The Eid We Met

5.

It had been a week since Eid. Between all the university assignments and a few other chores, I was too exhausted to do anything else.

Thoughts about my interaction with Isahaq randomly crossed my mind at times. Whenever I heard any love song or even saw jalebis displayed on shop windows, I instantly got reminded of him. But that was it.

One particularly rainy Thursday night, I was sprawled on my bed scrolling through my phone when my Nanu came in with her phone held to her ears, " Okay, I'll tell her to get ready and go downstairs."

I passed a quizzical look towards Nanu who ended the call and said, " Dear, quickly get dressed and go downstairs. Your ammu is going to take you somewhere."

I sat up with a frown, " Where?"

" I don't know . She said you have five minutes. Asha is already waiting in the car. Hurry up now."

Nanu turned around to leave and I got up from my bed , " But I don't want to go out randomly. It's raining. I was planning on watching some movies and having much needed rest."

Nanu paid no heed to my whining,
" You can do that later, quick now, get ready. I won't remind you again Maha, my serial has started don't disturb me now."

I pouted my lips but Nanu had already left as the high pitched drama dialogues from the TV screen indicated her favorite serial had begun.

*

The rain was coming down in torrents. Arrows of water shot down from heaven and pierced the earth in a rhythmic pattern. The peaceful melody of rainfall all around etched a happy smile on my face.

I watched as the rain droplets raced past each other on the window of our car.

Ammu was busy talking on the phone to her friend, " Hello. Can you hear me ? Yes we have reached but I can't remember which one is your house. It's difficult to see the house numbers amidst this downpour and my driver is too foolish to find anything."

I fought to suppress my smile as I watched our driver scrunch his eyebrows in annoyance at my mother's remark.

" Okay, yes that would be a huge help. We'll wait then." Ammu said as she cut the call.

We were visiting one of my mom's friends' houses. Throughout the past week I was in a sour mood due to the fact that this was the first Eid where I didn't have mehendi applied on my hands. Since my childhood my aunt's were the ones who always applied mehendi for me but now they were all married and lived in different countries. Nowadays I either ask my friends to do it or go to parlors. But due to busy schedules and unfavorable circumstances none of them was possible this time. This fact left me feeling disheartened and made the whole Eid experience feel incomplete.

Ammu was sick of me complaining about this so she decided to bring me here today to get mehendi applied. Her friend's daughter was apparently even better than professionals when it came to applying mehendi and in this excuse ammu could also visit her friend and chat for a while.