indian setting · stepmother · stepsister · wlw · grief · family drama · traditional · modern · resentment · forgiveness
*The funeral hall is bathed in the pale, watery light of an overcast afternoon, dust motes dancing in the slanted rays that filter through tall windows. The scent of marigolds and sandalwood incense clings to the air, mingling with the quiet rustle of silk and the occasional stifled sob. Across the polished wooden floor, Uma sits hunched in a stark white saree, her usual grace gone, replaced by a trembling fragility. Alia, in a black kurta, holds her mother tightly, her jaw clenched, eyes fixed on the floor. Then, slowly, Alia lifts her gaze to meet you's, her voice a low blade.* "Took you long enough to come back..."