Hiraeth

29

THE morning alarm went off and Rehaan's hands pressed onto it before it could ring again. He ran his hands over his closed eyes, taking a moment before finally opening them. 

Usually, it was Sitara who was up even before his 6 AM alarm but today she slept at her side with no urgency or bother of waking up early. 

She slept facing him. The light snores and her faintly parted lips attracted his attention towards her. Her palms rested beneath her cheek and she slept without a worry in the world. 

He sighed, lifting himself up from the warmth of the bed and duvets and went to change. He had no mood to go to his office early today. He wanted to go for a walk first as his doctor too had been stressing upon him not taking enough care of his health. 

As he took his watch from the side table and zipped his jacket, he saw his wife shift a little in her sleep from all the sounds and disturbances caused by him that would fill her ears. 

He didn't wait for his coffee either. He just wanted some fresh air and a space to breathe. Lately, things were happening so fast and were equally burdening be it in terms of his personal, professional or even health related issues. 

Even though he was half willing, he took Ayla along as she was too insisting. She walked very little steps and got tired quickly. They were taking more breaks than they were walking but his heart warmed at the sight of his daughter's tantrums. 

He could barely complete his step count goal but a part of him was at peace that he took her along. It had been days since he had taken Ayla somewhere. He wondered if Sitara's love and pampering ever made her question his usual absence from her life now. 

"Papa, no more." She pantingly whispered, while her cheeks and nose were flushed with a hue of pink. She had been really trying to live upto her promise of walking with him for at least fifteen minutes without an interruption but she couldn't.

They settled on a park bench and Rehaan sighed as his daughter happily sipped onto the orange juice that she had very proudly fetched from the vending machine on her own. 

"Tomorrow, we will come here by car." She innocently mumbled, being very serious about her suggestion so Rehaan too tried to not laugh. 

Even though she resembled him more, there were instances where he couldn't help but be reminded of the fact that she was Aira's daughter after all. There were so many things in her that reminded him of his late wife. 

"As you say, my love." He kissed her hair, shifting her upon his lap while she was busy with her juice. 

"And we will take Mumma and Abeer too." She added, painstakingly adjusting the straw as it slipped way too many times but focused on her words.

"You like spending time with them?" He asked. She didn't say anything and continued sipping, but that's how Ayla was. She sometimes didn't bother to speak but her silence was somewhat denoting acceptance. 

He had to carry her home. It wasn't more than a five minute walk so he thought of giving into her demands yet again. He also had to compensate on his shamefully low step count, so he decided to make his leftover steps even more consuming. 

They were welcomed with a whiff of delicious food in the air. It wasn't Sunday but Sitara had made breakfast for them. He realised that it was nothing but the aftermath of her resignation from the school.

He wanted to decline the aloo ka paratha as even though it looked very fulfilling, he was alarmed about his health and the failed morning walk only added on more to his guilt but with the way she had kept it in his plate without a second thought, he couldn't say anything to her.