"Do you know Sachin Tendulkar?" Azaan asked Mariam.
"I've heard the boys in my colony take his name often." Mariam blinked.
"He is my God." Azaan lifted his bat, pointing it at the sky.
"But, bhaiyya, Khaala said Allah is God, and he is the one and only."
He could do nothing but laugh at the little girl's innocence. "I didn't mean it that way. I meant I look upto Sachin sir. A lot."
"Azaan! Don't you have any work other than fooling around with this girl?" An angry Rahim commanded.
It had been a week since Mariam's arrival and a week since Azaan stopped going for the afternoon matches. His teammates were furious as they lost a fielder.
"Bhaiyya, don't you know to play?"
The question hit really bad at the young cricketer's ego.
"Rahim, I am coming." He said and went to his team, as Mariam watched.
This game seemed a little wicked to Mariam, why couldn't everything be pretty and nice like her dollhouse? She heard the boys use terms she didn't know head and tail of. When Rahim bowled, Mishal said no-ball. But how? Rahim bhaiyya had a ball in his hand, Mariam thought. Why does the one with the bat keep running back and forth? She saw Azaan dive in the wet mud to catch a ball, after which everyone, including Rahim, ran and hugged Azaan tighty.
After the Asr Namaaz, Azaan went to the matron.
"Assalamu-alaikum, beta. Isn't it tea time? What are you doing here?"
"Wa-alaikum-a-salaam." Azaan hesitated for a moment."Khaala, can you do me a favour?"
"If it's within my reach, why not?" The old lady smiled.
