To be honest, in her eyes, Sabina Emom had always found Soudeep pleasant to look at. From what little she knew of him, his personality and character were quite good too. Perhaps if both of them had taken the time to date properly, love could have grown among them. Maybe the family of four could have built a beautiful life together.
But from the very beginning, their meeting had been at the wrong time and place—a mistaken night between two strangers after having drinks ending up with she being pregnant . And then, they had twins .
As Sabina Emom slipped deeper into her memories, she recalled the many nights she would return home exhausted after work , only to find the house perfectly organized, and the table full of food, instantly putting her at ease.
Soudeep had always been thoughtful, even though they were never close. He would cook different dishes for her but the aroma and taste was irresistible, better than any food she ever had at a restaurant. Each time, she finished the whole bowl of food , despite not liking to usually eat late at night.
Now, images of Soudeep's handsome face, their adorable daughter and son , and those delicious dishes swirled in her mind. But her phone rang again, shattering the warmth of her memories.
She glanced at the screen—it was a foreign client's call.
The workaholic nature in her took over as she stood up and returned to her desk, diving back into her bunch of files as if nothing had happened.
In the western part of city…
"Hey young man, it's a fair price—1625 rupees a month, and you even get a spacy garden ," the old landlady said, her voice matter-of-fact.
"I see you've got two kids with you, so no need for the one year's advance deposit. Just pay this month's rent, and you can have the house ."
Soudeep appreciated her straightforwardness and wasted no time after reading then signed the contract and paid the rent. The main reason he chose this place was it was cheap and silent environment and the place's proximity to the preschool —only a five to seven minute walk.
Though the area was old, it was clean, and the environment was peaceful. The old neighbours were friendly and peaceful too. When they saw new tenants moving in, some of them came over to say hello.
Soudeep's daughter, Camelia, and son Samuel, both holding his hands always sweet and polite, greeted them with their soft, endearing voice, instantly winning oranges stuffed in their two small, white hands. They had gone from living in one of the most luxuriest villa to a modest home in a simple residential area. It seemed like a big downgradation , but neither Soudeep nor his twins minded.
Little Camelia full of curiosity, wandered around the new place, fascinated by everything.
"Daddy, let me help you move things,"Samuel said, running over with quick little steps as he saw her father carrying a big box while his twin sister Camelia wandered around.
"Why don't you take both of your and sister's toys into the house first, Samuel?" Soudeep suggested.
"Okay, Daddy!" he replied, his eyes lighting up as he eagerly went