It's not even my sister but I am really excited. I love babies! I stand near my window looking at the night sky, trembling with stars, lit by a fragile chip of moon. The little stars shone against the setting of black vacancy. The stars always depicted hope to me, little sparks of light in a dark night. I adore the night sky for some time before I realise its dumb for me to wait.....people are in labour for hours and hours. I just text Liam an 'All the best' before drifting into slumber.

It was Saturday and when I woke up the sun was high. I had planned on waking up early today but well. I quickly brush my teeth before checking my phone. No text. I hate it if I don't brush my teeth the first thing in the morning. My mouth feels dry and disgusting. I go down to eat some snacks as breakfast but I sense my mood is a little gloomy. They send me up to take a bath so that we could pray and I don't question it...they always keep pushing me to take a bath as soon as I eat.

I open my phone to see a photo from Liam- "Meet Celestine North Anderson" 

A very small baby lays connected to a few tubes. A glass top seems to be covering. Oh poor baby. Liam texts me that the baby is being kept in an incubator for a few days as she is born prematurely, otherwise she is quite healthy.  I look at the cute picture again. Her cheeks look as soft as dough, as smooth as butter and I just wanna squish them. I rush to show my sister the picture and we both gush over the cuteness. I get yelled at again and I run to go take a bath.

Today the atmosphere is better than yesterday's, the air seems lighter. I am watching TV in my room when my dad walks in and sits next to me on the bed. He asks me how my studies are going and then drops the next bomb like its nothing.

"Oh I also have to start a job hunt", I honestly don't understand what he means. Doesn't he already have a job?

"Matlab?"

"They have decided to let our department go, so all of us have to find new jobs", he says all of this with a smile on his face. He says this and leaves. My mind is a shuffling maze of thoughts. Will we have to go back? I don't even have a part time job so that I can earn something. Was I supposed to say something like 'its nothing' or 'you'll get a job' to my dad? I return my attention to the TV screen but I can't really focus. 

I don't know for how long I have been watching 'Brooklyn Nine Nine' when Liam calls me.

"How's Celestine?", I ask him as soon as I pick up.

"I think she's doing better. She has to stay here for a week or two but she's so pretty and cute and adorable but well we couldn't expect anything else, she's my sister after all", I roll my eyes even though he can't see.

"Obviously, good genes run in the family....I mean look at your dad"

"Hitting on dads now are we?"

"I guess so. Did you get to hold the baby though?"

"I did! I wanted to drink that moment in, that moment with my little sister in my hands. Her eyes are more brilliant than I could have dreamed they would be, her hands more delicate. She feels so light, looks so perfect and smells so divine. I am her protector for as long as I live and my love for her will last for all time.....I am not even kidding. She is smaller than a bag of sugar from the grocers.", my heart literally melts hearing him describe his baby sister and my mood instantly lifts up. She is already the luckiest baby.

Her eyes looked blue like Liam's  in the picture, blue as the wings of the Halcyon wild. It signifies the beginning of something new, it signifies health, serenity, wisdom and everything positive.

I really want to tell Liam about my dad's but he's just so happy and I don't want to burden him with my problems and the negativity. It might sound weird but I am maybe even ashamed to tell him that, obviously my dad wouldn't want anybody to know about that. I decide to not tell him for now....I will tell him later maybe when Celestine is home or when we are playing football.

So at dinner my dad told me that he has to find a new in 60 days or else our visa will expire and we will have to go back to India. What doesn't sit right with me is that how could they they transfer my here and then scrap off his department? That is completely dumb. My dad has already preparing his CV for a job. 

I am over at Liam's house, decorating his house for the arrival of Celestine. We have put up balloons around the house. We hung up a 'Welcome home!' poster in her room. The theme is obviously pink, there is a balloon wallpaper on one wall which has a crib beside it. There is a small bookstand for story books. It it very cozy with lots of stuffed animals around the room. 

Mr and Mrs Anderson enter the room with the baby. Mrs Anderson looks healthy and has a bright smile on her face holding her baby. This is the first time I am seeing the baby. I ask for the permission to hold her and she gives her to me. Her new born baby smile is as sweet as a summer strawberry and fills me with a sunshine I never knew existed in the world. Liam places his finger in her palm and she immediately curls her tiny fingers around his. It is a very wholesome day. 

I had intender on telling Liam about the job today while playing football but we were engrossed in it and things got competitive and then later we were busy decorating for the baby to come. So I did not get the chance to tell him. I didn't want to spoil the moment when Celestine came home after almost 2 weeks. 

Its been a little over a month but my dad has still not found a job. I know its affecting him but he doesn't try to show it. He's trying to pull all the strings he can to get a job. And yes, I did tell Liam about it finally. 

But I don't wanna go back.

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A/N

I  know many families have lost their jobs this pandemic and my heart goes out to them because I know how that feels and how scary that is.

Will Nyra have to go back? Is this finally the end of the book?

Please do vote and comment to let me know how u like this book.

XOXO