“Adam is shy of girls,” he concluded, tracing the face of the child in the picture with his fingertips. He was not smiling like he was doing in other pictures. Instead, his lips were pressed tightly, not letting him smile, just like others were doing around him. And there were no boys around him, only girls. This was the photo of that moment when he had just turned four years old and a couple of kids had come for his birthday celebration. And because only girls were more infatuated with him, they yearned just to stand next to him. It was a memorable day and Kevin wanted to paste it inside the album. When Kevin suggested the idea to everyone, they immediately surrounded Adam and stood around him, not leaving many gaps. While the girls were overjoyed, Adam was freaking out surrounded by their sweet scent. “You can see,” she asked, a smile that could not help but spread on her plump lips which were glossy. She did a bit of makeup. She painted her lips pink and applied a layer to make
“Should I call him now?” Christian asked after he was done putting the candle. He stood straight at his full height. “Yes, of course! I already woke him up. He must have taken a bath and got ready by now!” Marcus interrupted with an excited grin. Christian gave him a blank look. He basically asked Hazel, not Marcus. As soon as he received that look, he shut his mouth. “Thanks,” Christian muttered and left. Kevin sighed and turned to say, “You, too, look beautiful, Hazel.” The woman smiles gratefully. “Thank you. You, too, look good.” She complimented back, genuinely. Kevin waved his hand. “But not more than your man.” The word your man made her blush instantly. Kevin noticed it but did not comment. “So what’s the next good news? Your wedding date, hm?” He wiggled his brows, squinting his mischievously sparkling dark eyes. Hazel swallowed. “I-I don’t know,” she shrugged, confused herself. Although Christian had returned, he had not said anything about marriage yet. And the matte
For a moment Adam kept thinking. Christian telling the truth so easily, and smoothly was right for that child’s mind but Adam just kept staring at his father for the whole five minutes. His eyes seemed blank, void of emotions but his mind was not resting at all. He was completely calm from the outside and was looking at his father’s face. His mother sitting behind could only anticipate his next reaction and his father sitting in front of him patiently waited for his answer.Patience was very important in the case of children. Christian did not want to rush everything for Adam. For him, Adam’s development was a must. Slowly a smile spread on his lips and he mumbled, “You’re my papa?” almost as if he was still confused. What if it was a dream because he liked the man already so it was normal for him to come into his dream and talk to him like that? But he was not ready to find it a dream. To confirm him, Christian nodded, smiling back at the kid and the man then did not know what hei
“So she said yes?” asked Heer, wiggling her eyebrows as she looked at her son’s flushed face through the screen of the laptop in front of her. Her question earned her a small smile from Christian from the other side while his sister sitting next to his mother could only chuckle under her breath while palming her mouth. “Yes,” he answered, nodding his head. And suddenly that piece passed from his memory in which finally the beauty of his dreams had said yes to him in reply. That moment was no less than a festival for him. “Aw, just look at your face! You’re blushing hard!” Abigail revealed as she laughed loudly, hiding her face behind her palm. Christian just shook his head lightly as he ran his fingers through his hair. “Mom, stop her!” He complained, glaring at Abigail, whose eyes widened when she heard her brother. “What’s wrong I did?” She gasped, dramatically palming her chest. “You teased me!” He pointed out, his eyes squinting automatically. “Oh, and you’re complaining ab
“Don’t cry anymore, okay?” Hazel asked once again, caressing Irene’s hair as she gave her a small nod in response. “Good. Now I’m going back.” She got up with a small sigh. After explaining for a long time, Irene understood as Hazel was trying to remove the guilt from her mind which was eating her up inside. Irene finally realized what she did was wrong.“Yes, you should rest now. I’ll take care of her,” Kevin assured her as he sat right beside Irene’s head, massaging her scalps. Due to crying for a long time, it was inevitable to have a headache. Kevin had given her the medicine, now it was just a matter of waiting till morning. “Yeah,” Hazel nodded before she walked out of their room after turning the lights off and closing the door behind her. Coming out of the room, she took a deep breath and realized that Christian and Adam must have been asleep by now. She was there too late. Marcus had also slept in the guest room. She walked through the quiet corridor towards her room and
“When my father arranged my marriage with Natalia without my consent, I was very angry with his decision. The marriage of our four brothers was decided like this, but like my other brothers, I could not put my life in his decision. I was the youngest, hence the most rebellious.” The old man shrugged with a small and weak smile. Although his lips were chapped and quivering because of weakness in his body, his smile was very young and charming. It still had the power to lure anyone. There was no doubt that he was handsome in his youth but illness had taken away his strength and now he could not move from this bed without any help. His sons were always ready for him but he had the highest desire for his daughter, like Judah to Joseph and Benjamin. And that daughter was not always with him. She had met him today, when she had turned into a young woman of twenty-three. The old man sighed as he looked down at his lap. Tears brimmed his eyes when a memory flashed before his head as he sai
“So why did she distance herself from you?” He asked once again while Reuben stayed silent. He was watching this all silently, standing in a corner of the room, leaning against the wall with his arms folded on his broad chest. He did not want to say anything in the midst of all this because he already knew all these things. His father had already told him about his past because Reuben wanted to know about the reason behind his deteriorating health and the truth seemed bitter to him. That truth was so bitter and astringent that it was difficult to get it out of the mouth. At the same time, that truth could have caused a rift in family relationships. Because that truth was related to his real mother Natalia. “Because she was pregnant with my child. And she didn’t want to spoil my reputation because someone lied to her that I was married. Had that truth come out in the middle of my marriage, my name and fame could have sunk.” He smiled at the end but that smile was fake. It carried the
“I’m glad to know,” he said, “And I’m even more pleased to have my kids with me right now.” He spread his arm over Hazel’s shoulder and his eldest son’s shoulder as he pulled them for a hug. They hugged him back, just to be joined by Rueben and his brother with their wives. Christian watched the family with a smile before he ran his eyes around the spacious room. That room was like a king’s room and that bed was also huge. The entire wall behind the bed was covered with several picture frames. There were also pictures of his wedding. His wife Natalia, his three sons and his daughter-in-laws and their children. It was as if he had photographs of every stage of his life for memory. In those pictures, he also saw Natalia who was no longer alive. She passed away four years ago due to some never-ending illness. It was dementia that took her away from her husband. She was not very old at the time of her death because, in the last picture of her, she was holding her eldest son’s daughter i
“Love,” he called her lovingly. He bent slightly and hugged her from behind, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. Her body found relaxation in his arms but she chooses not to answer him. She was upset with him. She could not forget that. Christian sighed after he did not get her response. She stared at the view outside her room through the window and it was raining outside. Trees outside were greener than before and the smell of wet soil and leaves mixed together reached them.Hazel loved rain but she could not go out and enjoy that because she was seven months pregnant. Autumn has started and the weather always turned colder than usual whenever it rained. Even the greenery outside was fading away because of the season but who could make a heart understand? She still desired to enjoy it and Christian was stopping her. He could not leave her out like that. “Haze,” he said. She still did not answer him and hugged herself inside the blanket that was wrapped around her body. She was
“Is he asleep?” Hazel whispered in Adam’s ear from behind as she bent slightly. Her hands held a tray on which there was a vanilla cake. It was layered with grape jelly and strawberries and blueberries. It was made by Hazel and Adam. Only because Adam was fond of cooking at a young age, he wanted to help Hazel and ended up decorating it with her from the bottom of his heart. The word ‘PAPA’ on the surface of the cake was written by Adam. It looked like the words had paralysis yet Hazel admired it. Or else everything was done by Hazel. The flavours they added were Christian’s favourite. Especially vanilla. They knew about that. Not much time had passed since they had returned from their honeymoon. They had returned from Japan two days ago because Hazel remembered his birthday and wanted to celebrate the day with their son. Even though Christian forgot about it like he used to forget every year, Hazel remembered. Sanam and Heer were not at home. Had gone out for some important work
“You’re looking beautiful; so beautiful that I can barely look away from you, Haze,” Christian said while coming behind his wife. She held his hand and was walking towards their suite. Her henna-cladded hand was barely covering his but her grip was firm because her husband was tipsy. He drank a bit at his friend’s wife’s birthday party and they were coming back now. His eyes roamed her back from behind. Her brunette hair was tied in a bun, decorated with red roses that matched her red banarasi saree, red bangles, her bright red painted lips — her whole self. Her blouse was not very backless but still, the beauty spot on her back could not escape his gaze through the knots. The sleeves of her blouse reached above her elbows. She looked beautiful as he said and everything in her was his choice. Even the saree she wore was draped by him. “You said that I don’t know how many times,” she said while her lips stretched into a smile. He watched how her plump fleshy bright red lips stretched
Holding hands, they walked together. The path before them was almost not very crowded with humans but with cherry blossom leaves. There were two or three couples, too. Just like them, they too were walking slowly, holding hands, enjoying the moment of romance that turned everything pink. The weather was showering love. Showering pink, showering petals. There were only trees on either side of the road which were presenting absolutely pink environment. Pink petals showered by gentle breezes were floating on the ground, on their shoulders and head. The opened blue sky and those pink trees were creating a unique combination. That scene was appealing and filled the mind with peace. It was neither too cold nor too hot. In Japan, the months of March and April were no less than paradise, and they both came on their honeymoon in March.As Christian had planned, he chose Japan as their honeymoon destination simply because he wanted to make love to Hazel in that paradise-like environment. Lots
“I just called them,” said Hazel over the phone which was pressed against her ear. Her grip was soft while her other hand was holding the steering wheel. She turned it, entering her house through the large main gates. The guards on either side of the gate bowed respectfully as Hazel drove the car inside. She nodded at them, the sight of her face visible to them through the rolled-down windows of her car. She drove it ahead, still listening to the person over her phone. "Of course.” She smiled brightly. “He’s giving him full attention,” she added and parked the car. She listened to the person while turning the engine off and coming out of the car. She picked up the bags from the back seat. Chirping, sparrows flew above her head to another tree planted in their lawn. It was the beginning of March. Spring was coming. Finally, winters were over. Hazel loved that season. From the bottom of her heart. Spring brought life back to nature. Trees were green once again, butterflies and birds
The ceremony function was over. And it was indeed amazing for them but tiring. It exhausted them, especially Hazel. The whole palace was decorated in such a luxurious way as if a king was about to depart from it to bring his queen. The whole palace was decorated like a bride. The entire palace was covered from top to bottom with garlands of flowers and bulbs. The sweet fragrance of flowers enveloped the entire area as if it was actually in a garden. And the whole place was lit up with light as if it was actually falling from above. In the shadow of the stars, under the glare of the moonlight, they were admired by everybody like a match made in heaven. Hazel was dressed in a royal Rajasthani outfit as per Abigail’s choice. Her lehenga was very layered and was of golden colour. Red sequined chunar with a wide border on her head and jewellery to ornaments which were not very heavy to wear but the price used to scream like the stars in the sky. Even Adam told her she looked like a quee
The ladies who gathered, sitting around Hazel were all happy, chirping and doing their things, laughing upon seeing the men dragging Christian with them. The pleasant sound of their laughter boomed but Hazel giggled softly when she saw how Christian’s face was scrunched and he was writhing like a small kid among his friends —Izhar, Kevin, Adnan and Abel. “I don’t want to do that, mom, why don’t you understand?” He uttered, releasing his arms from their grips as that was the sole way they could drag Christian back to the ladies as he ran away right after he got to know that they wanted to apply some henna paste on his palm and he did not like its smell. “But it’s important, son,” said Heer, who sat beside Hazel and gave her a flying kiss when she saw her all dolled up. She found her way too beautiful in that green traditional mirror-work dress. Her hair was tied into a loosened French braid and it was decorated with white shiny beads. Her make-up was nude. The green coloured lehenga
Hazel’s closed eyes were greeted by the sweet morning sunlight coming through the glass of the huge window set in the wall next to their bed. Those red coloured curtains hanging from the wall of the window were not completely closed. They have opened ajar, letting the pleasant sunlight peek into the spacious royal room. Her eyelids flickered and her eyebrows corrugated a bit. Soon the melodious chirping of the sparrows outside met her ears and she opened her eyes slowly but they immediately fell shut when they were attacked by the sunlight. She sighed and raised her hand to save her eyes by shielding them from her palm. She yawned a bit and turned to look at Christian beside her. She smiled instantly when she found him next to him. He was still asleep. His eyes were closed, and his thick eyelashes allured her. Like always in middays, he had a frown on his face but it was not present now. It was always absent when he was with Adam or her or he was sleeping next to her — his peace.
“Chris!” She called his name as she opened the door while carefully holding the baby girl in her arms. She closed the door behind her and suddenly silence engulfed her as the members downstairs were having an important conversation. Christian’s attention was already dragged by her soft call as he was watching her move to him with the baby. The girl was wrapped up in a soft quilt but woke up as her big brown eyes watched everything. “You didn’t meet our little angel, right?” She said, sitting in front of him but folding her right leg on the bed. The white silky mattress dipped underneath her, and the light yellow cotton chikankari designed fabric of her plazo shone brightly under the warm glow of their room. The small glasses at the border of her dress enhanced its gleam. He put away his laptop and gave his full attention to his wife and the baby in her arms. “Adnan’s daughter?” He asked, looking down at the girl who looked back at him with her big brown eyes. “Yeah,” she said, ho