Short Story: Home by Ess Aubrey Gabrelyn Prakash   

In this story, Ess Aubrey Gabrelyn Prakash narrates a poignant tale that captures the true meaning of home, which is not a place but the people who make a home.

Despite rushing through the laundry, Haziq flung out each pair of his wife’s formal pants at least three times. Die die must take out as many wrinkles as possible so ironing won’t be such a pain. The sharp smell of fish curry joined the sunlight streaming through the windows. The downstairs neighbours must be having a late lunch. He stretched each piece of clothing out on one of his bamboo clothes poles. 

As he took another pair of pants from the laundry basket, he remembered his kakis’ joke about his wife wearing the nicer pants in the relationship. Idiot guys. That was last Hari Raya Puasa. They were lucky Ayla was chatting with other guests and didn’t hear. But then she didn’t have to be so sensitive. People joke about house-husbands. So what?