Glory of the Midnight Sun √

Thirteen

Is there a way to grasp what love means without becoming a lover first? Love cannot be explained. It can only be experienced. Love cannot be explained, yet it explains all.

- Elif Shafak

Fariya

"Maida, have you seen my shoes?" Fariya asked as she walked towards her.

"No, I haven't." Maida said while ironing her clothes.

"I've checked the cupboard for like five times. Where did they go?"

Fariya said annoyingly as she walked back to her room to check the cupboard again. She climbed through the stairs and saw her mother going down.

"Mama!" She called.

Her mother, carrying a basket of flowers, halted and turned around towards her elder daughter.

"Have you seen my shoes?" Fariya asked.

Her mother thought for a second before shaking her head in a no.

"I haven't. You didn't even show me when you bought them."

Her mother said and climbed down the stairs leaving a flabbergasted Fariya behind. A thought had just dawned upon her, knocking the air out of her lungs. She hadn't shown her mother the shoes because she didn't buy them in the first place.

She had become so hungry and tired at the end of the shopping that day that she decided to come back after some days to buy the things left which included her shoes and jewellery. Now that she thought about it, Fariya cursed her side which easily forgot things and the side which hated shopping.

She closed her eyes for a second, still standing in the middle of the staircase, and took a deep breath. The breath which enriched her lungs with oxygen helped her get rid of the anxiety she was facing. Her mind opened as she thought about the problem in hand and the next moment, she was rushing downstairs towards Maida.

"Maida!"

Fariya cried and Maida literally jumped when she heard her loud cry from behind.

"Damn you, woman."

Maida clenched her teeth as she lowered the hand which ahd reflexively moved towards her heart.

"What happened? Why are you running around the home shouting my name?" Maida irritatingly asked as she resumed ironing her clothes.

"Maida... my shoes... jewellery... Mehandi... Syra..." Fariya tried to speak but her breath was still caught from all the running.

"I don't understand a thing." Maida said as she huffed in annoyance.

"Maida, my shoes and jewellery. I didn't buy them."

Fariya finally said and Maida's hand which was moving along with the iron stopped abruptly.

"What?" She asked, startled.

She hurriedly turned off the appliance and turned towards her sister, still stunned about what Fariya had just said.

"I forgot to buy them." Fariya mumbled weakly as she looked at Maida tensely.

"I can't believe it. For heaven's sake, it's Syra's Mehandi in three hours."

Maida incredulously said as she placed a hand on her forehead.

"I understand your dislike for shopping but Fariya, this is way out of my understanding. How can you forget it?" Maida shockingly asked.

"This is not the time for that. What should I do now?" Fariya hopefully asked Maida.

"What should you do? There's nothing you can do. Go and wear old shoes and jewellery." Maida said as she rolled her eyes.