The Mysteries Of dadi

Part 4

I opened the notification. Ayesha was online. Before I could type she sent another message.

'Where are you I can't see you?'

'I am still in my room. But aren't you supposed to be in the city?'

'I'll tell you everything just come quickly.'

'Okay.'

I couldn't see her anywhere as I reached.

The big white bungalow behind ours reflected like a mirror in the afternoon sun. Apart from that the whole area was silent.

Just as I turned the corner she jumped out.

I instantly ducked, holding my chest and she started laughing out loud.

'Sup crybaby?'

'You are crazy you know that right?'

'Yes I know.'

She helped me upto my feet and I wiped the sweat off my forehead.

'So what are you doing here, ma said you went to the city.'

'Yeah I did go halfway there. From where dad dropped me for the tram, I took the one coming this way.'

'And why exactly?'

'I was missing you.'

She made a baby face. Wow.

'Shut up and tell me.'

'Actually I wanted to tell you something. It's about dadi.'

My face grew serious as I saw her expression from last night again.

'Yes?'

'Follow me.'

She started climbing the rusted iron ladder attached to the back of the house. It has been here since forever, we even used to climb it as kids.

'You sure it'll hold?'

She stopped to look down. 'Will you start already?'

'Alright.'

I managed to climb it to the top. She was already at the far end end of the terrace by then with a grim face.

'This is where I found dadi that day.' She pointed to a discoloured patch roughly in the centre of the terrace.

'What do you mean found? I thought she committed suicide right?'

'Yes, she was lying here on the floor after having cut her wrist. There was blood dropping all over.'

Goosebumps ran all over my body. I didn't feel well. The floor came out to my eyes.

I went to the edge nad held the bounding fence for support. I looked away to the sky and faraway trees but there was no forgetting the thought of dadi rolling on this very terrace covered in blood.

Ayesha came and stood next to me. Watching the sky as she spoke.

'You are alright Waseem? I didn't mean to startle you like that. I mean I'm sorry.'

'Hey, it's fine. In fact, thank you for telling me unlike the elders.'

'You're welcome.'

My phone started ringing in my pocket. It was ma.

'Waseem where are you, the lunch is ready.'

'Yes ma I'll just come down. I was on the terrace with...' Ayesha was frantically waving her hands mouthing : 'No'

'..myself. It is a beautiful view from here.'

'He is on the terrace.' I heard ma tell Aleema aunty. She said from the background, 'What is he doing there and how did he go up there? Call him down he'll get tanned.'

Ma said to me on the phone, 'Come down beta aunty is worried.'

'Okay ma.'

Ayesha entered the house 5 minutes after me claiming she was back just then and not before that. We all had lunch together except Faiz uncle.

After lunch Aleema aunty and ma went to sleep in their room. I looked at Ayesha busy on her phone with almost half the food still on her plate.

'Ayesha?'

'Yes crybaby?' she said without looking up.

'Why do you think dadi killed herself?'

She looked up at me alarmed. Her eyes glanced sideways to our mothers room.

'Let's go upstairs.'

She got up to go.

'Finish your food first Ayesha.' I said with the force of a 2 month older cousin brother. She gave me a glance which days 'haha nice try'.

'The maid will feed it to the cat. Now let's go.'

We both entered the room me and Faiz uncle slept in last night. She closed the door after us. What are you doing Ayesha?

We both sat down cross-legged on the mattresses opposite each other.

'Tell me you won't tell anyone what I am about to tell you.'

'Sure.'

'Dadi had started acting weird lately Waseem. She was always annoyed and stressed. She was no longer the jolly woman we knew. She would scold everyone, dad, me and even mom. Dad even told me once that he would take her to a doctor.'

'Okay, but no one can change from happy to so .....so much that she .... ' I couldn't stomach out the rest of the sentence.

I stared at the wall as the conversation hung mid-air.

She ran her fingers in her straight shoulder length hair, rolling her tongue inside her mouth.

'So anyway how's your girlfriend. She missing you too much?'

'Yeah well that's one hell of a thing I have to deal with.'

'What do you mean?'

'It's a story.'

She just kept staring as if waiting for me to realize I'm stupid.

'I once flirted with my boss's daughter like generally; she comes with him to the office too so. And she started liking me so much that now I have to date her, otherwise I'll lose my job.'

She slapped my back loudly and fell on her back laughing.

'Ouch.' I rubbed my back.

'Oh you'll never change Wassi.'

'She is not bad okay. I like her. It's just that I work for her dad..' I smiled slightly.

She started laughing harder.