No Choice || H.S.

Chapter 116

Harry's P.O.V

When we turned around, we saw Rubina, now thirteen years old, running towards us and was followed by Afreen and Ehsaan.

Without noticing us, Rubina ran into the area and soon joined Tahira while Afreen slowly followed Rubina but Ehsaan came and stood beside me.

"Hi." He said and smiled brightly when Ameera looked at him.

"Hey, Ehsaan. How've you been?" I asked him.

"I've been great. Loving the concerts, by the way." He said and we laughed.

"What are you doing here anyway?" I asked and he chuckled.

"Two things. First, we always celebrate Eid here. Second, well, she's in your arms right now." He said and I laughed slightly.

"And may I add refusing to go anywhere else." Liam said and Ehsaan chuckled.

"Yeah well, she's taken a liking to the goats too." He said and I looked at her.

"I think we've discovered that too." I said when Ameera extended her arm as a goat looked towards us.

"Why don't you go in? It's not that scary." He said but I shook my head.

"I'm fine." I said and suddenly one of the goats rammed into another. Much to my fright, Tahira walked over to it. Before I could stop her, she pushed the goat that was hit away from her and then took the cloth that was loosely wrapped around the others neck and pulled. And from the way she was speaking, it was like she was scolding the goat as she pulled it back into the garage.

She stopped short when she noticed us gaping at her after she came back out of the garage, leaving that goat in. A blush came on her cheeks while Ehsaan chuckled beside me.

"And that was the hot headed one of the lot. We've learned how to take charge of them through the years." Ehsaan said but I was just gaping at my wife.

"And the calmest one?" Niall asked after a few seconds and Ehsaan pointed towards the one Tahira had Ameera petting before.

"But this is a piece of cake for us. As kids though, the rams created the biggest problems." Ehsaan commented and we all looked at him with wide eyes.

"Rams!?" I asked and his eyes widened.

"Not what you're thinking! They used to be kept separately and we were always told not to go near them. If they fought, it would have to be stopped by an adult. But we stopped buying them long back. We usually only got one or two of them." Ehsaan said and I sighed in relief.

"Well, that's good." Louis said and Ehsaan looked at the tall goat.

"But Harry, you might want to let Ameera play with that goat. If I'm not wrong, it's going to be sacrificed first tomorrow." Ehsaan said but them Tahira walked over to us.

"No, he's not. I'm asking papa to save him for the last day." She said.

"Wait, Omar's going to sacrifice them?" Liam asked and Tahira nodded.

"The men in the family do it. Like I told you before, we select a goat for ourselves and if it's my goat then papa has to sacrifice it and if it's Ehsaan's, his father will do it." (That's what we did in my family) Tahira said and that's when the boys looked at me while I looked at Tahira.

"Does that mean I'll have to do it for Ameera's goat?" I asked but Tahira stayed silent for a while.

"I think... But if you feel uncomfortable, I can ask papa to do it too." She said and I sighed in relief.

We stayed outside for a few good hours. And because Ameera had started crying when I refused to let her near the goats, just for her, I swallowed my fright and got in with the boys.

Tahira got the tall goat walking with a small, gentle tug and he started walking forward towards us, being guided by her. Ameera stopped crying once the goat was right in front of us and even though I was scared right down to my shaking knees, I stayed where I was for her sake but made Tahira stand beside us the whole time.

Ameera had placed her hand against his neck but when she started patting the neck with all her might, Tahira immediately stopped her.

"No hitting them, Ameera. Ehsaan, pass me some chanas." Tahira said and Ehsaan dug into a sack that was lying there, getting a handful of chickpeas and handed them to Tahira.

Tahira took Ameera's hand in hers and put a few chickpeas in her small hand and held it out towards the goats mouth. Before I could protest to that, the goat ate them out of Ameera's hand and she let out a small childish squeal, but it was with a large smile on her face.

"You really think I'd let them harm her?" Tahira asked me with a raised eyebrow and I flushed. She shook her head at me and took Ameera from my arms. After giving me a look, she took Ameera away and pulled the goat away too.

"I think you just disappointed her, mate." Liam commented but I shook my head.

"No. She's just messing with me." I said and gave Tahira a 'I know what you're doing' look when she turned around and she flushed slightly.

"You three didn't even come visit us inside." I heard Omar call and he came towards us but stood outside. Ehsaan, Afreen and Rubina flushed slightly.

"Assalamu 'alaikum, Omar khalu." (Khalu is uncle, but your mothers sisters husband) They all said together and Omar chuckled.

"Walaikum' assalam. Are you still planning to stay out the whole day?" He asked and this time even Tahira blushed with the other three. Another man stepped up beside Omar and I realised it was Tahira's uncle and the other threes father.

"Assalamu 'alaikum, khalu." Tahira said and walked over to him.

"Walaikum' assalam, beta." He said and ruffled Ameera's hair. "Aur aap kaisi hai?" (And how are you?)

That's when Omar's eyes landed on us and he chuckled. "They got you in too?" He asked and we laughed slightly.

"Well, it was only your daughter, Omar. And her daughter as well." Louis said and he smiled slightly.

"Yes. It's hard not to join her in the fun." He said and I smiled.

"But what are you two doing here all of a sudden?" Ehsaan asked and his dad gave him a look.

"Selecting the goats for tomorrow." He replied and Tahira looked at Omar.

"Papa, Ameera ko- Ameera really likes Huzoor's* goat. Can we save him for the last day?" Tahira asked, switching from her language to English mid-sentence while both the men looked at Ameera who in return was looking at them.

She reached out and took Omar's beard in her hands making him chuckle and he picked Ameera up from Tahira's arms "Whatever this little one wants." He said and Ameera looked up at him after giving his beard a tug but he didn't stop her either when she did it again.

"Uh, you might want to wash your beard later, Omar."

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Huzoor* :- An Urdu word for people who are given a high level of respect. In this case, it's for the Prophet.

AN: guys there is a plot coming soon so please don't go anywhere! But OMG! Happy birthday Louis! Comment, Vote and Follow :)