Asad and Zoya sat hugging each other. Asad's sobs had subsided, as a weird sense of calm had taken over. He felt protected and shielded in Zoya's arms. It took him quite a while to realise he had broken down, and the state they both were in.
Asad drew himself out of Zoya's hold realising their proximity," I am sorry," he mumbled looking away wiping his tears. Zoya moved away feeling a little conscious, but she knew she didn't feel awkward. It had felt right, it had felt perfect. And she knew that even if Asad wouldn't ever say it, it had given him solace too. Not because he needed her literally, but he had needed the security anyway, and she felt content that she could be the one offering it to him.
She looked at him shying away almost blushing in embarrassment and nearly let out a chuckle, "Come on Mr Khan, you only said a few days ago that we are friends, so aren't friends allowed to share each other's pain. It's nothing to feel so ashamed about."
"I am not ashamed." Asad said defensively and she could see he wasn't.
"So why are you so red? Hmm maybe because Asad Ahmed Khan never cries! Scared you broke your lion like image in front of me? Don't worry Mr Khan, I won't let the world know about it, the secret will remain safe with me." Zoya teased him until she was relieved to see a smile on his face.
"Mr Khan let's go inside, it's getting cold and it's pretty late in the night too." Zoya coaxed him again.
When Asad kept sitting there in silence, not giving in she finally spoke up," Mr Khan, Aahana hasn't been with you all day, she needs you too." She said what would hit home immediately.
Asad nodded in understanding and got up immediately. Zoya was assembling everything she had gotten along and tried to get up, but even before she could Asad gave her his hand and offered to help her up.
Supporting her so she could balance herself on her feet Asad smiled at her," Thanks Zoya."
"For what" Zoya inquired.
"For being there, for being a silent listener when I didn't want to hear anything but speak, for not caring about my unjustified temper but telling me where I was wrong, for lending a shoulder when I couldn't support myself anymore, for bandaging my wounds.."
"For being your friend," Zoya finished.
"For being a friend," Asad stated and squeezed her hand in agreement.
************
Zoya tiptoed inside her room, careful about not waking Aahana who was sleeping with no care in the world. She gently picked her up from the cradle and held her to her chest. Staring at her affectionately she pushed away the tufts of hair loosely hanging on her forehead and pressed a kiss there, as soft as a feather.
She wanted to keep Aahana with her for the night, but she knew she couldn't. Not only because she needed her father, but because she knew, Asad needed her more than ever. She may have lend him a shoulder to cry on, but the pain would linger a while longer. And the only one who would make him forget it was this little sunshine.
"Time to go to Abu.." Zoya whispered nuzzling her nose in Aahana's dense hair, planting a kiss on her ear.
"Sleep well Munckhin," Zoya whispered to a sleeping Aahana and walked out of her room towards Asad's.
Zoya entered his room to find it empty. Had he gone out again? But her query was answered by the sound of running water from his bathroom. She waited on the couch with Aahana in her arms, relishing the last few moments with her before she called it a night and left her there.
"Zoya?" she heard his voice and looked up to see him towelling his wet hair.
"Uh I got Aahana here, I thought you might want to.." Zoya stuttered at a loss of words seeing him with hair and face all wet, in his crisp white kurta, the dim lights highlighting his perfect features.
Asad's eyes softened seeing Aahana. He had missed her all day, wanted to be with her, hold her. Seeing her now, sleeping like an angel melted his heart, soaking out all his weariness.
Asad walked over to Zoya and smiled at her before bending a little to take Aahana in his arms. As she passed her over, their fingers touched and Zoya felt a jolt. Their hands wound around the baby like this together, in his room. It all felt like a dream, a dream she suddenly had the urge of seeing come true. A lump formed in her throat at that thought and she moved her hand out of his hold.
Asad hugged Aahana close to himself, digging his face in her hair smelling the similar fragrance. Kissing the side of her head he stared at her for a while.
Zoya's eyes were almost brimming when Asad looked up at her. She looked away," I should leave Mr Khan, Good night!" Zoya whispered, hiding her eyes, not wanting him to see her tears and answer his concerns if he did see them.
Asad walked up to her and putting his arm around her shoulder pulled her into an affectionate hug. The lump in her throat almost transformed itself into a sob which she swallowed before it gave away. The feeling of being concealed in his one arm with Aahana in the other was overwhelming.
"Thanks Zoya.." Asad whispered again, hoping she would realize how much her support and compassion had meant to him.
"If you say thanks once more Mr Khan, I'll have to think about our friendship. This all is way too formal." Zoya complained even as she tried to get out his arms.
Asad smiled and let her go,"Fine!" he pretended to scowl at her stern tone.
Zoya bend down and pecked Aahana softly whispering a good night again and left Asad's room instantly not looking back fearing she wouldn't be able to leave at all if she did.
***********
Bright light seeped into Asad's room shining on the duo sleeping on the bed, cuddled to each other. Aahana was sleeping peacefully with her head on Asad's left shoulder while Asad's forehead lay touching Aahana's as they slept on. Asad's phone rang and he reflexively turned to shut it off. Rubbing his tired eyes open he glanced at Aahana and smiled when he saw her sleeping with her mouth open. He bent and nuzzled her nose tip with his kissing it. Aahana's eyes fluttered open at his touch and she stared at him blankly.
Asad arched his back above and looked at her grimly, waiting for a reaction, a sunny smile that brightened his day, but she just scrunched her nose and wriggled out of his hold, hiding herself beneath the blanket.
"Aanu?" Asad called out gently, but Aahana further crawled beneath the covers wanting to be out of his reach. Asad sighed understanding her behaviour to be her fear. He had probably scared her with his unrestrained anger yesterday. He kept calling out to her but she kept touring around the bed hidden underneath, the little mound moving everywhere guided him to her.
Zoya was who passing by heard her calling out to her and entered inside worried only to see Asad holding the cover from one end and peeping in.
"Mr Khan ye aap kya kar rahe hai?" Zoya exclaimed seeing him like that.
"Miss Aahana Khan is very angry with her Abu and is hiding in there running away from me." Asad pouted.
Zoya smiled and moved towards the bed on the opposite end to where Asad was sitting. She raised her eye brows at Asad impishly and he nodded. To a countdown of 3 they both held each corner of the cover and raising it in one go,got into the blanket. Asad leapt towards Aahana and took her in his arms, chuckling when she screeched and tried to wriggle out. Zoya chuckled along seeing the father daughter almost get into a scuffle and crawled closer to them.
Aahana saw Zoya from behind her shoulder and jumped to her, hiding her face in her neck. Zoya smiled at that, but Asad's face wore an expression of defeat. He hadn't realised that Aahana had been so affected.
Zoya saw that sadness in his eyes and didn't like it one bit.
"Aahana Abu's here, wanting to be with you, why are you hiding hmm?" Zoya prodded her to look up but she looked away almost huffing in anger.
"Fine you don't want to be with Abu, you don't want to talk to him?" Zoya asked her once again.
"Fine then... Mr Khan you should get going, Aahana don't want to be with you na. So no playing with her, no special treats, no Abu time, she gets to be angry as much as she wishes to be." Zoya said passing Asad a wink and both of them got out of the covers.
Zoya moved towards the door and holding her hand made her wave out at Asad. She started to take her away but now Aahana had started to wriggle in her arms and stretching her arms to go back to Asad. Zoya put her down to see what she would do. Aahana speedily crawled to her father and holding the hem of his kurta pulled herself up and stretched her arm to touch his hand that had a bandage around it.
"Ow ow?" Aahana said incoherently confusing Zoya. But Asad understood, because that's the noise she would make when she would get hurt. He bent down to pick her up, but found it difficult to pull the weight up because of the wound on his shoulder. Zoya smiled and picked Aahana placing her in his arms. Aahana clambered on him and kissed his right palm surprising the both of them with her thoughtfulness.
Asad held his ear with his free hand and said, "Sorry baby, Abu will never get angry like that again, not around you at least."
As if Aahana had understood she placed her hand on his other earlobe and pulled it making Asad and Zoya laugh out loud. Not knowing why they were laughing she chuckled too joining them, making them laugh at her innocence even more.
"That means apology taken right?" Asad asked like an innocent kid who had been punished earlier. Aahana just placed a wet kiss on his palm again as an answer.
Asad smiled at her and then turned to smile at Zoya whispering, "You're amazing Zoya."
"I remember telling that you a million times before, glad you finally accepted it today."
"How humble are we." Asad gibed.
"Okay enough of this, get ready the both of you, I am making breakfast for everyone." Zoya told them off sternly and walked out leaving Asad happier and alive than he had been in ages.
*************
Asad came out with Aahana perched on his arms to see Najma and Zoya working in the kitchen. Placing Aahana in her play pen he walked up to Najma and kissed her head from behind.
Najma turned around and hugged her Bhaijaan instantly," Where were you Bhaijaan, I was so worried last night," she complained almost teary again.
"Sorry Tamatar, I was with Ayaan, he really needed someone then," Asad explained. Najma nodded in understanding, even though a few tears leaked from her eyes. It had been a heavy few hours from yesterday. Their Abu's death, the strain at home, Asad's absence, she felt relief seeing her brother back to normal.
"You're okay Tamatar?" Asad inquired seeing her lost. He hadn't even gotten the time to look out for her. She had lost a father too; he didn't know how she'd taken it all.
"What would be wrong with me? I am perfect." Najma said with rare confidence, but Asad knew it was genuine and he was proud.
Smiling he kissed her forehead again and turned towards the table leaving the girls to their work.
"Where is Ammi?" Asad asked after looking for her in the living room.
"She's in the room Bhaijaan, she just woke up a while ago. She'll be coming I got her to promise me."
When Dilshad walked in a while later, her eyes were puffy, she looked exhausted and the usual glow from her face was missing.
Asad felt terrible, he badly wanted to be with her, hug her, apologise to her. Dilshad walked into the kitchen and filled her tray, "I'll have my breakfast inside beta, if you don't mind."
"Of course I mind Phuppi, for one I won't be assured you've eaten breakfast, and secondly I was told there is a rule in this house of eating meals on the table with everyone, so now you can't be breaking it. Come sit here, and I want to see you finish this breakfast. " Zoya coaxed Dilshad as if she were a child and took her to the table, placing the food in front of her.
Dilshad just sat there in silence toying with her food but eating nevertheless. Asad's heart broke seeing her state, and even more at seeing her obvious disappointment with him. So much so that she didn't want to be around him? If that is what she wanted, he would do everything to make it comfortable for her.
"Uh actually I am running late for a meeting, I'll have my coffee in the office, bye." Asad said and walked away from the table. He bent over Aahana's play pen and picked her up to kiss her a good bye. When he wanted to put her down she clung to him making him feel horrible.
"I am sorry baby I don't want to go either, but I have to. I'll come back early for my sweets okay?" Asad cajoled her earning a flying kiss from her which he returned.
He was about to walk out of the door when Zoya who had followed him called out.
"Yes Zoya?" Asad turned towards her.
"Mr Khan don't be upset, Phuppi will be fine. She'll probably take some time. It's a huge loss for her, and .." Zoya ranted so that he left with a smile rather than beaten look on his face now.
"I know Zoya, I know. I am not upset, I am just guilty. I am the reason she is finding it so hard to deal with this anyway. Had I told her before, she would have gone and met Abu, she would have been prepared. I am not upset because she's not talking to me, I am upset because I am the reason she's so distressed, that she's not eating, that she's not herself," Asad said remorsefully.
"Don't say that Mr Khan, you know Phuppi loves you the most in the world, she knows you didn't mean for this to happen. She's just extremely troubled now to think of anything, let's give her some time," Zoya rationalized with him.
"She can have all the time she wants Zoya, I won't complain even if she's angry with me for a lifetime. I just want her to be okay, eat well and take care of herself, "Asad said worriedly.
"We'll manage that Mr Khan, we'll make sure she is taken care of, and with a son like you I am sure she will be." Zoya said trying to mollify him.
"I don't think so anymore," Asad said bluntly.
"Mr Khan!" Zoya exclaimed.
"Take care of all them for me," Asad requested softly as he started to walk to his car.
Zoya almost said always', but chose to say," Of course," earning a smile and wave from him as he left.
Precap - AsYa and loads of the trio/Asad going out of character.
Sampoorna
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Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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