Losing Echoes [Complete]

25. Apparel

Yu bazid hai ankh ronay par abhi

Jaise iss darya mein pani aur hai

Sab rutein dekhi hain iss dil ne magar

Abh kay mausam mein girani aur hai

(The eye is adamant on crying as if

This river has anymore water

This heart had seen every season

But this time around the weather's dearth tells another story)

The night sky was illuminated with the confetti of stars. Gliding together, looking up to the moon with envy, wishing they had half of what it boasted off . Moon just smiled not disclosing this glory was borrowed. It let the stars in their own misconception.

The flowers in the backyard had blossomed to their full swing. They had gotten back their normalcy after a long time and were not ready to give it up ever again. Normalcy. The residents of this house were still struggling for.

Harram leaned some more into her pillow and looked at him who was wide awake staring at the ceiling. She touched his hair slowly moving her fingers through it. He closed his eyes, turning towards her burying his head in her side. Harram took a deep breath.

"Tired?"

"Physically? No. Mentally? Exhausted."

No matter the encouraging situation at the court and Mrs Aneesa's help, there was a long way to go and Harram didn't have to guess how draining it was proving for him. It was his sheer will that he was standing firm in the situation. Many aren't hard to break when it comes to kin. But he was standing against his kin only. The unknown enemies are easy to defeat. When it comes to the opponents who once meant the world to you, you have to defeat yourself countless times before the known enemies.

"You should talk to Khadija Auntie. There are things you both need to discuss."

Zaviyar didn't say anything for a few seconds. But there was hesitation written on his face.

"What if I end up hurting her?"

"What if she's already hurting and talking things out with you will end her agony?"

Harram raised an eyebrow. Zaviyar was still not entirely convinced but he knew it was inevitable. He had to talk to Khadija. Since the time she had brought the papers before them, there was silence on both her and Zaviyar's side. But for how long this could go on? There wasn't a time in this lifetime that the mother son duo had nothing to say to each other. Harram hated this uncertainty between them. She was hoping and trying for things to get back to normal.

"Talk to her. You both need this, Zaviyar."

Harram felt him nodding and soon his even breathing was announcing he had gone to sleep. His tired body and mind needed this. She moved to turn the side lamp off when her eyes caught the printed pages she had placed there to show him. These could wait. Right now Zaviyar's rest was her priority.

_____________

Khadija removed the bundle of clothes and pulled out an old looking photo album from behind the compartment. Contrary to what she had thought, staying here with her son and daughter in law had been nothing short of normal. As if, she was a part of this routine from the very beginning. This was comforting because she wasn't going anywhere now. She was done making home in places she should've left long back.