Maria (In progress)

The Atwals/Sahani's

Wales, England (2012)

Summer finally arrived. I thought of Baba as the rays sneaked into the room, my mind drifting back to that sunlit day when he first came for me.

"Close the curtains Maria! I wanna sleep." Raj mumbled, turning over. I sat beside him, and gently hit the back of his head. "It's closed silly, it's just a little sunny outside."

Raj was turning 7, I can't believe how fast he's growing up. I have nothing but pure affection for him, he may be young, but he's the only one who despite knowing the truth about me, defended me and loved me as his own from the very first day.

"What time is it?" He asked, sitting up, rubbing his eyes.
"10.20, want to get up, get some breakfast?"
"Mmh okay." He got out of bed, while I opened the large windows ajar to let some air in.
"So what was yesterday's nightmare?" He threw a pillow at me when I mentioned it, I ducked and it went flying out the window. We both laughed.

I got used to Raj waking up from bad dreams on most nights and those cute wide brown eyes almost pleading as he asks if he can sleep here. I don't think he ever asked his mother, Lakshya, again after that night, the bruise on his head is still there as he talks to me. God, I'm convinced more than ever that she's a witch who must have done some black magic on baba.

"What world are you in? By the way, mum told me to get dressed into something nice because of the groom people." He said jumping.
"What groom people?" I said looking through my kurtas.
"You know, the groom people, to talk about Sara. I need help, I don't know what to wear, can you help me?"
"Okay okay, go to your room, I'm coming."

They kept pretty much everything from me, apart from my sixth-form letters and a few gifts from relatives who surprisingly knew I existed. Dadi warmed up to me eventually because she saw her son in me, but nowadays she's been ill and they would make excuses for me not to see her, all this in the very same house.
Prajit, Raj's dad would sometimes feel sorry for me and arrange some sort of a meeting so that I can see dadi, but when confronted by his precious wife Lakshya, he would forget that I had feelings. I never blamed him though, not fully anyway.
"Mariaaaaa!"
"Shoot. I'm coming!"

"Thanks for dressing up Rajveer." Lakshya Atwal was a tall, thin woman with sharp features. She dressed herself in chanderi sarees regularly, and looked like something out of an Indian drama. Anyway, she wants something from me.

"Sara's having problems with her hair and makeup. Jill and Neha tried but nothing is working, help her. The Zafar family are coming to see her." She didn't wait for my reply, and instead walked off talking on the phone, her raucous laugh echoed down the hallway as I rolled my eyes. Yep. Definitely a witch.

Sara pulled faces of complete shock at the mirror. "This dress! It's so tight on me. God. Why am I so curvy."
I don't think she noticed me, but I walked over to her wardrobe and pulled out a navy anarkali. "This one isn't too figure hugging, try this."
"Oh. So you're calling me fat indirectly." She snapped, looking at me through the mirror.
"No, I was giving you an alternative since you were complaining-"
"Save it. Give it. God I'm so stressed, I'm having the worst day ever."

Dadi suddenly appeared by the doorway after an hour, her smile beamed when she saw me, causing Sara to sigh. I got up and hugged her. Dadi kissed me, and then went to kiss Sara. "You're growing up quickly, you look so beautiful, Maria has done a good, good job. Well done." She turned to smile at me. I smiled back. "Okay I am coming Sara, just finish off your hair. Maria, come."
"Where are you taking her?"

Dadi locked the door behind her and embraced me once more. "You listen to me." She said, holding my hand and walking towards her sofa. I kneeled next to her, hands on her lap, after I helped her sit down. "They just can't stand that you are so beautiful. Like the moon." She said laughing and putting her hand on my head.
"I love you dadi."