33. Harsh Reality

F A H A D' S  P O V

We were now back to our way home, after the all the shopping we did.

"Alizah! Alizah! Alizah! Aliiiiizahhh!" I heard Nada chant beside me and to that tune Alizah also started dancing on her lap and they both of them started laughing.

One unique girl she is.

"Nada! Can you stop shouting?!" I spoke irritatedly.

"No Fahad! Why ask when you know my answer would be obvious?" She gave me a sour look in return.

"Actually why did I even attempt to stop you." I huffed.

"I am making memories." She said in a grim tone.

"Huh?"

"Yes with Alizah and also with you." She mumbled the last part. "Because someday I have to leave her."

Those words hit me hard. I never thought about it practically. Of course one day everything will be over!

"Uh yeah."

"Hmm." She muttered when I saw tears forming in her eyes. Was she crying?

"Nada wh-" I was going to console her when she cut me off.

"But now I have time. I will make as much as memories I can." She quickly turned her head.

"Alizah? Are our eyes really that different or weird that everybody asks whether I have worn lenses. Today also that employee at the cash counter asked the same." She said talking to Alizah.

"Let me interrupt, but don't call your eyes weird they are not h-"

"Why? You must have not even noticed them even once." She snapped.

"Wait! Who told you that?" I asked.

"Then why did you never ask me about the whether I have worn lenses or not?"

"Because I always thought that they are natural. I still do. Of course this, your eye color, was a color which I have never see of course Alizah's too. But, never ever the thought even passed that they might not be real." That seemed to shut her mouth because she didn't speak after that.

We soon reached our home when another car drove in the driveway. That another car was Rahim's.

I got out to see Mira and Rahim getting out of the car.

"Rahim? Assalamualaikum (Peace be upon you)." I greeted, when someone beside him cleared their throat.

"Yeah, yeah Assalamualaikum Mira." I greeted her.

"Walaikumasalam (Peace be upon you too)." The both greeted.

I looked behind to see Nada struggling to open the door. I rushed towards her and opened the door for her.

"One day you will fall down with Alizah due to your clumsiness." I scolded her as Nada decided to keep quiet and casted her eyes downward. What happened to her? She is behaving strange today.

"Miraaaaaa?! Assalamualaikum!" I heard Nada squeal and rushed towards Mira.

"Nada slow down! You might fall." That didn't not effect her. She nevertheless went and hugged her best friend.

"Oh my God! Slow down my niece might get crush between us." Mira parted from the hug.

"Assalamualaikum Rahim boy!" Nada beamed.

"Walaikumasalam Mrs. Nada Fahad Sheikh." He greeted back. That sounded go- Wait no nothing!

"Rahim! Imma give you a slap now!" She threatened him.

"Let's go inside everyone! Why are standing out?" I decided to take the shopping bags inside, later.

"Yeah yeah let's go!"

I ranged the bell and Umèma opened the door.

"Assalamualaikum Sheikhs and Sayeds!" She greeted to which everybody greeted back.

We entered the house to see a middle aged couple sitting on the couch with my mother.

"Assalamualaikum." I said trying to make the acknowledge my presence and at the same time Nada also said the same.

"Assalamualaikum Aunt!" Mira and Rahim greeted.

Too many salams.

"My baby!" The lady jumped towards Alizah who was in Nada's hands.

"Excuse me! Who are you?" Nadia took a few steps back.

"I am her mother!" The lady answered and it was silence. No one spoke.

"What?!" Nada asked bewildered.

"Yes, dear, this lady here is Alizah's mother." Mom interrupted.

"Her name's not Alizah, her name is Uzmah." The lady spoke.

What is going on?

"Not trying to be rude but may I ask who you guys are?!" Uméma intervened in the conversation.

"We have met these two before." The man finally spoke pointing at me and Nada.

"Huh?"

"Yes myself Shehyaan Zadeh and this is my wife Feroza." Shehyaan said standing beside Feroza.

"When did we meet? I don't recall you both." Nada interrogated and that's when I noticed that Shehayaan had the same eye colour as Alizah. Uh-oh I know where this is going.

"At the police station, when you were pushed by a guy and I saved you from failing." Feroza tried to explain.

"I do remember that so now you mean to say that you are her parents." Nada said with widened eyes.

"But what is the proof?" Rahim asked.

"The police came, Rahim they informed me that these people were searching for them and the police told them that Alizah was with Fahad and Nada, as they also went to the police station for Alizah to find her parents and now they are finally here. They even showed the DNA results too. Alizah is thier daughter." Mom explained.

"Now give me my daughter back." Shehyaan proceeded towards Nada who had a sleeping Alizah with her.

"Hold on!" I interrupted, coming in between and moving Nada behind me. "Why do you want your daughter now? After you left her outside a poor lady's house?" I demanded.

"We were bankrupted. We didn't have enough money to take care of a child. We e-"

"So you decided to just randomly throw an infant at some random lady's house and back off from your responsibilities?!" Mira asked furiously.

"DO YOU KNOW THE PERON'S BROTHER WHOM YOU BORROWED MONEY HAD KIDNAPPED ALIZAH, MY WIFE AND MY FRIEND?! HE COULD HAVE KILLED ANY ONE OF THEM!" I lost my temper. Who will not loose their temper? Such a careless person he is.

"Fahad control!" Mom scolded.

"Mom I am sorry! But this man has the audacity to ask his daughter back after she suffered so much."

"We have also suffered, boy. You are no one to judge us. Here is the our marriage certificate and Uzmah's (Alizah) brith certificate too also the DNA results." Feroza spoke taking out some papers and Uméma took from her. I looked at Nada and wondered that why isn't she saying anything? Does she not love Alizah? However, her eyes were filled with tears threatening to spill anytime.

"I am sorry but if you knock our door and say that you want your daughter whom you left to grow herself, we won't be able to maintain our anger." Rahim stated calmly.

"Touché. Tell me why do you want her now?" Uméma raised her eyebrows.

"Children! Try to understand them too. They want their daughter back. They were so helpless that they had to give away their most prized possession. Try to understand their helplessness." Mom emphasised.

"But-" I and Rahim both said together but Mom beat us.

"When you'll be parents you will understand. I think we should give their daughter back. They are her parents, we are no one to say." Mom concluded.

"No-no you all are to say in this matter. You were the people who didn't let anything happen to Uzmah (Alizah). You all are important." Ferzoa confronted.

"We are still giving Alizah now? I don't think that's the correct way." Mira asked frantically.

"Please don't give us this punishment. Let me take my daughter. She is a part of me. How can I live without her?" Feroza cried out.

"Just like how you lived the days before. We-"

"Here, your daughter." Nada whispered for the first time. She extended her hands towards Feroza.

Feroza took Alizah from Nada and kissed her cheeks and Shehayaan hugged her.

"Thank you so much for everything. I can never repent all you have done." Feroza said tears spilling out of her eyes.

"I did many things for her, even if it meant that I had to get married." Nada whispered and that's when the waterworks started.

"What?" Feroza asked turning her head towards Nada.

"Keep that aside. Just do one thing take good care of her please. She is precious." Nada spoke and the tears which were threatening to escape finally did, as she cried.

Later, we explained them everything from start to end. About Junaid, his kidnapping and how that lead to our marriage.

"Oh my God! He made you guys marry?"

"Yes as I told you, he thought that we were her parents. He needed to assure that we won't back out." I recounted.

"May Allah bless you both and let you also have a Alizah of your own." Feroza said with a warm smile and I looked at Nada who was red not because she was blushing but probably because of anger.

I decided to ignore that.

"Now we will take our leave." Shehayaan got up.

"Ca-can I please hold her for the last time?" Nada pleaded. We both had gotten attached to Alizah so much that it was tearing my heart into million pieces and according to me Nada was also feeling the same. Not only us but Rahim, Mira, Mom and Uméma had also grown attached to her.

"Of course. Here." Feroza extended Alizah towards her.

As soon as Nada took Alizah, she opened her eyes from her deep slumber.

"Oh my baby." Nada whispered and kissed Alizah's cheeks where as her own cheeks were drenched with tears.

Alizah chuckled and hugged Nada, which also made Nada chuckle. That innocent soul didn't even know what was happening.

"Nada please give her to me too. Can I?" I looked at Alizah's parents.

"Of course you have all rights." Shehyaan smiled.

Alizah had caught a hold on Nada's hair, old habits die hard. That's what she did always.

"Come here, kiddo." I removed her hands from Nada's hair.

I kissed Alizah's forehead who laughed when my beard made a contact with her cheeks. She always did that.

"Can we hug her too?" Uméma and Mira asked in unison.

Just like that, everyone hugged Alizah and bid her farewell.

"We will change her name to Alizah now. In remembrance of you guys." Feroza declared.

"That's not needed."

"But we want to." Shehyaan smiled.

"Again a big thank you! Also you can always visit her. Anytime any of you want to. We can exchange numbers. That would be better." Feroza suggested.

We bid our farewell to Alizah and told her mother that we will visit her anytime we want to.

That's how everything fell back into place and Alizah got her real parents back. Yes, it did hurt like anything but we have to let go something for other's too.

Assalamualaikum and hello people! How are you guys doing? Liking the chapters? Or not? This was boring one but an important one too. Comment about it and don't forget to vote. Until then, bye, stay home, AllahHafiz and take care ^_^

Also, tell me your favourite part of the chapter.

06-04-20

09-06-20