"Hello Noor."
Maria turned back with her voice finding her opening her arms widely with exitement asking her to pick her up, wanting to abandon her father who was gaping at her in shock.
"Baba leave.... Noor wants aliel."
Patting her father's cheeks with her little hands she asked him to let her go, breaking the trance of his shocked state.
"But..."
He was hesitant to hand over his daughter to Maria not wanting her to feel coerced to pick her up.
"Baba....plwease..."
Tears started forming inside little Noor's eyes fearing her father won't leave her.
"Give her to me."
Not getting his reply she herself strolled towards him taking Noor from his arms who giggled and jumped, happy to be in the arms of her new favourite person.
"My aliel...."
She smiled, poking Maria's cheeks with her small fingers melting everyone's heart with her cuteness.
"My Noor..."
She too smiled replying her to which she clapped hearing 'My Noor' and placed sloppy kisses on her cheeks in happiness, to which Maria giggled and rubbed her nose on her's, pecking her cheeks after that. Everyone was admiring the duo without noticing Murat who came down and saw everything.
Clearing his throat he got everyone's attention who were earlier busy admiring Maria and Noor.
"Bahut jaldi neeche nahi aa gaye aap. Abhi kuch aur rehta hai to wo bhi kar lein, humare paas abhi bahut time hai."
Smiling sarcastically she taunted Murat who rubbed his neck, and gave her a sheepish smile.
"Sorry dove. I overslept."
"Even when I personally woke you up. Great! I am impressed."
Scowling, she glared at him to which he could only look down feeling guilty. He was resembling a student who was getting scolded by his teacher for not doing his homework even after two days holidays.
Mustafa was clearly enjoying the look she was giving Murat but it didn't stopped him from scowling when he heard she herself woke him up but nonetheless kept quiet enjoying the whole scene.
"Hurry up everybody. We are already running late."
Aamina voice rang in their ears to which everyone nodded and sat on the dinning table for breakfast.
"Don't get too attached with her dove. It is bad for both of you. She is a small child and won't be able to take the pain of your separation when you go back."
Murat whispered softly as he was able to recognise how much admiration the little girl had for Maria. He knew they both were developing a very strong bond which was not good, knowing it's result was separation. Nothing else.
"I tried Murat but she is too lovely for me to ignore her. I can't break her heart."
Maria whispered knowing well how much she has started to like Noor or maybe love her. No matter how much she tried to stay away from her the little girl always managed to pull her towards herself with her innocence.
"Then try to, if not for yourself but for her cause in the end she will be hurt very badly. Baki tumhari marzi."
"I'll try."
Her heart pinched her when she said that and it hurt her even more when she found Noor looking at her with admiration in her big brown eyes. She was looking at her as if she was the centre of her world and the thought itself made her feel emotional. She felt loved when she saw it in Noor's eyes and it was the time when her heart felt warmth after so many years. She knew Noor's love for her was not corrupted, as it was innocent and the most beautiful form of love. And that was the best quality children had; innocence, which couldn't be traded for anything in the whole world. They loved with all their heart, without any form of adulteration in it.
TWENTY THREE
Start from the beginning
