Bubbles are you in there?? " Muradh asked for the umpteenth time glaring at the washroom door.. he was lying on the bed,awkwardly   with his head resting on his arms and legs on top of the other..

When he failed to get a response back, he sighed slumping his shoulders and took a deep breathe, readying himself for a massive shout once more when two pair of eyes meekly peeped through the wide open door to the room..

Turning his attention to the timid visitors he grinned..

"Hello amigos" he called out..

"Naana(elder brother) the eldest of the two, a girl about ten started in a shy tone..

"yess thangachi..(younger sister) he replied matching her tone, gently teasing her, she turned beetroot red and grinned.

"ummi wants you-" the boy interceded  while Imani came out towel drying her hair..

"Shifa, Omer.. hey fellows.." she greeted..

"Big dathi, Big dathi,.." Shifa literally jumped to Imani..
" Ummi told you and naana to come to dinner" little Omer finished with a toothy grin..

"Omer, buddy is this your big dathi?" he pointed Imani, confused ..

"yes, she is our big dathi.." Shifa replied indignantly ..

"So biiiiiiigggggg dathi is it.." sooo biiiiggggg I see.." he smirked at her her scanning her from top to bottom, only to receive a glare in his way..

"yeah she is.. but she gets angry and scolds you when you do addition wrong.." Omer warned him..

"yikes, she does? so I gotta be careful with her big guy? he asked carrying Omer for which the boy nodded, contented at making his point..

" so violent are we bubbles.. please don't scold me, I will do addition, subtraction,multiplication even trigonometry right.." he pleaded dramatically on the way to the dinning hall, making the kids giggle..

Muradh had brought Imani, to Kandy to visit her granny and they were staying at her Grandma's place.. Ilham uncle and his youngest sister Nazreen aunty lives with her in their big traditional home while her other aunts lived near by.. Shifa and Omer were Nazreen aunt's kids while her elder daughter was still at work..

"Putha..did they trouble you? Her granny asked when she saw Omer in his hands and Shifa tagging along laughing..

"No ummi..they are fabulous.. ", he replied cheerfully setting them down and pulling a chair for Imani beside her granny and seating himself opposite to her..

"They were actually a comfort to me while your bigggg grand daughter rarely speaks ummi.."he complained dramatically winking ..

"He is being Dramatic ummi.. he cant stop talking.." Imani countered back..

"Me? I'm the one who is being dramatic? This is called socializing, I better go pull all my teeth before I get you to speak about 10 whole sentences.." he sighed..

"It would be better if you had considered a career in pulling teeth Muradh.." Imani flared at him..

"It would have been even more better if you did your bachelors in silenc-ology instead of psychology bubbles.." he replied and guffawed at his own joke with Ummi and the kids while Nazreen aunty smiled listening to them..

"You're unbelievable Muradh.." Imani glared at him and turned her attention to the food..

"Oooooohhhh idiyappam(string hoppers) my favourite.." Imani cooed "and you've made coconut sambal too ummi.. I Love you.."she spoke excitedly hugging her..

Muradh was totally flabbergasted looking at her excited behaviour and was watching tongue tied when she smirked at him..

"Hey Muradh try it this way.. she pulled his hand when he was about to pour gravy into his hoppers..

She took a string hopper in her plate and stuffed it with a bit of the sambal and folded it like a taco and bit into it..

"Heavenly.. she declared.. her excitement was soo tangible that Muradh was drowning in it and nodded gleefully.. stuffing his hoppers the way she demonstrated..

"Putha.. you still do that.. when are you even gonna eat properly.."Ummi scolded her for which she just shook her head beaming..

"Bubble you know how to make String hoppers?"

"Who? she? Ummi interrupted before Imani could reply.. " look at her Muradh.. she will faint before she could pour one string hopper into a case.." Ummi giggled.. hi-fing Muradh while Imani pouted..

"Maani, putha here comes another one of your favourite guess what?? " Ummi smiled while the maid brought  a steaming pot wafting out a delicious aroma of curry leaves..

"Is it milk gravy?" Imani questioned.. and extended her hand to receive it..

"Assalamu alaikum w.w. everyone.." a booming voice sounded bringing a halt to their bickering and Imani dropped the pot in panic and  it hit the ground shattering into million pieces and flooding the room with gravy..

"Idiot, you, careless crap, always the drama that she forgets to even hold the container properly.." Ilham uncle growled at her venomously..

"What do you think you are doing Imani.. same like her, like mother like daughter.. big headed foold nothing but filled with Ego to the brim that you care nothing but of yourself.. what can I say you are hopeless.." he scolded at her huffing..

"That wasn't intentional daddy.. " she began meekly.. Muradh saw Ummi grip her hands under the table and she fell silent..

"How dare you-"He roared and was about to pounce on her..

When Ummi stood up, pushing him back,"Ilham stop, that was a mistake and you are over reacting.. go freshen up and come, we are at the dinner table remember..

"I'm sorry daddy, I wasnt holding it strong enough.." Imani apologized..

"Ruined my day.."he mumbled.. running up the stairs..

Muradh witnessed the whole encounter silently....

Imani's eyes pooled with tears, but before they could rain she gulped it down with water..

A surge of hot anger coursed through Muradh, seeing her eyes glaze over but he pushed  it down..

She gulped down her food in a hurry sending them down with water and not looked anywhere else..

Muradh met her eyes and raised his eyebrows asking how she is.. she merely smiled at him in reply..

When Imani was barely done, Ilham uncle came back..

"Hello putha, he patted Muradh on the back.. "Sorry for the commotion, welcome to Kandy.. are you enjoying yourself young man? He questioned seating himself on the table..

"Yes uncle, this place is amazing.." he replied..

"Join me once we are done with dinner will have a night stroll, I wanna introduce you to my pals.." he ordered for which Muradh merely nodded..

Finishing her dinner, Imani went up without a look back.. and Muradh waited in the hall for Ilham to catch up with him

Coming back, Muradh raked his eyes all over the room looking for Imani, he saw her petite silhouette hunched in the dark terrace and walked to her..

She stood there frozen, staring at the sky, her hands on the railing in a tight grip and the trails of her tears ornating her cheeks..

He walked to her and stood right behind her, his hands inches away from her on the railing,

"Back soon? She asked without turning back..

"Mmm.. not asleep yet? For which she merely shook her head..

"Bubbles listen,  he moved to stand beside her," just chuck it, he was just back from work na.." he reasoned..

"I know.. she sighed still not looking at him...

"Its not his fault, neither anyone's.."

" but I dont know where did I go wrong..  to deserve all these.." she whispered barely audible looking at him in the eyes.. her eyes reflected the thunder raging within that they tied him speechless.

Moving behind her, he enveloped her in his embrace while she hung on to him for her dear life..

"I'm sorry sweetheart, I wish I could do something for you..-"

"You cant.." she pulled back.." dont even try.." she replied defiantly..

He sighed.. " he took her hands in his own and gripped it tight..

she was right.. he was in a state where he could do nothing but watch his beloved drown in her own pool of misery.. he did the only thing he could..

While she fought her trauma and demons alone.. he stood by her, holding her tight..

Some wounds run deeper than they ostensibly seem to be..
They cannot be undone with the change of winds.. rather to be healed with straggle of time..

Assalamu alaikum W.W everyone.. 

How have you all been?

All safe and sound?

So here is the update after Ramadan..

Had a safe and sound eid? Wbt eidi?

About the chapter how was it?

String hoppers and coconut sambal is my favourite too.. anyone else with me??

Liked it loved it? Hated it? Either way lemme know..

Sooo until next time..

Allah hafiz lovelies

Love: Marwa..