Burned

TEN: The birth

      The clock hanging on the wall showed 10:36 p.m. My Mom sat on a chair, fidgeting with her hair, nervously. She was sure pretty, prettier than me. I sat on the sofa that was opposite to the chair, facing her.

     While, Zaid sat beside Avhni on another chair waiting for her to speak, I was growing impatient but I decided to not push Avhni as I hadn't seen her more nervous than this ever.

     Avhni breathed a long breath, "Aleeza, my dear, I don't know where to start with. After knowing all this maybe you'll start hating me and think—"

     "Mom! That's never happening. I will love you the same, no matter what happens. Now, say! I can't wait," I assured.

    "This is something you can't be excited about." Avhni breathed again, now her hands fidgeting with the chair's fabric, "To start with, let me tell you all the things that you know that are true." I looked at Zaid, he nodded looking towards Avhni.

     Avhni then continued, "I got married to Zaid's Dad, Armaan Khan and was pregnant with Zaid even before I got married. Armaan and I loved each other since school days."

    "Woa. That is a thing I didn't know, you were pregnant before marriage," I admitted. But why was she talking about her marriage now? From everything under the sun, we were going to discuss her marriage?

    And then she was going to cry because Armaan's no more! No man.

    "Don't interrupt." Zaid almost ordered. I gave him a deadly look but then nodded.

     "That's it. Other than that, everything you know are mere lies. I apologise for hiding them from you, but..." Avhni stopped midway, I waited but she didn't say anything.

     "I don't even know anything other than this," I shrugged.

     All I knew about Armaan was that he married Mom, their families didn't allow them so they ran away and later Armaan died, that's it. Not a bit more.

     "You think that the things you know are true," Avhni sighed as if her hints will click the bulb in my head.

     But, me being dumb, didn't get the slightest clue. I shrugged again giving her I-don't-know-what-you're-saying look.

     "You think Armaan died." Avhni's voice turned into a whisper. I opened my eyes wide, what does she mean by 'think'.

     Don't say he's still alive! But if he was, he should be with us, right? He loved Mom a lot, didn't he? Does he live abroad or something so he can't stay with us?

     Is this what they want to say me?  Or was he in some hospital paralyzed? Or worst, was he in the jail? Damn! You shouldn't think about your Dad like that! I scolded myself. All weird thoughts started crawling in my head.

     "Is... Is he... Like... Alive?" I spoke at last looking towards Zaid. To my wildest expectations Zaid answered a 'Yes' by nodding.

     "He's... Then, why isn't he here? Where have he been all these nineteen years?" Like, seriously? He's alive. He's alive. I kept repeating in my head. But why did Avhni and Zaid lie then!

    "Yes." Avhni answered. She gave me time to process.
 
  I remembered all the times when as a kid I used to cry when no one attended the parent-teacher meetings, as Mom used to be on her job and my Dad, he 'died'.

    Then all those times, when kids used to draw crooked family drawings containing their Mom, Dad and in some cases siblings while I only drew a Mom, Zaid and me and the other kids used to tease me for not having a Dad.