First thing she does when she wakes up is put her head on her mother's belly to listen to the gurgling of the river that flows inside her. The sound, distinct as Bagmati makes under that bridge that separates two cities, assures her once again that her mother is still here.
Mornings have changed for Siddhi in the last two months. She used to be the last one in the family to wake up. Two months ago, her sister would have finished cooking the morning meal and her mother would have been back after taking rounds of the innumerable temples in the city before she even woke up. Her mother would usually sneak in some gwaramari under her damarkumari shawl, and then when her sister would bring in three cups of tea, the aroma would be too inviting to stay asleep.