STAR CROSSED

14.

'Sorry about my mother, she shouldn't have done that yesterday...' Maaz's cousin Kiran said to me after she placed a dress for me to wear at the party on my bed.

'I will leave from here soon and everything will be normal again...for all of us' I told her as she stood by the bed and watched me as I stared blankly at the dress. It was bright red, just as deep as the color of the blood. I flinched.

'It won't be that easy' I heard her say, and I looked up at her, waiting for her to explain further but she remained quiet.

'I haven't seen him like that before' She said a moment later when I got off from the bed and picked up the dress to go change.

'What do you mean?' I wondered.

'He rarely loses his temper like that on these types of things but yesterday it was different' She observed me. What was she seeing in me? Did she think I was responsible for his change of behaviour?

'He has always been like this... at least since I've known him' I informed her.

'Maybe' She nodded but didn't believe me it seemed.

'I'd like to change' I said to her and she left the room. I closed the door and changed into the red dress. I had some jewelry set which Kabeer bought for me before the wedding, but I never got a chance to wear them and now I wasn't sure if I could wear them. I was contemplating whether I should wear one of the sets when I heard a knock on the door. I went and opened it and saw Amma.

'You're here' I leaped forward and hugged her. I didn't realize how much I'd miss her in her absence.

'I told you I'll be here for you wedding party didn't I...oh let me look at you, you look so beautiful dear' She pulled back slightly and held my face in her hands.

'It's good to see you' I secured my hands over hers and led her inside the room.

'Did he take care of you while I was gone?' She asked me directly.

'Kabeer gave me these sets, I don't know if I...' I asked her instead.

'Of course, you should, he bought it for you' She replied right away.

'What is it?' She questioned me when she noticed me hesitating to reach for the jewelry box.

'Nothing...' I shook of the strange feeling in my heart and selected one of the lighter sets to wear with the dress. Just as I was trying out the jewelry, Maaz walked into the room and my earring fell on the ground out of jitteriness.

'You're okay?' He stared at me. I nodded and picked up the earring and turned back toward the mirror, my back facing him.

'Maaz' Amma called out his name and he marched towards her. 

'Doesn't she look nice?' Amma smiled at Maaz as he sat next to her. Amma shouldn't have called him into the room as I was getting ready.

'How was your trip?' He cleared his throat.

'It's getting chilly' She stated, and it made me smile. If Maaz wasn't going to answer her, neither was she.

'Guests are going to start arriving soon, you should get ready' My eyes met his for a brief second as he looked at the mirror before turning his attention back to Amma.

'As should you' She patted his shoulder and got up to leave.

'We'll be leaving from here after the party' He notified her about his decision.

'Very well...I won't unpack my bags then' She sighed. Who knows how many times she had to go through this, going back and forth between houses just to ensure Maaz is looked after.