aurore - an unusual love story √

part twenty

Jai sipped in his favourite Latte macchiato when Som rushed into the cafe. Untimely rains in the night had drenched him, he dripped from top to bottom and dropped himself on the chair before Jai.

" Damn! You're dead wet!! " , Jai exclaimed.

Som started rubbing his head with a kerchief while Jai ordered a Frapuccino for him.

Without wasting time, he talked.
" Som, I need a job for a girl, who needs it desperately. "

Som tucked the wet kerchief in his pocket.
" Which girl? " , he asked, not very casually.

Jai took sometime, and then cleared,
" The girl, I'm supposed to be cheating on Bhoomi for. "

Som stared unblinking at Jai.

---

Next morning

The room was too big and comfortable for Sonara.

Last night while enrolling her into this hostel, Jai had paid for probably the best room, for a month in advance. And Sonara had decided she won't stop him.

Plus, who didn't want a bit of a luxury, once in a lifetime??

The room had a double bed, a dresser, two chairs with a centre table, a bedside stand, one big cupboard. And a little balcony.

The washroom was common, but very close to her room, in the corridor beside.

The room had a tiny kitchenette, with an electric heater and some utensils.

Sonara sighed. Such peace, after long...

The room had another great thing. Plenty of windows. She now stood before one. It didn't vibe being a morning at all. Rains had been blurring the city since last night. There was a temporary halt now but the sky was overcast.

Humaira sat on the bed with two plastic dolls, giggling and cooing in her self made language. Sonara stared at her and a warmth filled her heart. She walked over and plopped kisses on her daughter's cheeks. Humaira giggled louder and grew very serious the next moment with the doll's dress. Sonara thoroughly enjoyed these changing expressions on her little one's face.

She sometimes wondered whom Humaira would ultimately look like. As of now, she found her own traces on her daughter's face. Maybe someday she'd look like her....father.

A heaviness suddenly gripped her heart...

Sonara had a childhood friend. Zaraa. By turn of fate, Zaraa had been married to the same village Sonara was forcibly taken to following the so called marriage, but only after Sonara had run away with her child.
It was from Zaraa that Sonara got to know, he had died, drinking.... 

A drop formed at the corner of her eye. Was she too mean to him? Could she not be a bit softer?? Yes, he had committed a grave mistake. But he did love her....
Could she not give him a second chance?? Was she right in snatching a father's rights, or a child's, to have a father?? 

A tremendous pain struck Sonara all of a sudden, and she couldn't help but wail. And wail.

Little Humaira stopped every job, as she watched her mother thrash her body on the bed beside her, crying vehemently... 

The phone began ringing.

----

Sonara sat uncomfortably on a bench, while Jai and Som sipped tea at one of the famous 'Mumbai Cutting Chai'  stalls.

Sonara realised, Som was time and again glancing at her. Jai kept sipping, staring distantly at the road.

Som returned the glass, and raised his voice,