Page 16 of First Comes Marriage
‘Where’s your walking stick?’
‘I don’t need it.’
‘Yes, you do.’
‘My knees are feeling good. The heat here has warmed my joints and bones. I feel like I could be doing cartwheels in a few days.’
Zafar’s heart lurched at the idea and he was about to read his grandmother the riot act when he saw her grinning at him.
‘Gotcha!’
He shook his head as he whisked the eggs after seasoning them. ‘Imagine what Daada would have said if he’d heard you?’
‘Ha. Your grandfather needed to look away from his work for that to happen, sweetheart. May God rest his soul.’ Daadi shook her head this time before slowly settling herself in a seat at the island, watching him work.
Zafar frowned at her words as he dropped a knob of butter into the frying pan. ‘What do you mean? He doted on you.’
She laughed softly. ‘If only life was as rosy as the eyes of youth found it to be. Oh, my darling boy. You saw your grandfather and grandmother; you didn’t see a husband anda wife. They are two completely different things. Especially someone with your grandfather’s way of thinking.’ Her tone sounded less fond and more … disenchanted and Zafar was shocked into freezing for a moment, until the butter started sizzling and he remembered what he was supposed to be doing. ‘Anyway, let’s not dwell on days long gone. Where’s that precious girl of mine? Still sleeping?’
Zafar flicked a glance upwards. ‘I think she’s awake, I heard her moving about in the room.’
‘And so you thought you’d make breakfast.’
‘Something like that.’ He moved the eggs in the frying pan, avoiding his grandmother’s eyes as she stared at him.
‘I’m happy to hear that, sweetheart. Sometime I worry you’re trying too hard to be like your grandfather, and while he had some admirable qualities, emulating him in every aspect of life isn’t something I think is a good idea. In fact, I know it’s not a good idea. You need to beyou. You need to make an effort to be more present. More romantic. All it takes is a simple gesture.’
‘Morning.’ Reshma came down the stairs and paused momentarily when she saw him standing there with a whisk in his hand.
He smiled and she dipped her chin, moving her fingers over her ear as she came towards Daadi, kissing her on the cheek when she presented it to her.
Zafar hadn’t missed the echo of Murad’s words in his grandmother’s. He just hoped that whatever he did helped bridge the distance between them.
Reshma moved around the island and pulled a glass out of the cupboard. She filled it with juice and then came to where he had made a mess on the worktop. She reached for the loaf of bread, but he put his hand over hers, feeling hers stiffen the instant he made contact.
‘I’ll do it. Go and sit with Daadi and I’ll bring the eggs and toast. Would you like any of the pastries?’
She pulled her hand back and shook her head, not making eye contact with him.
‘Yes, come and sit here, Reshma. Let Zafar take care of breakfast today,’ Daadi said jovially, though her eyes were on the pair of them like a hawk’s, probably sensing the frostiness between them. Thankfully, she didn’t say anything about it if she did notice it and Reshma smiled at her and went and sat beside her with her glass of juice.
As much as Daadi and Murad emphasisedsimple gestures, Zafar wasn’t sure they would cut it. The issues that had come to the surface last night – and, more importantly, the ones that had been alluded to – needed more than an offering of breakfast to be resolved.
He just hoped that while they were here, he could figure out what it would take and be able to successfully deliver it.
8
Reshma
Reshma took a small mouthful of scrambled eggs with an equally small bite of toast. It was the first time Zafar had made them breakfast since they’d been married and instead of enjoying the moment, she felt suffocated. It was ironic really that after yesterday, instead of taking her up on the offer of leaving, he made breakfast for them all, making it clear that he had decided to stay.
Well, it was up to him. She’d told him he didn’t have to, so if he was staying, then it was his choice.
Last night had been … She didn’t even have the words. She hadn’t wanted to break down like that in front of him, but having said that, she wasn’t embarrassed or ashamed at having done so either. She’d been bottling up her feelings for long enough, so it was only a matter of time before all those feelings found their way out of her.
She’d thought she might lie awake for hours after that, going through every thought and word in detail, but she’d slept like a baby, not hearing Zafar come to bed or leave it. She’d felt momentarily awkward this morning, wondering how she would face him after last night, but the feeling hadn’t lasted for more than a handful of seconds before her resolve had kicked in, and with her shoulders pushed back and her head held high, she’d come downstairs. Only,the sight of Zafar holding a whisk had stunned her, until she’d spotted Daadi and carried on.
Daadi was sitting with them at the dining table now, happily chatting to fill the silence. She knew that if Daadi got the slightest inkling that anything was amiss, not only would it upset her a great deal, she’d make it a point of trying to fix things for them and Reshma didn’t want either of those things to happen. It was best to try to act normal in front of her, for the time being at least.
