Zoha opened the door to Salena's room and found her sitting among the mess of her toys and stuffed animals who she called her friends (giving each one a name) and was recklessly playing.

"Guriya, mein aapko kab se bula rahi hun. Why didn't you answer me?" Zoha asked, politely. She began picking the battery-run toys and neatly set them aside in the big basket.

Salena didn't look in her mother's direction and kept brushing the doll's hair, slowly doing her job.

"Look how much mess you made," Zoha said, talking, but not looking at Salena specifically. "Daddy is going to be here at any second."

When Salena heard that, she dropped the brush and got up, gripping the doll by its waist. "Daddy is here!" she excited.

"No, he is not. But he will be here at any second," Zoha told her. "You have to put away all your toys first and then change your clothes."

A frown hung on Salena's lips.

"Is daddy buying chocolates for me?" she asked.

Zoha cleaned up even though she had told Salena to do it.

"Maybe. Did you tell him?"

"Daddy said he will buy me," Salena said.

"Okay then he will get it," Zoha said.

"Yay! Daddy buying me chocolate." She hopped around.

Zoha went over and lifted Salena by her waist. "But first you are changing clothes." She kissed her the rotund cheeks. "Or daddy will ask, what happened to your clothes. Look, there is a juice stain on your pants." She pointed.

"Okay." Salena agreed. "I change clothes first."

"That's like a good girl." Zoha kissed her on the same spot again. "Let's pick the clothes."

At seven when Shehryaar came home, Salena was sitting on the dining table, eating Oreo cookies with milk because that was her favorite. Whenever she woke up in the middle of the night, complaining about being hungry, Shehryaar and she would go in the kitchen and pull out the tray of Oreos and have a competition. This way Salena didn't get bored.

As she saw Shehryaar, she slipped out of the chair and ran to hug him.

"Daddy!" she said.

"My princess!" Shehryaar picked his little girl and cuddled with her.

"Daddy, my chocolate." Salena immediately reminded.

"Yes, I bought it." He put her down and drew a chocolate bar from his pants pocket. "Here."

Zoha was in the kitchen, preparing dinner. She threw glimpses in the back as the daddy and his little princess had a moment together after coming home.

"This is Twix." Salena said, sounding unsatisfied.

"Isn't this what you like?" Shehryaar asked, unsure.

"I like Snickers."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Then daddy will buy you Snickers tomorrow."

"No, I want it to now," she whined.

"I'm sorry, my cutie pie. Daddy didn't know which one Salena liked."

"I want Snickers," she cried.

Zoha came from the kitchen and kindly talked to her.

"Look, guriya, daddy didn't know. He will buy you Snickers tomorrow."

"But I want it now," Salena complained.

Zoha picked her up and put her in the chair where she was sitting before. "You have to finish your Oreos. Daddy is tired."

When Salena saw that she wasn't getting her favorite chocolate, she stopped complaining and quieted down.

*****************************

Throughout the whole time, Salena wore a frown. She did not even sit with Zoha and Shehryaar to eat dinner.

Shehryaar noticed that she was still upset about the chocolate. So he went over to her and picked her up in his arms.

"Why is my little princess so quiet?" he asked, pretending like he didn't know the reason why she was behaving differently.

Salena did not answer and played with her fingers, her gaze lowered.

"Hmm, let me guess," he said. "Your Oreo cookies are finished."

Salena shook her head.

"Then, mommy said something."

She shook her head again.

"Hmm."

"I wanted Snickers. I was waiting," she said, sad.

"But daddy said he will buy it tomorrow. Right?"

Salena nodded.

"Then he will. Promise."

"Pinky promise?" she sticked her pinky out.

Shehryaar sticked out his pinky too and said. "Pinky promise." He curled it around her tiny one.

Then Salena hugged him tightly with excitement. "Love you, daddy," she said.

"Love you too, my princess." Shehryaar kissed her on the side of the face, as she held him around his neck.

He took her to his room and put her on the bed.

"Am I going to sleep with you?" Salena asked, with a glint in her eyes.

"Yes," Shehryaar replied. "We will have fun and look at some pictures." He fixed the pillow and sat on the bed.

"What pictures?"

"Manal phuppu's wedding pictures. Remember we went to her wedding where daddu was?"

"Puppu," she parroted. "I love her."

"Yes, her. We are going to look at her pictures."

Salena crawled on the bed and sat close by Shehryaar. "I want to see her pictures."

As Shehryaar swiped his phone screen, Zoha who had went to the bathroom, came out.

"Arey?" she said, surprised to see Salena.

"Mommy, come. We are looking at the pictures," Salena beckoned her with her hand, adorably.

"What pictures?" Zoha wondered.

"Woh Manal ki shaadi ke," Shehryaar answered. "Mein ne kaha dil bhel jayega."

"Acha."

"Mommy, come fast," Salena called, leaning the elbow on Shehryaar's thighs to look over.

"No, guriya. You and daddy look at it. I have to pray," Zoha said. "Daddy will show me later."

Salena thought for a moment and then shifted her attention to the phone in Shehryaar's hands.

As Zoha prayed, the father and daughter enjoyed looking at the pictures of the wedding. Shehryaar was surprised that Salena remembered some of the stuff about their second visit to Pakistan really well. It made it easier for him to talk about things with her without spending so much time explaining. It deepened her bond with her grandma and her aunt, as she was already close with Zafar since he had been there when she was born.

When Zoha was done praying, she went to the kitchen and made a bottle of milk for Salena. Then joined them both on the bed, tired and sleepy.

"Here, guriya," she said, handing the warm bottle of milk. "You have to finish it."

Salena was too engrossed in the pictures that she barely looked over to her mother.

"Salena?" she brought her attention. "You heard what I said?"

"Yes," Salena answered, still looking away from Zoha.

"What did I say?" Zoha asked.

"I have to finish the milk."

"Yes. All of it."

"Okay." Salena slid down a little so she could lay her head on the pillow. And then watch the videos with Shehryaar.

"I'm gonna turn off the light. Is it fine?" Zoha asked, nearly getting up from the bed.

Shehryaar glanced in Zoha's direction and said. "Yeah, it's fine."

On his permission, Zoha got up and switched off the light. In the dark room, Salena and Shehryaar's faces were visible with the phone's flash.

"Oh look, there is you," Shehryaar showed Salena in the video.

Salena stopped drinking the milk and paused her glances on Shehryaar's finger.

"That's me," she said. "Mommy, look." But Zoha was sleeping on her side, facing the other way.

"Salena, let me sleep. I am really tired," Zoha muttered. "I will look at them later."

"Shh, let mommy sleep," Shehryaar hushed her. "Only daddy and Salena are watching the videos."

Salena nodded in agreement.

For a while, they watched the videos of baraat and then walima. By the time it was eleven o' clock, Salena began getting drowsy. All her excitement subdued and her eyes became droopy.

As Shehryaar was exhausted too, he told Salena that they would watch the rest of them tomorrow.

"Okay, daddy." She nearly fell asleep on his shoulder.

Shehryaar placed his phone on the bedside and cuddled with Salena, kissing her head and her plump cheeks. Salena hugged him back and closed her eyes, sinking in the comfort.

"Am I still sleeping here?" she asked, sounding tired.

"If you want to," Shehryaar said quietly, pulling her in as if she was some stuffed doll.

"But mommy says there isn't much space and I kick too much."

"Well that's true."

"Then I can't sleep with you anymore?"

"You can sleep tonight."

Salena hoisted her head up from the pillow and kissed Shehryaar on the cheek. "I love you, daddy. You are the best."

"Now no more talking now. Okay?" Shehryaar stroked her hair.

"No more talking," Salena repeated.

And then no more voices were heard.

**************************************