Zian, it seems, is enthralled with the zoo. He has appointed himself as the personal tour guide for his family as if he knows every nook and corner of the zoo.
He is visiting this zoo for the first time, for crying out loud.
Zayed saw his son's nose pressed against the glass case housing some alarmingly large tarantulas and asked in bewilderment "You like spiders??"
"Yes papa, big hairy ones" Zian confirmed
Papa. He still gets a high on hearing that.
He felt as if he has won a million dollar lottery when his daughter first called him papa, the day before he left for Paris.
They all were tired after a day spent at the Disneyland, but it seems like his two sons are a never ending ball of energy.
Zada had made him promise that he would take her to meet princess Rapunzel when they come to Paris.
And Zian followed the demand with his own, of visiting a zoo.
And his elder son was not very particular about what he wants.
Zahir seems to want everything he can get his hands on.
"Wow, aren't they cute" Zian squealed looking at a snake the size of an anaconda with a baby snake along with it.
From which angle does he find the scary reptile cute!
"I wanted one of my own as a pet. But momma said it would scare Zahir and Zada" Zian said with a disappointed look on his face
"I am not scared of the snake" Zahir quipped, offended that his brother could think he would be scared of something
"You are not?" Zayed asked raising his eyebrows
"I just dont like them very much. They look very slimy" Zahir said shrugging.
"So did the frogs" Zayed reminded.
"Frogs?" Basim asked, confused with the conversation going on between the father and the son
"A story for another time" Zayed said
"But the frogs make nice noise, snakes dont. I like the krom krom sound made by the frogs" Zahir said
Of course he has an answer for everything!
He saw Camille dashing towards the trash can covering her mouth and Salim hot on her heels.
Camille's pregnancy has been a pleasant surprise.
Six years of childless marriage and three failed IVF later, the couple had finally found happiness.
Camille, though tired due to her morning sickness, in name sake only, because it seems she isn't just sick in the morning, was adamant on accompanying them on this trip because she just didn't want to part from her newly found sister.
"Zian, look Aunt Cami is not well. Why dont we go back" Zayef asked and Zian nodded, not before throwing a final longing glance at the snake.
Zayed shuddered at the thought of waking up with a snake draped around his torso.
Puppies and kitten he could manage. A snake? No way in hell!
As they reached the penthouse, Camille went for a much needed nap before they all go for dinner at one of Salim's friend's home.
Ava tried and failed at making an eye contact with Zayed the whole day.
He has been painfully polite with her and was wonderful with the kids.
She was feeling terribly guilty at the words she threw at him in the morning.
Her little friends from Barely refused to come with them for the dinner as they are tired after a lengthy flight journey and a whole day roaming around Paris.
Ava thought about leaving the triplets along with them, but then decided against it.
The three of them would turn the penthouse upside down the second she leaves.
****
Salim' s friend Alexio James and his wife Mirrie James are a lovely couple with a two month old baby girl.
Zada was already in love with the little girl and it seems Zahir and Zian are equally transfixed by the little baby.
"The baby is hot, right momma?" Zahir asked Basim choked on his drink.
"Zahir! Where did you learn to talk like this? It is a bad word okay" Ava admonished
"But Uncle Basim said pretty girls are called hot" Zahir said with a confused look..
"What? Me? When? I didn't Ava" Basim cried out glaring at his nephew.
"You did. That day in the gym, when you saw Aunt Kate doing exercise you said right? Kate looks so hot" Zada supported her brother.
"And when I told you, if it is hot, the  switch on the air conditioning, you said it is not that hot. Pretty girls are called hot" Zian added
Basim made a crying face as he was on the receiving end of the glares from all his family members, particularly Kate
Zayed's phone rang at that moment and Ava caught a glimpse of the called ID saying B calling
Basim is here. Then who is it calling Zaye
She remembered the last time the call came.
She was folding the triplets' clothes when she heard the ring of Zayed's phone.
She took it and saw B calling and the phone was suddenly snatched away from her.
Zayed was looking extremely weird that day.
"It is Basim. He might be calling from his room only. You know how lazy he is" he said and walked out of the room quickly
Ava was brought out of her thoughts when she heard her daughter asking Mirrie.
"Where did you buy the baby aunty?? Papa said we are also going to buy a new baby." Ava looked at her daughter in growing horror.
"Zada, stop" she said
"I like this baby momma. We can buy from the same shop and put it in your tummy " Zada said and the adults around her laughed out aloud, as they saw Ava turning more and more red.
Ava abandoned her seat and walked over to the crib in an attempt to shrug off that conversation.
Zayed came out of the balcony in time to hear her say
"They're really lovely when they're this age, aren't they?"
"Worth all the hard work and pain" Mirrie agreed, watching the younger girl with a thoughtful expression. "And I had an easy labour, or so they told me. How about you?"
"Long" Ava said, her mind drifting back to those unendurably long hours of her labor.
"Ofcourse it would have been longer. You had to deliver three" Mirrie said looking at  Ava in awe.
"But then first time deliveries are always difficult, they say" Ava added with a small smile
"The mystery is to me, that anyone ever has more than one" Alexio interjected, shaking his head. "I know I couldn't do it again."
"Do what, exactly, Alexio?" his wife teased, winking at Ava.
"Seriously" she added before her husband could retort " I don't know what I'd have done in labour without this one." Mirrie caught hold of her husband's hand.
"Just having him there to give me support made such a difference, but then I'm sure you know what I'm talking about." Mirrie added, without knowing the kind of pain her casual remark had inflicted on both Zayed and Ava
Ava saw Zayed standing there, looking as if someone had just slid a knife between his ribs. His eyes were trained on Ava, who looked equally stricken.
"I think it's time for dinner. I am so hungry, I could eat an elephant" Basi said, trying to defuse the tension in the atmosphere.
Everyone proceeded to the dining area but  Zayed was rooted to his spot.
Ava took tentative steps towards him and the emotions twirling in his eyes made her ache for him.
"Zayed" Ava whispered placing a hand on his cheeks and looking into his eyes.
"Tell me, tell me Aveline, that you had someone in there. Tell me you weren't alone. Please tell me" Zayed pleaded with her.
"I did Zayed. I wasn't alone" she whispered, willing the words to take away the pain she saw in his eyes.
He briefly closed his eyes and placed his own hands above hers which were placed on his cheeks, as if savouring her touch for the last time.
Then he took a step back and when he opened his eyes, she saw only bleakness.
"I need some air, just tell them I had to leave"
With that he quickly walked out of the house, leaving her in pain.
Again!