Being Mom For Sehri

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“Oh My God!!! Its 5:15 am!!! I’m getting late!!!”
Those are my first words as soon as my alarm rings. Then, as usual, I say to myself, only five more minutes and I will be ready to run today’s marathon. I sleep for another ten minutes and wake up with a start. Closing my eyes for a second, I sit up and take a deep breath.
“Uffff, I have to make the kids shut the television before 2 o clock! I shall give them the good news tomorrow.”
I smile when I think of their reaction to the news and go to the bathroom. It did not take long for me to realize I have to put the tea on the stove, I go to the kitchen put the tea. Then came back and splashed ice cold water, a dozen times, on my face.
On entering the kitchen I immediately went to the automatic-robotic-cook mode and started multi-tasking. Putting all the different kinds of foods on the stove, in the microwave and the oven. I made the parathas, omelet and everything that was required for the day. After all the preparations, I realized Summaiya specifically told me that she would have cereal today. ‘Oh, well,” I thought to myself, “She will just have to eat it. Eventually, she has to have proper food sometime, plus it will help her get through the day.” At this moment, I remember I have to go wake them up.
“Summaiya, Sabika wake aaap, time for sehri, I do not want to hear you both whine all day, so wake aaap”
Right on que, Sabika turns away from the light I just switched on. Summaiya is still sleeping like a log. I start pulling their legs and tugging their blankets away from them. Then I turn the fan on. I keep up my work till I finally manage to make them hear me. After sending Sabika to the bathroom, I use my I’m-getting-angry-now voice on Summaiya and she also manages to drag herself to the bathroom.
That’s a blessing, Summaiya has not noticed that she is having omelet. Oh forgot the bread. I rush to the kitchen while shouting at Summaiya to go wake Dada up, and then to go see what Saby was upto. She must have fallen asleep again. I go to the kitchen to find that my breads just right for me, although it is a bit dark, read burnt, but it will do. I put the parathas, jelly, thermos and the days food on the table. Summaiya has already laid the table and everyone has started eating. I glance at the clock, right on schedule. I take my seat and start having sehri. In a matter of seconds, I realize the parathas are finishing. I get up and make some immediately.
‘Ma, you will run out of time, everyone here is almost done, there is no need for more parathas.’
I make two and return to the table and eat in peace. These are the 10 minutes of calm that make me feel like I have achieved something.
‘Saby, kuch chahiye? Nahi? Ok go and wash your face, then recite the Quran.’
I clean up the table with Summaiya. I realize that amal will take another ten minutes to wake up for water, and she must have water as she does not have any food. I take a bottle and go to my room. “Amal pani peelo.”
I put the half full glass next to her. “Saby go and drink water, and ask everyone to have some too, times running out.”
I drink water, pick the Quran up and started praying from where I left off yesterday. While waiting for the Azaan, we have a habit of reciting the Quran. I watch Saby reciting her own Quran, I smile as I watch her recite it. Her eyes are puffy from waking up in the middle of the night.
Phew!
The rush hour has finally passed till another twenty four hours. I fall asleep until my alarm clock wakes me up again. This time, it will ring to wake me up to send Saby to school.
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“Oh My God!!! Its 7:15 am!!! I’m getting late!!!”