Hiraeth

37

THE sounds of the alarm blaring repeatedly disturbed her sleep. Her eyes squinted open in irritation and she let out a yawn, aimlessly extending her hand towards his phone that was somewhere on the bed. 

She realised that she couldn't move much. Somehow, her motion was prevented and she could feel her hands and upper body being under some weight as she slowly brought herself into her senses which was previously overpowered by drowsiness and sleep. 

He moved a little by the alarm too, jolting Sitara to complete soberness as she realised that she had been sleeping in his arms. Her eyes never opened so fast as she slowly looked up, finding his arms hugging her petite frame while he slept. 

She slowly brought her hand around his bicep and took in a silent breath as she tried to free herself from the grasp. She didn't remember anything except crying last night after coming back from the engagement party. 

Rehaan had tried to console her but she kept on repeating the happenings and telling him how much everything was suffocating her here. She could gradually recollect the hug that he tried to give her as she wept but she had no memory of them even falling asleep like that. 

She grabbed her dupatta that was thrown somewhere on the floor carpet and went inside the bathroom. 

She had only begun washing her face with cold water when she heard loud banging noises coming from outside, presumably their bedroom door. 

"Sitara?" His heavy voice came from a distance, still laced with the grogginess as he had just woken up from his sleep. She hurried with the things and started to unlock the door, but couldn't move much once she had finally come face to face with the person who was talking to her husband. 

Aira's mother stood near the doorframe, hesitatingly eyeing Sitara in the middle of the conversation that she was having with Rehaan. 

"Kaisi ho tum?" She mumbled to her, placing her hand around her when she bent for a blessing. 

A domestic help interrupted her from saying further and she eyed the gifts and toys that she was carrying for Mrs. Imran who ushered her to keep it inside the room. 

"These are for Abeer and Ayla. Where are they?" She asked, also moving her gaze towards him. Sitara couldn't help but notice that she remembered his name although she had no memory of telling it to her. 

"Hmm they must be downstairs or still sleeping. They usually wake up late, right?" He sighed, now properly looking at his wife who stood beside him. 

"Oh, alright. Then I must be leaving for my room, I was told that the haldi  is happening in the morning." She had a soft smile scattered on her lips and Sitara had noticed it. She seemed very different from the time when she had first met her. 

After she left, they both stared at the hoard of gifts awkwardly placed on one corner of their bedroom and then at each other. 

"You can stay here if you want. I'll tell everyone that you weren't feeling well." She heard him break the silence and she could again feel the pain that she had cried about all night. His words brought everything back and she stared into his confused yet distressed eyes as she tried her best to not break apart again. 

"No, it's alright. I'm good now." She said, giving him a faint smile that never extended beyond her lips. She didn't want any unnecessary attention on her anymore. 

"Are you sure?" He asked again and she nodded. 

His eyes held something that she couldn't comprehend enough. He was confused, probably irked at her bipolarity as well because it was her who had sworn off this place and its people last night, but there was also a sense of softness in them that she had never seen before.