Hey... as promised... I am back with the next updt. Pls like and comment after reading. And readers who want pm s.. send me a buddy rqst. Love u all... 😊
Jenny was pretty annoyed when aaliya returned home that evening. She let aaliya know with details how difficult it was giving the kids baths and removing those horrid colours from over their skin. But who was they kidding, it was inevitable from the beginning aaliya knew. Kids.. and paints... this was bound to happen.
Aaliya was happy to see... that at last the kids had warmed up a bit to the idea of zain being their father and all.
As aaliya sat down on her front porch with a mug of her favourite steamy coffee, she was greeted with the scene of zain strolling towards her with a calm expression. Aaliya snorted... here comes the great zain abdullah.
Zain: " Enjoying coffee ?? "
Aaliya said indifferently... " I guess you aren't blind. "
Chuckling zain sat down beside her. Aaliya huffed, if he thought after helping him with his plan this morning.. things were going to be all cheesy between them... he was mistaking it big time. Aaliya stood up abruptly only to be dragged down by zain's strong hold around her wrist.
Zain: " Where are you going ?? Just sit here for a while. "
Sad zain was bad but happy and relaxed and arrogant zain was worse... aaliya thought spitfully.
Aaliya: " Why ? "
Zain shrugged... " Is it important to have a reason. "
Aaliya: " If it's about you... then yes.. "
Zain put the palms of his hands behind him on the ground and leaned back, looking at the evening sky as the setting sun splittered various mysterious colours all over...
No one said anything for a long time, every now and then aaliya kept sipping on the coffee.
Zain: " Where are the little bombs.. ?? "
Really.. little bombs !!
Aaliya: " Evening nap.. they were pretty tired after their artistic task this morning. "
Aaliya turned her head sideways to look at one side of zain's face, he was still gazing at the sky. Now as zain wasn't looking at her... aaliya took her time memorising the relaxed features of his face... the slight stubble of his face... his hair cutely ruffled up... maybe because of the slight breeze of evening air or might be the result of running his hand through them a few times.
Suddenly zain turned towards her, his eyes lit up with amusement.
Aaliya blinked and looked away. She bit her bottom lip in embarrassment of getting caught staring. Damn !! She cursed herself mentally.
Aaliya gasped feeling his hot breath suddenly caressing her earlobe, when the hell did he lean so close.
Zain: " Take a photo.. it lasts longer.. "
Gripping the coffee mug aaliya stood up and away from zain not daring to peek a glance at him, afraid of lossing herself again.
Aaliya: " Umm.. I.. The kids must be waking up... "
Zain just nodded smirking.
Aaliya walked back into the house gritting her teeth... That arrogant son of a... But why the hell was she behaving this weird... maybe she was just tired. Yes.. that's it.. she was tired.
Locking the door behind her aaliya made her way upstairs to wake up the kids.. trying think about anything.. anything but zain's face gazing up at the sky. Yes... jonathon.. aaliya was going to think about jonathon, he was worth thinking... he was safe. And aaliya was good with safe.
Aaliya thought back about how jonathon took it easily that zain.. the father of her children had popped up in her life suddenly. He said so many comforting words to her, telling her over and over again that he would be always there for her and that she could always count him if in any problem she finds herself in. But.. there was a small but here, thought jonathon made sure to let aaliya know that he was okay with zain's appearance in her life.. there was this frown on his forehead that made aaliya think for once.. the otherwise.
She couldn't say for sure if everything was okay actually, afterall.. all men are possessive creatures whether they show it or not.
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After a busy day in the office zain was feeling really eccastic to return home... to see aaliya and to see sarah and sammy... his two loveliest kids. Changing into casuals zain sprinted out his house taking a little tiffin box ful of bread crumbs.
Ayaan chuckled after him saying... " I never thought that I would ever see you like this zain, you are becoming so cuddly man... "
Zain didn't bother to answer back, he had more important things to do... like spending precious time with his children. He had already missed so much in their lives, he couldnt afford.. couldnt take missing out more.
Knocking in aaliya's door.. zain shifted on hi feet. Aaliya opened the door to see a geedy looking zain hoding a tiffin box in one hand smiling broadly at her.
Aaliya: " Zain... "
Zain's eyes hovered over the loose strand of hair she tucked behind her hair. Does she becomes nervous seeing me.. around me ? Zain thought.
Aaliya stood aside to let him in. Zain stood inside just beside the door...
Zain: " Umm aaliya.. I wanted to take the kids to park, you know the one in the next block... "
Aaliya was about to say something but zain quickly cut in raising the box in his hand...
" I thought they would like to feed the ducks.. "
Aaliya couldn't help but smile when zain added after a pause..
" Breadcrumbs... "
Aaliya: " They would love it... "
Zain smiled rubbing the back of his neck.
Zain: " They would ?? "
Aaliya began walking upstairs and zain started following her.
Aaliya: " They love it when each week I take them there, you will see how they keep ogling at the ducks. "
Zain: " You guys go there ?? "
Aaliya: " Twice each week. "
They were nearing the kid's room now. This conversation they just had was probably.. no surely.. the conversation they had without jumping for slitting each others throats. Zain couldnt help but think it as a good sign, maybe finally God had decided to have some mercy on him.
Aaliya pushed open the slightly ajar door of the room, standing behind aaliya... zain looked at the room from upon aaliya's head. He raked his gaze around the beautifuly painted room in light blue, cream and pink colour. There was a medium sized shelf in on corner... toys, teddy bears, stuffed toys kept on the racks. Two single beds... in the middle of them a little bedside table. Two study tables at the other side of the room. The curtains before the balcony door were kept apart swinging slightly in the gentle breeze entering the room from outside. Zain recalled how for the first time he saw aaliya, sarah and sammy kneeling down and praying.. through this very same balcony. He recalled how that night he felt this pull towards them without knowing who they really were, without knowing that they were the most dearest to his heart... that they were his everything.
In the middle of the room upon a matt sarah and sammy were playing.. around them were scattered their toys.
Hearing the noise at the door, both the twins looked up. Sarah clutched her stuffy teddy bear tight to her chest.
Aaliya smiled broadly at them...
Aaliya: " Look who came to see you... "
Sammy.. for a few seconds stared wide eyes at zain.. then sat turning the other side shyly and kept playing with the little school bus.
Then something happened, almost happened which zain craved but didn't expect to happen at least at that time.
Sarah: " Da... "
Sammy slapped sarah's arm making a floppy sound and immediately sarah closed her mouth.. gulping down whatever she was going to say.
Zain couldnt believe it, was sarah going to really call him ... daddy... Or was it something different she was going to say ??
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While zain took the kids to park, aaliya and barqat went to savanah's house. The old lady was enthusiastically planning for her birthday the day after tomorrow, nothing much.. a dinner with all her neighbours and some of her friends. Aaliya and barqat volunteered in assisting her with the preparations.
Savanah: " What I am hearing aaliya, zain is sarah and sammy's father !! "
Gossip was running really wild in aaliya's neighborhood. Barqat snickered quitely while aaliya sipped a little wine and put down the glass on the tea table uneasily.
Aaliya: " You heard it right aunty.. "
Savanah leaned back on the plush material of the sofa she was sitting in and mottered...
Savanah: " Damn... that boy is fast. "
Aaliya: " Huh ?? "
Aaliya asked confused. Savanah waved her wrinkled skinny hands around...
Savanah: " Here I was assuming that boy is trying to woo you.. but now.. I wake up the next morning and get to know that he'd already got you pregnant.. that too six years ago. "
Barqat made a weird noise, without turning to see what it was.. aaliya already knw that barqat was trying to hide her laughter. But seriously.. what was so funny !!
Aaliya: " It's actually complicated. "
Savanah smiled that mysterious smile of hers, changing the topic she said...
Savanah: " So are you guys excited about my birthday ?? "
Ross birked happily from his sitting position on the doormat, aaliya laughed while barqat rolled her eyes.
It was true... by looking at the behaviour of the old aged people.. you can guess how they were in their tender years of lives.
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Zain stood in between sammy and sarah who were excitedly throwing bread crumbs into the pond. Ducks were quaking and feeding them happily.
Sarah jumped up and down in joy.
Sarah: " Sammy.. look at that big duck.. it looks so much like steeve... "
Sammy laughed throwing his head back...
Sammy: " Yes sarah... wait when I tell sammy. He would get really upset... "
Zain didnt know what was so funny about making this other kid steeve upset.
Zain: " Hey.. it's not good to make someone upset kiddos... "
Sarah pouted cutely...
Sarah: " But he always says things to us.. and I become sad... sammy too becomes sad.. "
Zain: " Huh.. what does he say that make my two stars so sad... ? "
When zain looked at sammy... it felt like sammy wanted to say it but at the end thought the otherwise and bit his bottom lip.
Zain: " Sarah... ?? "
Zain now asked sarah hoping to find it out. If needed he would have to size this steeve kid up.
After hesitating for a moment sarah spoke unsurely...
Sarah: " He said that.. that we are mistakes and our daddy never wated us. He told me dirty..."
Now that sarah had started.. how could sammy stay quite...
Sammy: " And that I stink.. He also said that you... "
Sammy paused for a second and then spoke again... " That our dad hates us and never wanted to see us.. "
It was like a stab to zain's heart, how many things.. how many insults aaliya and his kids had to endure all these years !! Not anymore... no more...
He knelt down between them and dragged holding both of their hands to stand infront of him.
Zain: " Sarah.. sammy.. you both are the best.. bestest kids in this world ok. I never hated you.. nor will I ever... understand... "
He held his breath for a few seconds to control his emotions, so that he couldnt break down here in this park infront of his five years old children.
Zain: " I love you both.. so very much... "
Sammy was staring at zain.. maybe trying to understand him with his innocence.. with his little sinless heart. Sarah smiled broadly at zain.. making zain to smile too..
Sarah: " Really ?? "
Zain: " Really... "
Right then zain felt something ran past him, zain couldnt see what it was but as sarah and sammy was facing him.. they saw it and suddenly the emotional heaviness from the environment evaporated from around them.
Sarah jumped up and down in happiness while sammy's eyes sparkled with excitement and mischief...
Sarah shouted... " Meow.. meow... mewooo... sammy sammy.. mewwwoo... "
Zain turned backwards to a kitten running away...
He laughed and turned back to say soemthing funny... but instead he got shocked seeing the place where sarah and sammy were standing a second ago.. empty.
He again looked backwards to see saran running after the kitten squealing.. after her sammy was running screaming his lungs out.
Zain sucked in a deep breath... " Ohh shit... "
Immediately he too stood up and sprinted after them.
Zain screamed after them... " Hey stop... sarah.. sammy... come back... heyyy... "
But his screams fell into deaf ears. He saw the kitten followed by sarah and sammy running towards an old fountain... the mermaid in the middle of that fountain might have broken a decade ago and the water stored in the fountain looked kind of green.. the edges had growing moss around it.
" Sarah.. sammy.. for gods sake stop.. "
Then as if everything happened in slow motion. The kitten jumped into the fountain, sarah jumped down after it and sammy too followed. A large splash of water sprinkled around the fountain.
Damnation !!!
Zain stopped right infront of the fountain, gasping for breath zain knelt down holding his knees with his hands.
Sarah bobbed half her body up from the water cuddling the white kitten in her arms which was purring and whimpering now. Sammy was holding sarah's elbows carefully while his gaze was fixed on the little cat in his sisters hands.
Zain huffed looking the wet kids with exasperation.
Zain: " What do you think you are doing huh... !! Your mommy is going to kill me.. when she see's you like this. "
But zain didn't know another shock was waiting for him the very next moment.. which would flip his whole world upside down.
Sarah: " Look daddy... a meowww... "
Sarah looked at zain giggling.. and zain's whole world did flip. Had he heard it correctly !! Had sarah really called him what he had heard... daddy ??
Zain blinked furiously.. trying hard not to cry.
Zain: " What did you say honey ?? "
Sarah tskd...
Sarah: " Meoww.. "
Sammy was now rubbing the wet furs of the kitten. He looked at zain sulking.. already aware of what was going on.
Zain: " No.. before that.. "
Zain was getting impatient while sarah realised now what zain wanted to hear.. what sarah had called him.
Sarah peeked at zain from under her lashes and said meekly again...
Sarah: " Daddyyy... "
A small drop of tear escaped zain's left eye, overwhelmed by emotions he quickly hugged sarah not caring he was too getting wet in the process. He couldnt control his erupting emotions as he heard the word for the first time in his life.
The kitten whimpered getting sqashed in the middle of the embrace. Smiling warmly zain pulled back a little still holding sarah lightly.
He looked at sammy and asked him playfully...
Zain: " Don't you also want to say something like your sister did ?? "
Sammy sulked more...
Sammy: " No.. I am still mad.. "
The way sammy said no... zain thought his purpose was to threaten zain... but instead he found it quite adorable.
Zain: " Well that doesnt mean you can't join the group hug... hop in big boy.. "
Zain opened one arm while still holding sarah with the other, surprisingly sammy really hopped into the group hug.
Sarah: " Can we keep meow ?? "
>Sarah asked sweetly in her suger coated voice. Zain gulped.. overwhelmed with emotions, his little girl had already wrapped him up around her little finger. But what about aaliya killing him later ??
Sarah: " Please daddy ?? "
Seemed like.. this daddy word was going to her favorite weapon for a long while. Now how could zain deny.
He barely croaked out.. " Sure princess... "
Sarah jumped a little making the water splash more.
Sammy: " Mommy is going to ground us... "
Sammy mumbled... but zain was in heaven now. Aaliya killing him or grounding the kids could be dealt with later.
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Aaliya opened the door at the sound of the doorbell rolling her eyes. Finally team A had decided to return home.
But what she witnessed after openeing the door wasn't what she was quite expecting. Mouth agape she ogled zain, sarah and sammy dripping wet from head to toe. All three of their expressions severely guilty.
Aaliya: " What the... "
Something mewwoed in a terrible nasal tone, then her eyes zeroed on the little white kitten in sarah's arms. There was a brown cute circle around one of it's eyes.
Sammy raised his hand and pointed at zain and then said innocently...
Sammy: " He said we can keep meow... "
Horrified and flabbergasted zain looked at the kids. He grimaced even more when sarah nodded up and down into positive.
Aaliya placed her fisted hands on her hips. Zain gulped now looking at aaliya, shit... the kids had played a big number here.
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Aaliya was making sure all the foods were ready to go to the table out there. The kitchen was seeming heavenly with all the aromas of the various drool worthy foods they had made.
Guests had started coming, savanah and barqat were busy welcoming and chatting with them in the living room. Aaliya exited the kitchen and wlked towards the living room right at the moment when zain and ayaan made their entry.
Aaliya didn't have to look around to feel zain's piercing gaze fixed on the back of her head while she turned around to talk with one of savanah's friends.
Savanah was holding a very old man's hand... who was in his late seventies.
Savanah: " Zain, ayaan, barqat... aaliya come over here all of yaaa... "
Aaliya felt zain's hand softly pressed onto her lower back sending a million sparks of electricity all over her body as he stood beside her smiling at savanah. Gulping down the gasp that threatened to escape her lips... aaliya smiled forcefully at savanah.. while all she wanted was to move away from the pleasurefully burning touch of the man standing beside her.
Savanah: " Meet my boyfriend Lucas. Lucas.. these are... "
Savanah carried on introducing everyone to lucas but the crowd of neighbours couldnt concentrate. Their jaws were almost hitting the floor in shock.
Ayaan: " What !! Your boyfriend !! "
Savanah glared at ayaan.
Savanah: " YES. Do you have any problem with that ?? "
Barqat kicked at ayaans leg unseen to anyone... making him whoomp.
Barqat: " No aunty... he has absolutely no problem... neither have we... right ayaan.. ? "
Ayaan: " Yeah.. I mean no... I mean yes.. uhh.. "
Ayaan answered unsure.
Zain pressed his lips together trying to block his laughter, aaliya was biting her bottom lip to bit back the chuckle. But as zain's eyes found aaliya doing that small action... his throat went dry.
On the other hand barqat was glaring at ayaan who was looking back and forth from very happily flirting savanah and lucas.
Barqat: " Ayaan... ayaan.. "
Furiously tapping on ayaans shoulder barqat grabbed his attention.
Ayaan annoyedly brushed away barqat's hand from his shoulder.
Ayaan: " What ?? "
Huffing in irritation barqat grabbed ayaan's sleeve and dragged her to the sofa where saran and sammy were watching pokemon not blinking for a second, it was as if there eyes were glued to the tv by some magic spell.
Ross and meow- the kitten were snoozing rolled into balls at the childrens feets. Yes... after much arguments aaliya's heart melted and the kids got permission to keep the poor orphan kitten... zain had already tried to find it's owner through the help of animal control but they couldnt find any. At first ross was frightened seeing the little white creature, he kept barking tucking his tail in his legs looking at meow but soon.. as ross found out that it was indeed not threatning in any way ( just scratches in a non- harming way sometimes )... the cat and dog got along.
Ayaan turned to face barqat getting angry.
Ayaan: " What is your problem ? "
Barqat: " You were making savanah aunty and lucas uncle uneasy. "
Barqat explained making ayaan puzzled.
Ayaan: " It wasn't me who was making them uneasy, it was the granny couple flirting while our crazy savanah aunty always demands that she misses her late husband ross.. And she calls lucas her boyfriend, she should have called him her grandfriend... "
Barqat slapped on ayaans chest.
Barqat: " It's a playdate kind of thing and it's her birthday, so for God's sake stop speaking bad about her. "
Ayaan: " Still... she is weird and that lucas guy is also weird. "
Barqat sneered low... " Now suck it ayaan and go sit on that sofa. "
Ayaan didnt like barqat trying to boss him around now, he fixed the hem of his t-shirt and straightened his spine... trying to intimidate barqat.
Ayaan: " And why would I listen to you ?? "
Barqat played smarter... " The kids are there ayaan... "
Barqat's soft tone confused ayaan.
Ayaan: " So ?? "
Barqat rolled her eyes and said in a way that it was too obvious.. which in a way was.
Barqat: " Have you ever interacted with your best friend zain's kids properly, you are their uncle ayaan and you know nothing about them. "
Ayaan fell silent while barqat danced a little mentally.
Ayaan: " Well... I am afraid to say that.. "
Barqat raised a brow...
" that you are right.. for the first time... "
So ayaan went over to the kids and sat beside them, barqat sat on the single sofa.
The kids didn't even turn to look at ayaan, they were deeply dedicated to pokemon.
Ayaan: " What are you watching guys... ? "
Eyes still glued to the tv.. sammy answered... " Pokemon... "
Ayaan made a tskd noise... irritation dripping from his voice...
Ayaan: " Uhh... that useless cartoon... "
Now that ayaan had offennded pokemon, sammy glared at him disbelievingly.. his ful attention now focused on ayaan.
Sammy: " Pokemon isn't useless ayaan uncle, pokemon is the best. "
He pointed out but it seemed like ayaan was adament to prove the otherwise.
Ayaan: " You know nothing kid.. it's useless.. "
Sammy yelled... " It's not.. "
Ayaan: " It is... "
Sammy: " Is not... "
Ayaan: " Is too... "
Groaning in frustration barqat slapped a hand on her forhead, it seemed like ayaan had lost a screw of his head .
From afar aaliya was looking at ayaan and sammy bickering in the sofa, sarah was sat upon barqats lap.. giggling at soemthing barqat said while tickling her stomach. Aaliya smiled...
" They are the cutest things... "
Aaliya trembled, the voice always had this magic of doing weird things to her.
Aaliya: " They are... "
She sighed as zain held her hand lightly looking intently into her eyes, aaliya wanted to look away from those captivating depths of his eyes but found herself tied down to them... to the point of no escape.
Someone cleared their throat, aaliya and zain snapped away and looked at the intruder. A slight blush crept up on aaliya's cheeks. Savanah was looking at them both with a knowing smile.
Savanah: " Aaliya... if you are not too busy someone wanted to meet you at the door. "
Aaliya tilted her head confusedly, now who was it ?
Aaliya: " Who ?? "
Savanah: " He say's that he's your friend, a charming young man. I invited him to have dinner with us, I hope you don't mind... "
Aaliya glanced at zain who was also looking at her confusedly.
Aaliya: " Umm.. no... but who ... "
" Me ... aaliya... "
The person who walked towards them wearing a lazy smile was the last person aaliya expected.
Aaliya: " Jonathon !! "
As usual jonathon smiled his charming smile gazing at aaliya. As reflexion zain inched closer to aaliya. Aaliya stiffened, she anticipated that this moment would come one day but never had she ever expected that it would be this soon.. that it would be now. A possessive vibe was coming off of zain.. aaliya could almost smell it. She buckled herself mentally for the inevitable.
Aaliya: " Jonathon.. you... "
Jonathon smiled... " Actually you forgot this file back in the office, tyler was frantic. "
He waved the file infront of aliya's face, aaliya chuckled nervously.
Aaliya: " Uhh.. yeah... the presentation file... "
Jonathon: " Yep.. you need to revise this tonight itself.. remember. The presentation is ... "
Aaliya completed... " at sharp 8 o'clock tomorrow.. I remember... "
Jonathon noddedrunning a hand through his hair.
Zain was too quite observing their conversation, this jonathon guy seemed nice but still zain wanted to rip his throat apart. Maybe because this guy seemed too close too aaliya.. too close to be more than a friend.
Jonathon looked at zain now and aaliya cleared her throat awkwardly... knowing that she had to introduce them now...
Aaliya: " Ummm... jonathon... this is zain... ahhh.. zain abdullah... "
Immediately jonathons expression changed into recognition and something else too... anger... irritation. Aaliya decided not to ponder over it.
Aaliya: " And zain... this is jonathon sterling.. he's umm.. my boss.. "
Jonathon added with a serious face... " Aaliya and I.. we're seeing each other... as in dating.. "
Aaliya gasped looking at jonathon horrified, it seemed that.. that... aaliya didnt have any words to express what she was feeling. She turned her head to look at zain.. only to gulp. Zain's eyes went dark and his lips formed a thin line. He seemed shocked. And then zain glanced at aaliya, a single glance filled with hurt, grief... loss and fury ??
And then the men shook their hands, the handshake went tighter and longer than it was necessary. It seemed like.. they were trying to sqeeze their hands to the point of ripping off.. wanting to prove their strength instead of hand shake.
Aaliya: " Eh.. jo.. jon.. zain, eh... dinner... uh.. let's go eat something huh.. see savanah aunty is calling... let's go... "
Stammering aaliya hoped the tension would pass away, the tournament of proving male dominace through that annoying handshake finally finished.
Zain: " I gotta go... something important came up... "
Aaliya's mouth was agape as zain quitely, slowly took steps backwards. Those each steps backwards seemed poisonous to aaliya. Zain's eyes were still dark.. is expressions blank. Aaliya kept looking at zain moving away from her. Someone yanked her gently around as she came face to face with jonathon.
Jonathon: " You alright ? "
Aaliya just nodded in positive then hurriedly turned back her head to where zain was.. only to see him nowhere... nowhere...
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Zain stood leaning sideways.. his hips resting on the railing of the balcony.. his favourite spot in the whole house.. from where he for the first time unknowingly saw aaliya and his children. He picked up a slow tune... mind wondering off to somewhere else.
" Aaliya and I.. we're seeing each other... as in dating.. "
Those words were replaying over and over again in his mind. They were making deadly holes in his heart like life ending bullets coming out from a gun.
Does aaliya loves jonathon ?? Would she never forgive me ?? Would she ever love me ??
Aaliya held the thin material of the curtain of her window, zain was again playing guitar.
Why was she feeling like she was betraying... that she was cheating everyone... jonathon, zain and most importantly herself. She kept repeating to herself... jonathon was safe. But the question was... was safe right ?? Or was what she thinking to be wrong... was what waiting to surprise her by proving to be the otherwise ??
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