Hiraeth

22

"LET ME HELP YOU." Her aunt got up, taking away the tray from her hands. Sitara kept refusing and insisted her to be seated, but she didn't budge.

She had visited her because it had been days since she had seen Abeer. She was quite attached to the child considering that she was the only person apart from Sitara who had been with him and seen him slowly grow right from the time of his birth. After the two had left her house, the elderly woman often succumbed to its emptiness.

Sitara had told her with a chuckle that now he has started waking up very late. It was something that the two had always wanted back in her house. Going to work every morning with her son whining and demanding her time was a task. She often wished and prayed that he'd sleep for a little longer but none of them ever worked.

"Oh, that's good." A warm smile had adorned her lips. It was the first time she was visiting Sitara after her marriage. Whenever they had met, it was at her house. She was hesitant to come here at first but now as a considerable amount of time had passed ever since she had gotten married, it felt right.

She was a little overwhelmed with her own emotions. Seeing Sitara slowly dwell into a happier and healthier state hadn't gone unnoticed by her. She could see that she was comfortable here and her needs were being taken care of.

"How are Rehaan and his daughter?"

"They're fine too. Ayla has gone to school and he might be asleep. He still has one hour before leaving for office." Sitara responded, adding a paltry amount sugar to her aunt's tea. She knew that after she'd have gone, the woman would have barely taken care of her blood pressure and cholesterol issues.

"Khush rakhta hai na tumhe woh?"

It was a simple question. She didn't have to think too much in order to answer it, but she couldn't. It was difficult for her to concentrate all of her sentiments in a yes or a no. They were way beyond that.

"Shayad mujhe hi nahi aata khush rehna."

She felt a shaky hand caressing her back. She didn't understand where her words were coming from. There was nothing that lacked. Abeer and her were getting everything that they were once deprived of.

Yet, she knew that somewhere her heart was at unrest.

"You do look happy. God knows for how long I've been wanting to see this calm on your face." She whispered, looking at her neice.

She could vividly remember a terrified and equally broken Sitara at her mother's funeral. It seemed like her own soul had been buried with her mother's body. She had never seen a more dead pair of eyes before.

Sitara tried to smile for her. She didn't want to let her mind and its dreadery take away the long lost peace from her aunt's.

"I'm better than before." She softly patted her thigh, freeing the air around them from any traces of sorrow or glumness.

They were having their morning tea right after doing a hearty breakfast of warm butter laden parathas and fried eggs that Sitara had prepared herself. It was more of a Sunday ritual that they followed back in their old house. It was refreshing for her to live a good piece of those old times that were otherwise tainted.

"I still haven't seen your wedding pictures, Sitara." She recalled, putting her cup down and saw Sitara take in a sharp breath.

"I think they came last month. I'll check." She was a little ashamed to admit that she had never cared to open her wedding album. It was somewhat forgotten until now.

"Bring it. I'd love to see." Her aunt's features radiated warmth as she expressed her ardent interest on seeing them. She couldn't deny.

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