DOUBT

Chapter 6 - He is Back.

He is Back.

"Pamir, aunty... no mom is calling you," I shout correcting myself while entering our room, rubbing my hands furiously. Never again am I trying to do this rotie aka flatbread experiment. It's like making pizza dough but still, that is why you have an already dough-ed dough in cans. It's messy, it's sticky plus it's hard to get it off.

"Pamir..." I look away from my hands only to realize he is on a call. Pointing out his index finger in my direction as a minute, he stops me but throughout the process, he does not even glance in my direction. Yet despite I waited I could not help to overhear what he was saying and his clutched jaws were not helping my curiosity either.

With that much pressure between his teeth, he may be having more frequent appointments with the dentist.

"No... no, listen, I do not want to talk to you. It's not your choice, it's mine. Why on earth you keep on insisting on pointless things?" Pamir breathes in for a moment before he scoffs and a humorless chuckle comes out of him.

"Why do not you just give this time that you awe-so wanna spend with me on the people who value it? I have to go; I do not have time for this. My mother needs me. At least let someone else take care of her." Although I could feel the mock in his tone before he hung up, I did not miss how he gripped the phone in his hand. He was angry and I have never seen Pamir angry. Pamir can get frustrated, sure but making Pamir lose it, that's very hard. Almost nothing upsets him to that level where he is rude, I mean our marriage did not.

"Wanna talk about it?" I ask in a sing a song manner trying to lighten things up but he snaps his head at me.

"Sorry, insensitive," I apologize but continue because I am an idiot who does not believe in taking hints from people, "What happened, who was that?" Pamir looks at me with his red eyes and that is when I realize things are way serious to be fixed with common humor.

"I..." I froze when I see wetness around his eyelids. The only time I have seen him cry before now was when he told me about his mother's condition. He rubs his eyes with his left arm as if realizing that I saw his tears.

"No one that concerns us. I am going out, tell my mom about it." He spoke as he moved past me without any further explanation.

"Wait, what? Hey, explain, Pamir!" I go after him calling his name but he does not even turn around to glare at me or tell me off and just leaves the house without as much as a pause.

"Where is he gone to now? Did you both have a fight again?" Pamir's mother teases me, giving me an annoying smirk. I see where Pamir gets it from, looking all dainty while pestering the other person, bravo!

"No aunty... mom! I mean mom," aunty gives me a pointed look but to divert her attention I quickly resume, "Pamir was on the phone with someone while going through some existential crisis." I reply while still looking at the door. Pamir doesn't act like that, it's not him, he is calmer, he is a 'let's be optimistic' kind of a guy.

"Existential crisis?" Aunty test the phrase on her tongue with confusion.

"He is angry," I concluded and her expressions turn in an understanding one.

"Did he mention a name?" It was a concern laced question that made me wonder was she aware of him almost crying or was it a mother's gut feeling.

"Not really but he was not okay. I mean, he kind of... about to cry when I tried to ask him about it." There was a look of resignation on her face. She seemed broken instead of concerned.

"Are you okay?" I asked taking a step near her. She looked tired all of sudden.

"He was talking to his father." Aunty rubbed her forehead as she spoke while I stood as if I have seen a ghost.