Whisky, Women and World

Chapter 19

Later that night, Yaqoob and his wife invited me to his place for dinner. I could smell the delicious aroma of food as I walked into their house. I expected a small house, but I was surprised to find that it was smaller than I had imagined. The living space was cramped and the kitchen was tiny. Despite its size, it was full of life.

Yaqoob spread the different dishes on the floor mat. The electricity had turned out and we were left with a single orange bulb hanging in the corner of the room that spread ethereal light throughout the place. I could feel a chill in the air as I sat cross-legged on the floor with my back against the wall. Opposite me was a window, providing a view of the entire burial ground. As I stared into its emptiness, a little girl filled the space with her enchanting presence. She then placed a bowl of meat on the floor and the scent wafted through the air, providing a pleasant distraction from the solemn atmosphere.

It was impossible not to smile when I saw her. She waved back at me before running into the kitchen, where her mother passed on her food. She returned shortly after with a jug of water, placing it beside me before sitting down with her father. We all sat in comfortable silence, taking in the beauty of the moment.

I savored every bite of the food that Yaqoob served me. His wife cooked some of the most delicious dishes I had ever tasted. The aroma of steamed rice, the tenderness of the mutton korma, and the perfectly cooked chicken gravy were all delightful. I smiled at his wife as she stood at the entrance of the kitchen, proud of her cooking. I couldn't remember the last time I had enjoyed such a meal for dinner. It was truly a culinary delight.

I asked Yaqoob about the luggage and plastic bags next to me.

"My wife works at a tea estate a few kilometers from here. It's difficult for her to travel every day, so she stays there and visits us every fifteen days. Or we would travel to the property where she works once in a while. Pari loves the place." Yaqoob replied, and as he looked into Pari's eyes, he leaned in and kissed the side of her head.

Pari sat patiently, eagerly awaiting her father to carve the succulent meat off the bone and onto her plate. I kept staring at her often, mesmerized by her beauty. Her long, dark brown hair was pulled up into a tiny bun, and her blue eyes sparkled against her smooth, brown skin. She was stunning! As the meat was finally placed on her plate, her eyes lit up with excitement and a smile spread across her face.

"Do you know we live in a house filled with stars?" The little girl whispered as she munched on her rice ball.

"Woah, where is it?" I attempted to emulate her innocent, childish tone as I spoke to her, hoping to encourage her to continue the conversation.

"It's in the house itself." Her eyes were not confined to one place or object, but swept all around her.

"Where is it? I don't see any stars?"

"Papa, can I turn off the light to show him the stars?" She asked her father.

Pari felt relief as her father approved. She cautiously stepped forward and reached for the switch. In one swift motion she flicked it off and the room was plunged into darkness. She stood there for a while.

"Where is it? There are no stars here." I looked up at the ceiling, unsure of what she was trying to show me.

"You are looking at the wrong place all this time. Turn around, the stars are just behind you." She pointed at the wall, her fingers outstretched. I leaned against it, my weight resting on the rough surface.

The wall behind me entranced me. It was filled with radiant green star-like stickers that glittered in the dim light. She gave me a different perspective on something I had never thought of before. I began to slowly run my fingers through the stars, feeling the texture of each one of them. It was like I had been transported to a different world, one of beauty and wonder. I heard her voice again and it was like a revelation.