. Zoha was disconcerted in her sleep. She uncovered her face from the comforter, witnessing the radiant curtains.

"Zoha." A voice called.

She looked as another knock struck the door. It must be bari ammi, she thought.

As she opened the door, she saw Saliha standing- her eyes small and tired. It seemed like she didn't want to disturb Zoha, but she had anyway.

"I am sorry I woke you up- " she said. "How are you feeling?" A wave of sympathy washed over.

Zoha was reticent. She dropped her gaze on the floor, as if communicating with her behavior. Quiet and passive. Shriveled like unwatered flower.

"Did you take proper rest? Look how pale you have become. Your swelled, puffy eyes are telling me that you have been crying all night." Saliha lifted her chin. "I am with you, my dear. Don't feel that you are alone."

Zoha hugged Saliha, being at the verge of shedding tears. She squeezed her aunt tight like she never wanted to distance herself from her.

"I was afraid to sleep alone," Zoha said.

"It's hard when you are used to sleeping with someone. But you can't do nothing beside getting used to it. It's not easy. You have to learn it, my dear."

"Is it possible?" Zoha sobbed.

"Why isn't it?"

"But I am still dependent on dadi. It's hard. She was always with me at everything."

Saliha parted Zoha from her, holding her shoulders. "You know when you are little just learning to walk. You are most dependent on the objects around you. Carefully taking each step, afraid you might fall without them. But one day you step away from those objects and start to walk on by yourself. It will take time but you can do it. Believe me. Time heals every wound."

Zoha kept looking at Saliha as she tried to comfort her.

"I will try," Zoha said, forlorn.

"At first you have to make yourself strong. I know it is difficult."

"But-" she had something to say, but left it unsaid.

"I know it's hard to take in what I am saying. But believe me you can do it," Saliha encouraged.

Zoha nodded, although nothing made sense to her.

"Now tell me what will you eat for breakfast?"

Zoha coughed and said."I don't want to eat anything."

"Why? How will you get better?"

"My head is hurting. I am not feeling well."

Saliha reached to feel Zoha's forehead.

"Oh God. You seem to have such high fever. Why didn't you tell me before?" she shocked.

Zoha's eyes were droopy and exhaustive. Her nose was red from rubbing.

"I have to give you a medicine. But you can't take it unless you eat." Saliha gazed at Zoha and took her arm to feel her fever. "You can't stay like this. Go use the bathroom and I will get your breakfast ready."

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

At the dining table, there was no one. The chairs were empty. It was eleven fifteen in the morning. Rumina and Saliha were the ones to wake up early to handle the tasks. At the moment, Rumina was watering the lawn and tending beautiful flowers. The huge house was way too big for only four people. Sajid was given a space in the rear servants quarter, separate from the one in which Rumina lived. Despite the fact they were chauffeur and maid, over the course working at the same place for a long time, they had earned respect and good reputation.

Zoha took a seat and glanced across the oblong glass table. The fruit basket in the center appeared less fresh. Tea pot seemed empty. Perhaps Saliha was going to fill it up. She felt like a guest in her own house since everyone was out of sight.

Saliha brought tray, with bread and jam. She put it on the table and disappeared back in the kitchen, taking away the tea pot. When she came back, she pulled out a chair and sat with Zoha.

"You like bread and jam, right?" Saliha asked, smearing the reddish-pink jam on the slice.

"Sometimes I eat it to college."

"It's better when you don't want to eat anything heavy." She placed the folded slice in Zoha's plate.

Zoha picked it up hesitantly and tore a bite with her pristine teeth. She looked at Saliha, feeling guilty that her bari ammi was doing everything for her.

"Sorry, bari ammi."

Saliha looked.

"For what?"

"That you have to do this for me."

Saliha's tide of concern unleashed. "No, beta. If I can't do this much for my kids, then why am I even here. I like doing things for you as well as my other two kids. Do you want another slice? How about chai?"

"Half cup."

"Did you meet Shehryaar?" Saliha asked, pouring the steaming milk tea in the white cup.

The question left Zoha stunned. She stopped amid taking her bite.

"He must still be sleeping." Saliha was busily making another slice.

Zoha was about to answer that Shehryaar popped into the dining room, surprising Saliha from the back.

"Aray. You woke up? I was just talking about you. How was the night? Were you comfortable?"

"I am fresh. Feels great to be back home."

"I hope you enjoy as long as you are here." The residue gloom was dull on her face, comforting him with light words.

Saliha looked back at Zoha. "I still have that picture in my mind when you three were really little. It seems like it was just yesterday. Such a long time has passed." She finally smiled, lost in her dreamy thoughts.

"I wish I was still little, so you could feed me," Shehryaar deliberately said and slightly kept his eyes at his mother, as if afraid how she would react.

"You are always a little kid for me. What would you like to eat? Today you name anything and I will bring it to you. Maybe even feed you," Saliha ribbed.

"Um." He glimpsed at Zoha, thinking. "Meetha wala paratha. That is the most desi I can get."

"Great." Saliha laughed. "It will be ready in seconds."

As Saliha was heading to the kitchen, Zoha said, "Bari ammi, I am done eating. Can you tell me where is the medicine?"

Saliha turned and scampered her gaze over from Zoha to Shehryaar then back to Zoha. Then broke the firmness in her expression like she was startled.

"I will get it for you," she said.

The moment Saliha left, Manal walked in. She joined Zoha and Shehryaar at the table with a brilliant grin.

"Good morning," Manal said, without specifically to anyone. "How are you?" she asked Shehryaar then, directing her gaze.

Zoha was quiet. She swallowed her last bite and swigged the tea over it. Then collected her dirty dishes and headed to the kitchen, while Shehryaar and Manal chatted.

Later, when Saliha came back with fresh cooked paratha and the medicine for fever, she found Zoha was gone.

"Did Zoha go back to her room?"she asked.

"I don't know. I thought she was with you in the kitchen," Shehryaar said. "Then she must be in her room. Is she okay?"

"Actually she has high fever. I have to give her medicine." Saliha looked at her palm that had white tiny pill. "I guess I am going to be going up to her."

"Mummy, isn't Rumina free?" Manal asked, with thin layer of concern.

"You need something?" Saliha asked.

"I thought you were going back and forth giving us things. Maybe Rumina can give Zoha the medicine."

Saliha thought. "No, I don't find it suitable. It wouldn't be right."

"Okay. I was just saying for your own good," she said, shrugging her shoulders unsympathetically.

"Anyways. Shehry, tum paratha taste karo, I will be excused for couple of minutes," Saliha said.

"Yes. The paratha. It will be gone before you come back. I am starving to death," he said, rubbing his hands over the plate.

Saliha went upstairs without sparing another moment.

"Bhai, what did you get for me?" Manal asked, opening up a conversation.

"What do you mean?" Shehryaar said, making a bite with the piece of his paratha.

"Oh come on you know what I am talking about."

"That? Sorry I didn't get anything. There was no space in the suitcase."

"You are kidding me? You know how much I was expecting it?"

Shehryaar made a face. "I'm sorry. But." He let the chewed food slide down his throat. "But promise I will buy you something from here. Whatever you want. Your choice. What if I had brought in something you did not have like. Not good with girls stuff," he explained. "By the way paratha tastes so good. Mummy is just amazing."

"It's because you are eating it after a very long time," Manal said.

"But even if you eat it everyday, it will still taste this sweet," he said. "By the way what is your favorite food for breakfast? I remember when you were little, you only used to drink the carton milk. One time I bought it for myself. No. Daddy brought it for me for the cereal. You were caught drinking the whole pack," he teased.

"Bhai, you still remember that? It was that Rumina. She started calling: 'bibi jee! Bibi jee! Come here. Look what Manal has done' I am done with her. She is always there when you don't need her."

"How could I not remember that?" Shehryaar chuckled. "You were such cute naughty girl."

"Maybe I liked drinking milk a lot and that's why I did that." Manal laughed.

"Yeah." Shehryaar took another bite of his food.

"By the way, I had one thing I wanted to ask."

"What?"

"When are you taking me to California?" Manal placed her arms folded on the table and looked at Shehryaar, who was enjoying every bit of his breakfast meal.

"I don't know. Why don't you ask mummy?"

Manal thought. "She just wants me to complete my studies first. I hate it when she says that. And what if I fail?" She stretched her arm to the fruit basket and picked an imperfectly round orange.

Shehryaar sipped the tea, and shocked, "what?"

"I am not failing. Relax." She gave an obvious look, which was ironic because it had been twice that she was at the edge of barely being promoted in tenth grade. There were red pen marks all over her report card, suggesting for improvement and handing homework on time. But she never took them seriously.

"Mummy is right. You should complete your studies first. Don't think since I studied in California so I was always hanging out with my friends and traveling. Daddy was on my head the whole time while taking care of the business on the side."

"But still. It must not be as annoying as mummy."

"Mummy just worries more about you than you worry about yourself."

Manal frowned.

"Once you are done with your studies, then I can talk about it to daddy," Shehryaar said. "Then he will definitely consider it."

"Really?" Manal startled with excitement.

"Of course."

"Then that is amazing," she raptured.

"Indeed."

"But I gotta wait for couple of years then." Just as optimism lit her face, she slumped her shoulders and frowned again.

"If you stop thinking about them, they will pass by before you know it." Shehryaar sipped the tea after he was done eating.

"Hmm." Manal began peeling the orange she was holding in her hand.

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