Lost And Found

Finally Found

"Papa..."

Azlaan never knew that one word would change his whole life. But it did. The little girl tugged at his hands, with her adorable smile on her face. Her eyes held so much of love, probably for her father whom she has mistaken him to be. He couldn't help but bend to her level and smile back at her.

"What's your name, beta?" He asked her curiously, whilst looking around for her parents. How careless can they be to leave a toddler like this on an empty road?

"Papa..." She muttered again, whilst bringing her tiny hands to caress his cheeks. Azlaan's heart flipped at that gesture. It's been so long since he was showered with this kind of love.

"Papa..." She smiled happily whilst tears brimmed her blue-green eyes making Azlaan panic for a second. He doesn't know how to handle a crying toddler.

His heart began to beat frantically trying to figure out how to calm her down. And she took him off guard by throwing her tiny little hands around him and hugged him tightly, making him freeze.

"Shanzey..." Another worry-filled voice reached his ears and he lifted his head to see who it was. The person stopped on her spot as soon as she eyed him.

Azlaan took a moment to observe the lady. She was clad in a red sarara and a golden dupatta was tied around her neck, her hair was let loose. Face was filled with barely any make-up but she looked as ethereal as ever.

You have a wife... His mind snapped him out of his thoughts and he lowered his gaze almost immediately.

"Mama..." The little girl now turned to her mother, long gone was her tears. Azlaan immediately missed her hug as she ran towards her mother and hugged her legs.

"Mama... Papa." Shanzey smiled pointing at Azlaan, who now stood up and eyed them with curiosity. Why did the unknown girl calling him papa make him feel so good? What was wrong with him, he wondered. 

"Shanzey. You scared your mama. How can you just run away like that?" Coming out of the momentary shock, Saba bent down and hugged her daughter tightly. She was continuously telling herself that her daughter was fine when in reality her mind was in haywire. Filled with surprise and disbelief.

Her heart almost stopped beating when she realised Shanzey was not near her in the billing section. She made sure to hold her hands, but the girl always loves scaring her, just like her father.

"How easy it is to throw the blame on a toddler? When you should be the responsible adult and look out for your child, Ms." Azlaan couldn't stop himself from interfering when he clearly knew it was none of his damn business. Toddlers can be a handful sometimes.

Saba's eyes filled with tears. Tears of despair and agony. She wasn't sure if the tears are because of the fear of almost losing her daughter or because of him. She wasn't sure at all.

Just as he saw her tears he regretted his words. Did he go overboard? Azlaan was confused. But this lady's tears were having a weird effect on him. 

"Mama... No crying." Shanzey wiped off her mother's tears with her hands and Saba hugged her girl tightly as more tears rolled down her cheeks.

Strangely, Azlaan's heart couldn't stand the sight of the tears of this stranger any longer. His hands ached to wipe it off and his heart sank with every tear she shed.

What's wrong with me? He wondered with a frown.

"Let's go, Shanzey. Your nana jaani is waiting for us." Saba got up as she picked her daughter in her arms and then eyed him, her tears still didn't stop flowing. She felt weak and broken.