Mistress Asthana

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: HONOR KILLING

*******Mistress Asthana*******

There are times when nothing seems to be going right. The times we feel like it's just us against the universe. But then, God magically sends us peace and we find solace in channels we never knew existed.

Amidst the torturous flashbacks and the land dispute case that seemed to be moving in no direction at all, I found solace in Mahmoud Darwish,not the Palestinian poet, but a seven year old boy in Fairy and Rumi's school.

Rumi has always been a trouble magnet, causing trouble and attracting bullies wherever he goes.He always managed to upset one or more persons anywhere he found himself. Aam used to intercept most of his fights back in Roseland.

That's how he got himself and fairy in trouble on their very first day at school. And this very sweet boy called Mahmoud came to their rescue and declared himself their brother. I sent him a bag of cookies and a thank you note and the boy replied with a letter requesting to know how I managed to produce the best cookies he's ever tasted. I sent him the recipe to give his mom and he replied with a heartbreaking letter, saying his mom was no more and he didn't trust any of their cooks to do it well enough, so I began sending snacks to him every Thursdays and in return I got a letter every Friday telling me how his week went. Somewhere along the line I became his mother, and he, my son.

Dear Mams,

Beautiful beautiful afternoon to you.
       This week has been really boring. The teacher gave us loads of homework that kept me preoccupied for a lifetime and I didn't even get to play with my sister. I'm sure she thinks I'm a horrible brother. Homework got even more boring when Daddy came home with a pack of boring writing materials that'll last us the whole term.
       Fluffy broke it's hind leg and  has been admitted to a veterinary hospital. She'll be there for the next two weeks so the doctor can monitor her progress.
       Soon, I'll tell Daddy about you. I'll tell him how nice you are, and I'll ask him to let me spend the weekend with you. It'll be fun to play with Fairy and Rumi all day, then we'll all watch the sun go back to it's home,watch the stars at night and wake up early to see the sunrise. I love everything about the sky, but I love you more Mams. Don't forget to write back.
                              Your dearest son
                               MD

I dropped the letter with a huge smile on my face. His letters always had that effect on me. It warmed my heart to know that I was able to give him something  every child deserves, a mother's love. I already had plans to meet with his father to thank him for raising such a well behaved boy and nicely request if he would let me have him over for a weekend.

I took out my memory box, an antique box where I kept souvenirs and travel mementos. Mahmoud's letter also went into that box because they were all so special and I didn't want to lose any of it. The letters of the orphan boy who chose me as his mother without ever meeting me.

"Mams! Mams!! Where's captain Goku?" Rumi burst into into my room. "Found it" he squealed as he sighted it on top of my vanity. He grabbed his action figure, knocking down my memory box in the process and just like he came, he was out before I could say the word  mischievous.

"Oooh! Rumi, you're too much" I groaned as I stared at the content of my memory box staring right back at me from the floor. I began to carefully put the content back in the box and I came across a silk handkerchief. It used to be white but it was now brown with dried blood. I was immediately teleported to the day I got that handkerchief.

It was a memory I tried my best to keep away from because it had the power to always awaken the feeling of rage and betrayal that I always kept locked away. The betrayal of the Santalmas hurt more than anything and I can never get over it. I always wondered what lie the royal family of Toure must have weaved about my disappearance.