The Moon and Her Stars

Ch. 36: Garlic Bread

🎶 "Teri yaad mainu tadpaave, mainu te chain na aave. Mainu jism'chon mere, Jaani, tere jism di khushboo aave. Main chaahe jaaga, main chaahe sowaan, tang karde ne khayal tere. O fakira, O fakira, mainu le ja tu naal tere. Tere bin kaun puchuga mainu, mere saajna ve, haal mere?"

"Your memories haunt me, I can't find peace. On my body, Jaani, I can smell the fragrance of your body. Whether I'm awake, whether I'm asleep, thoughts about you overwhelm me. O wanderer, O wanderer, take me with you. Who except for you, my love, will ask me about my condition?"🎶

- Fakira | Jaani | Gurnam Bhullar

Ayaara's P.O.V.

"And what do you say?" Farah raised her eyebrows at her 5-year-old.

"Thank you, Ms. Amir!" The little boy grinned, holding the box of extra cupcakes.

"You're welcome, Ibrahim." I smiled, caressing his head.

"You've been here for only a month now, but you gelled with everyone so well already! I made a good decision in hiring you. They all love you. And they were so happy when you gave them the cupcakes. You really made their day, Ayaara." Farah gave my hand a squeeze.

"Thank you for giving me a chance. And I'm happy I was able to make them smile. I'm really enjoying working with everyone."

"Of course. I'm glad. Main tumhein chhod doon?"
(Should I drop you?)

"No no. That's fine. Ghar paas mein hi hai. Shukriya."
(My house is nearby. Thanks)

She nodded before asking quietly, "Darti nahin ho? Akeli rehti ho, nayi ho sheher mein, khandaan ke bhi koi nahin hai. Agar shohar vagera kuch hota toh alag baat thi, lekin- Pata nahin, mujh mein itni himat nahin hoti."
(Don't you get scared? You live alone, you're new in town, no one is here from your family. If you had a husband or something, then it would've been different, but- I don't know, I wouldn't have the courage.)

Shohar.
(Husband.)

Before I could say anything, her husband pulled up and they got into the car after we exchanged goodbyes. I began walking to my studio apartment. Alhamdulillah, I had the means for a bigger place, but I wouldn't have been able to handle it. The emptiness, the vacant space, it would only remind me of Yasir's absence.

I waved to the security guard, conversed with the joyful middle-aged woman riding up the elevator, and smiled at my neighbor before finally entering my flat. As soon as the door shut, my smile morphed into a sob and I burst into tears.

I missed him. So much.

I couldn't go without hearing from him just for even a few hours, yet here I was. It had already been a month.

My hand clasped around the crescent moon and star locket around my neck. Without him, there was no moon in my sky.

But I have to get used to this.

I picked myself off the ground and found the two items I use to call Abba—a burner phone and a calling card. This way, my location couldn't be traced, only the local area from where I was calling.

I didn't plan to be here for long, perhaps just a few months more. I would go to New York once I felt I had given enough time to Yasir for him to realize that I currently wasn't in New York. What would I tell my family? I was yet to figure that out.

Yasir's P.O.V.

I returned to my hotel room in Lahore, Pakistan after spending the sixth consecutive day searching for my wife. My eyes trailed over the bed.