"It's still raining, Maa."
When the rain first started, it washed away the dirt in the air, making the world clearer and happier. The peacocks had heralded its arrival, and the smell was distinct. But then it kept pouring the entire evening, turning the earth muddy and soggy. The night turned cold, and the girl's big round eyes reflected a blurry blue world.
"Don't stand at the door, dear. You'll catch a cold. Come here."
Runal pulled Talisha back inside the warmth.
"But Papa is not home yet."
"He will come soon. And when he does, we don't want you sneezing on him. He will be wet already."
The towel messed up her hair as it wiped her plump cheeks and small nose.
"You are ready to play now," Runal said, having done her best attempt to dry her up.
"But I don't have any toys."
"But look, your brother is up," she pointed to her younger brother, who had managed to stumble his way to them.
Talisha made quick, adorable steps, making small puddles on the floor, and hugged her brother.
"Get away. You are wet," Leon complained as he tried to push her away.
"So are you now. Hehe." She hugged him tighter, punishing him.
Runal knew it was better to keep them dry. But they looked so adorable playing like that, and it was enough to distract them from worrying about Papa.
She looked out of the door and found it hard to make out the nearby houses she knew were there. The world dissolved into a single wet landscape.
Jatan had never been so late before. And he couldn't have chosen a worse night to change that.
Little Leon tried to wrestle Talisha, as was his preferred way of playing. She giggled and tried to make him sit, to play house, which was her preferred way of playing. He eventually lost and was now listening to her tales and songs. The rain poured on.
"Is Mayur angry?" Leon asked, puzzled at the rain.
"Gods don't get angry. He is probably just sad," Talisha answered.
Runal, surprised at her answer, patted her small head.
"Smart girl."
Talisha beamed with a missing tooth. Happy to make Mumma proud.
With how little it rained, Runal was sure Mayur was a happy personality. She clasped her hands together toward the dark sky and closed her eyes.
"Oh great deity of the sky. May your heart be at peace. Forgive us for our sins, and may this rain wash them away."
The uneasiness of the night dragged itself further, with no regard to Runal's emotions. She had just lost count of her prayers when the door creaked noisily. The buffaloes gave a familiar cry. And she heard the laughter she had grown so fond of these past years.
She hurried up to her husband, trying to avoid the rain best she could.
The rain didn't allow much to see, but it was clear that he was fine—at least physically—and that he held something in his hands, covered in wet rags.
She thought it better to ask questions once he was inside and dried up.
She led him into the room where the kids were and quickly fetched a towel and a change of clothes.
The siblings hopped around him, and Talisha managed to climb her way into his arms.
"Papa got you a little gift," he announced as he unwrapped it.
"I tried to keep it untouched by the rain, best I could," he said with a slow laugh.
Runal looked over his shoulder as she used the towel to soak the rain out of his hair.
She smelled that something was off but couldn't understand it.
"What is this smell?"
Now that he was here, there shouldn't be anything to worry about. But then why did her heart grow uneasy?
"Look, brother, it's a doll!" Talisha exclaimed, using her feeble hands to raise it in front of him.
"It's cute." Leon had only his sister to play with most of the time, and hence had little knowledge of what was considered girly or not. He was just happy they got a toy.
"You are the best, Papa." The kids switched their eyes between their father and the doll.
"Go play with it now," Runal gently waved them off, giving them a goodbye kiss on the cheeks.
"Let's wake up Avi. He will like it," Talisha planned with Leon, the doll held closely to her chest.
"Can we wake him up, Mumma?" Talisha asked with hopeful eyes.
"We should let him sleep. He needs to sleep more than us. And he wouldn't be able to sleep again if he hears the thunder," she declined gently.
"He is lazy and a coward," Leon scoffed.
"AAH!" Talisha pinched his ear, copying Mumma.
"He is our baby brother. And you used to cry more than him."
"You just made that up," Leon argued meekly, as his sister dragged him to the baby's room.
Runal saw them leave and turned back to her husband.
"Where were you?"
"At Turani's place." His voice felt different.
"But shouldn't he have closed the shop hours ago?" She was confused.
"The rain. I was stuck." His voice was weak. The sky crackled and the winds whistled louder, carrying the rain inside the house.
She waited in silence, hoping for an explanation. Couldn't he see how worried he was making her? She didn't want to doubt him. She never had. But he was making it hard. She finally recognized the smell.
"Look at me. Are... are you drunk?"
The sky roared suddenly, tearing through everything, and just for an instant, the world went bright.
Bright enough for her to look him in the eyes. They had never felt so different. She looked back, confused.
"Why?? Who forced you?"
He stumbled then, trying to sit down. She grabbed at him instinctively. It took some effort to get him to his feet.
Just then, they heard the baby cry, and the kids came running back. The thunder had scared them.
"We brought Avi with us. He's crying." Leon passed his little brother to her.
She had him wrapped in blankets completely, only leaving the face, making him resemble a big cocoon.
She cradled him instinctively, her mind still focusing on her husband. He stood there unusually still, with only slight movement from his arms, comforting the tightly hugging children.
The night made it hard to see what he was thinking.
---
Back to the present day—
"Go on, kids, make friends," Rolo ordered, as he patted Avian off his lap.
Somehow the fat man had managed to turn the stressful evening into an awkward one. And Avian suspected he did it for his own amusement.
"You are a funny man, Mr. Rolo. But I shall not be messed with."
He waited for his brother to make the move. And Leon was quick to catch on.
He moved swiftly to the other kids and gestured his hand in respect.
The kids introduced themselves awkwardly and started talking. Rolo looked on with pleasing eyes.
"The elder boy seems to be of the marriage age himself. How about I find him a nice girl from our side?" Rolo blurted out whatever came to his mind.
Leon pretended not to have listened, but his cheeks betrayed him.
"We can only afford one marriage for now. He will have to wait."
"They sure grow up fast."
"Yes, they do," Jatan shared his emotions.
He thought of the night he had brought little Talisha her first doll, and how excited she had been. It was a pleasant night, but it came with bad memories.
"I never see the doll. Did she throw it away?"
It had been a long time ago, but felt closer than many of the fresh days. His mind went back to Runal, but he quickly pulled himself to the present.
In the kitchen, Runal lifted off her veil to let in some air and started to prepare for the next dishes.
Talisha tried to help, but was interrupted.
"It's okay dear, I will handle it. Don't dirty your dress."
When the dishes were ready to be served, Runal washed her hands and put the veil back on.
"Don't enter too soon. Let me settle in there. Then wait a bit. We need them to think you cooked this yourself."
Talisha nodded confidently. This wasn't the first time she was doing it.
She waited with her ears to the kitchen wall, for what she believed had been quite enough time to cook a pleasant meal. But its accuracy remained doubtful, as the anxiety had distilled her perception of time.
Leon had always said how he hated to lie still—how he always wanted to be active and moving.
The same dislike was now being shared by his sister.
When Talisha did enter the courtyard, she was graceful and mesmerizing.
Her face was covered with a veil, of course, but it did little to hide her beauty, which was unmistakably radiant.
The rest of the family had always taken pride in her beauty, and it was easy to see why.
She wore a lehnga the color of deep sky, and her veil, the color of fresh roses, with the traditional pattern of the Rehaya region.
She kept her movements gracious and made a quick glance to the man.
She realized he had been looking at her, and their eyes met briefly.
"Beautiful," a single thought entered his mind.
"I must say yes," she reminded herself again, strengthening her resolve.