Epilogue

5 years later...

Zarrar kicked the ball, unknowingly a little too hard and it fell far away from the playing field.

"Baba" His four year old daughter, Naina protested.

"I am so sorry beta!" He rushed to get the ball before she could run and fell down on the steep path.

"It's okay Baba!" She screamed from behind.

"No shouting Naina. Bad manners" Zohal forbade her gently.

"Sorry mama" The young girl nodded obediently and walked to her mother who was holding a baby in her arms.

"Wali! Are you enjoying it, baby boy?" She touched the babies fluffy cheeks.

The baby cooed and moved his arms and legs so that his sister pick him up in her arms.

"Come to me baby!" Naina held him in her arms and kissed his cheeks.

"Hold him carefully" Zohal stood next to her.

Zarrar bent down on his knees and kissed his children. He loved them dearly.

"Baba! See he is growing up so fast" Naina patted Wali's cheeks.

"Yes. Just like you my baby! You have also grown up" He couldn't believe she had already grown up. It felt like yesterday when the got the good news.

"I can't believe it" Zarrar said holding the strip in his hands. The positive result made him numb.

"Me too" Zohal chuckled, watching his reaction.

"I will have my own baby" He whispered to her.

"Yes" She nodded with tears in her eyes.

"Are you happy?" She asked.

"I am-I am happy but I can't believe I will have my own child. I never thought I will be lucky to have a family of my own" He said with tears in his eyes.

Zohal wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Baba! I want ice cream" Naina took him out of his thoughts.

He smiled at her.

"No ice cream for you. Weather is getting colder. No way you are getting an ice cream. You will get sick" Zohal asked her authoritatively this time.

"Baba please!" She pouted at his father who could never say no to him.

"No, Naina! Listen to your mother. If she isn't allowing then we can't get it" He held Wali in his arms who instantly wrapped his tiny arms around his neck.

"You missed Baba" He kissed his head lovingly.

The baby chuckled and Naina started crying for not getting ice cream.

"Don't cry beta" Zarrar toom her into his other arm.

"She is just trying to black mail. Ignore it" Zohal whispered so that Naina couldn't hear her.

He nodded at her smilingly.

...

It was late in the night. Kids were already asleep and the couple was having a cup of coffee in their lounge, watching TV.

"Uncle invited us to spend Sunday at his home" Zohal told him.

"You can go with kids but I won't waste my holiday there" He said.

"He is getting old Zarrar!" She reminded him.

"I meet him Zohal! I try to take care of him but I can't give my time to him. He never gave me his time when I needed it. I can't do the same. I never stopped you and kids from meeting him but I can't spend my whole day there" He refused seriously.

"It's okay. I ain't forcing you" She said gently.

"Thank you" He mumbled.

"I am noticing you have started getting angry these days" She said to him and turned off the TV to make him fully focus on her.

"No, I am not" He shook his head.

"Yes, you are"

"Are you trying to irritate me so that we can argue?" He asked playfully.

"Of course no, why I would argue with you" She rolled her eyes.

"Okay no need to get angry"

"I am not getting angry" She slapped his arm in irritation.

"See, that's what happens when you accuse someone of the thing they had not done" He chuckled.

"Stop it. You are mad" She laughed too.

Five years ago he agreed to get professional help. He had taken therapy sessions. With professional help, his life changed. He got over his flaws.

"Life is changed" He murmured.

"Yeah. It changed a lot" She agreed.

"I can't believe I have a family of my own. Years ago I decided to never get married. My parents destroyed the concept of family for me. I always wanted to be alone and then you happened" He smiled at her.

"You came into my life and it changed forever. Now I have kids of my own. My precious babies" He uttered with fatherly affection in his voice.

"Thank you for them" He said.

"You're welcome" She laughed.

He held her close and closed his eyes, feeling her warmth. He had a home. He had a family of his own.

He wasn't a part of darkness anymore.

He lived in brigher world now with the people he could die for. He was now a happy and content man.

T H E   E N D

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