Choking Buds

1- Milk, Mother and a Mysterious Letter

One must nurture it with patience for it won't yield by force or fear.

Just like a bud that blooms when watered, but wilts when you pry its petals.

Huffing, she stood up and pursed her lips at Chandri. She stared back at Marwa with those oval eyes and started chewing cud. Her behaviour had been odd today, and she refused to let her milk down. No amount of soft coercing or treats would change her stubbornness. What would the children have for breakfast? She was the only cow to give birth this season.

 Wait, where was her calf?

The other cows were staring at Marwa in unrest but she couldn't find that little brown head amongst them.

There was a chorus of loud MOOs.

She shook her head and grinned at their impatience. It was past their time to graze but because of Chandri, she hadn't let them out to the pastures. She moved the logs and let them out.

The grass was moist with dew. Marwa spotted movement far by the brook. She could make out a tiny tail swishing around, disturbing the dandelions and making them drift in the air. Aha!

She chuckled and walked across.

It saw her and ran. She followed it quietly but it kept fleeing whenever she neared it. They had covered the pasture twice now.

"I'm not going to gobble you, little one!"

She stopped moving and crouched under the grass, trying to ambush it. When she was close enough, she pounced on it-more like fell on her head-and it escaped from her grasp.

She wiped her head and her hand came out sticky. Wet mud. She huffed for what was the second time that morning.

She returned to the shed to find Chandri licking her calf. Her eyes were shining with the kind of affection she could only imagine. She groomed it one last time before it ducked under her belly and began suckling. She felt a lump in her throat.

Of the hundred parts of His Mercy, Allah sent one down; by it, animals are kind to their offspring.*

Chandri happily let Marwa milk her after her calf was done. She sat on her knees and wiped the udder clean before holding a teat by her thumb. She pressed firmly and the white liquid fell into the bucket. It was filled in half an hour. She patted the cow's head and gave her more hay.

Now she understood her behaviour earlier- it was separation from her child that made her difficult.

A separation she understood too well.

She carried the bucket back to the manor. The sun's rays emanated from behind it, making the aged building of cracked bricks and dried mud look grand.

A sweet voice called out.

"Marwa didi! Didi! You'll never guess what!"

Deepu was smiling a toothy smile- except there was a big gap where two of her teeth used to be.

Marwa smiled playfully. "What is it? Oh, did we get a real star as a donation this time?"

The girl shook her head, tight curls bouncing. "It's about you!"

Giggling, she hopped over the weeds and beamed up at her.

"There's a letter for you!"

Marwa acted surprised. "Is it from the clouds this time?"

"No didi! I'm not pretending, there really is a letter!"

She gaped at the girl as if her hair had turned purple.