CHAPTER SEVEN :
'Shonuu I said 954 so repeat that only.' Asad corrected Shona who was sitting in his lap and trying to understand a new counting.
'But Abu ami shays its one. . .two. . .thlee. . . . .fol. . .five. . . .' She started telling him whole counting again slowly.
'This counting is useless it won't help you in your future, you need to learn my cellphone number right now so just say 954 first. Ok ?' He asked her. She took a deep breath and a spoon full from ice cream bowl and looked at his hopeful face.
'Okie. Nine !' She said with a smile.
'Now say FIVE !' He said happily.
'But abu its ten after nine. In which school you are ?' Ayat asked him confusedly as she couldn't bear anymore of his poor counting.
'I am not in school Shona, I am a grown up man. And just to remind you I have studied in London in a better school than yours.' He reminded her.
'Poor teachers ! Sho good school and shtill don't know counting.' Ayat said sadly while taking another spoon from the bowl and Asad pinched the bridge of his nose.
'Now no more ice cream until you learn my number.' He said and took the bowl from her hand and placed it on the table.
'Allah Miyaan ! Whatsh wrong with you abu ? I want that back.' She said while looking at the bowl and started jumping in his lap. He chuckled a little as he wasn't expecting Zoya's tag lines from her.
'Shona first learn the numbers then I will give you that.' He said while making her sit again.
'Please !' She pouted.
'Ok but promise me no more questions and you will concentrate on learning.' He said in stern tone.
'Pinky promissh.' She said while entwining his huge finger with her little one. He smiled and gave the bowl back to her.
'Now say NINE !' He started again with hope.
'Lile.' She said with her mouth full of ice cream.
'Five !' He said.
'Shonuu what is all this ?' Zoya asked as soon as she came downstairs while looking at the I Pad.
'Say five Shonuu.' Asad repeated when she was about to take another spoon.
'Five !' She said and enjoyed another spoon of strawberry ice cream.
'Shona !' Zoya called her while looking at her this time.
'Now say FOUR.' He said and was feeling happy that she wasn't asking any more questions while Zoya wasn't getting anything in their conversation.
'I am talking to you both.' Zoya said annoyingly. Asad looked at Zoya and sighed.
'Can't you see Zoya we are on an important task ?' Asad asked her.
'That's what I am asking that what are you both doing ?' Zoya asked again.
'Abu is making me learn a different counting.' Ayat said while turning back to face her.
'No Shonuu its not counting. Its my mobile number.' Asad corrected her.
'What ?' Zoya couldn't believe on what she heard.
'Ya ! I am making her learn my number in case if she needs to call me. You know the world outside is not safe anymore.' Asad told her everthing proudly. She looked at him in disbelief while Ayat tried to finish her ice cream as his abu was busy with his ami now.
'Allah Miyaan ! What's wrong with you Asad ?' She exclaimed. 'She is four years old and she is not even done with learning counting and you are making it more difficult for her. And where the hell is she going so she will need to call you ?' Zoya asked angrily.
'Calm down Zoya ! I am doing all this for her. Its high time she should know our contact numbers and home address aswell.' Asad said to her while Zoya sat on the couch beside him.
'Ya Allah ! Asad she is all the time with me so she won't need your number. Stop getting worried about her.' Zoya said and Asad sighed sadly as he knew she won't understand his point.
'Shonu ! Look here and tell me the counting.' Zoya asked her to check if she is not totally ruined.
'Its 9. . . . .5. . . . .4. . .and what nesht abu ?' She said proudly and asked him while looking at Asad who covered his face with his hands to save himself from Zoya.
'Not this one sweety. The one that you have learnt in school.' Zoya glared at Asad and asked her again.
'Abu shays he went to better school in London than mine so he know better counting ami. Let me learn from him.' Ayat increased her knowledge and Zoya looked at Asad in disbelief.
'I think I should leave now.' Asad said and was about to move Ayat from his lap when Zoya held his hand and made him sit back.
'No ! you are not going anywhere. Just make her learn the actual counting up till ten again. This is your punishment.' She said angrily.
'What ? No ! Its so difficult.' He said with his eyes wide open. He remembered how he made her learn these three numbers in one hour.
'Asad ! I am controlling my anger. Don't make me kill you right now.' Zoya said annoyingly while Asad was actually getting scared with her tone.
'Aww Ami ! Abu is older than you and you said we should reshpect our olders.' Ayat reminded her while keeping the empty bowl aside while Zoya was quiet after that.
'Yes Shonu ! Look how she is talking to me.' Asad complained innocently.
'Asad !' She whined.
'Ok. Forget that, tell me what were you asking before when you came down ?' Asad asked to change the topic.
'Oh ya ! I forgot that. Asad did you give her your credit card number ?' She asked him while looking at the I Pad.
'Yes ! I just saved in it last night to buy a game.' Asad told her.
'That game was shoo cool abu.' Ayat said and hugged him.
'Anything for you darling.' Asad said with a smile.
'Well Mr Daddy Ahmed Khan their is a bad news for you.' Zoya said and smirked at him.
'What ?' He asked her confusedly.
'She shopped more games from your card, I can't even count them they are so many and I was just checking some websites from which I usually shop for her before and forgot to close them. She did some online shopping too from those websites and she stopped because she exceeded the credit limit. Well expect a good credit useles bill this month.' Zoya told him with a smile.
'What ?' This time it was more like a shock for Asad.
'Does that mean I will get those cute dreshes for real ?' Ayat asked excitedly with her twinkling eyes as she just clicked on 'Yes' when they confirmed the details after shopping just for fun. She thought it was a game but now she was happy to know that it was all real.
'Yes Shona.' Zoya said and giggled at Asad's expressions.
'No ! She can't do this.' Asad said after he came out of the shock.
'Ayat Ahmed Khan can do anything in thish Univershh.' Ayat said proudly.
'But Shona you said only one game.' Asad reminded her.
'Calm down Abu. I was getting bored sho I needed more games but I have got an idea. Actually many of them are useless so you can delete them.' Ayat suggested happily and he looked at her in disbelief while Zoya started laughing.
'Ya Allah ! I will go mad with these ladies all around me.' Asad said angrily and rubbed his forehead.
'But Abu you shaid anything for me.' Ayat pouted.
'Ya but I didn't mean it this way.' Asad said.
'Oh ! So you won't talk to me now ?' She asked him sadly and his anger melted away.
'No Shona ! Don't even think that.' He said and hugged her.
'Thank You abu. You are the besht.' She said while hugging him.
'Anything for you darling.' Asad said sadly this time and Zoya and Ayat started laughing at his expressions. They all stopped when they felt someone coughed at their back. They all looked at the main door and Zoya's smile vanished away as she saw her father standing there and smiling at them.
Asad took Ayat from his lap and made her sit on the couch while Zoya was already walking toward him.
'Whose that abu ?' Ayat asked him when he was going to stand up.
'That's your grand father.' He said in low voice while Zoya was hugging him now.
'Oh ! That's good.' Ayat said and he was about to stand up when she made him sit back. 'Wait ! Their are grand fathers too in thish world ? I thought their are only grand mothers.' She asked confusedly.
'We will talk about that later. Lets go and meet him first.' Asad said as he controlled his laugh at her stupid question and they both stood up.
'Okie.' She said while walking with him.
'Assalam O Alaikum Uncle.' Asad said when he went near them.
'Walekum Salam Asad. How are you ?' He asked him after hugging him.
'Fine. Come lets sit.' Asad said and he walked behind him while Zoya was quiet all this while.
'Her name is Ayat, right ?' He asked after sitting on the couch while Asad and Zoya sat infront of him.
'Yessh ! And your good name ?' Ayat asked him while sitting near him.
'Shona !' Zoya glared at her and Ayat gave a confused look.
'Its ok Zoya.' He smiled and hugged Ayat.
'My name is Ghafoor and I am your grand father.' He said with a smile.
'Nice name.' She said with a smile. He smiled and looked back at Zoya.
'Why didn't you both tell me that you are here in Mumbai ?' He asked them. Asad wasn't having any words so he was quiet while Zoya smiled at his question.
'Who told you that we are here ?' She asked him back.
'Osama told me last night.' He said while Ayat stood up.
'Ami can I go to the garden ?' She asked.
'Yes ! But don't go out.' Zoya said and Asad stood up too.
'I will just go and tell the guard to keep an eye on her.' He said while going out with Ayat. He wanted them to spend some time alone.
'Zoya why didn't you tell me ?' He asked again.
'I forgot.' Zoya said sheepishly.
'You forgot me ?' He asked.
'No ! I am not as brave as you are. I just forgot to tell you.' She said and he looked down.
'Zoya ! I have said sorry so many times.' He said while sitting near her.
'Abu why you say that when you don't mean it ?' She asked annoyingly.
'Why do you think I don't mean it ?' He asked back.
'When is the last time you talked to me ? When Ayat was born, right ?' She asked and he didn't answer her. 'So why do you show so much care when you don't care even if I am dead or alive ?' She asked with teary eyes.
'I was not feeling well from last few years.' He said suddenly.
'What happened ?' She asked worriedly.
'I got heart attack few years back and some family issues too.' He said.
'Why didn't you tell me ?' She asked.
'I never want to worry you.' He said.
'Does your family knows ? Your wife ? And your other kids ?' She asked annoyingly and he nodded his head in yes.
'Thats the point. You never gave me importance in anything you did or happened. I have a right to know too.' She said angrily while Asad stopped at the door. He wasn't sure he should go or not.
'I am sorry Zoya but you are always important to me. You are my first child.' He said and took her in a hug while Asad quietly sat on the couch infront of them.
'Its ok.' She smiled as she couldn't get angry on him anymore after he told her about his health issues. 'You would like tea or coffee ?' She asked him.
'Tea ofcourse.' He said and she stood up to go.
-------------------------------------
Do like and comment 😉
Hindi TV Shows
Ishaani
Tum Se Tum Tak
124