The smell of hot Thalassery Biriyani was in the air. It mixed in a perfect proportion with the aroma of Roasted beef.  Shahma's stomach roared. She looked at it and then took a quick scan of everyone around as she patted on it, silently begging it to not make anymore noises.Thankfully, everyone were busy and no one heard it.

Shahma's ear was getting worn out by the loud chit chats and she wanted to listen to the Mappila song being sung by some men from the men's section. The men's section which was in front of the bride's house and the woman's section which was behind the house was separated by a white curtain only but no matter how much Shahma tried she could not concentrate on the song.

A woman wearing a silk saree pushed Shahma aside as she went ahead with a big tray of hot biriyani. She smiled apologetically at Shahma before hurrying to an empty table. The place was packed with people. Some eating, some serving and others waiting.

The bride was eating at a table with many girls of her age. She was very fair and beautiful. She was wearing a red Saree and a lot of gold. Her forearms were filled with bangles and the necklaces and chains left no space for the upper half of her bridal dress to be seen. Though happy, she looked very tired.

Shahma thought that she would not look that beautiful on her wedding day. The golden ornaments never matched her skin tone, it made her look even darker but she knew that nobody was going to support her if she proposed an idea off being a bride without any golden ornaments. Well, golden ornaments or not she knew that she would definitely feel suffocated if that many people came for her wedding.

Shahma did not actually like the idea of  attending her Neighbour's cousin's wedding but her mother was lazy to cook lunch only for her and she was even lazier to cook for herself but the waiting was making her regret her decision to attend the wedding.

She felt lost by being among a lot of people without her mother or sister beside her.  Though there were a lot of people chatting around her, it was only her thought that she could hear properly and it shouted at her for not choosing the comfort of her home. Her sister had left them when she saw some of her friends and her mother was helping others in catering.

Shahma simply wanted to eat the food, call Sushi and leave the place as soon as possible. She was starting to feel sick.

"This is my sister, Shahma. Stay here. I will find your umma and come"

Shahma turned when she heard Shahana's voice. Shahana simply walked away without even acknowledging her sister. She looked a little tensed as she squeezed herself through a group of ladies who were blocking her way to the house.

Shahma then noticed a girl beside her, staring at her with teary eyes. The two year old looking girl had curly oily hair which was imprisoned by a hair band. A string of jasmine flowers was also pinned to her small head. Her white  frock looked dirty and she looked tired. Her eyes teared up even more when it met Shahma's.

"Umma..." The girl started crying.

Shahma looked around for a source of help but everyone were really busy. She extended her arms towards the little girl and the girl walked towards her with widened arms. Shahma picked up the girl. She sat on Shahma's arms without any hesitation but her crying did not stop.

Slowly, Shahma became the center of attention as many people started looking at the crying cute girl. Some of them even asked why she was crying and extended their arms towards the girl but each time someone did it, the girl hugged Shahma even tighter and cried even louder.  Shahma felt it awkward when some ladies asked her about the girl's name. The askers looked quizzically at her when she said that she didn't knew the girl's name.

Shahma felt it good to be embraced by a small girl. However, it was such an ordeal due to attention it was attracting and Shahma wished if Shahana would be back soon.

Shahma rocked the child and patted her until the child slept due to tiredness. Shahma's arms started aching but she knew that the warmth of the embrace was worth the pain. Two little arms were clinging on her shoulders as a small head rested on her chest. She wondered if the child was feeling uncomfortable due to her flat chest.

"I am so sorry," A woman stole the warmth from Shahma as she took the child. "Did she bother you?"

Shahma shook her head.

Suddenly Shahma felt a pull at her wrist and it was her sister.

"Come fast, there is free table at the corner" Shahana said as she dragged her sister and looked at the woman with the child.

"Ruksana, you are coming right?"

Ruksana nodded as she wiped her daughter's sweaty face.

The peak hours were over and thus they got the food pretty quick. The woman who was serving them was staring intensely at Ruksana and just the stare made Shahma feel uncomfortable.

"You are Rajula's daughter isn't it?"

Ruksana smiled and nodded.

"Rabiya...that girl who got divorced last month... your cousin right?" The rice that she had managed to carry on the spatula fell back into the tray due to a very big chicken piece.

"Yeah," Ruksana's smile did not falter even if Shahma felt a little uncomfortable due to the topic the conversation was leading to.

"Her ex-husband had an affair isn't it?"

Ruksana nodded again.

"You know, women should adjust a lot," the lady sighed. " It is going to be difficult for her parents to find another husband for her especially since she has two kids,"

"She is not planning on getting married anytime soon,"

"Oh why?"

" Her life her choice," Ruksana shrugged before proceeding to starting to the plate of pleasure.

The woman looked at Ruksana for a minute or so before huffing.

"Kids these days have no respect," She did not wait for a reply from Ruksana as she trotted away.

"You have become a pretty strong girl after school days, huh?"

"Well, I had to face a little lot when I backed of a marriage after engagement and then I had to face many questions just because her father had her when we were getting married,"

"Huh?" Shahma did not quite understand the situation and her confusion was vocalized before she had even detected it.

"Her biological mother had died during her birth," Ruksana's eyes were set on the little girl on her lap, "some of them even dared to ask me if it was because I had him in mind that I called of my marriage with that first guy,"

"Did you Rukki?" Shahana asked with a naughty smile on her face.

"I met him for the first time in my life when he e to see me with my daughter and the truth be told my heart did skip a beat that day but that was t because of him, it was when my eyes met with my daughter's"

"I really don't understand , Ruksana, why do people have a lot of questions, I mean...all that everyone have to ask me after Fajar's one month visits are...." Shahana made her voice a little high pitched and then looked at Ruksana's stomach "so Shahana, is there someone?"

Ruksana chuckled and shook her head.

"I just wish if I were a boy, I wouldn't have to hear all those awkward questions, right?" Shahana served herself with another spoon of beef fry, frustration evident on her face.

"Oh no," Ruksana shook her head "guys too have to face questions though different, many of the boys also feel irritated with such questions,"

"Like what?" Shahma looked like she was going to declare war at the piece of beef in her hand, the rubber characteristic was simply getting on her nerves.

"About when they are going to get a job or when they are going to get married or have children and all..."

"Seems like having four brothers would let you know about the hardships in the lives of boys," Shahma was cheering a rubber piece and she seemed to enjoy it.

Ruksana smirked.

"There will always be questions and hurtful words and many of the askers do not intend any harm, it's like it's just a part of the conversation so it's up to you if you want to continue, control or avoid the conversation and it's totally up to you to let those words get into you or not," Ruksana shrugged.

Shahma looked at both of them. It wasn't just her who was being questioned by random aunties. She used to be questioned about why she wasn't getting married and she thought that it was a plight. She never realized that it wasn't just her who was being questioned and talked about based on private matters.

She was thinking of herself as a victim for so long that she did not even notice that her sister was also being questioned about something by the' aunty community.

She took her phone and send a message.

"Yew Shahma, your phone is just greasy now, couldn't you wait till you finished your biriyani and washed your hands?" Shahana asked as she scrunched her nose.

Shahma read the message once again, making sure that she didn't make any mistakes.

'Can we meet?'