oOo
Asad walked in to his house late in the night. He loosened his tie and threw the laptop bag on the Couch. All he wanted was to get a glimpse of his beautiful wife and his gorgeous daughter. They were the only things in the world that meant the most to him. An inch of pain that inflicts on them, caused him an entire heartburn. A severe one I must say.
He works hard all day to provide for them. His Ammi was off to Dubai to look after Najma who was expecting her first baby soon. He wished he could go too. He missed his tamatar so much! But then he had his work and his little family here to keep him occupied. He didn't need anyone else.
Asad walked to their bedroom and saw Zoya setting the bed with Baby Myra on it. She was kicking her limbs in excitement as though a tinge of happiness ran through her. She was only 8 months old, just beginning to develop her walking and crawling skills. But in all these things, she was just as active as her mother. There was no stopping when she'd begin trying!
"Da-da!!" Myra clapped her hands, gaining Zoya's attention.
Asad who was leaning against the door, admiring his little family, suddenly jerked. Did his little princess just call him dada? Her first words. Da-da!
Zoya looked at the door of their bedroom and locked her gaze with Asad. She was equally surprised at how their angel had said her first word today. She called him..her father.
With rapid steps Asad approached his Princess and picked her up in his arms, hugging her close to his chest.
"Say it again, sweetheart? Say it for da-da?" Asad urged her as she just giggled.
Zoya smiled and held Asad's arm softly. Asad turned to look at her and gave his very rare but precious smile.
"Did you here it, Zoya? She called me da-da!" Asad said unbelievably.
"I heard it too. She loves you so much, Asad." Zoya said running a hand through Myra's hair and kissing her hand softly.
Asad looked at the little bundle of joy in his arms. It reminded him of when he used to hold Najma. When their father had abandoned him and his pregnant mother. How he worked so hard to keep her healthy in those days. He loved his baby sister more than their own mother. Although memories of those days were vivid now, he still felt a chill run down his spine when he saw Myra so happy in his arms. He would never let the world harm her.
"Asad?" Zoya moved him slightly, noticing his lost behavior.
"Umm..sorry. It's late. And da-da's angel has to go to bed, nahi?" Asad said in a baby voice, kissing Myra's forehead.
"Why don't you freshen up? I'll put her to sleep and get dinner going." Zoya suggested.
"Yeah, that'll be nice." Asad said softly. He was still dazed by the previous joy.
oOo
Asad lied down in bed with his arm under his head and one holding his angel's tiny baby palm. Zoya was patting her to sleep and staring at Asad simultaneously. So much had changed in them after Myra came along! They weren't so picky and thoughtful of each other earlier. Since Myra happened, Asad and Zoya had started to understand each other better. They fought less on petty issues and worked more together. They knew Myra would pick up their words and fights soon. They didn't want that.
Asad shifted his gaze to Zoya who looked back at him. She smiled softly.
"You're beautiful." Asad murmured softly, trying not to wake Myra up.
"Me or Myra?" Zoya teased him.
"I have her here because of you..both of you are my angels in disguise." Asad said softly.
Zoya just kept mum and patted Myra. She would get conscious if her mother stopped patting her lovingly and get up with a loud cry.
"I was so scared." Asad said staring in to space, after a silence period.
"Scared?" Zoya questioned him.
"When you had your labor pain, the doctor informed me of the complications. He said an emergency cesarean was the only option." Asad sighed and then continued.
"Ammi told me that she had me through a cesarean. She told me how painful and dangerous it was. I didn't want you to go through that."
"Don't let it haunt you, baby. Look, we're both fine and here with you!" Zoya said reassuring him.
"I know. I couldn't thank Allah enough when the doctor told me you and my princess were fine." Asad smiled softly and bent forward, kissing Zoya's forehead.
"I didn't know if I could be a good father. I didn't want to be like my father. I was afraid that I might turn in to him someday and be the worst husband and the worst father in the world."
Zoya saw the pain in his eyes when he said those words. She had tried so much to bring him out of the insecurities of his past. They were a hindrance in their present and their future. But after a gazillion tries she had realized, that he would never let them go. He could never let them go. So she'd given up and been beside him whenever his insecurities surfaced. Just like today.
"I remember your face when the nurse placed her in your arms." Zoya said, changing his mood.
"Yeah! Talk about being nervous." Asad laughed.
"You wouldn't even hold her because you were scared you'd drop her. You were such a pansy back then!" Zoya hit him.
"Pansy? Really? She was this tiny little thing! When I held her head I felt as though I was catching a tennis ball!" Asad said.
"Aww. You poor baby!" Zoya patted his cheek.
"And right then she starts crying!" Asad remembered her loud cries as soon as he'd picked her up. He looked around curiously as to what to do. He was afraid he'd hurt her.
"Yeah that was funny!" Zoya recalled.
Again, after a long session of silence, Myra started crying. She was hungry again! But Asad and Zoya were used to this now.
"Aww. What happened to da-da's angel?" Asad picked her up but she only cried louder.
"I'll just get her milk." Zoya grabbed her bottle and ran to the kitchen to heat it.
"Why is my baby crying?" Asad asked her again.
Myra replied in broken words ranging from ga-ga's to gu-gu's and loud sobs! Asad stared at her with confusion and checked her forehead. She wasn't running a fever. What was wrong with her? Maybe she was just hungry.
Asad kept kissing her cheek till her cries subsided and then Zoya returned to the room. The sight left her speechless. Her worry etched frown was replaced by a sparkling dimpled smile. Asad was lying down on the rocking chair with Myra in his arms, both sleeping peacefully.
Zoya approached them and wiped a lone tear that ran down her cheek. She kissed Asad's forehead and Myra's next before sending a little prayer up to Allah to always keep her family safe and sound. Finally she had a family, she didn't want to lose it at any cost. They were just perfect. Just perfect and beautiful!
oOo
Didn't turn out the way I wanted it to be! This one's for Sruthi! Thanks for pestering me in to writing one, I love ya! xx
Avatar and Signatures Shop
Anupamaa
Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon
Indian Mythology
Sampoorna
