" Booo!! Taah!! Gaga!! "

In the storm silence, Humaira's giggles and coos hit their ear drums. Hard.

The baby was holding out one of her little hands to Jai, and was smiling as if she got a lost plastic toy back. A dear one.

The rage building up inside, and squeezing the veins of his brains, suddenly lost tension. As if.

Jai Prakash Raichand forgot to burst out a couple of words bubbling inside his body, " What the fucking hell are you doing in my house?

You ungrateful Muslim woman, you need something again, don't you?

Hence all those phone calls, and now you reached my house!!

But listen you woman, drop that innocent mask off your face.
I was so right once that I disliked your race. You ruined everything, on that ominous stormy night.

No longer. Get lost. Once and for all!!!! "

But, not a word escaped his lips. A baby girl sucked in all his rage, in a momentary intervention.

Sonara Parvez was shaking within. Though she could never show it on face.
Every puzzle piece was fitting suddenly.

Raichand. Muslim. Storm. 'He'.

Hadn't she vowed not to ever cross paths with him again?

Why the hell was Allah testing her this way? Why?

There, his face was changing creases. From utter surprise, to utter disgust.

He was on the verge of bursting, and Sonara, on the verge of taking in and throwing back as well, when suddenly Humaira intervened.

Bringing it all down, in a fraction of time.

Jai didn't respond to Humaira's demands of reaching out to him, but the veins of his brains did. So did his heart.

There was nothing more painful for a child to find her mother being shouted at, however a baby she was.

Hence, only for Humaira.

Jai toned himself down as much as he could.

" What...the hell are you doing in my house, Mrs Sonara Parvez? "

The hatred oozed through every nook of his slowly spoken words. Within gritted teeth.

Sonara didn't really know when, her lips had curved into a sarcastic smile.

Whom was he trying to annoy with the overemphasized 'Mrs' ?

As if Sonara cared about a husband-wife relationship any longer.
Any dog would like to be her husband. Had been even.

That didn't matter much to the life of a woman, sold by her own mother, to be 'the city's one night stand'.

Clearly, and confidently, curling Humaira tightly in her arms, she declared,
" I'm Maya Raichand's guest, Jai Prakash Raichand Sir!
I hope you know that brilliant woman. "

Jai's brows squeezed, almost beyond recovery.

" Maya's guest??? 

I see. So you reached Rangruchi to get hold of me. Right? "

Sonara now walked closer.
" I wish you start considering yourself, a bit less important to my life.

Mr Raichand, you are disgusted with me, guessing that I'm ungrateful, despite whatever you have done for me.

I declare, I'm not.

I'm just afraid that if I stay close to you, I might keep depending on you for every small thing.

But at the end of the day, I belong to a community you and your parents utterly detest. I belong to a class you people can only donate to. As to beggars.

I didn't want this unreal and unhealthy relationship to continue any longer.

That's all.

And as for Maya, I met her at a dargah. Surprisingly. I'm sure there's more to it, to the fact that such an orthodox Hindu family has a child like her.
Anyways, I am really in a trouble, and she herself lend me a hand, and so.... "

" Wait wait wait wait....
You have spoken enough madam!
I got it so right.

You are in some trouble again, hence when the brother's no longer available, you grab the sister because she's a bit drawn to your community.

Once your problem gets over, you'll be like,

Maya Raichand! Who's that? "

Jai raised his index finger towards Sonara.

" Listen, however differences I have with my sister, I would never let her fall in the innocent face trap you have set.

I don't deny whatever wrong had happened to you in the past, but you....don't know....how to respect people....who respect you!! "

Sonara was breathing fast. Sweat beads formed on her temple and forehead.

Was he right? Was he terribly right?

" Sir" , out of nowhere, the maid from last night appeared.
" Sonara is Maya ma'am's guest. She's strictly asked me to look after her well being. So kindly treat a guest with due respect. It's Maya ma'am's...."

" Orders. Right?
What else can she place expect orders?

Now you listen to my orders.

Teach this guest of Maya ma'am, to respect her hosts first.

From here. ", he tapped his heart.

" From the heart.

She'll definitely get that back from them. All of them.

And bloody hell, I am not interested in Maya ma'ams guests, leave alone disrespect them. "

Jai Prakash Raichand thumped away from the garden into the house.

Sonara was finding even Humaira, too heavy to hold.

----

She should leave.

She could not stay here a moment longer.

The huge guest room now felt like swallowing her up.

She had never asked people to help her out. Never ever. It was always them who came forward to lend a hand, and then....blame, ill-treat and leave... 

This was the very first time she had asked someone to help. Som.

Now she wished, she had did it all alone. Without involving anyone. For herself and her child.

Why, why even did she stop Jai's car that night?

Why even did he keep coming back to her life?

And who gave him the right to make her feel so guilty today, without a reason? 

Did she really not respect him from the bottom of her heart?

He was clumsy, childish, awkward, immature, but did she ever find these overpowering every realness he emitted?

No. No. No!!!! 

Same went for Maya.

Sonara knew good people quite well. And she was never taught by life to disrespect them. She still bore huge respect for the lady who had saved her from serving as a prostitute, leave alone the fact that her life was still a mess.

Sonara stood up.

No, she would leave, but after informing Maya. She could not hurt, and disrespect that woman for someone else's words. This house belonged to both of them. One could not rule over the other, in controlling her actions.

Her watch showed two in the afternoon.

Sonara walked towards the door to the room.

----

Jai paced up and down in his bedroom, and kicked the bin bag. With as much strength as he could.

A Muslim, acquaintant guest.
Just like how his grandfather had welcomed.
Was history repeating itself?

No, he could not bear any longer. He landed on the bed.

As much as he wanted to hate every human on earth surrounding him, he wanted to hate himself more.

Why, why were religions created on this otherwise beautiful planet? Only to sow seeds of hatred, from generations to the next? 

Sonara could have been just any other human, with a beautiful baby, a beautiful mind...

But no, she turned out to be a Muslim, and a sly one, just as how they were meant to be.

Jai sprang up from the bed.

Sonara Parvez should be out of his life. Once and for all.

He wasn't Maya Raichand. Nor wanted to be. Goddess of generosity, and all those crap. Because he felt, there should always remain a limit to everything. And not a very blind eye.
When the world was bad, there was no use of being good.

Jai ran out of the door, down the stairs.

-----

The door swung open and Sonara's feet stopped.

Jai stood with a not very pleasing expression, already at her door. Surprising her.

Pushing her aside, Jai got inside. And stood in the middle of the room now.

" I don't want to be judged by my own servants. Hence I step inside.

Listen Sonara, we, the Raichands cannot help you any longer.
You are my friend's employee and I have no issues with that. You stay where you are, but not around us. Please.

Maya is an emotional fool. But I swear I'll handle her this time.

Because I too had been deceived, by the same person she is currently trying to help.

I so wish, Sonara Parvez, you remained true to yourself, as a human, and not prove time and again, that you are nothing but a Muslim, trying to make both ends meet.

I don't wanna be morally-policed on my stand against your community.
Just leave us alone, once you get to know that I hate you.

I am.... "

" Wait wait wait wait wait....

You have spoken enough Sir!! 

I'm Maya ma'am's guest. And I won't move an inch without letting her know.

That's all. "

Jai shut his eyes, trying to figure out his next move. His head was throbbing.

" Oh really?????

Where did your self respect go, Sonara lioness?? "

Suddenly, as if grabbing in every storm, someone intervened once again.

" Gaaaah! Baabaaa! "

Jai immediately glanced at the bed.

In the centre of the huge velvet bed, like a red flower, sat Humaira. Blinking and giggling at him.
Oblivious to every strand of hatred that filled the room to entirety right now.

Forgetting, and not even realising, how this once upon a time beautiful, dependable uncle had suddenly turned her mother's sworn enemy.

All of a sudden.

Hence, her little hands reached out to him, once again...

Jai did not know why, his heart felt so helpless before the little baby right there.

He didn't realise when, his helpless eyes turned towards Sonara, as if trying to gather from her, what could he possibly do....at the very moment...

Sonara slowly smiled.

" You asked where my self respect went. Right? "

She raised her index finger, and pointed at Humaira.

" There. "

-----

Who are you with? 

What a boring, long update, by the way.