Forgot to give the song credit to Naamkaran show makers. I was half asleep when I posted that part, literally. If any mistakes, please quote them.
Bonne lecture!

28/03/2020

~•~•~•~

Roshnaq was sorting her clothes out in the cupboard when the door got opened with a push, without a knock.

"You again went to meet that daughter of yours? Even when we forbade you not to?", Waseem shouted at her, while she looked at him confused. "She's ou... our daughter Waseem. I can't push her off my life like th..."

"She is no more my daughter, since the moment she disappointed our family getting married to an orphan, non-Muslim boy secretly on her own, when we were planning to get her marriage fixed. And she even had the guts to come here with him.", he roared.

"Waseem, please calm down! Your blood pressure level will increase high otherwise.", Samaira, who walked in behind him, told him holding his arm.

"Then what should I do? When both mother and daughter don't stop pushing me?", he replied angrily before looking at her.

"She was in love with him. She didn't see which religion, which background he belonged to and just fell for his pure heart, the care she wanted the most. I am happy she chose someone who makes her happy. And Aditya is a decent man who loves and takes care of our Zoya wholeheartedly.", she told back, pride for her daughter's choice clear in her voice.

"Even though he is a nice person... but appi, Zoya still did it without our consent, which is wrong. She was soon to get engaged to the son of a wealthy and respectful family. Running away, she broke our trust.", Samaira added. Not that she despised her sister or her only niece, but her deep love for Waseem was more concerned for him than her own sister.

"Please make your sister understand it, Samaira. The same man, now turned into a child she's babysitting, is not the one who was to save our family name. Neither him, nor your daughter who didn't hesitate to elope before thinking about us...", he said before being cut by the woman.

"And when did you even consider her your family? Huh? You always kept her away from you since her youngest age, just... just because she was not the son our family expected to have. Just because you wanted only a son, and that I was no more able to give birth to a child because of complications during my first pregnancy, I asked you to marry my own sister. But then, you left my daughter grow up alone, like an orphan even being surrounded of her own family. Is that what she deserved? For being born as a girl?"

Tears rolled down as she reminisced of her little Zoya standing behind the pillars, watching everyone celebrate her brother's birthday, and waiting for anyone to look for her. She tried to mingle with her cousins and half-brother but no one seemed interested into playing with her, being the only girl in the house. Naseera chachi would sweetly feed her a piece of cake secretly, but she would be tired of having to wait that everyone was done eating to be given the last piece. She wanted to be with others while sharing everything they did. But worst luck, she was never able to share the same table like others.

"She was given all the luxury, education, but she was never given the love, the care she believed to be primordial. And she had found all of it outside, in that same orphan, not-the-same-culture man like you said. The protectiveness of a father, the togetherness of a family, the happiness she had lost as a child, the friend she tried to find in her brothers, the love and care of a partner. He has lost his parents, but never did he show his pain on her and took care of her like one parent. Yes he has lost his memory, he doesn't remember her as his wife, but he found his own solace in her even in this state of his.", she wiped the tears that rolled down her cheeks.

"Let me just remind you one thing. I have let you stay here for Samaira and your parents' sake. Either you just stay in this house promising you'd never meet her, or you can just join your precious daughter and her husband and forget about us.", saying so, he stormed out of the room, Samaira following her husband without a word, while Roshnaq sighed heavily before sitting on the bed.

"You won't understand Waseem. I am not staying in this house as a daughter-in-law, because I might not even be one,", she chuckled and took a break, before looking back at the doorway. "I am here for my daughter's ties with her father should never get broken at any cost.", she turned her face and took out her daughter's picture from her drawer.

•••

Zoya was sitting on the bed looking at their small photo album, their happiest, sweet, fun memories stored in all those pictures. Something she could only watch at nowadays. She chuckled looking at their picture celebrating their one-year of togetherness, where they were seen posing for a selfie, their faces fully covered of cake as they smiled widely. She shook her head falling on the next one on which she was whining as he asked her to pose after showering her with flour. She blushed remembering how it ended being a romantic encounter as he helped her clean up, blowing here and there, his thumb rubbing her cheekbones, his warm breath brushing the nape of her neck as he pretended taking the flour off. Missing his precious touch.

She turned the page and fell on one of their wedding pictures, where Aditya was seen tying the sacred chain around her neck, as per his tradition. She remembered that exact moment when his finger brushed the red vermilion on her parting line, the red of his love claiming her as his, forever. Theirs was a quick function, completing the formalities, with a couple of friends witnessing the most beautiful day of their sorrowful life. She felt bad for not having her mother with her, but even he didn't have anyone for him. Just her to call and to be his. And she just convinced herself they would meet her once the formalities done.

"I don't know what good deed I have done to have you in my life Aditya. Sometimes, I feel like I don't deserve you.", she sadly smiled caressing his face as he was kissing on her cheek on another picture of the day.

"What happened? What made you so late?", she asked letting him get inside, his coat and cap all wet.

"Unexpected weather changes yaar, we couldn't board the plane on time, and we couldn't fly any faster as well. Sorry I couldn't inform you earlier.", he kissed on her cheek and dropped himself on the sofa, his head hanging at the back.

She helped him with his things before taking a seat next to him and dried his wet hair with her saree, while he just smiled enjoying her sweet care and immediately laid down on her laps. Realizing she stopped, he brought her hand back in his hair and made her continue. "Aren't you going to change and have dinner? You'll catch a cold."

"Just a little while, please? I know you won't let me get sick so easily.", she shook her head smiling and ruffled his hair the way he loved, while he held her free hand close to his heart. He swifted his position facing her and smiled wider at his precious queen, before kissing on her knuckles.

"There is no minute gone flying without missing this beautiful face of yours.", she looked elsewhere shy as he rubbed his finger on her cheek. "How so ethereal?"

"Stop it na. I am feeling hungry now and I have been waiting for you. Shall we?", she tried to make him sit up but he wasn't budging. "What?", she asked as he kept staring at her.

"I love you so much, Zoya. No matter what happens, we will never get separated from each other. We don't need anyone else, we are enough for each other.", he confessed not moving his eyes from her. He could see her puffy ones as she had been crying in silence since yesterday night, after their visit at the gynecologist. Months that they had been trying to have a kid, and as they were about to fulfill the dream, they came back home with a false alarm.

"I am your baby, you are mine. Bas! Aur kuch nahin chahiye.", he held both her hands and kissed her hands as she released a tear before kissing on his forehead. (That's all! Nothing else is needed)

"Zo, look what I have got for you.", hearing his voice coming upstairs, breaking her thoughts, she quickly hid the album in the drawer and walked to the bathroom to wash her face.

"Zo, this is for you.", he stretched forward a beautiful red rose and she held it in her hand, smiling at him. "Thank you so much.", he giggled shyly.

She walked to add the new rose in her vase by the balcony when he talked. "Zo... I am hungry. Kuch khila do na.", he pouted and shaking her head, she patted his cheek. (feed me something please)

"Okay! I will go and prepare it. You stay here like a good boy, or in the living room. Play with your toys but don't go anywhere. Okay?"

As he nodded obediently, she ruffled his hair and walked away leaving him alone. He sat on the bed with his toys but soon he got bored and dropped his stuff pouting. "I am bored, what to do?", he was about to look for something else when he noticed the drawer open, an unseen book in it drawing his attention. "Ayyy, what is this?"

•••

"Aditya... Aditya dinner is ready.", Zoya voiced out as she prepared the dining table. She waited for a response but no reply came back to her even after five minutes. "Yeh Aditya bhi na..."

She climbed up the stairs and knocked on the room door. "Aditya, dinner is ready. Come fast!"

Not hearing anything again, she got worried and opened the door to notice no trace of his in the room. She walked towards the bathroom. "Aditya are you in the bathroom?", yet nothing.

She suddenly heard some noise coming from the bedroom and intrigued, she walked out and looked around the room. The voice was clearer as she neared the balcony and opening the glass door, she saw Aditya sitting on the floor, hugging his legs and whimpering holding the back of his head, while hiding his face between his legs.

She kneeled down next to him, "Aditya, what happened?", and as she was about to touch his head, he pushed her away. Confused of his sudden anger, she sat straight and neared him again. Her hand freaking, she slowly brought it to his shoulder, "A... Aditya... what..."

She couldn't finish her sentence when he suddenly fell on the floor making a ball of himself, and the hidden thing dropped off his grip.

The photo album.

Realizing he might have seen the pictures, she gasped loud and fell back on her bum in worry.

"No... no it shouldn't... it shouldn't have happened like this... he shouldn't have known like this... what did I do, ya allah!", she continuously mumbled shaking her head. She stood still seeing the man crashing his plush toy against his chest, still on the floor.

"No... Zo... Adi... friends... no...", he talked non-sensically and sitting again, he faced the wall behind him and was about to hit his hand against the wall when she came back to consciousness and tried to stop him. She gasped at the little injury he made on his palms and let a tear fall before rushing inside to bring the first-aid box.

"Aditya... yeh... what did you do?", she was looking at his wound and tried to clean it but he pushed her hand away. "You... you are a liar..."

"N-no... no I... I am not Aditya...", she replied but was cut fast. "You said... you said... you were my friend... but you also leave me... like m... you lied...", he whimpered.

"No Aditya... I am your friend... look at me...", she cupped his cheeks making him face her. "Look at me Aditya... I will always be your friend... I am not going anywhere... stop thinking I will leave you...", he was made to stare into her eyes, tears rolling down his cheeks. "I am your Zo... your one, and only... forever..."

Before he could ask her anything, she pulled him into a tight hug, rocking him in her warm embrace. She wanted to tell him she belonged to him, and not just as his best friend. He was her everything, by all means. A friend, a life partner, a lover, a father, a mother, a child. Yet, she had no answer for his question at the moment. She didn't want to lie to him, and the truth could unfortunately worsen his physical state. And no risk she was going to take with him. She just needed to avoid the topic for the moment. But for how long?

As he seemed to have calmed down, his breathing to a normal pace as his arms were tight around her to feel safe, she slowly took his wounded hand and cleaned it, caressing his head. "You... you said you were hungry right? Shall we, or food will get cold."

Somehow she convinced him and washing their face, they walked downstairs and had dinner, not before she locked the album in her private drawer.

•••

"Ya Allah! Zoya, what happened? How could you have been this careless beta?"

As she finally lulled him to sleep, she stepped down the stairs to the living room and called her mother, not ready to get caught again. Listening to the incident, Roshnaq felt hurt imagining her kids struggling for some peaceful life.

Sitting on the sofa while holding the cushion close to her heart, she looked blankly at the ceiling, "Seeing those pictures of ours... trying to remember the past... he might have had a panic attack... that could have worsened his health, like the doctor said... and I would have proved to be the most careless wife, hai na ammi?"

"Zoya, what are you...", she was cut in between her words.

"You know ammi? People who struggle with post-traumatic amnesia, whenever they face some past memories, they can feel extreme pain in their head... and they get distressed, anxious... and might never remember of anything... everything is just my fault... if only I wouldn't have been an idiot that night...", she stammered. "I can't risk anything with him... no... I cannot live witho..."

"Zoya, please shant ho jaiye. Don't talk like that. You will have to be strong. If you wouldn't be, then who would take care of him? He needs your patience, your care and most of all your love. Let the time give an answer to his questions. Allah never lets go off His children alone.", she said in a reassurating tone, convincing her. (calm down)

"Thank you ammi, for always being there to handle me in my hard times. I don't know what I would have become without you by my side.", she smiled listening to her mother.

Roshnaq chuckled, "Pagal ladki, since when do you thank your ammi, huh?" (mad girl)

"A simple 'thank you' is not enough to show my gratitude towards whatever you have done, suffered, sacrificed for me since you have had me in you, ammi. And today that I am almost being one, I just realized how bad I would have made your life be with my silly tantrums.", she chuckled before feeling her throat aching with tears.

"Hey! Those are not tantrums for mothers. Because along with blessing a mother with kids, Allah gives us the duty and strength to take care of you. I cannot leave you struggle alone. You made me a mother years ago. I don't know what I would be without you in my life. Aap hamari jaan ho beta.", she said, wiping the lone tear. (you are my soul child)

He would have felt alone without his mother all these years, wouldn't he, she thought.

•••

"Aditya, will you marry me?", as Zoya called him urgently to their usual meeting point, he rushed to the park unaware of the surprise she planned for him.

"What? What are you saying Zoya? I mean ho...", he asked shocked at her question. "Haan, ya na?"

"But what happened? First tell me that meri jaan, we can try to find a solution...", he cupped her cheek and asked but she didn't seem to calm.

"They plan to marry me to an unknown rich man, tomorrow they are coming to meet me, and next week would be our engagement. And I am not ready to marry anyone else than you because I love you and I can't live without you. That's what is happening.", she said without a break, leaving him astonished. "Why are you silent now?"

"Zoya... I don't know what to say... I can understand your worry... but it's wrong...", he was cut in between as he was trying to convince. "Then marrying someone else when I sincerely love you is also wrong."

She held his hands as she stepped closer to him, "I love you, truly, deeply, wholeheartedly. And I can't imagine myself saying 'Qubool Hai!' to someone else during my nikkah, Aditya."

"And what if they don't accept us in your family? I mean... you are beautiful, their only daughter, a wealthy background, a huge family. You have everything, whereas I have nothing to give you... except my love. And have you thought about ammi once?", he cupped her face and said disappointed.

She put her hands on his and lovingly stared at him, "And I need your love only. Not any meaningless fortune, uncaring relatives. Just you, and your love. Something I have required for since my youngest age. And about ammi, she already knows about us... and she gave her consent.", she said as a tear fell down of her eye.

He couldn't see the tear on her face and wiped it immediately. "You know I hate you crying, it weakens me every time."

"Then hug and kiss me, and promise me you will never leave me. I will stop crying.", she said pouting like a kid, making him chuckle."But baby, there are so many people around here.", he said.

"Fine, then I will kiss that prospective groom.", she was about to go away when he pulled her back to his chest. He held her waist tightly and, pulling her upper, sealed her lips with his in a gentle kiss before hugging her tightly. "I will never let you go away from me."

"Promise?", he chuckled pinching her nose as she looked up cutely. "Promise, my Lady."

"It has been so long we have even come out like this. Since I was busy in our latest project, I couldn't even spend time with you. Sorry baby! Finally it's just about you, and me.", it was night time, and the young couple enjoyed their solitude going on a walk, hand in hand, talking about anything and everything.

He then held their entwined hands over her shoulder, bringing her closer to his warmth while walking. "Why are you saying sorry jaan? I know how busy you are, even I go out of Mussoorie for days. Each of us has our own duties, along with being each other's partner. So... no sorry. Okay?", he pinched his nose and cutely shook her head side to side.

"Oww! Kya baby? Why do you love my nose so much? Why don't you give more importance to something else?", she cutely frowned rubbing her nose.

"Well... it's not a good place to get more intimate, otherwise...", he teasingly looked at her lips leaning into her before she pushed him playfully. "Besharam kahin ka!", they chuckled and continued their walk. (shameless)

"Aditya, ice cream.", she stopped seeing the stall moving a few feet away and turned to look at Aditya, jumping on her legs. "I want ice cream! I want ice cream! Please please!"

"Okay fine, I will get you ice cream. Such a baby you are.", he patted his cheek. "Only yours."

"You wait here, I will get them.", and he went to get the ice creams while she sat on the bench. He paid and walked to her holding them in his hands.

He handed her one smiling, "Here is yours... and this is for...", he sat and was about to taste his when she caught it in her hand fast. "And this... is also mine.", she said giggling before running away from there.

He started chasing her as she didn't stop. "Zoya... Zoya stop, that's not fair baby. That's my ice cream. One is enough for you."

"If you can, then try to catch me and take it back.", she looked back and tucked her tongue out teasingly.

He smiled at her before his face fell down looking over her shoulder. "Zoya, watch out there.", she turned her face and seeing the car rushing towards her, she stopped her feet numb. She suddenly felt someone pushing her aside before hearing tyres braking in a rush, and then a loud thing bumping against the bonnet. She immediately looked back towards the sound and noticed the car standing, before trailing her eyes towards the left. Some red liquid drawn in a line until she noticed him on the floor. Feeling utter pain in his head, he held it carefully hissing, his loudly screamed name being a mere whisper as he soon fell into unconsciousness.

"Harsh, please don't go. I can't live without you. Please... don't leave us.", a woman held the man's arm trying to stop him from stepping out.

"I am sorry Anjana, I just cannot stay any minute more here. I don't love you anymore. Better we separate.", the man tried to move out of her grip but in vain.

"No! I won't let you go like this. What about all the promises we made? What about all those years of happiness?", she tightened her grip standing closer but he jerked her off him.

"Don't you understand? I don't love you but someone else. I want to spend my life with her. Not you, nor your son.", with a stronger jerk, she fell down and he walked out with his luggage leaving her crying all her pain out. "HARSH!!"

The innocent boy stayed there looking at the sight, unable to do anything for his mother. Innocent he was, he just knew his mother was crying because her husband was walking out. Just like the way he would cry when his father would go away on work-related trips. The difference being, he was not really coming back this time. He didn't know about the impact of a couple getting into the separation phase, about betrayal, about having a second life, innocent he was. But true he hated seeing his mother in tears. He then teared up at the immobile corpse of his mother hanging on the ceiling fan in the middle of the room. Not even willing to look at her young son wondering for his mother.

Suddenly, he felt a hand on his cheeks, wiping the tears, carefully so that he didn't feel pain with its featherlight touch. He turned his face back and saw a young and beautiful woman, a lot more than his age. Her long brown and golden curls flying in the air. An angelic smile that made sure everything was to be fine, and that she was there, with him. An angel. His angel.

"Don't worry, I am here. I will always be there for you. It's a promise.", she caressed his hair and unknowingly a smile grew on his lips.

He woke up with a jerk, sweat all over his face, breathing abnormally fast as he was sitting on the bed, trying to come back on his senses. He held his head and bent it down, eyes closed as he couldn't bare the pain.

His breathing slowly dropped back to normal and he carefully lifted his head up to look around him. He was sitting in a bedroom... a familiar one.... with blank walls without any photographs hanging. He though had a strange memory of seeing it filled with lots of pictures. Looking at the emptiness confused him and stayed still thinking, hissing time to time when his head hit harder.

"Aditya! Aditya, please wake up! C—can you hear me? It's me, your Zoya..."

"Nothing... nothing will happen to you... I won't let you go... you can't leave me... you promised..."

He closed his eyes as the voice echoed in his head.

"Don't worry, I am here. I will always be there for you. It's a promise."

"Promise me, you will never leave me... Promise, my Lady!"

"Zo, look what I have drawn for you... Arey wah Aditya, it's a beautiful drawing that we have."

"Aaj se tumhara naam Mrs Zoya Aditya Hooda... Aditya's Zoya, hamesha and forever."

"Sorry Zo, I won't hurt you again... please talk to me..."

"Aditya, I will never leave you... please stop thinking I will leave you... I am your Zo..."

"Ek main, ek tum, aur ban gaye hum."

The various pictures rolling in his mind, he screamed hurt. He suddenly opened his eyes and slowly remembered all the events starting from his childhood, life struggles, Zoya, their love story, their marriage, their memories, happy to sad, fun to unforgettable, till the night of the incident and the months that followed it. Everything was getting clearer in his mind, and remembering having spent those last four months of his life as an innocent, immature little boy, not even knowing his identity, his true relationship with his Zoya... how much she must have suffered because of him, he wondered worriedly.

"I... I am sorry Zoya... I failed to be the protective partner, and made you... a caretaker of mine for months now. All you must have sacrificed, lost because of me. Your happiness, your peace, your life...", he cried and dropped his head on his bent knees, biting his knuckles angry on himself.

•••

He quietly descended down the stairs and looked for her around the floor. Upon seeing him, one of the maids smiled knowing what he needed.

"Aditya baba, Zoya didi garden mein hai.", and she walked to the kitchen as he nodded her grateful. (Aditya, Zoya is in the garden)

He walked out to the vast green area where she was watering the plants, her phone stuck between her right ear and shoulder.

"Ammi, seriously why don't you come and settle with us? Kitna mazaa hoga! Even he would be happy to have you home.", she chuckled. "Moreover, this current project is giving me headache. I need to conclude the reports before tonight, and I just get enough time to take care of Aditya.", she said unaware how guilty it made him feel. He had always been the supportive husband letting her free to build her career, yet today he had been the one coming across her own path. (it will be fun)

Feeling the presence of someone behind her, she turned back and smiled surprised. "Arey, you are already awake? Am I dreaming?"

She turned the hose and dropped it on the floor before walking to him. "Want to talk to ammi? Today is her birthday.", she said lowly hiding the mic behind her hands. He nodded his head and she forwarded the device. "You talk to her, I will prepare breakfast for the both of us. Wait a minute... did you brush your teeth?"

"Yes, I did.", she smiled and patting his cheek, she walked inside the house, leaving him alone in thoughts, until the sudden voice through the receiver broke his trance.

"Hello, Adi beta? How are you doing?", she asked him sweetly. He missed her motherly care, though he had unknowingly spent time with her. Just the thought made him sigh loudly. "Aditya, beta kya hua aapko? Are you feeling okay?" (what happened to you?)

"Yes... yes ammi, I am okay... I just...", he stammered and she noticed a change in his talks. "Hmmm wishing you a many more happy returns of the day ammi... I am sorry I forgot... like so many things lately...", he ended in a lower voice, but nothing escaped a mother's heart. And she knew who she was speaking to.

She wanted to believe at sudden miracles, "Aditya... are you..."

He sadly smiled as she hesitated, "I am back ammi, aapke Adi waapas aa gaya.", she gasped, letting a lone tear roll down her cheek. (your Aditya has come back)

"Adi... my kid... you... you're fine... you...", she said emotionally and chuckled in happiness. "Allah ki laakh laakh shukar, hamara baccha theek ho gaya..." (thanks to Allah, my child is fine now)

"If not for your daughter's care, I wouldn't even be.", he said thankful.

She smiled, "It's your love for each other that kept you both safe and strong even through all these struggles. She will be the happiest to know about you."

"I... I am scared ammi...", he confessed to his mother-like-figure and got a sigh as a reply. "She has been awaiting for this day since long Aditya. Just trust what your heart says, and go talk to her. She will hear you.", saying so she hung the call and he looked the doorway she went inside, her words playing in his head.

He looked at her cooking with a smile, softly humming a song like she was used to doing.

Knowing he was just there behind, "Talked to ammi? Was she happy hearing your wishes?", and he simply hummed smiling back at her before she turned back to her work.

He encouraged himself with Roshnaq's words and neared her closer to hug from behind. With a sigh of satisfaction, he tightened his grip around her waist and hid his face in the crook of her neck, shocking Zoya with his gesture.

Months that he had even embraced her this way. Her kid loved hugging her undoubtedly, but nothing had any romantic intention. It would be innocent, pure, and soft. And today, the way he held her frame, it just reminded her of...

Ya Allah! Aditya...

She turned back in a go and looked at him intently, frown showing her curiosity and he just stared at her, scared of any negative reaction of hers.

"Aditya... wh—", she stopped seeing a tear rolling down his cheek, making her eyes widen. "I missed you so much, ghalib."

She dropped the spoon she had been holding in her hand and just stood still, staring at him without blinking, until tears flowed down her cheeks. He was back.

~•~•~•~

End of Precious Little One — Part 2

Share your views in the comment section, and if you like it, then color the little star in orange.

© a shrucreationsx' pen work

~•~•~•~

Aditya gained his memory back, but is it going to be the same like before, the way he fears?

Aditya and Zoya has faced so many struggles in their respective lives, but they have become each other's pain-healer. As they say, there are better days ahead. Yet, what do you think could happen hereafter?

Sorry, long and boring part, but I wanted to end this memory-loss track here only, and a lot had to be cleared. I swear I struggle to cut some of the scenes, and it hurts to erase what you've written.

Anyways I don't know if I could write one more and last part, or let this be a cliffhanger forever. Depends on the views for this one, my inspiration level and your expectations. And if yes, I will try to bring some happy stuff too. Not going to let you mourn about the sad storyline. 🥴

No more update until next weekend darlings, I have my exams even during lockdown. So I won't be able to write much.

Most importantly! Be safe sweethearts. Take care of yourself and your loved ones. Please don't move outside if not any primordial need. Seeing the numbers increasing so fast here just breaks us, but this is not the time to lose hope. Let's pray for a miracle to happen soon.

Until next time,

With love,

Shruthy. ♥️