Losing Touch Read Online Free

number twenty-two.
    He hears thumping feet and a high voice. ‘Uncle!’ Haseena opens the door, and seven-year-old Sadiq flings himself at Arjun.
    â€˜Let Uncle come in.’ Haseena hugs Arjun. ‘Arjun, so lovely to see you.’
    Arjun lifts Sadiq for a hug. ‘How big you are, Sadiq. You’ll have to carry me.’
    Sadiq struggles to get down. ‘I can do it, Uncle.’ He wraps his arms around Arjun’s legs and struggles to lift. ‘See? I did it.’
    â€˜Are you going to be a weightlifter?’
    Sadiq considers. ‘I might.’
    Haseena stares at Arjun. ‘Your forehead − oh, Arjun − what happened?’
    â€˜It’s nothing. Just an accident.’
    â€˜Did someone hit you, Uncle?’
    â€˜ Goonda . Your uncle isn’t a prize fighter.’
    â€˜ I’m going to be a prize fighter. Muhammad Ali. Float like a bee.’ Sadiq flaps his arms and jumps.
    â€˜Go and play while I take care of Uncle.’
    â€˜Okay.’ Sadiq cheerfully rushes off. ‘Don’t each lunch without me.’
    â€˜I’ll call you.’
    â€˜Because it’s my favourite chicken.’
    â€˜I know. Now go.’
    â€˜ Fa -vour-ite chi -cken-oo.’ Rapid thudding up the stairs.
    Haseena peers at Arjun’s forehead. She smells of lavender. ‘Look at this thing. It’s the size of an egg. Come, let me put something on it.’
    â€˜It’s all right, Haseena. Really. I’m fine.’
    Haseena hesitates. ‘Tea?’
    â€˜Now, that’s a good idea.’ He follows her into the kitchen and sits at the round table next to the window looking out onto the garden. ‘I like this view. You’ve done a lovely job with your borders. The lavender looks so healthy.’
    â€˜I had to cut it back. It was taking over the lawn. I’ve been making little sachets to put with the towels and sheets in the airing cupboard. I could send some home with you for Sunila.’
    Arjun imagines the smell of lavender perfuming the bedroom. But Sunila would be suspicious of any gift coming from Haseena, especially something as intimate as lavender for sheets.
    â€˜Nawal and I thought we might sell these. Just to make a little money. But who would buy?’ Haseena laughs.
    Arjun taps the table with one finger. ‘Show me.’
    While Haseena steps out, Arjun stares out of her window onto the garden. The blooming lavender is an otherworldly mist, and it wouldn’t surprise him to see a fox or a rabbit peering between the bushes. What does surprise him is the sudden throbbing in his head. Perhaps it’s a delayed reaction.
    Haseena returns with a glass of water and hands him two Panadol. ‘These will help.’
    He takes the tablets while she moves around, collecting the tea things.
    She hesitates. ‘Arjun, what happened, really?’
    â€˜I was getting off the bus. My right leg. It just gave way.’
    â€˜ Bhai , please go to the hospital for tests.’ She pours his tea.
    â€˜You make such lovely tea, Haseena. Real tea leaves, not like this teabag business.’
    She hands over the lavender sachet, pale green muslin, laced with a lavender ribbon.
    â€˜This is beautiful, Haseena. I can see these flying off the shelves.’
    â€˜Arjun?’ She sits down. ‘I’ve seen this in Pakistan. The leg goes suddenly and then the person falls. Just now and then, nothing to really worry about. Then it becomes more frequent. Then the child… my small cousin had it. She died. Lots of children do. But it happens to a lot of adults, too.’
    He smooths the sachet’s ribbon. ‘I’m sorry about your cousin.’
    â€˜But probably for the best. What kind of life is it for a child to sit in a wheelchair and watch others run about?’
    â€˜So sad. Poor little thing.’ He shakes his head.
    Haseena is crumbling her biscuit. Both Haseena and Nawal have the same profile, the same