Once Upon A Lifetime

Chapter Forty-five ~ For everyone else

Taalia's POV~

When I got home later on that week, there had been a huge party for my return at my house. Everyone was there: Misha, Saqib, Aasim, Daiyan, their families, my sisters and their husbands and kids, and everyone else's siblings and their spouses and kids. The house was covered in balloons and streamers and there was a big handmade banner that read, 'WELCOME HOME TAALIA' with little hand prints in paint all over it, which I guessed was from the kids. They had set up a buffet table full of goodies such as cookies, cakes, cupcakes, and popcorn! The kids were all running around, chasing after one another with their party blow horns and the streamers that had fallen off the wall (or they had pulled off!). My sisters all hugged me and everyone welcomed me back. Everything felt complete... except for one thing.

"Misha?" I called her. "Did Aleena come?"

"No. We did everything we could to contact her; call, text, voice mail, email, fax, we even sent her a letter! But we got nothing from her or her parents in return." Misha explained, frowning.

"Do... do you think they'd let her come down if we do manage to hear from them?" I asked and she shrugged.

"I don't know... judging with how things are going, I don't think so."

"Taali! Misha! It's time to eat!" Raza called us. Misha took hold of my wheelchair and pushed me to the big dining room. We were having a barbecue, and while on most days we would all be eating outside, the November weather was preventing us from doing so. So my Baba and the other uncles did the barbecuing out on the backyard patio while my mom brought in the food for everyone inside.

"Taali Aunty!!" I heard a familiar little voice cry and I turned my head to see Aasim walking towards me with Dawoud in his arms. Once they were in front of me, Dawoud scrambled down from Aasim and climbed onto my lap, ignoring Aasim's protests.

"Asalamu Alaikum, habibi!" I smiled down at the child.

"Wakum shalam!" He grinned. I looked up at Aasim and was about to greet him as well but he had turned away and was talking to Saqib. I noticed that he was wearing his black jacket, the one that I had given him for Eid last year. I hadn't seen him wear that in a long time since it was a bit big for him at the time so I was quite surprised. He looked good in it. It fit him perfectly now and you could tell that his arm muscles had developed and were bigger now. Suddenly, Aasim turned around and I felt my cheeks heat up.

Dang it, he knows I was staring at him.

Oh my gosh, I was staring at him!

Astaghfirullah.

Aasim cleared his throat. "Asalamu Alaikum." He smiled.

"Wa Alaikum Asalam. I see you're wearing that jacket." I grinned and he chuckled, running a hand through his hair.

"Yeah, well, I realized that it finally fit."

"I can see that." I said but immediately regretted it after he smirked at me. I turned away, my cheeks flaming up even more, and I heard Aasim laugh.

Suddenly, Dawoud gasped and grabbed onto my hijab. "Chocet!" He called out, pointing to the buffet table where Aasim's mom was placing a big plate full of assorted chocolates. I gasped once I saw all of the delicious delicacies.

"Misha! Bring me chocolate!" I called to her since she was standing on the other side of the room beside the table. She looked at me then at the plate of beautiful chocolates. She smirked at me before picking one up and popping it into her mouth. I stared at her with my mouth hanging open. "Um, rude!" I cried and she took another one, eating it with her dumb smirk. I huffed in annoyance and was about to roll my wheelchair to the table when I felt somebody take hold of the handles and start pushing me. I looked up and saw Aasim smiling as he pushed me closer to the table. Once we arrived, he set my wheelchair in place so that it wouldn't roll away, and leaned against the table, taking two chocolates and holding one out to me. "Thank you." I smiled, reaching my hand out to grab one but Dawoud beat me to it and took it instead. He popped it into his mouth and gave us a chocolaty smile. Aasim and I laughed as we watched him take another one.