Ziya

T E N

MARCO

12 YEARS AGO

"Coco! Stop, please!" Ziya giggled breathlessly as I tickled her.

"Well, someone ate my chocolate, and I needed my little spy to tell me who. If I stop tickling you, will you tell me who ate it?" I spoke over her little giggles. God, her giggles make my heart burst out of happiness and love.

"Ok! I PROMISE" She screeched out. Stopping, I removed my fingers from her stomach and sat her upright. Her little pigtails were wonky on her head and her cheeks bloomed an adorable pink. 

I looked at her seriously, waiting for her to confess. I mean, the evidence is there. I know who ate the chocolate. The little monkey was in the office with me and the chocolate smeared across her mouth was a pretty big indication.

"You're not gonna believe it Coco! It's so crazy! One minute I was guarding the chocolate like you said. Then Mr Tickles called me and I turned away from the chocolate and then it was gone! Poof. Gone! I think it was magic chocolate Coco. You should buy me one please." She looked so serious and exasperated like the chocolate had the audacity to disappear when she was "guarding" it. I really tried to hold in my laughter but the moment her brows furrowed like she had convinced me I burst out laughing. 

"S'not funny Coco." She stated as she crossed her arms angrily. She pouted but she looked even more adorable when her brown eyes grew wider and made her look so much more innocent.

"Of course it isn't mia piccola farfalle. How dare the chocolate! How did you manage to get chocolate on your face baby?" I asked her as I scooped her up in my arms.

"I dunno what you're talkin' 'bout Coco." She stated incredulously like I was crazy.

Shaking my head, I carried her to the bathroom to wash her face. She excitedly told me how she made a new friend at school today and how they were so amazing. 

"And then Coco, he called me pretty! He said I have the prettiest eyes ever! He said his Mama told him that if someone is pretty he should tell them and so he did! He's so funny Coco. Can he come over tomorrow to play with me? I told him I have a new teddy and he wants to see it!" She excitedly stumbled over her words. 

Hold on. He? A boy? Yeah, no this wasn't going to work.

"He? Mia piccola farfalle, boys are disgusting. You shouldn't talk to them at all. Never. Trust me." I said to her as I entered the living room with her in my arms. At this, everyone looked at us.

"But Coco, you're a boy. Does this mean I have to stop speaking to you and the other Bhais' and Baba?" [Brothers|URDU]

Mama looked like she was about to start laughing. She covered her mouth to contain her laughs. Dad looked like he had his heartbroken and so did my brothers. Lord. This was going to be fun to explain.

"No baby, we're your family. We're different. You have to talk to us or we will tickle you until you do. But at school, no boys. They stink." I scrunched my nose for emphasis as I cradled her little head in my hands and bumped her nose with mine. She let out a little giggle and wrapped her arms around my neck, hugging me close.

"I love you Coco, you're the best." She said with her head in my neck.

"HEY! What about us you little monkey?" The rest of the family said while trying to pry her out of my arms. She giggled and told everyone how much she loved them, hugging every single one of them.

I stared at her with a little smile on my face as I watched her interact animatedly with everyone and my heart felt full. She brings this naturally bright aura everywhere with her that make us all feel like soft hearted pricks, but for her, we would be soft hearted any day. 

She was the light of my life. She always has and always will be.

Mia piccola farfalle. My life and heart.

~"~

PRESENT

I'm sat on the floor with Ziya cradled in my arms as she cries her heart out. The sheer pain I can feel vibrating through her body is breaking my heart as the sobs heave out of her. My baby. She sounds like she's in so much pain and it's hurting me so much.

"It's okay, mia piccola farfalle. I'm right here. I won't let you go. We are here baby." I whispered in her ear as I stroked one hand through her hair. 

"Marco, what if you're wrong and I'm not your sister? What happens then?" She whispered brokenly to me, as if the mere thought physically pains her. It pains me too to hear her doubt.

"I'm not wrong baby. Trust me. I will get a DNA test to prove it to you. But we know it. Since the moment we saw you. We know it. Your birthmark confirms is baby. It's the other half of mine." I whispered back to her, my own tears streaming down my face. 

It was a while before her sobs died down and she shuffled her head out of my chest to meet the gazes of everyone else. She wiped her face with her sleeve and stood on shaky legs. As she approached Mama and Papa, they made space for her to sit between the both of them. She sat down and turned to Mama. She tentatively raised her shaky hands to Mama's face and cupped them in her hands. Mama let out a breath and tears poured out of her eyes as she relaxed in Ziya's hold.

She retracted her hands and turned to Papa to do the same. It took her few more minutes to work up the courage to touch Papa's face but when she did, he let out an audible breath and visibly relaxed in her hold. She then grabbed both of their hands and hugged it to her chest as if she was scared that they would disappear.

"Jaan, you don't have to tell us anything. Whenever you're ready, we're all here for you. You aren't alone my little rabbit." Mama said as she kissed Ziya's head repeatedly. When a sob broke out of Ziya's mouth, Mama and Papa both enveloped her in a hug. Encasing her in their warmth so she felt their love. Sniffles and small sobs were heard around the room and I didn't need to look at my brothers to know they were all silently crying too. [LOVE|URDU].

This is something we had been waiting for. Something that we prayed for. Now that it was finally happening, it didn't feel real. But it is, because our baby is home. She knows who we are to her.

Finally she's home. She's with us.