4 years later:
"Hurry up Sidra, we're gonna get late.", I yelled out, while I tossed the last bits of the scrambled eggs into the plates and poured the orange juice in the glass.
"Sidra's here.", she came out of the room, and stood in front of me, smiling like she always did.
"C'mon hurry up. Breakfast's ready. We gotta eat and leave in five minutes. Okay?",I said, as I pulled out the chair and sat her down on it.
"Here's my plate...", I placed my plate on the table, "an here's yours!", I said.
She looked at the plate, and then at me.
"Sidra doesn't like egg. Sidra doesn't wanna eat.", she pushed the plate away from her and folded her arms across her chest as she turned her face around the other way.
"Buri baat. Aise nahi karte. What did I tell you? Eggs are good for you.", I spoke as a tried to chew my food as fast as I could in my mouth. "C'mon eat it quickly."
"Haww! Bad manners. You're talking while chewing.", she giggled, as her tiny hands covered her mouth. "Sidra doesn't talk when she chews."
"Oh really now?", I raised my eyebrow. "How would I know that until I saw Sidra chew her food without talking?"
"Sidra will show right now baba.", she said and quickly pulled her plate towards her and took a spoonful of the scrambled egg into her tiny mouth.
She nodded her head while chewing, and after she was done she spoke again, "See, Sidra is a good girl."
"That's my jaan.", I kissed her on the cheek, "Chalo jaldi karo so we can leave. You don't wanna be late today.
She nodded her head and finished her breakfast as fast she could and the gulped down her orange juice. "Sidra's done!"
"Good girl.", I said taking her down from the chair.
We headed out of the door and into the car. I placed her on the seat and then fastened her seatbelt before sitting down myself.
"Ready to see Mama?", I asked her, as I started the car.
"Yeah. I want to show her my new shoes.", she said cheekily, but frowned soon after, "How will I know if she'll like it though?"
"You will.", I smiled, rubbing my hand on her head.
We drove off to see my wife.
'Forest Lawn Cemetery', I saw the words written on the front gate as we entered.
Those words pierce my heart every single day. It just feels like they come stabbing at my heart on purpose, reminding me that awful day, when I had just stated thinking that the things were getting better, but my life took a sharp turn and my world turned upside down. It was the day when my wife Sidra left me.
But it was also the day when my daughter Sidra came into my life like a small ray of hope.
"Baba?", Sidra shook my arm, "What happened?"
I nodded my head brushing away the thoughts only to realize that my eyes were already a little tear-ed up.
"Why are you crying? You told me Mama doesn't like it when you or I cry."
"Yeah, she doesn't like it. I'm not crying.", I wiped my tears, "See.", I gave her big smile.
She smiled back.
"Lets go."
We walked to my wife's grave.
Sidra Shehryaar Asif
