aurore - an unusual love story √

part twenty six

Jai had been noticing a change in Sonara for quite sometime now.

Since when, he tried to recollect.

Mostly from the night of Eid, almost fifteen days back.

That night, Jai was completely lost in the flying lanterns in the sky above, with a gurgling and cooing baby girl in his arms who equally enjoyed the situation.

All of a sudden, like a blow, Jai felt Humaira being forcefully snatched from him by an unusually stern Sonara. Someone who was bright as a pearl just few minutes back.

" The hostel has some rules. Like getting in early. I cannot break them everyday. "

As much was Jai taken aback by this, more was by the fact that Sonara didn't even look back once before getting into an auto, while Humaira stared with wide eyes at a speeded up Jai behind the auto.

Jai stood horrified, as the auto disappeared at a turn.

What exactly did go wrong with this woman's head at times!

Jai had returned home that night with a slight cringe at heart.

And then had slammed himself for over thinking.

He might have been intruding into Sonara's life a bit more than needed.
Neither was it his duty, nor suited him much.

He had dropped off the thought and had gone to sleep that night.

---

The night of Eid ended on a very different note for Sonara.

The last year's Eid had been a struggling one. Sonara was pregnant then, her life was still turbulent.
Yet, she had people like Reddy Chacha,  Brinda Tai above her head.

Not that she frighteningly missed their utmost presence around now, but something felt awkward, absent, not too well even.

Sonara stood at the window.
The first thing she'd do the next morning was, pay her rents to the warden.

One debt returned.

Sonara looked at the aesthetic sleeping baby on the bed.

The sight of Humaira, cooing and giggling in Jai's arms disturbed her beyond recovery.

Why was she letting her into this mess?

Hadn't she promised herself more than a year back, that she'd do anything but depend on humans?
How could she allow, not only herself, but her baby to do exactly the same? 

She had trusted humans once upon a time. Who had all deceived her big time.

Reddy chacha, chachi, tai, did help her to stand up once again, but this time she had literally kept the strings of her life in her fingers. Then too, did Reddy Chacha do exactly what was expected of him? No, right?

Then what made Sonara Parvez trust, depend on, and even secretively expect things from a stranger on a rainy night, this much ?

This much....that she even momentarily believed, that he had acquired the right....to hurt her through ....the world's purest yet  darkest emotion?

Sonara ran to the bed and sat on its edge, almost choking.

Whatever she was even trying to think, was Gunaah in all forms.

Gunaah was the fact that she even made friends with a man who hated her religion, which was almost her breath.

Gunaah was the fact that from day one she had only taken from him, given him nothing in return.