My companion | میرےہمدم

Birthday-II | سالگراہ

-Unedited

"Zahra it's only 30 minutes left in Iftaar ( opening a fast), do you think he will come?", Faryal said shifting her gaze back from the wall clock to Zahra. Zahra was lying on the bed with a feeding bottle in her mouth.

"He must be busy Haina. Let it be, I'm not that special. It should not matter to him...and me", She mumbled and heaved a sigh. As much as she wanted to feel better, his absence was bothering her.

"Koe nahi Zahra baki sub tou hain yahan humre sath (It's okay Zahra, everyone else is here with us)", She tried to convince herself.

Knock! Knock!

"Come in", She called out and was busy buckling up the chain of Zahra's silver embroidered khussa. She moved her head back and froze.

"Zohaib", Her face brightened and her eyes lit up as her mouth broke into a smile."Assalam u Alikum!"

"Ap aa gye (You came).....Zahra was waiting for you". His arrival overwhelmed her to the point that she didn't know what to say.

"Walikum Assalam! Sorry, I got late", Zohaib forwarded the bouquet towards her. Her eyes fluttered between the bouquet and his eyes in surprise.

"For me?", She gave him a quizzical look and hesitantly took the bouquet from his hands.

Zahra quickly sat up seeing her daddy. She threw the bottle and crawled towards the edge of the bed. Zohaib moved forward and picked her up in his hands.

"Nahi, pharosun k leye laya hun (No, I have brought it for the neighbor)", He replied in a mischievous tone.

"No", She pouted. "Why would you give it to the neighbor".

"Happy birthday", He said. She held the bouquet up to her nose and sniffed.  A smile crept across her face.

"Thank you", she looked into his eyes. "It's very beautiful". He smiled.

"Honestly speaking, I loved the flowers but still your presence was sufficient".

"You both are ready?", he asked.

"Yeah, I was just waiting for Zahra to finish her bottle", she said. She picked up the bottle from the bed again.

"Zahra finish it beta. Thanks to your daddy, we are already late. Everyone is waiting for us", she said looking at Zahra.

Zohaib took the bottle from her hand and rolled his eyes. "Zahra tell her that your daddy did not do such a thing". He sat down on the bed, placed Zahra on his lap, and fed her the formula milk.

"Zahra tell your daddy that he did",

Faryal went towards the dressing table. She combed her hair again and let them open. She opened a drawer, picked up a pair of silver jhumka. She examined herself, her organza lavender-colored mid-thigh length loose shirt, straight pants, silver embroidered khussa gave her an overall graceful look, exactly the way she imagined.

She moved her gaze at Zohaib's reflection in the mirror. He was wearing a cream-colored kameez shalwar with a black waistcoat over it. He looked handsome. He always does, she reminded herself. She starred at his reflection for a few seconds and then brushed off her thoughts.

"I want to stay here for few days. I've discussed it with mom as well", She tilted her head slightly at one side as she was wearing the jhumka in her ear. Zohaib looked at her, their eyes met through their reflection in the mirror.