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unwind with - Judai by Pritam, Kamran Ahmed
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Morning sunlight spilled through the half drawn curtains, thin and golden, painting slow moving ripples over the tiled floor. Steam swirled above the bathtub, carrying the faint scent of lavender and baby soap. Bunny sat in the middle of the water like a little emperor of bubbles. His cheeks flushed pink, eyes glinting like drops of melted honey. I had rolled my sleeves up to my elbows, my fingers busy chasing a floating rubber duck that he kept pushing away with his tiny palms, squealing with laughter.
“Duckie run. Maa, he go fast.”
He chirped in that soft broken language of toddlers who have not yet learned the borders between words and music.
“Duckie’s tired, Bunny.”
I murmured leaning over,letting my fingers skim the water.
“He wants to rest in Bunny’s castle.”
He giggled, a sound that could light up the grayest corners of me. His curls stuck to his forehead and I tucked one behind his ear, the way I always did. The way someone else once did to me.
“Castle. Bunny king.”
He declared, raising his soapy hands high like he was blessing the bubbles.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
I played along pretending to bow and he laughed so hard that a wave of water splashed over the edge, soaking my kurta. I sighed, half amused and half tired but there was something achingly beautiful in moments like this, the ordinary kind of beautiful that people often overlook because it does not come with music or applause. He hummed some broken tune as I poured the last mug of warm water over his hair.
“Close eyes, Bunny.”
I said softly. He did scrunching his face, tiny lashes clumped together, water sliding down his temples. He smelled like milk and soap and something I could not name maybe the scent of my own survival. When I wrapped him in his towel, he buried his face against my neck, mumbling.
