"'Stay trippie, little hippie'
.
Joining the symphony
.
Pakistan. January 2025
"Get a side! The best uncle in the whole wide world coming through!" Ahsan said struggling to come from among the crowd of little kids, two of Ahsan's own, Mehmad and his daughter, Naila, born along the same times as Ayat's twins, Zeeshan and Zain both 4 years old.
Ahsan had brought a huge bag of candies from his trip to Europe and his favorite task was to spoil the children with it. Whenever Ahsan went away, the children knew they were in for weeks of candies, and their mothers won't be able to stop them.
They all sat around in the garden, Haya and Mirha were even invited to this little barbeque party, Shahzain, Danial, Ali alongside Arsalan and Maaz were sat around the barbeque getting everything ready.
"Mamu, chocolates!" (Uncle) Even though little Zain had some gummy bears already stuck on his front teeth, he demanded more. This little kid among both twins was the mischievous one, it had been challenging for keeping up with Zain's tantrums, Zeeshan however was a quiet one. Zain was the clingy one, mostly to Maaz, he clung to him as if his life depended on the man.
"Daddy...Mommy!" Zain shouted and stomped his feet in anger, after grabbing a bunch of chocolates from his Mamu (Uncle). "I will break Naila's toys if she takes my gummy bears,"
"Zainu, she is your sister...remember what I told you sharing is caring," Ayat went to Zain and kissed his cheek, Maaz chuckled from between the boys, his beard growing heavily on his face while he sat in the pajamas, sometimes it was hard to believe this was the same Maaz, who's each and every crease was on point, still in his business meetings and work related things he was prim and proper, a little laid back now, but strict too since he had an empire to restore the name of, after the prison thing his name had almost gone to dust, only if it hadn't for Danial, but now it was Maaz's own responsibility to look after his business. His friends had done a lot while he wasn't around, and for that he'd be ever grateful.
"I will buy you lot a new car if you share gummy bears," Maaz suggested. Ayat rolled her eyes.
"Please don't spoil my children,"
"They are mine too,"
"Maaz," Ayat warned in a playful way. He surrendered. "Fine,"
He mouthed. 'babyyy'
"Look what we sisters made!" Came through Zara's voice, since Zara and Sara had met after the whole thing, they hadn't been quiet, something or the other just goes around in the house. While Maaz wasn't around, they had come several time to America for her help.
"No way chachi!"Â (Aunt) Danial said to Zara. "I still can't rid my taste buds of the apple pie you made last week, I even puked at the sight of apples,"
"Tsk. Tsk," Zara clicked her tongue. "I fed you a lot in these three weeks, and only once I made a thing that was a tad bit...okay," she rolled her eyes. "A lot spoilt, but I promise this one's yummy,"
"I bet," Danial laughed getting a slap from Zara.
"Enough you rascal don't tease my mom," Maaz hugged her mom. Zara cooed Maaz, and he cuddled into her mother like a baby. A refreshing sight indeed. Arsalan made fun of this a lot, because he still remembered his team captain, Maaz. And then the mob boss Maaz, but ultimately it was his sister's husband. He had a drastic change over some years. Even this couldn't compare to when he first met his twins.
It came off as a surprise, it had been a long and tiring day for Ayat, late at night, Zain hadn't been sleeping for days because of fever, he just shouted on everything, Zeeshan had been tired too, due to lack of sleep, and so had been Ayat. She told him stories, showed him a movie, turned their favorite cartoons on, asked her mums. Sara and Zara, both suggested a warm bath, did that, and yet Zain kept crying and did not sleep, on top of that Zeeshan had a fever too. Two sick kids and an exhausted mother weren't a nearly good combination.
"Now...shh...sleep," She hugged Zain and on the other end Zeeshan. "Sleep..."
Zain kept crying and suddenly her eyes fell on a picture frame, Maaz stood tall with her beside in the picture, smiling, but it didn't make her happy, it just broke her apart, tears streamed down her face.
"I wish you were here," She cried looking at the frame, it had been days since she had last seen him, she had bailed on the last three Saturdays due to random errands including these two munchkins, and then they got sick, so she had seen him for a lot of time.
It came out today, the longing to hold his hand, breath him, take on his comfort, cry on his shoulder, she needed support, and with the release date nearing...her heart swelled more and more in happiness and in the dire need of holding him close to her and never letting him go. He was a brave man, brave in wrong, and brave in the right.
He had changed along the years, his stubbornness but hadn't left. He would want things a certain way for the kids, the room decorated by that designer, or her wearing those clothes, he just tried to be involved as much as he could be from prison. But there was least he could do, he had been empty for so long, knowing he had kids out there who thought he was gone for work, knowing he could be there if he hadn't made that choice, thinking if he had known, would he have not taken this path of redemption. What mostly broke him was someone there is waiting for her, and he is here helpless, waiting a date to be near her again.
She put the frame away, and recited some surah's, mostly to calm herself down. Her eyes squeezed closed, warm tears coming down, the cries of her babies in the background, then a click of the door, and a scent of male musk, and leather, of sugar and honey, the smell of home, the smell of hope.
The voice of the door cracking open, and the voice of bed dip beside her, the need to open her eyes, but knowing this could be dream, her mind playing tricks on her. Then he touched her hand, and squeezed it. She wasn't breathing, just feeling him, she opened her eyes, his brown orbs looking back at her the same way when she first saw him. Magnetic and fiery, drowned in emotions.
She gasped in joy and wrapped her hands around his neck, to never let go, and cried on his shoulder for it had been a long time since, she had been in contact with him, since she had seen him, had breathed his scent, had known his comfort. He kissed her forehead when they parted.
"Don't leave again," She whispered in his neck, tears in a never ending stream.
"Never again," He spoke in a low voice. The kids had stopped crying and sat up looking at the strangely familiar man speaking to their mother like this, they had only known a few men like this and that was their Dani chachu, Shazzy chachu, and their other uncles Ahsan and Arsalan when they visited Pakistan.
Their doe eyes looking at the man blinking, contemplating who he was. Then Zain spoke between his crying hiccups. "Mommy this is the guy from tha picute!"
Zeeshan crawled ahead on the bed, clutching her mother's hand taking it away from Maaz's, and then looked at Maaz strangely. "This is daddy, Zai,"
Zain's eyes lighted up. "Our daddy! The one who fights monsters away in the forest!"
Zain curiously moved closer to Maaz, and poked his arm. "Mommy...he is wreal!"
"He is," Ayat spoke, not knowing what else to say. She was struck with surprise as well. Her hands were still shaking.
Zain suddenly fell into Maaz's arms. Maaz fell back holding his child, and hugged him tight, Zain was ecstatic, he had imagined his father to be some kind of action hero who was so brave after all the stories of braveries Ayat had told them, for it took great courage to have a choice in living the bad and not held accountable, and to give up the choice to live freely and pay for the deeds you once did. He wasn't your typical brave human, but brave none the less.
Zain looked at his twin brother from between his father's arms. "Zee...come!"
Maaz smiled widely waiting to hold his other son, who looked identical to the first one, and mostly like him. Like he was when young. With long lashes, and chubby cheeks waiting to be clutched by someone.
"No," Zeeshan pouted going back behind his mother, and peeking from behind her. "I am scared..."
Maaz's face fell, like a truck had hit him. Ayat clicked her tongue, and spoke with a kind voice.
"Don't be afraid..." Ayat pecked Zeeshan's cheeks. "He is your daddy...remember what I told you? Who loves you the most in this world?"
"Mowmy and....and Dawdy," Zeeshan spoke with a pout. Ayat smiled.
"Yes." She spoke. "Mommy and Daddy...now go to daddy he has been waiting for you, he is going to buy you treats and teach you how to ride a horse, now give him a hug,"
"Will you give daddy a wecome aug?" Zeeshan asked. Ayat laughed silently. More than that maybe, she was not going to let him go ever. As he had said 'Never again'.
"Yes...I will," Ayat smiled.
"Do you know...howse riding?" Zeeshan asked. Maaz couldn't believe it was his children asking him sweet questions. He had wanted this for so long, and now that he was here...he seemed lost and all knowing at the same time. He held his chubby hands, he knew he had an intimidating face, but he tried to soften it up like he used to when talking to Ayat. At one point in life he had through he didn't deserve to be a father, but now...it had long gone, he was deserving of happiness now, of love.
"I will teach you how to ride horses, but for that you would have to give daddy a hug?" He demanded with kind eyes.
"Wi you stay foever then!" Zeeshan squealed and hugged Maaz. Zain clutched to Maaz's shirt tighter and looked at him expectant for an answer.
"Yes...Forever with my little champions," He kissed them both, and held them in his arms effortlessly, it made her wonder, he had bonded so quickly with them, how easy would it have been if he were around, but she shrugged the thought away this was no time to be gloomy, happy days awaited. Inshallah.
"And your mommy," He looked at Ayat with love and appreciation, she had raised them beautifully, he couldn't have asked for a better partner, or children.
"Wi...you sleep with us?" Zain asked climbing on his stature, until he was supporting his small frame on his head, he felt so comfortable around Maaz. Maaz wanted to engulf the two children inside him, but it was enough that he was there, and he was going to be there forever now.
He looked at Ayat, and then smiled looking at the children. "Only if you don't tease your mommy...promise?"
Zain and Zeeshan looked at each other, and thought like really gave it a thought and then spoke with mischievous eyes. "Promise!"
Mirha clicked her fingers bringing Ayat back to the present, it had been now a few months since that day, as soon as Zara and Sara found about the release they urged them to come to Pakistan, but it was a little difficult to leave the country due to some post protocols, but then finally when they were given permission they came back. Maaz was reunited with his mother, who had been living a good life with Ayat's parents. The happiness had crawled back in the haven.
Mirha and Ali giggled as Haya got up to announce something, as Haya came in the center everyone looked at her weirdly, then she started speaking.
"I don't even know where to start, or how this is going to end, but these few years have been quiet tough on most of us, we all went through something or the other. I remember one day, I was sitting in a café, and a guy came to sit beside me, completely devastated, I knew we had quiet the rivalry but at that moment I couldn't push him away...for the first time my heart broke seeing someone sad...I didn't understand what it was...not nearly, but then he spoke with sad eyes...and from that day onwards I had listened to him and he to me, when he detached himself from everyone he came to me...talked to me, and that's when I realized why I allow him so much, and hopefully why he allows me to become a part of his worries, we became best friends through all that, and now..." She looked at Shahzain who already had tears spilling down his eyes. "Now I realize it was love, so..."
She stood in front of Shahzain and produced a black velvet box from behind her. "Shahzain Malik, my best friend, the love of my life will you give me the pleasure of being my husband?"
At first his mind boggled, he looked around, expectant eyes all around, and then suddenly he swayed her in a hug. "Yes. Sherni, I will marry you, of course I will,"
Maaz walked to sit beside Ayat, and rubbed her back with love, cherishing the love between their friends and them, she took his hands and kissed his knuckles. The hands had made her feel protected even when he wasn't around, loved her enough even if he was away, the love never faded. He had loved him too deeply, to crazily, insanely even if he was a little of a madman, she never gave up on him. That's what lovers do, what soul mates are made for.
They all cheered and clapped, over the years something's remained constant, holding onto love, the hunt of the lost, and the hope of the future, and it made all the difference, and another, just don't tell Arsalan I told you all this 'Children are more afraid of him than of Maaz', until the next time we meet. Hug the memoirs of love we all made this year, for love keeps dancing and souls keep joining the symphony.
The End
Author's Note
Greetings Fellas!
Finally I updated. Pheww. Hope you liked the epilogue, the journey came to an end, I wrote the first draft of the story in first quarantine period (Jumangi level 1). Then, after that edited and drafted more, and finally thought to publish it. 1 and a half year and here it is. I am so proud of myself to have done this, really. My first ever story. Till something new. Keep me in your prayers.
Love, Romaisa.