3

— Z A H I R —

°°°

When I got home, I tried to wake Ryan up but this kid punched me in the cheek. I close my eyes shut, gritting my teeth in annoyance. 

Only bad things are happening today. There is no peace at any moment. 

I huff and pick him in my arms before hanging his bag on my shoulder. His bag is too light. I wonder if he even keeps something in his bag. 

“Welcome, Sir.” The guard bowed down as he saw me. I nodded, not stopping to move further. I swear, I am going to throw this kid once I reach his room. 

With this decent thought in my head, I reach the hall and see my dad eating something in a box. My brows corrugated as I try to zoom in on the thing but as soon as my eyes fall on the object, he hurriedly hides it behind his back. 

So he knew I was there, no?

Putting Ryan on the couch carefully, I straighten, asking him, “What’s the thing you were eating, Dad?” 

Oh yeah, what does he think of my eyes? I saw it was something eatable and his mouth was stuffed with something that I am sure it is the only thing he was eating. 

“Bitter gourd pudding.” He shrugged his shoulders, shaking his head casually. 

My dad is always prepared with some explanations. 

“Is that really bitter gourd pudding?” I ask, closing the distance between us. He is sitting on another couch, which is in front of the huge couch on which Ryan is lying; sleeping. 

I swear I saw a yellow box and something white inside the box. Because of the spoon in his mouth, I could not focus on the thing which was resting in the box. But I trust my eyes. 

“Of course, son. If you’ve asked me to eat bitter gourd, then I will eat bitter gourd, will I not?” Wow, Dad. His eyes sparkled like a little kid showing his innocence but I still frowned. My dad does not obey me, instead, he makes me obey him. 

“So why do I smell the cream?” I stepped closer and leaned forward. I tried to reach his hand which was hiding the box behind his back. He shut his eyes for an unknown reason but before I could make him stretch his hand and show me the thing, Rayma chachi’s voice reached my ears, postponing my movements. 

I let go of that idea of investigating my scared-like-rabbit dad and paying attention to my chachi.

She comes to us with a small smile on her lips. I lean back, standing straight and hear my dad sighing. I was right he was eating something sweet or else he would not have reacted like that. This time chachi saved him or else… nothing.

I do not chastise my dad. Can’t. He is my dad, after all. But I worry about him so much. He has diabetes. I never jeopardize his health but this old man does not take me seriously. 

“Aww, thank you so much, Zahir!” She comes to me and gives me a small hug. 

“It’s okay, chachi. By the way, you were going to stay at your mother’s house today, what’s with that?” I asked instantly when I remembered what dad told me. Dad does not lie to me. 

“Yeah, but Gaurav came to handle the situation so I didn’t have to stay over there.” She shrugged her shoulders, adding, “Anyway, my kiddo needs me and Shivay wasn’t home so I had to arrive.” She then moved to walk towards Ryan. Gaurav is her elder brother. 

I followed her with my eyes and found Ryan sitting up on the couch and eating Kheer from the box which was resting in Dad’s lap. 

As expected!

And no doubt, both grandfather and grandson are the same. 

He was not eating bitter gourd pudding. And I was also surprised who would have started making bitter gourd pudding nowadays. What a joke, right? But now I realize my dad is the biggest drama king here. He even lied to me. Yeah, I take my words back. Sometimes I just praise him too much. 

I chose to ignore this. Let him eat it. Because this time he has waited for four months to eat something sweet. 

“Is everything alright there?” I ask her. 

“Yeah, don’t worry, Zahir. She just had a cough and now she’s perfect.” She sat on the couch and soon the servants arrived with three glasses of water. Ryan and Rayma Chachi took their glasses and when I pushed myself to hold the last one, my dad grabbed it. 

I sigh and was about to order another glass when he stretched his hand in front of me, which was holding the glass full of water. 

“Not so fast, son. I picked this glass to give to you.” You are entitled to applause, Dad.

Have you ever seen such a careful, concerned father for his son? My father is an antique piece! 

“Thanks, Dad, so kind of you…” I gritted out, holding the glass. 

“I know, son…” He passed me a smile which was imitating. 

Shaking my head at his childishness at this age, I sat on the couch and took some sips. Wow, this is the most desirable thing on such hot summer days. 

“So how was your day, Ryan?” Dad asked him. I am all ears but I do not wish to behold them by looking straight into their eyes. If I keep an eye on them, then both of them will also blend me in their talks and I do not want my issue to arise in the presence of Rayma Chachi, because we never know when she gives rise to the theme of my marriage in the middle, then my father will spoil my mind by putting the names of girls before me. He always carries a list in his head to annoy me. Or sometimes a few photos on his mobile. 

Unexpected, right? I called him an antique piece for a reason. 

“And buddy said that his path was cut by a cat.” 

I choked on my water but managed not to spill it on my thighs when I heard Ryan. Putting the glass aside, I looked at him. No, actually glared at him. He was smirking. 

This kid!

“Didn’t you use the main road, son?” Dad asked me, turning his attention towards me. And so did Rayma Chachi. I fear her gaze on me now. 

I nodded. “Yeah Dad, but I mean to say a girl caused the trouble—,” and their gasps made me stop as they uttered, “A girl!” 

Did you all notice how they said ‘a girl’? This is how my family treats me. I just used the word ‘girl’ and they are gasping as if I sinned by using the word. 

“Yeah… a girl…” I rolled my eyes, remembering that girl’s face. Her burning hazel eyes made me grit my teeth loudly. She was indeed a pain in the ass at that time. 

“What did she do?” asked Chachi. I sighed once again but I was determined that I would not use any kind of word that she would link with my marriage or anything related to that. 

“Argument.” Yes, a one-word answer was the best choice to escape her stupid imagination of my marriage. Her assumptions and predictions are disastrous. 

“Oh…” She nodded while speaking, and I saw my dad was hearing this all with extraordinary attention. He never did this even when I told him about our company or legal matters. 

I nodded nonetheless. 

“But why?” She questioned again. No doubt she is trying to link me with that wild cat. 

“I… I threw a juice can on the road.” Thank god I did not mention the girl in this sentence. 

“Saw, brother? I knew only he’d do such a thing! Otherwise, girls never try to argue first…” She complained as if I was a little kid. Where I just gaped at her. 

“Aren’t you my aunt?” I asked her in astonishment. 

“Yes, your aunt and that’s why I know you! You did a bad job, Zahir.” 

Excuse me? Am I a little kiddo who is being scolded by his family over a little issue? 

“Yes buddy, it’s a really bad habit!” The little kid also jumped next to his mother. He never leaves a chance.

“What? I didn’t do a crime, for god’s sake, you’re climbing over me for no reason!” I said. From the bottom of my heart, I wanted to show them everything that happened in the past. I wanted to show them how feisty the girl was!  

And then, all of them rolled their eyes. 

That’s cheating! I wanted to shout but instead of saying anything, I decided to run away before my aunt could bring up that stupid topic. She seems so close to it anyway.  

But before I could even get up, my dad uttered, “I’ve seen a girl for you.” 

My eyes widened and I put my ass back on the couch while swallowing. I was not ready for the bomb.  

“Who?” With a heavy heart, I asked him. 

“Sunaina.” He smiled. 

“Please, Dad?” I requested him. 

“Don’t worry son, you will have the most amazing wedding in the world!” He chirped and the kid next to him did the same. 

One moment he is with his mother and the other moment he is with my dad. 

“Not that, Dad! You know I don’t want to marry!” I told him clearly, annoyed by now. 

“What’s stopping you, son?” 

“You know, Dad!” 

And there he became silent. I looked away as I did not want to look him in the eye. It is the most difficult thing. I would not be able to reject his request, that is why. And then, my dad murmurs, “That’s not a reason, son. You’re just overthinking. Get out of it.” 

I shake my head and get up to leave. There is no use in making my dad understand. It is not like I think he would not understand but the thing is — he thinks my decision is useless and immature. 

Maybe he is right. Maybe whatever I think about marriage is really something immature because I am scared of what I have seen in the past, and I cannot help it. 

Instead of marrying someone, cannot I just live a simple life with no partner?