AsYa FF: Only in the darkness can you see the stars THREAD #1 - Page 19

Originally posted by: Ani-asya

So cute part - beautiful lie..👏
Very well written as usual.. 👍🏼
zoya's nightmare- nice to see asad with zoya tat time..
Cute nahi - super cute update..
Continue soon..
I loved it a lot❤️

Originally posted by: ...KSGmiAmor...

Amazing Update . continue soon plzzz

A/N: Hi guys! Here is the next chapter. Please read the A/N at the end of the chapter as well.😊

Thanks :)

Chapter 6: You raise me up

Zoya was looking over the letter from her fath-...from that person again. She had read the thing over and over again so many times that she had it memorized now. Tired of just sitting there and managing to do nothing, she was wondering who she should talk to. Someone must know about the person in question. Her trustworthy and dear friend Google had turned up with thousands and thousands of hits and even by narrowing it down to Bhopal was not helpful. Who know Ghafoor Siddiqui was a rather common name? Huh!

She sighed in frustration as she clicked on yet another source and found nothing. Allah Miyan, why are you testing me? How am I supposed to do this? Zoya pleaded to her God.

She closed her eyes and just wished. There was a part of her that wanted to go back in time and never have knocked off the mail in her parent's house and would have never found out about Ghafoor Siddiqui. She was finally trying to move forward in her life, finally trying to let go of all the horrible childhood memories but suddenly everything was rushing back and this letter was making her doubt everything that she had ever known in her life. What was true? Who was she?

How messed up her life was, if she was now doubting her identity? How do you cope with the fact that you might not what you have thought you were all your life?

But then there was this other part of her that wanted to reach out; that wanted to know who she was. This part of her that hoped and prayed got her going.

Her thoughts were disturbed by Asad's voice from the living room. He sounded annoyed with whoever he was talking to. She wondered who he could be talking to since there was no one in the house today. Dilshad Phuppi and Rashid Uncle had gone to Indore for the weekend to attend a family wedding. Najma had gone on an overnight college field trip with Nikhat, Nuzzat and the rest of her class and Ayaan was out of town for the soccer tournament of the team he coached for.

Curious, she ventured outside and found him on the phone. He looked troubled and worried. Listening to him, she caught the end of the conversation.

"...any other date available? I cannot come in today, Prasad. No one is home to look over Aadil and I can't bring him with me. You know the meeting is going to last long and late into the night. Can you do anything to shift it to Monday? Ammi-Abbu will be back by then." He sighed into the phone at the negative response. Just as he was about to cancel the meeting altogether, a voice behind him called out.

"I can take care of Aadil." The words left her mouth before Zoya could even think over them. She looked at Asad with wide eyes, scared that she may have overstepped her boundaries. She wanted to backtrack and say that she had only blurted it out, but she stopped as she saw Asad contemplating the idea.

Asad turned around and found Zoya standing by her bedroom door looking at him. He looked from the phone in his hand, to her and then back to the phone. He thought over the idea for a few moments while he put his phone on hold. Aadil was really taken with Ms. Farooqui; they were often coped up in his room while he told her stories about the animals he loved or how his teacher was so funny. And his mother trusted the girl implicitly. She had taken to his revelations about Tanveer so well, without judging him. She was a nice person. Well Asad, you might as well admit that you really like her too.

Ignoring his annoying but rational inner voice, he looked back at her for conformation over her suggestion. When she nodded at him to assure him, he resumed his call.

"Fine, Prasad. Set it up. I'll be there at five." He snapped his phone shut and turned to Zoya.

"Are you sure, Ms. Farooqui? I don't want to bother you. I know that it is very last minute."

"I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't sure about it, Mr. Khan. Aadil is such a great kid and we'll be alright. Unless of course you decide otherwise. I mean I'll understand if you don't want me to babysit him, I am after all only a guest and you have only known me for a few days. I get it if-"

"I trust you, Ms. Farooqui" he stopped her rambling.

***

To say that Aadil was excited about the evening would be an understatement. He was over the moon at the thought of spending the evening with Ms. Zoya. Asad chuckled when Aadil did not even bother to listen why and where Asad was going.

Asad went over all the emergency numbers with Zoya and reminded her of Aadil's bedtime and the routine. After telling him numerous times that they will be fine, Zoya finally managed to convince him to go. Asad gave Aadil a kiss, which the little guy wiped off immediately, and left for the office.

***

Zoya and Aadil were having a blast.

After Asad left for the meeting, they brainstormed over the ideas on what fun thing they could do and Aadil challenged Zoya to a game on Wii. Game on!

"Oh, little Mr. Khan! Are you sure you want to do that? I am quite the champ at handling the controller! You do not want to lose to me!" Zoya puffed up and looked down at Aadil.

Aadil, in a true Khan fashion, rolled his eyes and handed her the second set of controller, "You may be good, Ms. Zoya, but I am the best. No one has ever been able to beat me! I'll show you." He simply went to set up the game, leaving Zoya gaping behind him.

They were soon playing with gusto and Zoya transforming into a young girl and not the graceful twenty-three year old that she was. They both had the mean competitive streak and it meant for some rough game and over dramatic reactions on losing a point or a game. Aadil did manage to beat Zoya and gloated as well. He played the generous host and offered her a re-match.

One rematch turned into many more. After long grueling screen competition, Aadil finally came out victorious and Zoya had to do a chore as a loser's punishment.

"Okay, Mr. Winner, what do you want me to do?" Zoya asked a hyperactive Aadil.

He jumped around the couches and yelled, "COOKIES! You have to make me cookies. Lots and lots of them!" and he took off running towards the kitchen.

Zoya laughed at his enthusiasm and followed him. He was already trying to get stuff out of the cupboards. He helped her get all that they needed and Zoya was surprised at how much he knew his way around the kitchen.

"I help Dadi all the time! She says she will only make cookies and brownies if I help her! And I LOVE cookies!" his eyes shining. He was happy.

Together, they got the batter ready, with lots of fingers dipping in the batter, tasting, giggles and laughter and then they fashioned the cookies into various shapes on the baking tray. Aadil talked Zoya into making animal shapes and since they did not have animal shaped containers, they ended up having a batch of distorted and really funny looking jungle beasts' cookies.

While the cookies were in the oven, Zoya put on some preppy music and set on cleaning the huge mess they had created in the kitchen. Laughing and dancing, Aadil turned the mop into his mike and pretended to be a rockstar. Zoya did the actually cleaning while the little guy moved around the kitchen, dancing and singing and totally drowning out the real music. But Zoya could hardly mind - she hadn't had that much fun all her life.

She was living her lost childhood with Aadil.

After all the cleaning was done and the cookies were baked, she had to wrestle Aadil into taking a shower and cleaning up himself. She repeatedly had to remind him that they could not eat the delicacies yet and had to let them cool off.

Zoya got their dinner ready and after Aadil had showered and was in his pajamas, the two of them ate and Zoya told him stories about her life in New York and he heard with rapt attention. After the dinner, Aadil reminded Zoya of his Friday night Tarzan viewing routine.

Finally, after all the wait, Zoya got two glasses of milk and a plate of cookies. Aadil snuggled with her on the couch as they watched The Jungle Book and munched on the cookies.

The movie was almost over and Zoya noted that it was getting close to Aadil's bedtime. Before she could say anything, Aadil spoke.

"Tarzan is my favorite, Ms. Zoya." He said very softly. Must be tired and sleepy, she thought

She hummed back her response, "I know. You told me. He really is brave, isn't he?"

He shrugged, his smile gone now, "I guess so, but that's not why I like him."

She looked down at him. He was being very soft, not the ball of energy that he had been all day. Not wanting him to feel unheard, she said, "Then why do you like him. Do you like it because of the animals or because you are a little hopping monkey just like him, huh?" she tried to get him to smile and cheer up.

He looked at Zoya and said, "Because he is just like me. He doesn't know his parents either."

Zoya stroke his back sympathetically, "But you have your Abbu, Aadil and you know him."

Aadil sighed and took a deep breath. He rubbed his tired eyes and what he said next made Zoya's heart stop.

"No, I don't really know my Abbu - not my real one."

When I am down and, oh, my soul's so weary
And troubles come and my heart burdened be
And I am still, I wait here in the silence
Until you come and sit awhile with me

- You raise me up by Josh Groban

A/N: That was chapter six! Some of you hinted along the lines of the last sentence, so hooray for that!

Please let me know how it was.

I would really love some reviews. It's just that I see that there are lots of views' for the story but then nothing. Please let me know if you do not like something about the updates. It would mean the world to me if you provide me with feedback. 👍🏼

Much love,

Simi

so i was right!
asad is not aadil's biological father.but i surely did not expect tge little boy to know that.wonder what it is that asad took aadil's responsibility and a father's name.something tells me that it is not only because tanveer was his friend.
zoya and aadil are just too cute togerher.
cont soon.

very nice...interesting update..thank you for the PM..😊

its a heart warming story...

Awesome update Simi di...<3<3<3

i think both adil and zoya r persons n same boat..they cn connect easily..but i wonder why he was told dat asad is nt his biological father..afterall he is too young to undrstand...i hope u make it clear later..and have nt i told u b4..u r an amazng writer..

luv ur updates 😛 . so heart-warming

OMG what an update...👏 👏👏👏

The last line had my eyes popping out of their sockets n I actually read it twice...U definately know how to keep the reader hooked to the story...

I WANT TO READ THE NEXT CHAPTER NOW!!!!!! PLEASE UPDATE IMMEDIATELY!!!! I SERIOUSLY
CANT WAIT FOR THE UPDATE I WANT IT NOW...

Thanks for the pm n please please please please update soon. Please pm me the next part.