royal bed adorned with luxurious pink bedding, surrounded by everything royal from the gentle hum of the AC to the softness of the bed's comforter.
Her anxiety peaked as she settled into the Arabian bedsheet, its vibrant colors contrasting with the softness, and she could bury her face in the pillow.
Ring! The phone interrupted, demanding attention.
With trembling hands, she reached for the phone, not bothering to look at the screen as she answered with a frustrated sigh.
“Happy birthday to you...” Hastily, she replied, sitting up to listen to the birthday song playing from her spouse's phone screen, her face lit with surprise.
“Happy birthday, happy birthday, happy birthday to youuuuu... How old are you now...” Everyone sang, drowning out any individual voice.
In a half-hearted attempt to match the softness of the song, she asked, “Kausar, how old are you now?”
Her husband's laughter filled the room as he handed her the cake, “Mom, thirty-five,” she reluctantly replied.
“Thirty-five, huh?” “Yes, mom,” she said, rolling her eyes.
“You must start thinking about settling down, Kausar. Thirty-five but no marriage, no children, no sign of slowing down, just you and your career...”
"Auushhh, mom, please stop, it's too early to start receiving these horrible announcements of yours... Mom, pleaseeeee," she begged, tears welling up in her eyes from the weight of her mother's words.
Before her mother could retort, she quickly ended the call.
In the silence that followed, Kausar tossed the phone aside, feeling the weight of her reality crush down on her, and hysteria followed.
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