~To my adorablest cutest and bestest sister-in-law Sohu ~
No the title has nothing to do with that serial Meri Bhabhi 😆
Meri Bhabhi!
"Zoya I'm coming home, don't tell ammi or bhaijaan it's a surprise and I have a fantastic news to share." Najma all but squealed on the phone.
"Najma I missed you so much, come soon." Zoya pouted.
"Really bhabhi? You missed me? Did my little munchkins give you enough time to miss me?" Najma teased her bhabhi.
"Agreed your little munchkins' keep me on my toes all day long but one simply cannot NOT miss a sister-in-law like you, I mean honestly you watch serials right? Haven't you seen the type of evil sister-in-laws the heroines get? Thank god I was spared the torture." Zoya sighed in relief.
"Bhabhi who knows I may have been an evil sister-in-law too." Najma deadpanned.
"Exactly the reason why I got you married in such a jiffy." Both the girls laughed at Zoya's answer.
"Ok bhabhi ammi is calling me, I'll be there in the evening and DO NOT tell anyone that I'm coming." She warned her and then hung up the phone.
Zoya stared at the phone with a faint smile on her lips, she had formed a special bond with Najma from the day she entered the house, she was her friend, her sister and now her sister-in-law, she was her person. She was still lost in her thoughts when she felt a tug at her dupatta. She looked down to face her two-year-old daughter.
"Ammi why are you shmiling at the phone? Are you watching Tom ab Jerry in it?" Naira looked at her with big innocent eyes and asked in her sweet broken baby voice. Zoya laughed at her sentence and shook her head in a negative. Her answer made her more confused.
"Ammi are you mad?" she asked again. Zoya's eyes widened.
"Who told you that?" Zoya asked her with a stern expression on her face.
"Abbu said this word and when I asked what is mad he said that is your ammi." Like an innocent two-year-old Naira blurted out everything that Asad told her.
"Abbu said what?" Zoya clenched her fist and stomped outside. Poor Asad, may his soul rest in peace.
oOo
"Look look who's here!" Najma's loud chirpy voice could be heard everywhere in the Khan Mansion. Dilshad, Asad and Zoya came out of their rooms. Dilshad and Asad were pleasantly surprised to see her home while Zoya had a smug expression since she was the only one who knew about her surprise visit. It's always good to have a best friend who cannot keep any secret with you. Zoya was about to run to her and hug but her kids defeated her in that. Zaid and Naira or as Najma calls them her little munchkins ran to their phupi and hugged her leg. The three of them squealed in delight and Najma went on her knees and took them in a group hug.
"Easy there my little elves, did ya'll miss phupi?"
"YES!!" came the loud reply.
"Phupi come play with my new bawbiee set." Naira took her right hand and pulled at it.
"Naw phupi come and see my new gun, you know it has lights." Zaid took her left hand and pulled her towards his and Naira's room.
"No phupi is a girl and she will play with bawbie."
"Aw my babies, phupi will play with both of you but first let me go meet everyone." Naira and Zaid reluctantly left her and went back to coloring their colour books.
"Ammi, bhaijaan, Zoya I missed everyone so much." Najma hugged each one of them.
"Zoya look at her, my baby is glowing isn't she?" Dilshad cupped her face and kissed her forehead.
"Najma come, we have so much to talk about." Zoya tried to drag her towards her room, she looked nothing less than Zaid and Naira. Asad shook her head while Dilshad lovingly patted her head.
"Zoya she will talk to you she is not going anywhere but let her rest first." Zoya pouted but left her hand.
"OMG Tamatar you must be hungry, I made all your favorite dishes, Tandoori Chicken, Biryani and I even got Jalebi and Rasgulle." Zoya clapped her hands in glee. They say a woman matures when she becomes a mother but when has any saying worked on Zoya ever?
"Oh so you knew Najma was coming and that is why you didn't let me come in the kitchen." Dilshad caught her ear playfully.
"Zoya has made today's dinner? Oh no I'm sure to fall sick now." Najma teased Zoya.
"Najma ki bacchiii." Zoya shouted.
"Will come in 9 months." Najma looked down sheepishly. When the meaning of the words she said settled in on everyone, they looked at Najma with wide eyes.
Zoya was the first to recover she took her in for a bear hug and rocked her from side to side.
"Oh my God Najma you are pregnant? That's such great news. How far along are you? When did you find out? When is your due date? Did you visit the doctor? Did you have your first scan already without your bhabhi? What..."
Najma kept her hand on her mouth to shut her up.
"Bas chup. Jeez you do talk a lot, my poor brother and niece and nephew."
Zoya smacked her arm.
"Zoya don't hit Najma she is pregnant." Asad reprimanded her while Zoya looked at him incredulously.
"Yes Zoya don't hit me I'm pregnant."
"Oh look who's talking even you teased me a lot when I was pregnant, I think it's only fair to return the favor back with interest, don't you think so?" Zoya smiled wickedly at her.
"Zoya don't you dare..."
"You both will have plenty of time to catch up, Najma is standing since when, come sit down tamatar." Asad intervened.
"No Mr Khan she should eat something, I'm sure she is hungry."
"Yes she will eat but let her rest a little."
"Mr Khan, how can someone rest when they are hungry?"
"Shtoppp!" Zaid and Naira shouted together, their daadi had trained them well to stop their parent's fight.
"Ah only my little angels understand my plight." Najma rubbed her forehead.
"And by the way bhaijaan, bhabhi is right I'm famished I want food and bhabhi has made all my favorite food, just listening about them is making my mouth water." She looked lovingly at the dining area. Dilshad chuckled and took her towards the dining table. Zoya gave Asad a proud expression and then turned towards her kids.
"Zaid, Naira go and wash your hands it's dinner time."
Both groaned in unison after all almost every kid is a fussy eater. Asad ran towards them in a playful manner taking them both in his arms and took them to their room while the kids giggled and clapped their hands at their strong daddy.
oOo
"Mmm, wow, is boo gwuud..." Najma said something incoherent with her mouthful of biryani. Asad cringed at Najma who was busy stuffing another spoonful of rice in her already full mouth but he had learnt it the hard way to never disturb a pregnant woman when she is eating or rather stuffing her food. Zoya who was feeding Naira looked up to see Najma and chuckled at her. She took some tissues and lovingly wiped her mouth. Najma smiled at her while Naira pouted. She dipped her finger in the curry and smeared it around her mouth.
"Ammi wipe my mouth too." She pouted to show her mouth. Everyone laughed at her adorableness; Zoya wiped her mouth for her and pecked her cheeks.
"That's a very jealous baby you've got there bhabhi." Najma clicked her tongue disapprovingly. Naira of course didn't understand what she said but she hugged Zoya and said to everyone.
"My ammi!"
"Naw my ammi." Zaid butted in.
"Haw buddy I thought you were in Team Abbu?" Asad crossed his hand across his shoulder. Zaid looked at his abbu and then his ammi and then finally settled in for abbu looking at her twin sister's icy stare.
"So Najma you'll be staying here right? I want you have your first delivery here." Dilshad ran her hand through her daughter's hair.
"I don't know ammi even Nikhat has gone to her home. I might come but in the later stage of pregnancy."
"Anything that suits you beta."
"Wow how far along is Nikhat?" Zoya enquired.
"4 months. It'll be so good for junior he or she will have a sibling of the same age." Najma patted her stomach lovingly. Asad's eyes teared a bit at looking at his little sister. His little sister whom he always looked after like his baby was now going to give birth to a baby herself.
"It's so wonderful I'm going to become a mumani of not one but two kids. And then we have Ayra too. Gah there will be so many kids in this house." Zoya gushed about all the children in the house.
"Mm, speaking of which where are bhai, bhabhi and Ayra?" Najma asked and popped a piece of Jalebi in her mouth, licking her saccharin coated finger.
Zoya looked at Asad and he nodded at her.
"Mr siddhique's health is not too good and he wanted to meet his granddaughter at least once so after a lot of persuasion they finally went there. Didn't Nikhat tell you?"
"I haven't talked to her lately." Najma simply shrugged and concentrated on eating her favorite sweets.
oOo
"Hello baby, I'm your mumani. The coolest bestest awesomest mumani." Zoya kept her head on Najma's huge belly and talked to her niece. Humaira who was sitting beside her pouted.
"Hey I'm her mumani too."
"But not the coolest bestest and awesomest." Zoya said proudly.
"There's no such word as bestest and awesomest." Humaira stuck her tongue out and went outside the room huffing in annoyance.
"She is such a baby." Zoya shook her head and then went back to talking to the unborn baby in Najma's womb. Najma smiled at Zoya, ever since she had come to stay with them till her delivery Zoya had not left her side even once unless at night when Asad would literally drag her away. She took care of Najma, she was the only one who could tolerate her mood swings, she went for every scans with her in fact she was there with her when they first saw Junior, she was there with her when they first heard Junior's heartbeats and every time Zoya teared a bit and remembered her own pregnancy. Whenever Najma was not able to sleep at night Zoya would give her back massages, she even let her lend her huge snake like pillow that her appi had sent from New York, when Zoya was pregnant she would always snuggle up against it and all her discomfort vanished. Asad and Dilshad thought Zoya was stressing too much but Najma didn't think that, after all she was not only her bhabhi but also her best friend, she had full right. The best thing about Zoya was that she gave the best hugs and this Najma learnt from Naira. Whenever Najma was too emotional due to her hormones, Zoya was her go to person.
"Zoya you'll be there inside with me right?"
Zoya looked up at her confused.
"But I thought you'd want Imran..."
"Imran will be there but I want you to be there too, it won't be the same without you. I'm so sorry I couldn't be there with you for your delivery but I want you to be there for mine."
Zoya wiped her tears and took her in for a hug.
"I promise I'll be there."
oOo
Nikhat had given birth to a beautiful baby girl, Farhan had named her Amrin. She was the apple of her parent's eyes and everyone gushed over the cute baby. Everyone was now waiting for Najma's delivery ; excitement and happiness exuberated in all the three houses. Zaid would always avoid his phupi, after months of waiting when he didn't see any baby he was shocked to find out that the baby was in fact inside his phupi and he was even more scandalized to find out that he was inside his mother's womb once too.
As Najma's due date neared Zoya became more and more over protective. The heights was when Zoya came inside Najma's room along with a baby monitor.
Najma who was reading a magazine looked at her and was confused at what she was doing.
"Bhabhi what are you doing?"
"There I've fixed the baby monitor here."
"What? But why? Bhaijaan... Ammiii." Najma hollered. Soon enough Asad and Dilshad walked inside to see Zoya doing something with the baby monitor.
"Zoya what is all this?"
"I've fixed it here so that whenever Najma goes into labour we would be able to hear it."
Najma face-palmed herself, Asad pinched the bridge of his nose while Dilshad shook her head at Zoya.
"Zoya I'm not a baby that I'll need a baby monitor." Najma huffed.
"Najma what if your water breaks in the middle of the night? We'll be able to know it and we can get you to the hospital early."
No matter what anyone said Zoya was relentless and everyone had to finally give in. Although Najma was a little miffed she couldn't help smile at the concern Zoya had for her.
oOo
Najma screamed in pain as she felt yet another contraction. This was the worst part of the pregnancy; she felt everything tighten around her stomach like a steel band squeezing her. The pain was unbearable and she didn't know how everyone else did it. She clutched Zoya's hands in a vice like grip. Zoya flinched but masked her expression so as to not let Najma see it.
"Where is Imran?" Najma panted and took in a deep breath.
"Sweety relax, he'll be here any moment. Take in deep breaths, it helps and please get an epidural, those things are divine." Zoya ran her hands through her hair and Najma visibly calmed but cringed when she felt another contraction nearing.
18 hours later the doctor finally declared it was time to get the baby out. Najma had Imran and Zoya on either side of her. Both saying soothing words to calm her.
"Baby you are doing absolutely great just one final push, it's not that hard." Imran said to her while Zoya rubbed her hands.
"Really? Then why don't you do it for me." Najma said innocently. Zoya chuckled looking at Imran's face.
"Zoya I'm too tired." Najma complained.
"I know but think about your baby Najma, think about holding him, don't you want to meet him?"
Najma nodded, a single tear rolling down her cheek which Zoya immediately wiped off.
"So now push."
"Yes very good Mrs Qureshi, it's almost there." The doctor said. Very soon a loud wailing sound filled the room.
"Congratulations it's a boy."
Najma, Zoya and Imran had tears of happiness in their eyes. Najma laid back on the pillow as she felt her energy draining. Her baby was handed over to the nurses for washing.
"Ok Mrs Qureshi one last push we need to get the umbilical cord out." Doctor came back.
Najma nodded and asked Zoya to go look after her baby.
Zoya soon returned with a bundle of blue in her hands. She cooed and giggled and gushed at the baby in her arms. She remembered when she had first held Zaid in her arms. Najma looked at the person who was always with her. She looked at her best friend, her sister. She remembered the time they had spent talking and laughing and gossiping and sometimes even making fun of Asad, she remembered how she had fought with the goons for her, how she had helped her hide her haircut from bhaijaan, she remembered how she helped her unite with Imran, she remembered how she had jeopardized her own wedding just to make sure her life was not ruined. She had to fake-marry Ayaan just because she left on her wedding day for Najma. She was truly the best person after her ammi n bhaijaan and she didn't know what she could've been if her appi had not decided to let her stay in their house.
For Zoya, Najma was like her little sister, her happiness and well-being was very important for her. She held the baby out to her and Najma took it from her. Imran came and sat beside her while Zoya went out to give the good news to everyone.
"What do you want to name him?" Imran kissed her forehead.
"Um, Zoya wanted to name him Ali." Najma caressed the baby's cheeks.
"Ali... nice and short, at least no one will try to shorten it further by giving sick names." He joked to make her laugh.
Soon enough almost everyone had entered the room and after announcing his name he was passed on from one arms to another.
Zoya stood beside Asad with her head resting on his shoulder.
"Asad I want a baby too."
"We already have two." He chuckled.
"I want another one." She pouted. Asad turned her to face him and cupped his face.
"Zoya we'll have many more babies but please let's deal with two at the moment. Let them grow a little and be a little mature." Asad tried to make her understand. Zoya knew what he was trying to say and she nodded her head.
"Waise you said many more babies how many do you want?"
"Hmm, I was thinking... a cricket team?" Asad winked at her and laughed at Zoya's shocked face.
"Youuu!" She punched his arm playfully and side hugged him, snuggling into him and looking at their family.
A/N - Ok to clear everyone's confusion sohu isn't really my sister-in-law. Haha.😆
See sohu I finally wrote your nanad-bhabhi OS now don't say I don't love you. This OS is my Christmas gift to Sohu, I know I'm a little early but I'm sure you don't mind getting this gift before 25th. This is gift no. 2 by your bhabhi, gift no. 1 by ammi will be given whenever I'm free. Haha! 😆
I had written another OS - AsYa OS ~| Picture Perfect Family |~
And I have used the same storyline and same characters so this can very well be called the prequel of Picture perfect family.
Leave me some love!
Love,
Sadie!😃
PS - updates of my FFs will be after I return from my vacation!
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