, she decided to go back to her studies. She busied herself in the work for hours, reviewing and making notes for the exam.

The hour needle in the antique style clock was pointing at eight, while the minute needle shifted from forty nine to fifty. She had started her work late, so it meant she was going to stay up late too. But she hoped to finish studying earlier so she could get to talk to her dadi and spend some time with her. They were her favorite moments before going to bed.

Later at eleven fifteen, when she was done with the last assignment, she closed the textbook for the day and wrapped up. Before she deserted the room, she clicked off the lights and headed to dadi's room.

As she opened the door, her eyes first went to the bed, which was empty. She went inside and found dadi rocking in the chair by the window. The full moon was casting the white light at the floor.

"Dadi, I am here," Zoha said, disturbing the silence.

Dadi kept her eyes averted from Zoha and maintained them at the window with tasbeeh in her hand.

"Dadi?"

Then Zoha realized that dadi was deliberately not looking at her. So she walked up to her, and hugged from the back, which ceased the rocking of the chair.

"Why are you not talking to me?"

"I will not talk to you. I am upset at you."

"Why are you upset?" Zoha was confused.

"Because you didn't come to me after coming from college."

"I did. How can I not? But you were asleep."

Dadi did not answer immediately. "How about afterwards? I was stuck in the room because I can't take the stairs every time. You know how hard it is for me."

Zoha came to the front and knelt down, holding dadi's hands. "Will my dadi forgive me for my mistake? And free me from this burden?" She pouted her lips to look innocent.

Dadi overcame Zoha's hand.

"You are very clever," Dadi said.

"I know I am. After all I learned it from you," Zoha ribbed.

"Acha? You have grown very clever."

"But it only works on you. You are too sweet." Zoha got up. "Let me use the bathroom first and then we will continue talking." She sped to the bathroom, excited.

"Wear something light. I am not turning on the air-conditioner this time," Dadi said. "The weather is nice out tonight." She started back with her tasbeeh, muttering mutely.

When Zoha changed her clothes, she went back to dadi and settled next to her on the floor, reposing her head on the lap. She constantly stared at the moon- magnificent and round, being the only representative of the night.

"Dadi, did you like the new dish I cooked today?" Zoha asked politely.

"Yeah, Saliha told me. It was really good."

"Really?"

"Why wouldn't it be? Practice brought taste in your hand. What will I be eating next?"

Zoha lifted her head from the lap and looked at dadi. "What will you like to eat?"

"Gosht biryani has always been my favorite. When I was little, Saturdays were special because my mother kept it fixed that we would have biryani once a week. My father made it even better by bringing lemons. Sour and spicy." Dadi clicked her tongue.

"You are making me hungry again." Zoha's mouth watered from hearing the juicy description.

"If it really made you hungry, you would have been chubby like when you were little."

"Dadi, just because I don't eat a lot doesn't mean I don't eat. I am totally fine like this. I don't want to get chubby. It's embarrassing."

"Everybody wants to look smart these days," Dadi said with criticism in her tone.

"I don't know about anyone else. But I know I don't want to be fat."

Dadi hung the tasbeeh on the arm of the chair and laboriously got up. She slowly made it to the bed and sat down with a sigh of relief.

Zoha followed her and idled down on the bed next to her. She snatched the comforter over and dropped her head on the flabby pillow.

"Today we will get more time to talk, right?" Zoha said.

Dadi was suffering from the throbbing pain in her joints that occurred when she moved around. "I just hope my night goes well. It wasn't this bad in the afternoon."

"Why don't you take a walk to loosen your muscles?" Zoha suggested. "I mean I don't know if it helps."

"It just goes with the age." Dadi hoisted her feet from the ground and brought them over on the bed. "Now there aren't many days left."

"For what?" A small concern touched Zoha's eyes.

"Of me in this world."

At that, Zoha bolted on the bed. "Why did you say that?"

"Don't you see my condition? I am just a sore piece. Always fighting to move around," Dadi despaired.

And it made Zoha's heart pound harder than before. "Dadi, if you say that one more time, I will seriously leave the room and sleep somewhere else." She knew dadi couldn't live without her.

"Acha baba. Calm down. I won't talk about it anymore. Now will you move so I can lie down?"

Zoha rubbed her eyes and moved back to her pillow.

"I never heard you talk like that."

As dadi's head met the softness of the pillow, she sunk down sluggishly, and allowed the solace to drive in her body.

"Okay baba, I made a mistake. I won't say it again."

From the side, Zoha watched dadi's face wistfully.

The silence stretched wide, uninterrupted. There was only a noise of chirping cricket and blowing sound of wind from the open window.

"Dadi, I was thinking that Saliha bari ammi always teaches me cooking. Why doesn't she teach Manal anything? She is her daughter. Her first right."

"Manal is really spoiled. She doesn't listen to anyone. Not even Saliha."

"I remember how she used to steal my toys when they were better than hers. But I thought everyone change after they grow up."

"Nah. She is none like that. She does what she wants. I even yelled at her few times, but Saliha criticized me back for yelling at a small child. Bala dekho. If a mother like that is the backbone then who has the power to stop it from happening."

"Maybe she loves her a lot and that's why bari ammi can't get strict with her. It must be hard for her."

"These are all silly excuses. Saliha can do many things but she doesn't. And now since Manal is like that, it will affect her when she will get married."

Zoha thought for a while.

"But I am so happy that my Shehryaar is coming. Haven't seen him in ages," Dadi said.

Zoha puzzled at the new name. She asked, "who is that, dadi?"

"My grandson, and your bari ammi's son. He lives in California."

"Really? Is he the one that once came to Pakistan in summer years ago?"

"Yes. He went abroad for studies from when he was very young. Like six or seven. I don't remember. He once came to visit fourteen years ago with Zafar."

"He lived without his mother all those years? Didn't he ever want to meet bari ammi?"

"My son Zafar has taken good care of him. If he was here, Saliha would have spoiled him like Manal. Such clumsy, careless daughter-in-law I have."

"But I don't think bari ammi is that bad. She is always nice to me."

Dadi wheezed and wiped at her mouth with the chadar. Then when she coughed again, Zoha tamed the worry. "Dadi, should I bring water?"

"No-" she coughed with spittle. Putting the hand on the chest, she took deep breath. "I-I am fine. Just a temporary cough. No need to worry." As she felt better she fell back on the pillow. "I haven't taken the pill. It has a lot of side effects and I can't bear it."

"Are you sure you don't want water?"

"No. Relax."

Zoha rested back, regardless of the cough that struck dadi minute ago.

"Saliha told me Zafar had confirmed Shehryaar's tickets for this week. He will take off Friday evening and will land on Saturday. Three more days until that. Can't wait to see him."

*********************