AsYa SS: It's Hard To Let You Go [Part 6, Page 56] - Page 29

Originally posted by: NAVI55

Awesome update👍🏼 Glad to hear that! 😃

This was brilliantly written...I loved reading this especially the last part...That was so sweet just like brownies😆... Awww!! Thanks!!

A picture perfect family👍🏼 It sure is!

Originally posted by: Maheerah

Res,

Occupied with loads of work...

Pheww! I finally read it...😉

I am left with no more words...how can i express that i love it???

Oops! I already admitted it...😳

This is amazingly perfect..👏

The wish of never letting the true colours of a house fade away...never letting Zoha leave is the best part about this story...👍🏼

The family time was the best...specially Ahsan setting the camera...👍🏼

Simply AWESOME..👏

Originally posted by: Jassieg

First of all..I m so damn happy that u have posted this chapter for me. When I saw u have updated, I came to read..and there it was..my name in bold letters..I had a big smile on my face and still has it.😃 I truly appreciate the honour of having encourage u to update so fast.

thank you! 👏

Coming back to the update. It was simply beautiful. Loved how you played flashback. These were such sweet memories of their time which they will treasure for lifetime. Loved how everyone matched zoya. Black and yellow such a great combination. I also loved how their family time is being recorded.

Can't wait to read further. And once again thank you for mentioning me.😛

Hello Everyone🤗

Back with another update! Though I have my midterm tomorrow but still I'm here with an update 😉 This one is dedicated to Maheerah and NAVI55 for always leaving wonderful comments on my work 😃 And also to ...KSGmiAmor... because she really wanted an update 😳

PART 5:

Once the plate of chocolate brownies had been devoured delightedly, the ice cream licked off and their stomachs considerably full as opposed to before, the bickering and the leg pulling began to subside once again as the ominous cloud of tension, and sadness began settling over the family sitting together.

"Okay everyone, let's retire to bed. Zoha needs her sleep tonight! We don't want our Princess' beauty to get marred by dark circles on her most special day, now do we?" Zoya called out in what she hoped to be a cheerful tone but everyone could make out the underlying tremor in her voice.

"Yes, Zoya's right!" Asad agreed, smiling a forced smile, which failed to reach his eyes. "Zoha does need a good night's sleep and so do we all. Today was such a tiring day. All that dancing... My poor bones aren't as young as they once used to be." He joked half-heartedly.

"Nooo! Its only 12! I don't want to go to sleep just now. I want to spend some more time with you guys." Zoha replied, placing her head on Zoya's shoulder.

"But Sweetie, it's a big day tomorrow! And you already had a hectic day today." Asad tried to make her understand.

"But I'm not sleepy! Besides, I'm positive neither are you all. So no one's going to bed right now." Zoha answered cheerfully.

"You do know you are very stubborn, don't you?" Asad chuckled softly.

"Surprise, surprise! I wonder where she got that from." Ahsan drawled and everyone laughed.

"Okay Zoha, since you don't want to go to sleep, what do you want to do then?" Asad asked, settling back in the couch and turning to her.

Zoha thought for a while before her eyes landed on Ahsan fiddling with the video camera and she hit upon a wonderful idea.

"I know exactly what we're gonna do! We'll watch our childhood videos together. That would be so much fun right?" She asked them all, her eyes twinkling merrily.

"That actually is a very good idea." Zoya agreed smiling.

"Too embarrassing!" Ahsan muttered in a low voice.

"Bhaiya, what are you mumbling about? Go ahead and put it on." Zoha said, pulling her legs up on the sofa and making herself comfortable.

Normally Ahsan would have refused point blank. He found his childhood videos embarrassing, as most boys do but he couldn't say no to Zoha. Not tonight.

"I'm playing the one where Zoha is born, ok? We're not watching the one where it's only me." He said before putting in the chosen cassette and sprawling on the couch once again.

The huge flat LCD screen lit up revealing a packed hospital's private ward with everyone crowding around a much younger Zoya and Asad, who was proudly cradling an infant Zoha.

"I still can't get used to this younger version of Ammi and Abbu even after watching these videos a dozen times! They were such beauties in their youth. Even more good-looking than the heroes and heroines of their time." Zoha said in awe.

"Zoe, are you trying to imply that Ammi and Abbu were beautiful Once upon a time and now aren't? How rude." Ahsan smirked and shook his head in mocking disapproval.

"Bhaiya, if there is one talent Allah has bestowed you with, it's the art of twisting compliments into insults." Zoha huffed. "I wasn't implying anything of that sort. Ammi and Abbu are still beautiful people and you know that."

"Do I?" Ahsan asked with a half-smile.

"Where do you think I got my good-looks from?" She asked cheekily, her eyes twinkling.

"You and good-looking? Sorry to burst your bubble kid, but these two words don't even fit in one sentence. There is a reason why I say Ammi, Abbu found you in a trash can when you were a baby." Ahsan said with a chuckle.

"Abbu! Why aren't you saying anything to Bhaiya?!" Zoha whined.

Asad knew Ahsan was just trying to make the most of this last night with his sister. He was joking only to keep everyone's mood light otherwise, he was never this talkative.

Asad simply shook his head at Ahsan in an admonishing manner and said with a small smile, "Don't tease your sister."

"Yes, stop bickering. I don't know why you two are always doing that." Zoya mused smiling.

"Oh don't you? I think they are just proving the famous saying that children learn from their parents." Asad laughed softly.

"Yeah, bickering is in our blood." Ahsan nodded.

"Okay, you can make your observations on this family later. Right now let's watch the video in silence, shall we?" Zoya asked.

Ahsan made the action of zipping his lips with an invisible key and chucking it over his shoulder. But that didn't lasted long as he started talking again.

"You know what I simply can't used to?" He asked and without waiting for anyone's guess, answered it himself. "Abbu's well toned figure."

"What do you mean?" Zoya burst out without realizing. "He still has a very good figure."

Zoha and Ahsan snickered at this outburst, Asad looked merely amused and Zoya blushed to the roots of her hair.

"But those six packs? Seems like he did a lot of effort to impress you, Ammi." Ahsan snickered as Asad hit him on the head playfully.

"I like Abbu the way he is now; he's all cute and fatherly. Back then, he seemed like a very serious young man." Zoha chipped in, smiling at her father lovingly.

"Oh you have no idea!" Zoya mumbled under her breath and Ahsan sniggered.

"What are you two laughing about?" Asad asked, raising his eyebrows questioningly.

"Nothing!" Ahsan answered a little too innocently.

They turned back to the TV and watched on as a very young Asad carefully cradled Zoha in his arms, his eyes welling up every now and then as he looked at her with love-filled eyes. A 3-year-old Ahsan sat cuddling into Zoya, his arms tightly crossed across his chest, looking at them with his accusing blue eyes while pouting in the most adorable way.

"Aww! Look someone's all jealous!" Zoha commented in a crooning voice, looking at Ahsan.

"No I wasn't! Your presence was just very annoying back then too." Ahsan replied smirking. "And just look at poor Abbu. You were such an ugly child that he can't seem to hold his tears in." He shook his head in mock sadness.

"I was not!" Zoha retorted. "Abbu was just very happy to see me."

"Yep!" he said, popping the P. "So elated he was that he decided to cry to vent out his feeling of extreme happiness. Or helplessness, should I say!" Ahsan teased her.

"Bhaiya, you are the last person on Earth whom I would expect to know anything about tears and crying! You are even more emotionally challenged than Abbu!" Zoha replied and Ahsan guffawed.

Zoya smiled at her kids before stealing a glance at Asad and was startled to find his eyes fixed on the TV screen swimming with unshed tears. She squeezed his hand reassuringly, shaking her head gently and Asad nodded taking a deep breath not wanting to upset his kids either.

The scene changed on the screen and now Asad was holding a 10-month-old Zoha coaxing her to speak. "Say Abbu Princess! Abb-buu!" Asad's loving voice echoed in the room and a plum Zoha just stuck out her tongue at him, giggling happily. "You don't want to say Abbu?" Asad asked her, before lifting her in the air and nuzzling her tummy with his nose making her squeal with delight and grab his hair with her tiny fists.

"Ammi, Abbu, look at me!" A four-year-old, Ahsan called out from the background and the camera held by Zoya turned to capture him instead. He waved at the camera before putting both his hands and head on the carpet and attempting a somersault but instead of going forwards, he changed directions in midair, his legs flailing for a second before landing awkwardly on his side making Asad laugh wholeheartedly before he praised his little boy in an awed voice, "That was so cool, buddy!" Ahsan jumped to his feet, brushing his hands as if he had just performed very complex acrobats and smiled his eye-crinkling smile to the camera.

The whole family laughed watching this scene while Ahsan smiled awkwardly and said in a manner of explaining, "I was four!"

"And a stupid 4-year-old at that!" Zoha grinned.

They returned their attention back to the screen which now showed an almost 1-year-old Zoha and Ayaan's son, Hamza crawling in the playpen and playing around when Humeira comes and hands each of them a biscuit each. Zoha quickly gobbles down her own before snatching Hamza's and eating that as well. Hamza stared at his hand for a minute as if wondering where the biscuit went before looking at Zoha and finally comprehending what happened, burst into tears. An anxious Humeira came rushing to pick him up, asking the matter while Zoha looked on innocently.

"You were such an evil child! Poor Hamza!" Ahsan exclaimed laughing.

"I was like, one! I didn't even know what I was doing!" Zoha replied in her defense.

"This video proves that you were born evil, kid!" Ahsan smirked at her before returning his attention back to the TV.

While Humeira went to get Hamza another biscuit, Ahsan came running to Zoha and hugged her tightly while Zoya could be heard, cautioning him to be careful from the background but ignoring his mother Ahsan kissed his little sister with so much zest that she started crying as well.

The camera lost its focus as Zoya put it down clumsily and dashed to her bawling daughter...

"Aww! You used to be such a sweet older bro, Bhaiya!" Zoha said, stressing on the words 'used to'.

"Yes but then, fortunately I grew some brains." Ahsan grinned.

"You did?! I could have never guessed that on my own!" Zoha replied with feigned shock.

"I didn't expect you to, either! You see, you still haven't developed any brains and we're all waiting impatiently for the day you would." Ahsan gave her a smug smile and Zoha stuck out her tongue at him childishly.

The screen now showed Zoha's first birthday on which, giving in to Zoha's wishes, Asad had made her cut the cake four times! She would clap her pudgy hands and squeal with joy on blowing the candles so Asad let her do it over and over again, his daughter's happiness reflecting on his face as well.

Zoha smiled at the screen warmly before her eyes wandered over to her father. Her heart suddenly ached at the thought of leaving her Abbu behind. He loved her so much; she got worried thinking how he will cope with her absence. As she laid her head in her mother's lap, she decided she would come back to this house every single day if she could help it. She smiled as she felt Zoya's fingers running through her hair gently.

"Oh look, this scene is one of my favorites! I find it so very adorable!" Zoya said, returning their attention back to the TV screen.

The screen showed Asad and Zoya sitting on the carpeted floor of the TV room trying to make Zoha walk between them. She was still in the wobbly stage and would collapse after a couple of steps but one or the other parent would quickly catch her before she could hit the floor. After a while, Zoya made her stand next to the lounge table and Zoha stood there steady, holding the table for support while Asad had his hand on her little back for support.

Little Ahsan came running to Zoya then, placing his palm on her cheek and asking her seriously, "Ammi, why can't Zoe walk?"

"Because she's still very small right now sweetie, but in a few weeks she'll be able to." Zoya smiled at her son, combing his hair with her fingers.

"You mean she'll be as big as I am then?" Ahsan asked her wide-eyed, looking worried.

"No, if you keep drinking your glass of milk regularly then you'll always be bigger and taller than her." Zoya explained.

"Ok, I will have to, then. Because Abbu said I am a big brother, not a small one." He said seriously and Zoya laughed.

"Ammi, when Zoe grows up, can I race with her? I always beat Abbu!" Ahsan bragged happily and Zoya nodded, laughing at her son's innocence.

In the background, Asad could be seen kneeling a couple of feet away from Zoha and calling her to come up to him when Ahsan ran up to her and said in a serious, scolding voice, "Zoe, Abbu's calling you! Ammi said its bad manners to not go when big people call you." He lectured before shoving Zoha in Asad's direction with a swift push making her fall flat on her face before Asad could take account of what was happening. Zoha started wailing at the top of her voice as Asad quickly scooped her in his arms and tried to pacify her. Ahsan looked at them both with big sad eyes realizing he had made his baby sister cry and tears filled his deep blue eyes. He ran straight into Zoya's arms and starting crying as well. The sound of bawling kids filled the room.

The whole family smiled at the scene and Ahsan was going to make a remark on Zoha when his eyes landed on her, who was now fast asleep in Zoya's lap.

"Look at her!" He said shaking his head. "Miss I'm-not-sleepy-at-all has already dozed off."

Zoya peered at her daughter's face as she continued stroking her hair, "She has been up since 5, you know. Came to my room and we chatted for 2 hours in the morning and then she got busy with the Mehendi preparations and didn't get time to sleep in the afternoon. Must have been tired." She explained.

Now that Zoha had dozed off and there would be no one to pass comments, Ahsan couldn't bring himself to watch the video attentively. There were so many thoughts whirling in his head.

They watched on quietly as the video kept rolling and different scenes flitted across the screen. Ahsan and Asad playing cricket while Zoya sat with Zoha in her lap acting as the audience and Asad coming to kiss Zoha as a way of celebration every time he hit a shot but losing to Ahsan deliberately in the end... Asad and Zoya in the swimming pool with both the kids decked in floating gear... Ahsan giving Zoha a ride in his Baby Ferrari... Asad and Zoya having a race with the kids... The entire family playing out in the rain... Ahsan and Zoha dancing to Nursery Rhymes... Ahsan's first day at school and his refusal to get down from Zoya's arms... Zoha slapping her head and saying Allah Miyaan! What's wrong with you?' in her squeaky voice... Asad playing dress up with Zoha when she complained to him that Ahsan refuses to... Asad teaching Ahsan to ride a bike... Zoha imitating Asad by yelling on the phone to Prasad... Zoha hugging Asad before leaving for school and saying, Tata Abbu!

The family watched in silence as the video rolled to an end. Zoha's childish voice echoing in their ears, Tata Abbu... The significance of her words at this moment settling like a cloud of despair.

Ahsan stole a glance at his parents. Asad was sitting rigid as a board, his hands balled into fists, his jaw clenched and he looking at a sleeping Zoha with so much sadness in his eyes that Ahsan had to look away.

He looked at his mother who was struggling to hold back her tears, not wanting to break down in front of Asad.

"Ammi, you said you'll wash off your mehendi after the video, right?" Ahsan questioned.

Zoya gave him a grateful look knowing fully well that he was giving her an opportunity to escape and muttering a shaky 'Yes', she left.

Ahsan went up to his father who had wandered off to the window, his fisted hand on the windowsill and his head bowed. Ahsan placed his hand on his father's shoulder giving it a gentle squeeze.

"You know what, Ahsan?" Asad began in a hoarse voice. "I vividly remember every scene we watched today. It seems only yesterday that Zoha was born and I held her in my arms for the very first time. I taught her to talk and then to walk and look! Now she's grown up enough to walk out of this house tomorrow!" He choked out.

Sudden tears stung Ahsan's eyes on registering the amount of hurt in his Abbu's voice. He quietly embraced his father in a tight hug, saying nothing because he knew he wasn't good with words but he tried putting a lot of unsaid things in that hug and it must have worked because when he released his Abbu, Asad smiled gently before patting his cheek and muttering gruffly, 'Thank You'

"Anytime, Abbu." Ahsan smiled softly.

"I'll go and check on Zoya. She's probably in our bathroom trying to hide her tears from me. You go and get some sleep, ok? And yes, leave Zoha here. If we try shifting her, she'll probably insist on keeping awake and spending more time with us. She needs her sleep. She hasn't been sleeping well." Asad instructed and Ahsan nodded.

He stood watching his father's back until it disappeared out of sight and then made his way towards his room. As he heavily lowered himself on the bed, he already knew that sleep was a lost cause today.

***

Asad went straight to the bathroom door of his bedroom and knocked insistently. Zoya's muffled voice came through that she will be out in a few minutes but Asad continued knocking, insisting that she come out that instant.

She did and refusing to meet Asad's eyes, attempted to go towards the bed but he caught her wrist and in one swift motion, pulled her against his chest in a long, comforting hug. As expected in a few seconds, her resolve broke and she started crying. Asad hugged her tightly and kissed her hair, murmuring soothing words over the sound of her soft sobs. She pulled back after a while and gave him a teary smile, "You give good hugs, Mister."

"Learned just now from your dear son." He said with a smile before cupping her face in his hands and wiping her tears with his thumbs. "Zoya, did you actually think you could hide your tears from me? Did you really believe that I would not read it in your eyes how sad you are about Zoha's impending departure? Did you think I am blind towards you to that extent?" He questioned softly.

Zoya played with the button of his shirt as she answered in a low voice, "You were already so troubled, Asad. I didn't want to add to your worries."

"Zoya, whatever we have gone through in our life, we have gone together. And this is about OUR daughter. Together we have to make sure that the most important day of her life goes perfect and for that, I need your help. I need you to be by my side all the time, providing me support to keep going. You will do that, won't you?" He asked her softly and she nodded, laying her head on his chest once again.

"You won't run off to your son to cry on his chest, will you?" He joked and laughed lightly.

"How did you know- You've been spying on me!" Zoya accused with wide-eyes.

"You're my wife! I have every right to spy on you." He grinned. "Tell me, does Ahsan give better hugs than me?"

Zoya gave a giggle. "Don't tell me you are jealous of our own son, Asad!"

"That I am. Ever since he has come along, you give him more time than me."

"And what about you, giving more time to your daughter than me?" Zoya's eyes danced merrily.

"I did that because deep down in my heart, I knew one day, she'll have to leave this house. You on the other hand are mine forever."

"Just forever?" Zoya mocked him.

"Forever and beyond." He told her, pecking her lips.

"I like that. Forever and beyond." Zoya agreed with a smile and hugged him once again.

***

Ahsan was quietly standing by the window, looking at the gloomy night-time sky, littered with twinkling stars. His conversation with Hamza came back to his mind.

"So how are the preparations going? Excited about your baby sister's wedding?" Hamza had asked.

"What is there to be excited about?" He had questioned him in a quiet voice. "I'm happy for her that she has found someone who truly loves her. But no, I'm not excited about my only sibling leaving."

Those were exactly his thought about Zoha's wedding. Her being his only sibling made matters worse.

Sighing, he ran his hand through his hair, tousling it. This was something he only did when he was worried. His eyes landed on his professional camera and without really thinking about what he was doing, he began flipping through the photos.

The pictures had turned out beautifully and he couldn't help smiling as the Mehendi's moments flashed through his mind once again. If he could have just forgotten about Zoha's impending Rukhsati, the evening would have been picture perfect.

He stopped short at the last picture, knowing fully well that it wasn't taken by him. Probably by his mother, he guessed. He now knew where Zoha had gone to when she had excused herself during the Mehendi function.

It was a picture of Zoha sitting on the bench at the garden in her yellow mehendi outfit with her head on Asad's shoulder and her arms tightly around him, giving him a side hug. Asad was dressed in a magnificent cream Sherwani he had worn for the function and both their eyes indicated that they were lost in their own thoughts; completely oblivious to the fact that this photo was being taken. The sadness in their eyes and the sheer beauty of that picture made his eyes swim with tears. It was a beautiful picture.

"Bhaiya, I can't sleep by myself. I hope you don't mind me lying here for a while?" Zoha asked, entering his room.

"Sure kid! Since when did you need to ask permission? I thought mine, Ammi and Abbu's shoulders and laps were all your property to sleep on!" He joked, looking at her subdued expression.

"Bhaiya! Tonight's my last night in this house and still you can't stop yourself from teasing me, can you?" She asked him with a pout, sitting next to him and placing her head on his shoulder.

"I can't! Not knowing when I'll get the chance to tease you like this again all night long." He replied in a thick voice. "Anyway, do you know what I was just thinking of right now?" He asked in a cheerful voice, trying to distract Zoha as well as himself.

"What?" She asked.

"Remember the time you were getting very late for your university and were running all over the house collecting your things and talking to Hassaan on your cell phone?" He asked and Zoha laughed.

"And I told Hassaan I couldn't find my cell phone so I'll talk to him later!" Zoha giggled.

"And then Hassaan called at my number and asked me to inform my scatterbrained sister that she had the phone next to her ear!" Ahsan started laughing and once started, it was difficult for both of them to stop.

Finally, Zoha took a deep breath and said, "Bhaiya, I think we should get some sleep now! But I just don't feel like sleeping! Nor do I feel sleepy." She said.

"Should I bring one of your course books? Ahsan winked. "I remember how quickly you went to sleep every time I sat down to teach you something important."

Zoha giggled. "I know! During my university days, I would always wake up with some book in my hand that I had tried studying the previous night. It's not my fault that whenever I tried falling in love with my books, my bed fell in love with me." She laughed.

Ahsan chuckled heartily before saying, "You know Baba Ranchor Das Chanchar said something extremely familiar?" He asked, his eyes twinkling.

"Who?" Zoha asked confused.

"Remember Rancho from the movie, 3 Idiots?" He asked.

"Ohhh!" Realization dawned on Zoha's face. "What did he say?"

"He said, 'Neend kay pechay mat bhago. Bhagna hai to parhai kay pechay bhago, neend khud tumharay pechay bhagay gi!' "He said in a superior philosophical tone and Zoha burst out laughing.

"This is not Rancho's dialogue! This is your own philosophy!" She said between giggles. They both laughed till their ribs ached and their throats felt raw.

"I think we're losing it!" Ahsan said, taking deep breaths to calm himself down.

"Yes, all this lack of sleep must be going to our heads!" Zoha laughed.

"Why in the world are you two acting like a pack of Hyena's at this time of the night?" Dilshad stood at the doorway with an amused smile on her face.

"Daadi!" Zoha jumped to her feet and ran to give her a big hug. "Did we wake you up? We're sorry." She made an apologetic face.

"Why aren't you asleep right now?" Dilshad asked her in an adoring voice, tucking her locks behind her ear.

"I couldn't sleep." She made a face and saw Asad and Zoya descending the stairs as well.

Dilshad shook her head an amusement. "Really? Is no one going to sleep tonight?"

"Zoha? Why are you not asleep? Ahsan I told you to not wake her up." Asad said.

"I didn't. She's the one who came bouncing to my room and wouldn't let me sleep."

"Yeah, like you were planning on going to bed." Zoha commented.

"Zoha, come on. Off to bed." Asad instructed her as if she was still a baby.

"On one condition. Will you sing me to sleep like you did when I was a kid?" She asked and after a while, Asad finally nodded with a lump clogging his throat.

They all went to her room where Zoya tucked her in and Asad began playing her favorite lullaby on his guitar," Nindiya Re." The ache and sadness in his voice was so much that Ahsan felt his eyes swimming with tears. Asad kept playing the song again and again, lowering the tempo slowly till Zoha finally dozed off.

Ahsan stared at his sister who looked too small and innocent while sleeping and tears came with a rush before he could stop them. What was the point in wiping them off or pretending? He had been stopping them for a long time now. But he knew they wouldn't stop now. Not tonight. He quickly exited her room and strode towards his. As he bolted the door behind him, after decades it seemed, Ahsan broke down and cried...

***

Taadaa!! The next update will be about the wedding and then this SS will be finished 😉 How was it people? And can you see the video below? I hope you can because I can't. Youtube is banned here you see 😉 Anyway, listen to this song! It just melts my heart every time I listen to it ❤️

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAIxCBm3ULk[/YOUTUBE]

And just a random thing. The lines Ahsan said to Hamza regarding his feelings towards Zoha's wedding was something my cousin said when his little sister was getting married! I found it so very sweet so I added it here 😳

The next update will come after I'm done with my mids 😛

Leave your love behind 😃

Fari ❤️