Unedited..

(Pressure cooker whistles)

Sana slowly pulled her nipples out of the baby's mouth. The baby had fallen asleep, so she carefully placed her on the bed and quietly tip toed towards the kitchen before turning off the stove.

She glanced at the baby to make sure she was still sleeping before tying her hair into a bun and walking into the bathroom with her clothes to shower. A low yelp escaped her mouth when the warm water came in contact with her sore nipples. It felt a little relaxing having a warm water bath. Once she was done, she came out and got startled to find Sidharth suddenly. Nevertheless, he had one spare key with him so she ignored him.

It had been a little over a month since they moved into this apartment. Sidharth had managed to get a job with John's help that paid for their expenses. The baby now had a name, Khushi Kapoor. Khushi means joy and Sana's only source of joy in life at the moment was the baby. Hence the name Khushi. Apart from the two stated there were no major changes in their lives.

Sana served the two plates with Pulav and carried her plate to sit on the bed while leaving his on the kitchen counter. Her brows narrowed finding a big envelope kept on the bed. It had her name written over it. After freshening up, Sidharth returned from the bathroom.

"You kept this?", she asked pointing at the envelope.

"Hmm..", Sidharth nodded even though it was an obvious answer because there was no one else than the two, excluding the baby ofcourse. He went to help himself with the plate kept on the counter.

"What is it?", she asked curiously while placing the plate down and picking up the envelope to open it.

"School Admission Form", he answered.

"For whom?", she asked.

If they shared the same rapport like earlier, he would have smacked her head for asking such stupid questions. It had her name written on the envelope and yet she was asking such silly questions. But they weren't the same.

"Khushi isn't so big to start schooling and I am an illegal immigrant. So, it's for you, of course.", he said.

"Huh?", she was taken aback. She quickly read the content on the paper to confirm.

"Is this some kind of joke?", she asked.

"W..why? What happened?", he asked baffled.

"How can I attend school? Who will look after her?", she asked pointing at the baby.

"I will take care of her. My work hours are from 6pm to 12am. Your school timing is 8:45am to 3:15pm.", he replied.

"What about feeding her? She is still an infant.", Sana asked. Sidharth was already aware that Sana was feeding her breast milk to the baby. He found out when he saw that they were not buying the formula milk.

"Formula milk."

Duh!! He thought.

"But.. I don't think we can financially afford this..", she said placing the envelope back on the bed.

"Yes, we can. It's a government funded school. The fees are way lesser since you are a permanent resident. You can complete your studies easily", he replied.

"But..", she tried searching for yet another excuse. There was no doubt that she wanted to study but somewhere she felt a little hurt that he couldn't pursue his studies. Her heart couldn't agree to continue her studies because he couldn't. Whatever, the situation was, they were into this together now. Wouldn't it be unfair towards him?

"What?", he asked bringing her back from her thoughts.

"I.. I can't..", she said and shoved the spoonful of food into her mouth.

"But it is your dream.", he said.

"It was ruined long back, Sidharth.", Sana chuckled painfully. The pain that was constant in both their lives. Sidharth fell silent for a while.

"Sana please..", he pleaded and a silent tear rolled down her cheeks. However her tears went unnoticed by him because as usual he wasn't looking at her face. He only felt silence.

"Is.. it.. b..because of m..me that y..you don't want to study?", he finally asked. Sana looked taken aback. He still knew her like the back of his hand but would she admit?

"NOOOO.. YOU DON'T MATTER TO ME..", she yelled that startled Khushi in her sleep and obviously started crying. Sidharth slowly nodded his head to accept her answer but Sana was now engrossed in handling the crying baby.

..
..
..

"I need money to buy uniform and stationery.", Sana said

"Huh?", Sidharth was flabbergasted.

"My schools are starting in another two week's time.", Sana disclosed.

"Oh!! Okay..", Sidharth smiled because Sana had already enrolled herself in the school without his knowledge.

"Aa.. umm.. how much?", he asked.

"There was $235 in the drawer, would need around $200 at least.", she said.

Sidharth would put all the money he earned inside the drawer. So that Sana can pick it up whenever she needs it.

Well, did I tell you that Sidharth had managed to arrange some basic things for necessity like furniture and cookware by picking? Yes, unlike India, people in this country would leave their unwanted household items on the curbs outside their house, which were still in a usable condition. People who are poor or needy would pick them up for free. No, nobody is so free to judge you on what you take and what you wear in this country. Moreover, it costs more dollars to repair or refurbish the items than buying a new one here.

"I'll get it tomorrow?", Sidharth said.

"Fine..", Sana said.

"She is due for vaccination, the week I join school.", Sana informed.

"I'll take her.", he replied.

...
...
...

"Sanaa.. you will get late..", he knocked on the bathroom door.

"Yaa, I am done..", Sana replied still in the bathroom. He quickly rinsed the new lunchbox after scrubbing it.

The bathroom door opened and out came Sana. She was dressed in a white collared shirt and grey skirt that reached just a little above her knees. Her hair was tied up into a high ponytail. There was no makeup except a frown on her face that obviously wasn't noticed by him because he never looks up at her face. He was scrapping the food in the utensil onto a plate when he noticed that she was not moving from her place.

"You are gettin...", his words halted when he saw a red and grey checked tie in her hand.

"I am not, I had set the time ahead by 10 minutes yesterday. Okay?", she replied a little loudly and he nodded his head.

"Is that a part of your uniform?", he asked pointing at the tie.

"Obviously, why else would I be holding it?", she yelled irritated and dumped the tie on the table. He observed her through the corner of his eyes and learnt that she was irked just by her behaviour.

Sana sat on the bed as she proceeded to wear socks that reached until her knees followed by the black shoes.

"Your lunch box..", he said placing it on the bed beside her. She glanced at it and picked it up to show it into her bag angrily.

"Y..y..your breakfast..", Sidharth stuttered a little scared.

"I am getting late..", she said.

"There is still time. I..I.. I had set the time to forward by 10 minutes.", he muttered.

"What???", she yelled in shock.

Khushi started crying due to a loud voice.

"Aarrgghh.. You woke her up.", Sana said.

"Huh? I?", he thought to himself taken aback. When she went to pick the baby, he interrupted.

"I'll take care of her. Eat your breakfast.", he said and picked up crying Khushi. Sana sighed and took the plate to gobble the food down her throat while he craddled the baby in his arm. Khushi fell asleep again immediately in his arm. Sana dropped the plate in the sink and picked up the bag to leave.

"Sana, your tie..", he said.

"Argghhh.. I don't..", she turned around and her remaining words died when she saw it was knotted already. He had knotted the tie for her while she tied her shoes, without her knowledge of course.

She had been struggling to knot it since a long time but it wasn't really her cup of tea. It was always her parents who did it for her. Waking up at nights to feed Khushi, unsuccessful in knotting her tie, memories of her parents and nervousness to attend the school after a long break had brought out the worst in her. She took the tie from his hand and went inside the bathroom. Locking herself, she slumped on the closed lid of the toilet, letting out a silent cry. She was exhausted already. How was she going to manage studies, a baby and home?

Sidharth felt weak in his knees as well after hearing her faint yet painful sob from the bathroom. They went through a lot and grown up too early for their age. He tried his best to help her but it isn't so easy. Neither for her, nor for him. But can he complain? No, because it was all his mistake. He brought the pain to her and to himself as well. Would it ever heal?

The bathroom door opened and she came out. Sidharth had tucked Khushi to bed so Sana walked to the bed and gently kissed the baby before leaving.

"Best of luck Sana..", he whispered to himself after she left.

______

To be continued..

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