The Wrong Wedding

Encore

"Zai—! Did you see??" Rayyan called out ecstatically, throwing Zaira a glance over his shoulders; who was busy preparing food for their guests.

Immediately a delighted grin erupted on Zaira's face, as she turned to watch the hopeless father-daughter duo, who were playing on the play-mat on the floor.

Zeynep was rightfully named so by Nanna. Because just like her name's meaning, she really was her 'dad's precious gem'. And in case, they had a boy, they would have named him Mehmet/Muhammed, in accordance with Gramps wishes.

Zeynep was everything they had hoped and dreamed of. A beautiful little Princess, who had brightened up their beautiful lives even more, just by becoming a part of it.

However, what neither saw coming was that Zeynep was anything but Zaira. She was all Rayyan—from looks to temperament and habits—everything. She had his green eyes, chestnut hair and the same quiet demeanour. Most of all, she hated chocolate or anything remotely sweet. Rayyan suspected that it was all thanks to the tons of chocolates Zaira had consumed during her pregnancy, that Zeynep even hated the mere thought of it.

"What did I miss?" Zaira inquired curiously with a beaming smile; bending down on her knees to watch Zeynep copy Rayyan's actions of clapping hands, through her little pudgy hands.

"See—?! She is so smart, my little Princess!" He cooed cheerfully while picking Zeynep in his arms and throwing her up in the air playfully, who was crackling with merry at the feat.

With remnants of smile and a shake of head, Zaira got up, after placing a small kiss on Rayyan's cheek, to finish setting up the table. She could still overhear Rayyan telling Zeynep about what a remarkable little lady she were and Zeynep, as if understanding everything he was saying, agreed with him enthusiastically in her incoherent baby language.

"Do you need any help, sweetheart?" He came up behind her some time later, who was just about to come sit down with them.

"Nopes—all done." She said with a smile and turned around from the counter to watch his eyes flicker from Zeynep behind them to Zaira, who was watching him intently, with a gleam in her eyes and an adoring smile.

"What?" He asked with a curious chuckle while closing the distance between them and encaging her in his embrace; his both hands resting on her either sides on the counter.

"You can't take your eyes off of her, for even a single moment—" She answered with a hint of amusement behind that big happy smile adorning her soft features. At her response, he stifled an embarrassed smile, before releasing his grip on the counter.

Wrapping his both hands on the back of her waist he pulled her against his chest, while her arms came up around his neck, lovingly.

"Can't help myself—She is just like her Mother. The two of you only need me to blink, for getting into some new kind of trouble—" He returned in a small voice laced with love, before brushing a lingering kiss on her lips.

When he pulled back a long moment later, her face was flushed and breathing uneven, as she peered at him through glazed eyes; unconsciously, biting down on her lips.

Gulping down his desires, Rayyan took hold of her chin and tugged it towards himself gently.

"How is it that even after 2 years, everytime I touch you, it feels like the first time—Zai, have I told you how much I love you and how grateful you make me feel every single day? I don't know how to help myself around you. There's isn't a way for me to ever get enough of you, My sweet Zai—" He murmured breathlessly against her lips and before she could come up with a reply he had once again captured her lips in a ravishing kiss.

However, the moment couldn't last long, when the sound of door bell pulled them out of their beautiful trance.

Soon, the house was filled with joyful chatter when Yasmeen came in with her now 5 year old son, Aslan. Like Zeynep, he too was named by Grandma but unlike Rayyan's father, his sister had married her Turkish cousin, from their mother's side. This was followed by Yasmeen who too, married her paternal cousin. But the marriage had ended in tears, shortly after Aslan was born.

While the adults chattered amongst themselves, Aslan turned to his 7 months old cousin in his mother's lap who was at that moment the centre of everyone's attention.

At a tender of age 5, he had automatically begun to hate the sight of that little devil—

'Zeynep—The devil.' He had thought, the first time he laid eyes on her and even today Aslan was here only because his mother wasn't having any of his tantrums.

'She looks stupid.' He thought while watching her grinning at him like an idiot; holding out a block to him and squealing happily. The adults had made them sit together to play and get along.

Sneaking a glance at the adults who seemed busy in their own chatter, he shot her a glare before poking a finger to the centre of her forehead and pressing it against her, until she lost her balance and fell back.

'Keh—She is like play dough—' He snickered at the thought while watching her sprawled figure on the mat with hands raised up on her either sides in defeat.

For a few moments when she didn't stir, Aslan thought she would start crying but then suddenly, she started shuffling and turning in attempts to sit back up, without much avail. And just when she had begun to grunt and wail, he carefully pulled her back up to sit straight.

Aslan could only watch Zeynep in a daze for a long moment, who was staring back at him with her big green innocent orbs.

And that's when he got an idea to go for it again. However, this time before he could go any further, Zeynep caught his finger in her pudgy and firm hold and took it into her mouth to bite down on it sharply.

Immediately a sharp shriek broke through the house and in no time Rayyan rushed to hold Zeynep in his safe embrace.

"She—she bit me—!!" He cried out in his mother's arms while holding out his dainty little guilty finger out for everyone to see, which had a clear imprint of Zeynep's tooth.

"Aslan she's just a baby—She doesn't even have teeth yet—" Yasmeen tried to reason with him by squatting down next to him, but his eyes were already pooling with angry tears while watching the assailant, who was now happily squealing in her Dad's arms.

"She does! I am telling you—" He tried to say but was once again interrupted by Yasmeen's rebuke, who was now taking him to the washroom to clean up.

"She does—only half a tooth, though—" Zaira said in a small voice while watching their retreating back, before her gaze wandered to her oblivious and hopelessly doting husband, alongside her little devil of a daughter in his arms.

"Rayyan, I am telling you—Zeynep has your mean streak." She added with a shake of head while watching her play happily in Rayyan's arms—her recent onslaught, long forgotten.

However, Rayyan was quick to dismiss her worries with a chuckle. He pressed a reassuring kiss to her temple before returning with an endearing smile.

"Zai, sweetheart. She is just an innocent baby. And even if she did have my mean-streak, it would indicate that Aslan did something to her first and hence, he deserved it. Or else, my little princess is so nice and docile. She won't hurt a fly—Isn't that right, Zeynep?" He cooed adorably while placing a big sloppy kiss on her cheeks.

As if agreeing with her favourite parent, Zeynep squealed happily; jumping up and down in Rayyan's arms, who had now begun to make way towards her highchair.

Zaira could only watch this with a feeling of impending doom.

'Won't doesnot mean, she can't—Maybe this is what it means to have a mother's instinct—' She thought, but didn't say it outloud and after dismissing her thoughts with a prayer and a shake of head, she followed them to the kitchen.