Muntazir | ✓

Chapter-3

"Haaye mera bacha..."
(Oh my baby...)

Everyone shook their heads hearing the loud cries, knowing well that it was just a matter of time before the cries will turn into giggles.

"Ariha chup ho jao!" Aidah groaned frustratingly, trying to read her novel peacefully.
(Ariha shut up)

"Kaise chup ho jaayein api, humara bacha humein chodh kar chala gaya, arey abhi to maine uska nikah karna tha, uske bache dekhne the.." She cried louder, holding onto her arm.

(How can I shut up? My baby left me, I didn't even get him married, I wanted to see his babies...)

"Maine kaha tha jungli bille ko na laane ko, sunta kon hai meri." Her mother shook her head.
(I told you not to bring the stray cat home, but no, no one listens to me!)

"Ammi!" Ariha's cries just intensified, feeling the loss of a child when she knew the cat for just a night.

She woke up to the absence of her kitten who she named 'mau' after Zaviyar threatened to take away all her books and her in fear that he'll see what kind of books she read, and changed the name.

"Yahan humari mau billi hume chodh kar chali gayi aur aap hume taane de rahi hain?" Ariha asked, her lip wobbling.
(Here my Mau left me and you're taunting me?)

"Mau billa." Her mother corrected her with an eye roll.

"Hum aapke liye dusra billa le aayenge bete, aap chup ho jaao." Ali, her father tried to calm her down.
(We'll bring another cat for you, you calm down)

"Dusra? Hum apne bete ko replace nahi karenge!" She looked at him in horror, ridiculed by his statement, How could he think like that?
(Another? How can I just replace my son?)

"Mai, Ali aur Azlan abhi dhoond kar laate hain meow ko." Azhar, her eldest taya abbu declared as he stood up.
(Me, Ali and Azlan will go find Meow right now!)

Exactly at that moment, Zaviyar decided to enter the hall with Mau sleeping in his arm, his head buried in his phone.

"Mera bacha!" Ariha jumped up from the floor, running towards Zaviyar as she snatched the kitten who was sleeping comfortably on his muscular arm, kissing his little face as she cuddle him to her chest. (My baby!)

Zaviyar looked at her in shock, her tears-stricken face worrying him.

"Aapne mere bille ko catnap kiya, hum mohalle ke billa committee me aapko sue kar denge!" She pointed a finger at his chest in a warning.
(You catnapped my cat! I'll sue you in the society's cat committee!)

"I didn't-"

"Chor chori ke baad yahi kehta hai! Dekh rahe hain Taya-abbu, inhone hi mera bacha churaya tha! Bichara Mau, kitna dar gaya hoga inka itna bada chehra dekh kar." She shook her head in worry, thinking about how the little Mau must've felt when he saw the giant Zaviyar.

(The thief says he didn't steal after stealing! Are you seeing this uncle? He stole my baby! Poor Mau, he must've gotten so scared seeing his huge face!)

"Ariha, bada hai wo tumse!" Aiza scolded from behind. (Ariha, he's elder to you!)

"I just took him to a vet," Zaviyar told Aiza, looking behind Ariha.

"Aapne to nikah se pehle hi humare bache ko apna lia!" Ariha whispered in awe. (You've accepted my baby even before marriage!)

"Ariha," Zaviyar warned.