Page 151 of The Circle of Exile
“I never realised how much I liked to cook. And now with Arth, I want him to grow up with his Mama’s food.”
“His father did not deserve to grow up with his wife’s food?”
“His father got enough of his wife’s food. He has remained in shape because of his wife’s green gravy.”
“Which, for the record, you fed me the first time very, very recently.”
“Yes, ok, but you remained healthy and in shape.”
“No thanks to your jaggery in kahwa.”
“Do you know how much natural sugar mango has? You inhale the thing.”
“Once. You made me a mango breakfast once. And that was before we got married.”
“Free trial over. And as if you cooked again.”
“I did. All through your pregnancy!”
“Three things — Maggie, bread-butter-sugar-toast and… I am not counting the cake because I whipped the batter.”
He sighed, laughter audible even in that small sound. She had made his night.
“Now try to sleep,” Iram told him.
“Hmm. What’s Arth doing?”
“What his Baba isn’t doing.”
He chuckled.
“You go to sleep. I’ll come at 8, shower, eat and leave. I am flying to Srinagar tomorrow.”
She didn’t ask why or with whom.
“Ok. See you in the morning.”
Iram ended the call but could not return to her writing. If she wanted to be his backbone, she needed to get her panic moment out of her system right now. She bolstered herself —
“Think the worst-case scenario. Purge it out right now. It is not going to happen, but think it and prepare yourself. Then throw it out of the window before he comes home.”
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“…and ask the SPG for a clearing.”
She heard Atharva’s voice trail inside their house.
“Qureshi and Adil will be travelling with me as well.”
Iram unstrapped Yathaarth from his high chair and set him on her hip, leaving his favourite window seat where he had just finished his breakfast.
“I will come back to collect you at 10, sir.”
She reached the hall just in time to see Altaf take an about turn and Atharva turn to her. Iram glanced past him. His convoy was exactly there — lined in their driveway. So he was leaving before 10, then.
“Dilbaro,” Atharva reached for Yathaarth, pressing a kiss to his chin. Iram gazed on as he set Yathaarth down on his feet. Their son, though, done with his circus last night, plopped down on his bum.
“You walked last night!” Atharva tried to stand him up. “Or did you forget?”
