Aly says coming near the bed. I nod, asking him what is his feeding schedule.
" In the mornings and evenings everyday. Otherwise Mom feeds him randomly when I am at office. If he gets cranky, usually he calms down with the bottle feeding. But it was so difficult to get him used to formula milk because until after one month of his birth, Saniya breastfed him. Even now, he sometimes refuses the formula milk."His voice gets heavy in the end, he is still not over her death. He is still mourning, still beating himself up in pain.
Tears brim my eyes at his loss, I don't dare look up at him lest I lose my control looking at him in pain. I just nod focussing on Faizu as he plays with my nose. This little boy has lost too much to the cruelties of life, I wont let him suffer. Not anymore. He deserves all the happiness in the world and I would be damned if I gave him any less.
I pamper Faizu with kisses all over his face, as we continue to play. Fifteen minutes later, Aman comes out of the washroom all dressed for work. He quickly kisses Faizu's forehead before heading out. I can see Faizu looking at his father with lost eyes until he is completely out of the room.
"Faizu, idhar dekho mama ke hath mein kya hai? Ek racing car. Kya hai? racing car! Dekho dekho, ye kitna fast chal rahi hai Faizu ke pet par. Zoooom." He looks at the toy running all over his stomach and giggles catching the car. He continues to play with the toys and I secure pillows all around him. I quickly freshen up and shower. By the time I am out, my baby is still paying with his toys.
I pick him up walking downstairs to prepare his formula milk. I had seen the proportion of the quantities when Aman was doing it yesterday so I have a fairly good idea about this. Mamijaan is already in the kitchen working on the breakfast I am guessing.
"Good morning Mrs. Kareem Haider. How are you doing this fine morning?" I chirp happily.
"Morning to you too Mrs.Aman Haider. I am doing just fine." She winks at me naughtily and for some reason a blush creeps up my neck. Did my comment just backfire?
"Ahaan, bahu sharma rahi hai. Zyada tang kiya kya mere bete ne?" Mami whispers. And if it was possible, I turn more red. I shake my head vigorously, "Mamijaan, aap to jaanti hain hamare beech aisa koi rishta nahin hai. We are just co-parenting."
"To kya hua Ammu, ho to tum uski biwi hi na? Faiz ko to tumne is Nikaah ke pehle hi apnaya tha. Meri maano to kadam badhalo, uske dil mein apni jagah banao."
I try hard to stop myself from cringing. We were best friendly. Only best friends. No romantic attachments involved. Aly will always be just that for me. But I am sure Mamijaan wouldn't appreciate my approach. So I just smile at her taking the bottle of already made milk for my baby.
I settle myself on the couch in the living, laying my baby there and putting the bottle in his mouth.
"Mamijaan, kal se aap takalluf na karein. Mujhe apne bete ke saare kaam karne hain."
