aurore - an unusual love story √

part seventy five

" Who's that? " , Siddhi, as if, suddenly forgot the intense situation she was in.

Sonara too got up. Jai immediately walked upto her, patted her and followed the direction of the sound.

" My....daughter.
She must have felt my absence and woken up. " , Sonara replied unmindfully.

Siddhi stared silently in the direction Jai went in, as if waiting for the baby's arrival. Sonara noticed her carefully. The creases of anxiety on Siddhi's face, had suddenly, magically vanished.

Jai appeared with Humaira, who was already too busy to play with his ears. It did not even vibe that she had been sleeping for so long, such was her energy level refill.

Siddhi, shot up from the sofa and reached them.
Sonara was astonished.
Jai too, but a faint smile appeared on his face.

" What's her name....? " , Siddhi again threw a glance at Sonara.

" Humaira. " , Jai replied instead.

" May I....have her for...a minute? " , Siddhi stammered, still glancing at Sonara.

" She's yours. " , Sonara replied with a soft smile.
Jai put forward the baby to her mother's lap, exchanging reassuring glances with Sonara.

Maya watched the whole process from the distance.

" She's.....so.....beautiful.... " , Siddhi uttered, as Humaira widened her eyes and watched her.
Siddhi, scrapped a part of the kohl from her lower eyelid, and put a dot behind Humaira's ear.

And softly placed a peck on her cheek.
Humaira immediately found a connect, she smiled.

" Awwwe.....she smiled, did you see?  She just smiled at me!! " , Siddhi, like a child giggled at her children.
While Jai and Sonara very softly reciprocated, Maya stayed firm. However, she too got down the couch and stood with arms crossed against the chest, watching carefully.

Siddhi suddenly lost the smile.
" How did...her father die? "

Sonara grew pale immediately.
Jai's face stiffened.

A momentary silence hit the room.

And was abruptly ended by Jai.

" The birth giver is not always a father. " , his intense words echoed through the hall.

Siddhi stared deeply into his eyes.

The night, was surely, eye opening....

•

5 in the morning.

Humaira had dozed off again, this time, in Siddhi's lap.

Siddhi's eyes were fixed simultaneously upon Sonara, and her son, who stood in the same frame, just hands apart.

The hijab clad girl, looked like a perfectly carved idol to her, yet bearing scratches of ruthlessness... life displayed, throughout her face.

And her son, had grown up for her suddenly, into a perfect man.
The very son, whose sense of responsibility, and capabilities she had always doubted, looked like an epitome of humanity, a perfect balance of kindness and power at the same time.

Siddhi had mixed emotions at present.
But the strongest was of failure.
Failure to even understand the tinge bit of any of her children.

Placing Humaira softly on the sofa, guarding her with cushions, Siddhi got up and walked towards Sonara. She stood tangling her dupatta, a distance away.