I woke up with the feeling that I was being watched. My stomach clenched itself nervously and I slowly opened my eyes, blinking a little, and then looked sideways.

The old woman was wide awake. I gulped as I sat up, giving her, what I believed to be a friendly smile. The sun hadn't risen yet as I glanced outside from the little window beside my charpai. I must have not slept for long.

"He does not cry." The old woman said, breaking the awkward silence. I looked at her and realised that she hadn't been staring at me, rather, she had been staring at my child, who was also wide awake.

I nodded as I brought him to my lap. I didn't want to correct her. Her son knew that my son was capable of crying if he set his mind to it. He just didn't know do it as often. I started unbuttoning my blouse and Aadam latched onto my breast easily. The woman was still staring at us.

"Amal told me that you moved here two years back." I said to make conversation. She gave me a look, then changed her position, so that she lying on her back. She placed her elbow on her forehead and stared above her.

"Yes, we did. Rizwan thought I could do with some change." She said after a bit of a silence.

"She thinks very highly of him." I said as I adjusted my breast a little for Aadam.

"She is a good girl." The old woman replied. I smiled, trying to think how to continue the conversation, thankfully, the woman had other things to discuss.

"He is a good boy too. It is why he volunteered to keep you. But I stand by what I had said earlier, a young woman cannot live in a young man's house for long. He won't listen, he is stubborn like that, but I need you to push him to make some other arrangements."

I agreed wholeheartedly. I knew I had the sympathy of the village with me, right now, if I believed what Rizwan said. But I wouldn't have it for long. I had to make other arrangements. I just needed time to think. I told the old woman exactly that. I wanted to be honest with her as much as I could. She was still trying to help me even if all her instincts told her not to. I appreciated that.

She made a small 'hmm' sound.

"I will also expect you to with some household work," she continued, "usually, Rizwan used to, but since you are here, I will discourage him to be in the hut for a long time. You will have to make up for it."

I nodded. I had already decided that I would help them. It was not a concern for me.

She glanced at me. "You needn't be scared of me. I may sound strict, but you will learn, that I am not cold."

I smiled, as my child let go of me, satisfied. I buttoned my blouse with one hand. I stood up from my charpai and placed my child on my shoulder, gently patting his back.

"I am grateful to you, nani." I said, then after a second. "Can I call you nani?"

"You can." She gave me a smile. A small one. I wouldn't have noticed it if I had blinked or looked at her a second too late. I placed my child beside her, and she placed a protective arm around him. She looked at him, as he nestled happily beside her. "He looks like you."

"I've been told." I said as I sat on the floor beside her charpai strangely comfortable in her presence. "I will be needing a bit of guidance from you, nani. I don't know much of motherhood."

"What about your mother?" She asked me curtly. She was a smart woman. I smiled.

"I never knew her. I am an orphan. I was under the protection of a woman who took and trained young girls like me."

"Trained?" The old woman asked.

The lie came easily to me. "She was a tailor, she made clothes for noble-ladies and she always needed help. She trained us to help her."

The woman nodded. "I will guide you. We will have to start him with grain immediately. He is a little late, his stomach might not accept it easily. Is he crawling?"

"Yes," my smile growing wider. It was not comfort, I realised, I was feeling. I was at peace with this woman. She filled me a strange sense of calm.

"Is he sitting up?"

"Not yet."

"We will have to teach him to do that."

I nodded as I leaned against the charpai. She continued asking me question about my child and I answered like an obedient child. I liked her. It was simple as that. I liked this strange, strong, old woman. We had a connection. We continued this conversation for half an hour until we heard a knock at the door.

"Amma?"

I grabbed my shawl and draped it around my body. I would not have cared before, but in front of her, I wanted to show that I was well bred.

"Come, child, come."

Rizwan entered the hut. He looked fresh and awake. A small smile appeared on his face as he caught sight of us and then it grew wide when he glanced at Aadam.

"How is he?"

He asked me. He had brought two bottle of milk with him. He went straight to the stove and started heating some milk.

"He is fine." I answered.

"How are you, amma? Did you sleep well?"

"I was just talking to the girl." Nani said. "Since she is here, I think she can do some simple tasks."

"I would love to." I said eagerly standing up. He nodded but motioned me to sit down.

"Not today." He said. "Get used to it. You have gone through a lot, last night." Then, he looked at his mother. "I came because she does not know your routine yet. Once, she gets it, I will not disturb you, amma. Is that what you want?" The last question was a playful jab. He poured the steaming milk in a cup and came to sit near her feet.

"Girl, help me sit up." Nani said and I was at my feet at once. I supported the woman as her son handed her the glass of milk. She looked at him. "Yes, as a mother, I do want my only son to be away from me."

Rizwan chuckled, "I am not so far away. All you need to do is yell and I am here. In fact, while I was milking Nyssa, I could hear your intriguing conversation." He looked at me. "Very interesting."

I blinked, confused. What did he find so interesting?

"By the way, her name is Zainab. In all your questions, you didn't ask her that."

"I know her name. I heard one of you call her that. I am not deaf. Do you have a problem with me calling you girl?" She directed the question to me.

I gave her a hurried no.

Rizwan laughed at that.

"Rizwan, since you want to help, go make our guest some tea. She must be starving. Did you buy eggs?"

Rizwan nodded as he went back to the stove.

"I can make tea." I said awkwardly. As history was evidence, I did not have a good relationship with stoves.

Rizwan nodded again. "Not today."

He set up a kettle easily and I watched him in mild curiosity. I had never seen a man do housework. Wasn't it the duty of the ladies? I knew that circumstances were different in this hut. Nani could not do it if she wanted to. But he didn't seem to mind it. He could have easily asked me or expected me to do it. Yet, he wasn't.

He was odd. I had realised that earlier but now I believed it. He was not like other people. I continued watching him, learning as he boiled two eggs for us, and as he controlled the fire expertly.

"I didn't know the old man died."

Rizwan answered as he fanned the flames, "He fell. It is all I know. Rhubab cried out for help, people came, but till then it was too late. No one knows what happened exactly. Rhubab was distraught, her brother came and took her away."

"When did it happen?"

"A week back or so." He said looking at me.

"I didn't know . . ." I repeated. I could have visited her. I could have consoled her. She had been kind to me.

He glanced at me and then back at the eggs. He had already poured me a cup of tea and was waiting for the egg to boil so he could serve me.

"You can put me back, dear." Nani suddenly said interrupting us. "I am done with my milk." She handed me the glass as I gently placed her back. Aadam had decided to take a nap. I smiled as I noticed the way his mouth had formed a small 'o' and the way his lashes lightly brushed his cheek. He was gorgeous.

"Here you go." Rizwan said as he handed me my tea and egg. I thanked him. He gave me a smile and then looked at his mother.

"Amma, I am going now. That should make you happy, right?" He shared a mischievous glance with me. I looked away unsure on how to respond. I knew he was being kind and friendly. I just didn't know what to do about it.

In fact, most importantly, I didn't know what the appropriate according to his mother would be. For some odd reason, I wanted her to like me.

I mentally chided myself. I had known her for one night.

"Yes, yes, leave." His mother rolled her eyes. I smiled at that. He gave me another look and then glanced at Aadam. He frowned.

"He will need things, right?"

I glanced at my son.

"Yes . . ." I stood up wiping my hands on my skirt nervously. I didn't have any money except for the gold chain and khanjar. We both needed change of clothes. My son needed cloth strips. "I . . ." I hesitated. I didn't know what to ask.

Rizwan stood on the doorway. He looked at me and then at my son. "I'll go to the nearby town, see what I can get him." He seemed to be hesitating too. "I don't know exactly . . ."

"Fools!" His mother snapped. I straightened my back in alarm. Even her son looked at her in confusion. "It is a baby. What does a baby need, Rizwan? Think." She didn't even look at us as she spoke. But I knew her next sentence was about me. "Girl, everyone knows that you don't have anything. Tell him what you need. He will get it for you. Stop being so shy. You are desperate and he is willing to help! Your son needs warm clothes! He needs cloth strips for his piss! Tell him." She took a deep breath and then finally turned her head to look at us. We stood there for a bit, in awkward silence, my mind reeling with what had just happened.

Finally, thankfully, Rizwan broke the silence. "Uh, I'll go get it." He scampered off.

"Children." The old lady scoffed.