The kitchen smell of warm spices sizzling onions .Rama stood by the stove,stirring a pot while her daughter yuna chopped vegetables on the counter.they laughed softly together, yuna sneak little pieces of carrot to taste.the golden light from the hanging lamp made the room feel cozy,safe-like the world outside didn't exist.
but then the front door slammed open.
heavy foot step ecohed down the hall ,sharp and fast.Rama froze,her hand gripping the wooden spoon.yuna looked up,her eyes wide.
rick stommed into the kitchen,his face hard as stone,anger burning in his eyes.Two men followed close behind him,their shoulders squared,their presence heavy and threatening.
The pot on the stove hissed,forgotten,as ricks glare cut through the kitchen.His chest rose and fell with fury,his voice sharp as a blade.
"pack your things.now"he barked.
"The seven days are over.The ultimatum from Mumbai community has passed.you don't belong her anymore."
Yuna clung to her mother's arm ,her small voice trembling."mama....?"
Rama straiten her back,shaking her head .
"rick,please,"she said ,her tone desperate but steady."we've done nothing wrong.i don't know anything about my husband 's death-you know that.Don't punish my child for things we don't understand."
Rick eyes narrowed his fists clenching."enough".he said.When Rama didn't move,when her body refused to abandon the little life she had built inside these walls,rick's patient snapped.he lunged forward,grabbing her arm.The two men behind him advanced,their heavy boots scraping the floor as they began tossing clothes.blankets and dishes into the dirt outside.
"no stop "Rama cried,pushing against rick's chest.
"please,my daughter -Her please fell on stone.one of the man shoved her hard,the edge of the table catching her ribs before she crashed to the ground.yuna screamed,rushing to her side,but rick yanked the child away as if peeling her from safety itself.
"out"Rick roared,dragging them both toward the door.The night swallowed them,the warm kitchen light fading behind.their belongings were thrown out carelessly-pots clattering,clothes scattering like broken wings across the dust.rama tried to shield yuna with her body,begging,crying,but their only answer was the slam of the door as rick locked them out of world they once called home.hours later ,with her last handful of crumpled notes pressed tightly in her palm,Rama found a cramped shelter at the edges of the city.it was nothing but a broken room with cracked walls and a thin mat on the floor.i am too little in your eyes to give me respect"Rama continued crying.