Chapter 26

PRESENT TIME:

TWO AND A HALF YEARS LATER...

Morning crept into the apartment the way it always did- softly, without announcement. Sunlight filtered through sheer white curtains, turning the dust motes in the air into drifting gold. Outside, Mexico City was already awake, distant horns and voices blending into a low, familiar hum. Inside the apartment, however, time moved differently. Slower. Safer.

There stood a woman- Innara. She stood barefoot in the kitchen, hair loosely braided over one shoulder, humming under her breath as she stirred a pot on the stove. The smell of simmering milk and cardamom filled the space, warm and comforting. She moved with ease of routine now, hands confident, body relaxed- so different from the woman who had once trembled in hospital sheets, afraid to breathe too loudly.

It's been two and a half years, since she was living in this apartment with Dr. Nitya and her little baby girl. In these years, she barely stepped out of this building due to constant fear of those men returning or hunting for them. She used to take Aria to the park which was right down of the building belonging to the society so that no outsider was allowed there.

She also interacted with some of her kind neighbours sometimes and helped Nitya in household chores that were only her life. But she thought it was working too and helped Nitya financially. She didn't want to depend on her for the rest of their life. So, she asked Daisy Dukes one of her neighbours who is a house help is such a big estate where she gets a good amount of salary, to suggest some places her too where they need a house help.

She isn't educated and experienced enough to do any other work than house helping and Daisy Dukes was kind enough to tell her that she would surely suggest her to someone in need of house help. Innara was scared, to step out of the society but she had to be brave and become financially independent for her baby and their future. She hadn't admitted her still in preschool.

She was a little small girl according to the kids of her age. She learns things slowly and has a lot of questions to ask. Innara was scared too, because she didn't want to risk her daughter's life by sending her to preschool and getting in the eyes of those men who are behind their life. She said so tensed about all the things and didn't know how to handle all of this. But she was trying her best.

She home schools her daughter until she is not going to preschool. She clears her confusion calmly and Nitya really helps her in it. Sometimes she asks about her father too because all of the kids in the society had fathers so her curious, innocent mind also made her question about her father's existence but every time she dodges this question saying she is her father and mother both.

But that wasn't enough. She was so young now so Innara could avoid her questions but gradually when she would grow up, she had to answer her questions and she herself didn't know how she would tell her that she herself doesn't know how her father was. She is not a normal came out of love or a healthy family but she came out of force, helplessness and a brothel. She was lost in her thoughts stirring the lentils in the pot.

Behind her, a quiet mischief was unfolding.

A small chair scraped softly against the floor. It gained Innara's attention immediately but she didn't turn. She already knew who it was. Her motherly instincts were sharp. The scent of baby oil mixed with the air. The little thief was already out on a mission. Her curly strands were coming on her cheeks and eyes so she pushed them back for a clear vision. Small, baby footsteps could be heard as if she was carrying something.

And then- a soft thud of a chair. She climbed upon it, careful of not coming to the attention of her mother. Tiny fingers reached upward stretching, straining towards the counter. A small grunt of effort followed, then another scrape as the chair was adjusted- too deliberately, too carefully, the way only a child knew what she was doing and careful of not doing something that a forbidden thing would move. Innara hid her smile.

"Aria. What are you doing?" She asked calmly, still stirring. Silence. The kind that screamed guilt. Innara counted silently to three.

One.

Two.

A soft clink-

She turned.

Little Aria stood frozen atop the chair, chubby fingers hovering just inches away from the jar of cookies on the counter. Her curls were a wild mess, springing in every direction, her oversized pajama shirt slipping off one shoulder. Her big, dark eyes widened as she was caught red handed, lips parting in an 'oh' of pure surprise. She looked adorable. She immediately snatched her hand back with a grin.

"Momma. I was just... counting eggs." Aria said sweetly, instantly attempting innocence, showing the egg tray settled right beside her on the counter and started counting the eggs. Innara raised one brow.

"Counting eggs?" She asked. Aria thought about that and slightly stuck her tongue out.

"Yes." She said, then nodded solemnly.

Innara crossed her arms, pretending to consider this explanation seriously.

"And why were you counting them?" She asked again. Aria's gaze flicked- just once- to the cookie jar. Innara sighed dramatically.

"You're going to be the reason I grow with white hair early. You know you can't have cookies before breakfast." She said, lifting Aria off the chair and settling her gently on the floor.

Aria's face crumpled instantly, lower lip jutting out with heartbreaking precision.

"But I'm hungry." She whispered.

Innara crouched down to her level, brushing a curl away from her forehead.

"You are always hungry, baby. No cookies in the morning and you shouldn't lie. That's not good. I'm making something healthy for you. Now go do something useful." She said fondly. Aria's eyes brightened.

"Like what?" She asked. Innara smiled soft- knowing.

"Why don't you go and wake maasi up?" Innara suggested. Aria gasped, delight replacing disappointment instantly.

(Maasi: A term to refer to your mother's sister.)

"Really?" She asked with her wide doe eyes looking at Innara. Her words were somehow now clear but Innara and Nitya understand her best.

"Yes. But be gentle." Innara said. Aria nodded very seriously, as if accepting a sacred mission.

"I will." She promised- then turned and ran down the hallway at full speed. Innara watched her go, shaking her head with a quiet laugh.

Aria- she was the only ray of light in her dark life. The day she held her to her chest, she knew that she had to protect her baby at any cost. Even if those men return now, she won't let them take her baby, no matter what. Aria has given her a new motive for living her life. Since her childhood she had survived her life, but when Aria was born she was living for her only. She gives her everything to make her happy as well as her inner child who died a long ago.

Aria reached Nitya's room and stopped immediately huffing a little.

"I didn't fall." She said proudly to herself. Then she knocked at the door.

Once.

Twice.

Thrice.

But no response. She frowned when Nitya didn't open the door. Nitya was not a morning person. She never had been. She lay sprawled across the bed, one arm flung over her eyes, hair tangled against the pillow, the soft rise and fall of sleep still clinging to her. The world could end outside and she would still demand five more minutes. This side came out when Innara started living with her.

She was quite the opposite of the personality she carries in the hospital. At home she is bubbly, talkative, irritating and a witty woman unlike the serious one in the hospital. She has supported and taken care of Innara and Aria like her own family. She never let them feel outsiders and she takes care of Aria like her own daughter. Innara was so grateful to her and Aria- she loves her aunt a lot and sometimes bickers with her on silly things.

"Aunty!" Aria's soft voice came from outside but she was so deep in her sleep that she couldn't hear her.

"Nitya Aunty!!!" Aria again shouted a little louder this time but still no response.

Then the bedroom door creaked open. Tiny footsteps padded in. Aria climbed on the bed with great difficulty and with all the grace of a kitten, knees sinking into the mattress as she crawled towards Nitya's head. She leaned down, curls falling like a curtain on her round, pink chubby cheeks. She snickered to herself as she was about to do a pre-planned mischief as always.

"Aunty!!!" She whispered loudly near her ear. No response. Aria frowned. She tried again, closer this time.

"Aunty." She said, poking Nitya' s cheek. Nitya groaned earning giggled from Aria.

"Too early." She mumbled, rolling on her side. Aria grinned. This was fun. She pressed her small cold palms against Nitya's face and squished.

"AUNTYYYYY!!!" She announced triumphantly. Nitya blinked awake, eyes focusing slowly before widening.

"Oh no. It's the tiny menace." She muttered. Aria giggled uncontrollably.

"Good morning." She said proudly. Nitya sat up with exaggerated effort, hair falling into her face.

"Do you know what time it is?" She asked. Aria shrugged.

"Cookie time?" She said. Nitya laughed, pulling her into a hug burying her face in Aria's curls.

"How come every hour in a day is your cookie time? You are impossible." She said affectionately.

"And you old." Aria replied matter-of-factly. Nitya gasped.

"I'm not old. I'm twenty-six." She protested. Aria studied her seriously like an old granny.

"That's big." She said, Nitya snorted.

"Maasi is young, Aunty sounds old. And you are not allowed to call me aunty." She said firmly. Aria nodded solemnly.

"What if I call you granny?" Aria questioned which made Nitya gasped.

"What? No. Aria, you better not call me anything other than Maasi." Nitya pressed. Aria giggled softly at her expressions.

"Okay maasi." She said with a grin. Satisfied, Nitya swung her legs off the bed and hoisted Aria onto her hip.

"Did your momma send you to wake me?" She asked Aria with narrowed eyes. Aria nodded again.

"She caught me stealing cookies." She admitted with a pout. Nitya laughed as they walked toward the bathroom.

"That sounds scary." She said, they both laughed out at Innara.

Then Nitya brushed her teeth and helped Aria to brush her teeth too. She still needs help in brushing her teeth which Nitya gladly offers her everyday. Then they both washed their faces and walked towards the kitchen making fun of Innara's strict nature sometimes. Innara glanced up as they entered laughing at something which gained her attention. She smiled at first and then spoke.

"Good morning." She said softly. Aria wriggled free and ran to her, wrapping her arms around Innara's leg.

"Morning." Nitya said casually sitting on one of the chairs on a small dining table for four people.

"Momma, maasi made fun of you." Aria complained like she was not the one to join her. Nitya gasped.

"You little cheater! Weren't you the one who started all of it?" Nitya said putting her hand right above her heart as if she was really hurt. Aria giggled and shook her head in denial. Innara smiled at both of their antics.

"I swear Innara, this little girl is getting smarter day by day." Nitya said as if she was accusing Aria who again smiled at her showing all of her small teeth.

"And mischievous too." Innara said bending down and kissed the top of her head.

"Aria, baby you shouldn't make fun of the elders behind their back. It's not a good manner." Innara said holding both of her small hands in hers.

"But maasi also." She said in her incomplete words, pointing her small chubby finger at Nitya.

"She can because she is my friend and a grown up but you- you are so young. You are not allowed to do such things. Is that okay?" She spoke softly earning a small nod from Aria. A pout formed on her lips automatically.

"Now go and wash your hands first." She said, Aria walked to the basin.

Nitya smiled. The kitchen filled with the small sounds of morning- cutlery clinking, milk being poured, Aria humming nonsense to herself as she washed her hands. It was ordinary. And it was everything. Then they sat down together for breakfast, Aria swinging her legs under the chair, Nitya stealing pieces of toast from Innara's plate, Innara pretending not to notice. At one point, Aria looked between them, eyes bright.

"Both my girls." she declared proudly.

Nitya blinked.

Innara froze.

Then they laughed- softly, emotionally, the sound tinged with something deeper than humor. They both know, Aria was learning new things and sometimes they sound silly too. Nitya reached out, squeezing Innara's hand briefly across the table. They didn't need to say it. They had survived. They had built something real. Outside the world still held dangers, shadows that lingered at the edges of memory- but inside this apartment, in this morning light, there was peace. And for now- That was enough.