Love after Loss

Chapter 34 - Nihal Singh

Arsalan

We walked through Green Street, going in and out of many varieties of shops along the way; from the finest South Asian clothes in London; to the air-conditioned halls of Jewellery Stores; to the sweetest in Desi confectionery.

"Abbu, look look!" Asif was pointing to a cafe where they served fresh pakoras, chai, hot chocolate and more.

"Yes, yes, ok we are going!" I said, and we went in. We sat at a large table and grabbed our orders;

"Did you talk to Ibrahim?" Abbu asked.

"Yes... he and Ammi said I don't have to but I said I wanted to. They will always be the kids' grandparents. So they said when I have proposed for both families to com and eat at their house." I replied looking down at my chai.

"That's good." Abbu said to simply end it after seeing my worry.

Part of me was worried that because of this reason she wouldn't though. It's like this storm had just subsided and the seas were calm, but now the wind was picking up a little again. I shrugged it off however and just carried on with my task.

"Abbu, Ammu, me and Aliha just have to go and run a business errand. Could you stay with the kids please?" I asked my parents.

"Why can't aliha stay-"

"-Ammu you know how boys can be with shops!" Aliha retorted, making Ammu laugh and nod.

'That's a good excu- wait what???' I thought.

"Theek hai toh jaao, we will stay with the kids. Text us when you are done?" Ammu said, and we nodded and made our way to what we'd really come for, or rather who - Nihal Singh.

"How far?" I asked Aliha. We had been walking up the street for what should have been a few minutes now, but the cold and the sludge plus stopping to see some members of our community here too made it a longer journey.

"Just up... ah here!" She said as we turned into a little nook where there was a narrow but long jewellery store with a green canopy out front. It had a white sign that read 'Nihal Singh's Luxury Jewellery' in both English and Punjabi.

We walked in and the bell went. At first, there was nobody but a ladder leading from behind the desk up to a hatch in the low ceiling.

"Ek minute! I am coming!" Shouted a voice from the hatch with an Indian accent. Soon a man with a blue turban came down, and as he turned I noticed the rest of his friendly details. The wrinkles on his face and around his thinly framed spectacles hugged them and led to a long yet combed moustache and beard with white streaks in them.

When he saw Aliha, his face lit up almost immediately. "Miss Salem!" He said with a bright smile on his face.

"Ki haal hai Chachu?" She asked.
(How are you uncle?)

"Oh haan haan mein bohot theek hain! Aur tu? Tuhaadi Panjaabi bahut zyaadi cagi ho rahi hai!" He replied.
(Oh yes yes I am very good! And you? Your Punjabi is getting very fluent!)

She smiled and laughed. Then that's when he saw  me.

"Aur Mr Salem! Husband of the late Aizah... where are my manners? Betho betho!" his smile dropped as it it reminded him of a bad time. But he picked his smile up again. I was starting to see why Aizah trusted him so much so that he would be trusted to carry out an important yet hard task.

We sat and he poured us two silver cups of water.

"I see why you are here..." he looked to aliha and she nodded. "But do not worry, I have it stored upstairs, I kept it wrapped in some plastic so it's less dusty. Mainu thoda time do—"