Jai cradled Humaira in his arms.
The baby seemed to be extremely touched by rains. She made some illegible sounds as Jai paced up and down the balcony, enjoying the drizzles that didn't shower into the insides of the railings anymore.

Her eyes glittered, she threw her little fists towards the outside scenery, and then looked at Jai everytime.

" Bizzss... Gggghhh... Hizzzzs " , she exclaimed.

Jai answered back, " Booozzx, fuuzzz, duzzzz " , and plopped a kiss on her cheeks. She immediately pressed her own cheeks and giggled, as if thoroughly cherishing how princessly she was being treated.

The lunch time had been a roller coaster ride for both of them. With Humaira at her topmost mischievous self. She had seated on Jai's bed surrounded by a fortress of pillows, five teddies guarding the inner territory.

Jai had sat before her like the old king with a big bowl of cerelac. Confident enough to finish feeding her like the last time effortlessly, Jai had placed the spoonful into her mouth.
Her eyes had twinkled immediately, while taking in the thing, giving Jai a momentary satisfaction. And within a split second, she had splashed back the whole liquid, drenching Jai's shirt.

Not only that, she had clapped her little hands, and laughed, as if she knew exactly what she had just done.

" You naughty girl! " , Jai had overcome the initial shock with a fit of laughter and caught the baby pulling her gently into her lap while she continued giggling. Jai joined the giggle and tickle with the room getting filled with chirps of joy.

After which, Humaira, like a very good baby, had finished off the entire bowl of cerelac. And had fallen asleep on his bed just a little later, which her mouth slightly open. Jai had seated beside her, watching the process, as he slowly passed his fingers through her wrinkled hair.

The baby was beautiful....just like her mother. Her leg, which was still very slightly deformed, did not make her an ounce less joyful than she was.

Now she was back in action again, clinging to Jai and enjoying the nature in its newest form.

" Humaira? " , Jai asked.

" Bzzz Bzzz Bzzz.... Mama... " , she replied.

" Mama is at work. Humaira is with uncle. "

Humaira stared at him with wide eyes, as if trying to comprehend.
Then placed her little palms on his cheeks.

" Pa.. Pa.. " , she uttered.

The smile on Jai's face...disappeared.

•

" What am I....supposed to do now? " , Sonara asked, after a long time.

Maya leaned back on the slick back of the two seater. And stared nowhere in particular.

" Fight for your love, something I could not do. "

Sonara lowered her head.

Maya sat up.

" My brother is a confused soul.

He has been typically brought up on my father's ideals. And he sticks to them as much as he can, fights to establish them.

But then, times come, people come, situations come, that make him think otherwise. He sways, big time, by a big number.

Then again, he remembers his routes and shifts back, only to return to his newly found ideals soon.

The man is taught to hate Muslims and he takes in that without doubt. And the same man helps a Muslim woman without anyone's knowlege, as much as he can.

The man leaves no stone unturned to insult an employee in the name of Hinduism, in the name of being an ideal child.

And the same man, at the end of the day falls in love with a Muslim woman. Not only that, the woman reciprocates, much to the confirmation that his love is genuine. "

Sonara knew the hiccups now were growingly hard to control, as tears soaked her cheeks and neck.

" My brother has got two voices inside. Two desires.

One, is questioning him his duty as a son, as to how he has till date fought for his father's ideals.

The other, is killing him. Because love, when you cannot do anything about it, just kills.

I won't call it an ego issue, maybe just a tug of war between his two voices that's breaking him completely. Again and again.

If you love him Sonara, make him choose one of the two, on his own.

I know it'll be hard for you, but putting him in a do or a die situation will only make him realise what he wants more.

Just as you know he loves you, he too does, that you do. Question isn't yours here, question is his winning over his inner turmoil.

Make him do that. Because a person cannot live with two voices, two desires, two identities. "

Sonara looked up, at Maya.

She could not believe how strong this woman could be.
Just sometimes back she narrated the tragic story of her life, her love.
Now, without a quiver, she wants a Muslim woman with no status to even stand a second before her, to let her brother get over his identity crisis.

" Why....do...you even choose me for your brother....? " , Sonara asked, her voice trembling.

" Because he chose you. Hence, maybe only you can. "

Sonara's lips quivered. She couldn't think of anything appropriate to be uttered next.

Maya immediately turned extremely formal.

" Ashish will join for dinner tonight at our place, now that you are part of the proceedings to get Jai.
Don't spoil things. Think quietly, you'll know why...and what you're doing.

Ashish, by the way, is a part of the plan.

Talk to him as naturally and joyfully you can tonight, before Jai.

And if possible, say a yes, or you may delay.
It's upto you.

Jai needs to realise, and the process needs to be soon.

Sooner than the arrival of Raghav Raichand. "

Sonara kept staring into her eyes.

•

Jai sat in the living room.
Humaira sat beside him, terribly busy in doll affairs. Saliva drooled down her cheeks as she concentrated hard with her brows squeezed.

" Nandini! "
Jai shouted.

Nandini appeared with a cotton cloth, and wiped Humaira's face.

" I told you to give that to me. I could do that. " , Jai said.

" Oh, I'm sorry sir. I thought... "

" It's okay. Give it to me. " , Jai took the cloth.

Nandini walked away.

Jai Raichand, who used to so much detest a tiny piece of dirt, used to be hypersensitive calling every out of the box things gross and filthy, has got no problem in wiping off dribbling salivas from a child's mouth.

Strange!

Jai watched Maya push the door and get in, followed by Sonara.

His head burnt.

Sonara seemed so engrossed with new people in her life, new well wishers, Jai seemed to have lost every importance....

He stopped thinking in the line, when he realized, he was pulled up from a mess at midnight, by none other than Sonara Parvez.

He looked away. His chest was hurting.

" Hi Jai! How's you? "

Maya came and sat on the couch before. Sonara didn't. She walked up to the sofa and picked up Humaira.
The child giggled loud.
" Mama! "

Sonara pecked her cheeks and forehead and eyes.

Jai heaved out a small sigh. Neither did he answer Maya.

Maya looked at Sonara.
" Go and get ready. Get the baby ready too. Ashish will be here soon. "

Jai shot a glance at her, his eyes oozing disgust.

" Why here? Why don't these dinners take place somewhere else? " , he blurted.

Sonara looked at Maya. But Maya was looking straight at Jai.

" How selfish do you sound Jai! We are Sonara's guardians of sorts! It's our duty to ensure things proceed good! "

Jai sprang up.
" Duty, my foot! "

" Behave yourself Jai! " , Maya hissed.

Without saying a word more, Jai stormed past Sonara up the stairs.

Maya trailed his path.

And without looking at Sonara, said,
" Go and get ready. Your dress has been prepared. "

As Sonara receded, she knew not, what game was Allah playing with her.

•

Jai sat before his chessboard.

His hyperactive brain had to be distracted, otherwise it would explode any second.

He chose what he did many a times. Playing chess, with himself.

The board now was scattered with blacks and whites. He was to play for white now. He calculated.

" Checkmate. "

A hand placed the white elephant just horizontal to the black king. The king was surrounded by his own men from the rest of the sides, with no place to move.

Jai looked up.
Maya smiled.

" Don't play with yourself Jai!
The game's not worth it as such.

One half of you, will never let you win over the other half, just by yourself.

A third party intervention is needed in such a game, to get you back on track.

The door bell's ringing. Ashish probably.

Come down. I hope I won't have to embarrass myself by sending servants to call for you again. "

Maya walked out of the room, her stilleto banging through Jai's heart.

He immediately everted the chess board, scattering the pieces on the ground.

Pain, could you just leave me alone?

____

The cover has been amazingly done by Elegantndreamy. Thank you so much.