STORY

Finally Aisha snuck into the balcony with her cup of coffee. She gave a quick glance to the carnations she had worked on in the morning; the flowers looked picturesque in the twilight. Smiling, she sat down on her floor cushion. This was her favourite place in the house. The beautiful interior and gleaming marble floors inside had never given her the comfort she felt sitting on her handmade, warm floor cushion in this isolated tiny balcony.

Awake at this late hour, the city was brimming with energy. Bright, optimistic and dynamic, determined to grow, to move forward. The sight always elated Aisha. It was strikingly different from the sky above, silent and serene, permanent but unwearied, present yet unfelt. The contrast between the heavens and the earth at this hour often made her a little uncomfortable. She frequently compared the scene to herself.

Years ago, when Ahmed’s mother had come to Aisha’s house to ask for her hand in marriage, Aisha knew a lot was about to change. After obtaining her degree in fashion designing, she was then working with a renowned multi-national brand. She was ambitious and had potential to make it big in the industry. However, Ahmed was a dream come true. Tall, handsome and well-mannered, he was hard to ignore. His mother was a well-known educationist and father, a retired army officer.

Ahmed encouraged her to keep her job, but Aisha had other plans. She wanted to be a homemaker. Ahmed was a little surprised when she first voiced her decision. He knew she loved her work. It was true, Aisha adored her job but she had her reasons.

Brought up in a household with a father mostly busy with his business affairs and a career focussed mother, Aisha had had a rough childhood. She loved her mother, of course, and was extremely proud of her achievements, but strongly believed she could’ve had a different childhood had her mother been home more often, if not all the time.

Aisha still winced with loathing when she remembered her callous aaya. She had been abused, and threatened. She remembered coming back from school to a cluttered, unwelcoming house. She wanted to discuss things with Mama, who used to come home at night, tired and weary. Aisha knew she would only add to her mother’s worries. She could not tell her mother about her heartbreaks and crushes, about school and good grades, about friends and bullies!

However, she got accustomed as she grew up. She learnt to take responsibility for her affairs and to make her own decisions. Her decision to leave a full-time job was a tough one; there were times when she regretted it. Today was one such day. Saniya, a former colleague, had invited them to her designer wears launch. Aisha was genuinely happy for her, but could not deny a twinge of regret deep inside. She felt she had wasted herself in the monotonous routine at home. It was at such times she compared herself to the disparity between the settled welkin and the dynamic city.

‘Mama!’ Ibrahim’s excited voice shook her out of her musings. She looked around to see her nine-year-old coming into the balcony followed by his grandmother. ‘Look! Grandma helped me paint this!’ he said shaking the picture in front of her. ‘Beautiful!’ she said, hugging him. It was indeed a lovely painting of the family. Aisha looked at her mother-in-law affectionately. ‘His self-motivation always amazes me,’ Ammi said. ‘You’re raising one indomitable kid.’ She laughed. ‘Yeah, under your guidance, of course.’ Aisha chuckled as she got up to go back inside with them.

Sliding back the door, she gave a last glance outside. To nurture dynamic cities, you need to be an enduring star studded sky. She sighed to herself.