Emanet

|11|: Stalker/شکاری

The laughter echoed around the hall as the ladies chat together. Children playing in a corner with their toys as the ladies sat by the living hall busy chatting with each other.

Safa, Bua Ji and her daughter Hira sat together in the living room while having their cups of tea and talking to each other animatedly.

"Trust me, we missed you a lot."

Hira said as a matter of fact to Safa. Warmth flooded inside her chest listening to Hira speak of her like that. She smiled at her widely and said

"That's so nice of you. I have exams just around the corner."

Uff these exams!

She has her first paper on the coming Tuesday. Nerves are eating her alive although her preparation has been done to perfection. Still a doubt lingers deep in her mind

'What if I fail?
What if I'm not preparing enough?'

Loads of these insecure thoughts clouded her mind. But she chose to lock them away for today. Hira was leaving today with her kids and husband. She came with Bua Ji and decided to stay here in Karachi for a brief amount of time. She enjoyed the change of scenery and was feeling satisfied how Safa was taking care of her old mother.

It was so lovely to see that a stranger cares for a stranger that much.

A honk sounded and Hira clicked her tongue and said

"It's time." Safa nodded and they all stood up. Hira called her kids and they swarmed Bua Ji as they were told by their mother that they were leaving. Safa smiled at those bundles of innocence. They were lucky to have a grandmother. To have someone to cherish them. Look after them with so much care and adoration. As the children were busy getting kisses from their grandmother, Hira took Safa with her to the side

"I just wanted to thank you Safa. From the bottom of my heart."

Her words were a little jumbled as moisture gathered beneath her eyes. Safa smiled and hugged her. Patting her back, she said

"I'm the one who is indebted to her. Bua Ji means the world to me. I can die taking care of her."

Safa reassured Hira that she will still take care of her just as much as she does and that she didn't need to worry. Giving a final hug to her mother, Hira left to catch her train to Islamabad.

Safa heard a sniffle and found Bua Ji wiping a teat out of her eye.

"Aww come on Bua Ji. You have one daughter right by your side."

Chuckling at the young girl's excuse of making her laugh, she pinched her cheeks and they went inside.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wrapping the chaddar around her shoulders, Safa padded down the stairs. The classes were starting late today in the University and she wanted to study in the library. The aroma of fried egg and toast reached her nostrills instantly earning a groan of hunger from her. She quickly walked toward the kitchen finding Bua Ji pouring tea into their cups. She smiled and greeted her.

"Good morning."

Bua Ji patted her head and served her breakfast. Finishing it completely and putting the dirty dishes in the sink, she placed a kiss on Bua Ji's forehead and was out of the door like a gush of wind.

Walking to the nearby bus stand, she waited for the bus. She was tapping her feet continously on the ground when she felt it.

Like someone was watching her. A gaze. A sensation of someone keeping eyes on her. She looked here and there, but everything was seemingly normal.