When Pen and I were out, Baba stopped us. "Pen, can I borrow Adira for a bit?""Sure, Uncle. I'll wait outside," she said with a smile, then left.I stepped back, the worry uncoiling once more. "What's wrong?" I asked.He looked at me, his face suddenly sober. “Sit,” he said.We sat on the chairs provided for visitors. Baba folded his hands on his lap. “It’s about the fire problem,” he said without preamble. “Insurance covered a portion of the loss, and the carriers are paying. We’re fine. Mostly.”Relief washed through me, albeit briefly. “So it’s not—”“It's bad," he cut in, taking a sip from the bottle of water he’d gotten me. I wasn’t in the mood to drink anything earlier, so I gave it to him. "But not fatal. You made a mess, Adira, but we'll clean up the rest." His voice was even, and I only wished I could believe him.I tried to swallow the knot in my throat. "Thank you, Baba," I whispered.“It’s not a matter of 'thanks’, Adira,” he replied. “Just… Hope we can get out of this.”
Last Updated : 2025-10-31 Read more