AEOTM Prologue

Prologue

Splash!

Ari splashed water on her face, the cold sending a shiver down her body.
Water dripped from her hair onto the sink drop by drop. Staring into the mirror , at her reflection, she fell into a daze remembering the call she had with her mom last night.

"Hello Putti"

"Hi Ma"

"How are you doing ? Are you even eating properly? You looked thinner in the recent pictures you sent.
I made some pickles for you . Your brother will bring them tomorrow. Be sure to collect them ."

A smile crept onto Ari's lips.

"Thanks ma~. You could have just parceled them. Why trouble brother?", Ari slightly teased her mom, love evident in her tone .

"What parcel?" ,shrieked her mom. "They’d just eat it before it reached you — didn’t you see the WhatsApp video I sent? Anyway… I heard your cousin’s marriage is fixed. When are you planning to settle down? You’re not getting any younger, Putti. We hope you’re really thinking about your future. If it’s too hard out there to find a ‘proper’ job, just come back home — we don’t want you struggling alone."

Ari's beaming face dimmed. She held the phone tight, her chest aching with a bittersweet mix of love, melancholy, and quiet frustration, feeling both the weight of her family's expectations and the stubborn pull of her own dreams.

"Ma, I'm going out for dinner. I'll call you tomorrow. Bye Ma . Good night."

"You just don't listen anymore. Singing is not even a safe job for girls. Sigh Bye Putti. I hope you give it a serious thought."

Tut-Tut

-TBC-


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