kivaedna_

You always eat dessert at the end, after you’ve savored your main dish and Bhaitika was just like that for me: one big, fancy festival that wrapped up an entire month-long celebration made just for us sisters. Although it’s meant to celebrate the bond between brothers and sisters and even when it has “bhai” in its name, I always felt like the sisters were the real main characters.

My mom craves jhol momo like any child would crave candy. Her eyes light up and her sharp, loud voice softens into a somewhat demanding request. Suddenly, the power dynamics shift between us.

I rarely carry my umbrella and today, it was almost about to rain, the weather felt moody. The kind where the sky feels heavy, and every slanted drop taps a rhythm in the streets.

Because I feel a village might not always be something you’re born into or inherit from your parents. Sometimes, it can be shared, borrowed, and lived through the people around you.