(3)

He looked at his wife - carrying a small baby in her arms, he stood motionless at the entrance of the room.

Azaan felt like he was drowning in cold water, all the oxygen is sucking out of him, he's waving his hands for help but there is not a single soul to aid him, to save him from dying.

"What are you doing here?" Shafaq's hands on the baby's back tightened and she stood with her chin up.

Azaan gulped and clenched and unclenched his fists.

"W-why are you holding a baby, Kis ka B-bacha ha ye?" He stuttered and again eyed the baby's back.

(Whose baby is this?)

No one spoke for a whole minute, her silence was making him desperate for answers.

She looked straight into his bloodshot eyes. "Mera Bacha ha yeh."

(This is my baby)

Right then, he thought he died.

Azaan's eyes couldn't get any bigger, his face was getting red as anger started to replace his gloom.

"Shafaq, ye mazak ka waqt nahi hai."

He glared at her and took a step forward.

(Shafaq, it's not the time to joke)

"Kis ne kaha ha ke ma Mazak kar rahi hon?" She gritted her teeth and held the child close to her chest.

(Who told you that I'm joking?)

He couldn't control himself, he took large steps to reach her.

Only two steps of a distance left between them when the baby started to wail loudly.

Shafaq diverted her eyes towards Alyan, who was crying with close eyes - asking for milk from his mother.

Shafaq cradles him in her lap, that's when Azaan saw the baby's face which held the same resemblance as him when he was younger.

She forgot that Azaan was still in the same room and started to make Alyan's milk bottle while placing him on the center of the bed.

Alyan opened his eyes, whining softly, he turned his face where his father was standing motionless looking at him.

Alyan smiled at him wiggling his hands, but upon remembering he was hungry he again started to wail loudly.

With trembling hands and red-rimmed eyes, he came forward to bed.

Azaan carefully held the crying baby in his arms.

Alyan opened his big grey eyes - same as his father, and blinked at him.

A light chuckle escaped from Azaan's chest upon seeing Alyan blabbering gibberish.

His eyes welled up with tears looking at Alyan's face.

"Azaan." She whispered from behind him.

Azaan turned around and snatched the milk bottle from her hand.

"I will feed my son." He sat at the end of the bed and cradled Alyan on his lap, Alyan instantly started to suck on the feeder's nipple.

"Apko kis ney kaha ha ke ye apka beta ha?"

(Who told you that this is your child?)

He growled loudly.

"Kisi key kehnay ya na kehnay sa haqiqat badal nahi jaye gi. Muja

bhatkana band karo!"

(The reality won't change by someone's saying, stop trying to mislead me)

He glared at her with a clenched jaw.

The intensity of his words fell on her, he already declared Alyan his son without asking her and was very angry with her about hiding his son's existence from him.

"Pouchay gay nahi, main kaha thee?"

(Won't you ask where I have been?)

He looked up and they both held each other's gaze.

"Sub poucho ga, yeh tumhara khayal ha key tumko chor do ga main, magar abi mein apnay betay ko time daina chata hon." He harshly glared at her.

(I will ask everyhing, it's in your head that I will leave you, but right now I want to give the time to my som)

Azaan again lowered his eyes to his son who was blinking at him while sucking on the feeder's nipple.

He caresses his son's head and looked at him lovingly, "what's his name?" He whispered to her.

"Alyan Hassan Khan." She mumbled.

He smiled while whispering his son's name.

A sad smile etched on his lips, "Duniya ka sab sey badkismat baap hon ma jisko Apni aulad ki padaish ki Khabar na thi."

(I'm the most unlucky father of this world, who didn't even know his child's existence)

Shafaq bit her lips hard to control her tears while a single tear left Azaan's eyes.

Some moments they stayed like this, him looking and cherishing his son while she trembled thinking what would he do next.

Wiping his eyes, he stood up, pulling out the empty bottle from Alyan's mouth and holding him close to his chest.

"Pack your bags, we are going home now." With one single sentence he threw the bomb on her.

"No, I won't go." Shafaq rapidly spoke out with a harsher tone.

"Don't test me Shafaq!" He came forward and only an inch of distance was left between them.

"Chup chap Ghar Chalo shafaq, ma sirf apnay betay ki waja sa chup hon, Warna muj se bura koi nai Hoga."

Their breathes were getting mixed, he stared at her coffee brown eyes, the eyes he used to love so much but today he saw them dull and full of misery.

(Come with me quietly shafaq, I'm only silent because of my son, otherwise, nobody would be worse than me)

His own eyes have lost all spark after she left him.

"A-ap Alyan ko ley jayen ma waha nai jaungi."  She gulped at him with blurry eyes.

(Take Alyan with you, I won't go there)

Only she knew how heavy those words felt on her tongue. She wanted to die before leaving Alyan alone but she knew that he has his father with him who would do anything for that little human; whose existence he came to know about just moments ago.

"Kiu Alyan ki maa ko kia masla ha, kia main kat'taa hun."

(Why, what problem does Alyan's mother have, do I bite)

He regretted saying those words when he saw her tears flowing freely from her eyes.

"Please, don't make me go there"

"Why?"

"I can't answer you now."

He nodded while licking his dry lips.

"We will go to my farmhouse then, and there you will tell me everything"

Shafaq trembled under his watch.

"I'm not changing my decision now, come down in five minutes." In loud and clear words he spoke and left with Alyan, leaving her no choice but to accept his orders.

Hey!!

An update before Monday!!

How's the chapter. What do you think will happen next??

Vote and comment for sooner updates and please keep me in your prayers,  I'm having mental breakdowns from the past few days, pray for me, please.

Take care.

Allah hafiz.