Don't Remind Me

Chapter 6: The Phone-call

Now:

Mom's revelation upset me. It drove me to prayers. The proper, Namaz and the informal, hushed pleas uttered in solitude. It's funny, how tragedy and trouble sends us quivering to our prayer mats. I read somewhere, that Hospital halls have seen more sincere prayers than Churches or Mosques. Touche tumblr. Touche.

Ruby, Maria and I were the only people she had told. Even my grandparents in the UK thought she was visiting them for funsies or something. Zaif was on a recording tour in Dubai with his music label, and Mom told me not to bother him.

"I asked my Sunday prayer group to pray for Sanam Madam." Ruby gives me a pat on the head, when she sees my lack of appetite at breakfast. "The Good Lord will bless her with health, and happiness, Laylee. You'll see."

Ruby Victor, our Caretaker/Nanny/Part-time Cook/Occasional Driver is a devout catholic. I've known her for the past 25 years (I'm 27). Pushing 50 now, she has grown graceful with age. Salt and pepper hair standing out against her mocha-brown skin. She has the kindest face ever, and the warmest hugs. Sometimes, when I think about it, it feels like she's been more my mother than Sanam Hayat.

She's the one who drove me to gym practice, she's the one who introduced me to Kishore Kumar and Iqbal Bano, which led to my enduring love affair with classical music. She's the one who stayed up till 4 at night during my and Zaif's chicken pox spell, putting ointment on our itches, and forcing vile home-made concoctions down our throats.

Ruby's life was a tragedy even beyond Shakespeare's scope. She had married for love in her 20's, against her family's wishes, earning unanimous ostracism for her boldness. However, this hurt was tolerable because of her husband, who was head over heels in love with her. Pretty soon they were blessed with a baby boy, and all was right in her small world.

One faulty spark plug is all it took.

Irate flames consumed the family's two-room apartment. Ruby wasn't home at that time. She returned to witness the remains of her family being carted outside. I admire her fortitude so much. To lose everything, and somehow still hold on, isn't easy. She didn't let this tragedy turn her bitter or ungrateful as one would expect.

She found a family with us, and taking care of us became her entire world. "I feel ridiculous taking my salary every month." She used to grumble, "No woman gets paid for looking after her own..."

I sigh, and tug over the morning paper towards me. Ruby wandered over to the TV set.

I had taken a sip of my scalding hot cappuccino, as I turned the page to the social section. I nearly threw up my breakfast at the headlines.

LOVE SPARKS AT ANNUAL CHARITY GALA!: Sanam Hayat's daughter and alleged lover exchanged more than Auctioned items at the social event....(Read More)

There was an HD photo below this horror show, it showed my profile glaring up at his face. He was staring deep into my eyes with his infuriatingly charming smile/smirk. It looked like a lovers spat alright. Ugh.

I jerked open the rest of the news.

'Layla Hayat was seen having a 'moment' with her alleged love interest. Witnesses swear that the two seemed very serious about each other.

"They were talking about having children together." One of them stated. Is an impending marriage imminent in the future? We may only speculate....'

I did what any sensible woman would do in my place.

I laughed. Then cried. Then laughed some more.