Aarohi's POV:

"Zaara sweetheart, are you ready yet?" I knock on her bedroom door.

"One minute mommy", she calls out. "My dolls are not ready!"

I chuckle. "Honey, your birthday party is going to start in ten minutes. Should I come inside and help your dolls get dressed?"

"Okay!" She says.

I open the bedroom door and see Zaara sitting inside, surrounded by her dolls. She is dressed in a light blue satin frock, with little wings on the backside. Her hair is done in a neat plait and there are little stars attached in between. She has a halo on her head. It's a theme party. She wanted to have one.

My daughter looks every bit an angel and I tear up a little, seeing her like that.

"It's always difficult", my mother's voice comes from behind me.

I turn around to see her smiling at me, even her eyes a little misty. "Watching your child grow up is never easy. Knowing that one day you have to let them go and let them make their own decisions."

I turn around and watch Zaara brush her doll's hair.

"Yeah", I say, my voice a little rough.

"Mommy!" Zaara whines. "My dolls!"

"Coming princess!" I say and both mom and I approach her and help her dress her dolls.

Soon, it's time for the party. We have organised it in the backyard. My parents and I decorated it with lights and added small chairs for the little kids. There was a small table where a cake was kept. I know Zaara loves Elsa from Frozen, so I brought her a customised Elsa cake. We kept a small mattress outside for the kids to sit and play, and the inside of the house was open for the adults to mingle.

The guests start arriving. First is my entire group of friends, all of whom love how pretty and adorable Zaara looks. She got a lot of presents. Dean had picked her up and was reluctant to put her down. Then come Zaara's friends- Amanda, Daphne, Ronnie and Max- with their parents. Amanda and Daphne are dressed as princesses, while Ronnie is dressed as Superman and Max as Batman. They all look really adorable.

"Should we cut the cake, Zaara?" I ask her.

"But mommy, Rick is not here!" She says in a sweet voice.

"We'll cut the cake again after he comes", I assure her. "Everyone is hungry to eat your Elsa cake, honey."

"My Elsa cake!" Zaara gushes as Max goes, "Cake! Cake! Cake! Cake!" and he's soon joined by the rest of her friends and the rest of my friends. Even my parents join them.

I laugh at their childish behaviour, and Zaara agrees to cut the cake.

As she blows the candle, carved into the number 5, all of us sing "Happy birthday to you". I am the first to feed Zaara and we click a picture together where she is kissing my cheek. And one where she is sitting in my lap and both of us are grinning widely at each other.

Everybody digs into the cake, but I make sure there is enough left for Rick. And Megan, and Evan, who are yet to show up.

I told Megan all about Karthik yesterday. She was shocked to say the least. She didn't agree with my decision of not telling Karthik about Zaara, but she didn't force me into anything. I just told her what I thought of him and she said she was certain he wasn't that bad and he cared about me. I rolled my eyes at that one, and forbade her from telling him anything about me or Zaara, if he ever came to the cafe again to enquire about us.

I haven't yet told anybody else that Zaara met Karthik yesterday. I am afraid of their reactions. Secretly, I want Zaara to continue meeting Karthik. But I don't want him to have even the tiniest inkling of who is Zaara's mother.

Zaara then starts opening her presents. Dad gifted her boxing gloves, cute little ones that fit her hands perfectly. Zaara loves to box and dad loves boxing with her. She often climbs on top of him and ends up punching him in the stomach with her little hands. Dad pretends to get hurt and then they have a piggyback ride at the end of every boxing match. It's very adorable. I have it all on tape.

Mom, on the other hand, gifted her a new book. It's something that she has wrote herself, with pictures and everything. I know she has been working on it since a month. It's a book about Zaara and her Nana (grandmother). It's very cute.

Dean and Emma gifted Zaara a pretty butterfly necklace, with beautiful stones. Damian and Steph brought her new sparkly shoes- red coloured little heels which glittered. Chris and Anna got her a new doll: the Snow White. Zaara's friends got her a large doll house, and Zaara gushes over all of her presents.

I then give her mine at the end. It's four tickets to the Disneyland: for her, me, and my parents. She gives me a tight and a long hug, and a sweet kiss for that one.

Zaara is almost done keeping her presents in a neat pile beside herself, when Megan shows up.

"Hey!" I say, and I can see she is struggling with a huge package. "Whoa Megan. What is that?"

"That", she huffs as she puts down the package. "is why I am late." She then looks at Zaara who is peering curiously at the package. "Zaara sweetheart, happy birthday!"

"Thanks Aunt Megan!" She hugs her tightly. "Can I open it?"

"Hold on", Megan says. She then removes something from her pocket, and gives it to Zaara. It's a gift wrapped little box.

"Wow Aunt Megan you got me two gifts!" Zaara looks surprised and awed.

Megan chuckles. "No, sweetheart. The little box is from me. Go on, open it."

Zaara does, and it turns out to be a pair of gorgeous little fairy earrings. Zaara loves it immediately.

"What about this one?" I ask Megan, frowning.

Megan looks straight at Zaara and says, "Zaara, do you remember the man you invited yesterday to your birthday party?"

My stomach drops instantly.

"Yes", Zaara nods her head. "He looks like my daddy. He said he will come. Where is he, Aunt Megan?"

"Well", she says and then quickly looks at me, as my heart is hammering against my ribcage. "He is really sorry he couldn't come because you haven't given him your address and he wasn't sure if mommy would like a stranger to come to your home. So he sent you a birthday present, and he said that he will meet you and mommy tomorrow evening, at the cafe."

I clutch my heart, taking deep breaths.

Oh my God.

Karthik actually remembered that he had forgotten to take my home address.

Does this mean he cares about Zaara?

I interrupt Megan before she can speak. "I will work the night shift tomorrow", I hiss under my breath. "I don't want to meet Karthik, but I won't stop Zaara from meeting him. That will just break her heart. I will drop her at the cafe, and you call me as soon as they're done talking, okay?"

Megan smiles widely and nods.

"He will really meet me tomorrow?" Zaara asks, her big eyes looking very vulnerable and innocent.

"Yes, sweetheart", Megan replies. "Now go on, open your present."

Zaara unwraps her present, but she is a little short. Megan then reaches down and pulls out-

"A puppy!" Zaara squeals in happiness.

"Apparently his friend's dog recently gave birth and this one was amongst the last ones remaining to be given", Megan explains as she hands over the tiny little furball to a jumping Zaara.

The puppy is adorable. It's really cute and tiny, a mixture of white and fawn colour, and is a Labrador Retriever.

I almost suppress a smile.

Karthik and his love for puppies and dogs.

"What is its name?" Zaara asks, as she coochie coos the puppy and holds it tightly in her arms.

"Hold on", Megan says as she removes a letter from her pocket. "I will read what he has written to you."

"Dear Zaara,

Happy birthday sweetheart! I am sorry I couldn't come today, but we will definitely meet tomorrow. I somehow felt that you love animals, particularly dogs, and hence I thought I should gift you this puppy.
You will find a name tag on her collar belt.
She's called Lizzie.
I have a dog named Lizzie and she has brought me tremendous amount of luck and happiness in life.
And even love.
I hope little Lizzie here does the same for you."

Megan then stops abruptly and looks at me and I shake my head, my eyes filled with tears. I know he has written his name at the bottom but I don't want her to find out right now.

That cheesy jerk.

"Excuse me", I say, as everyone gathers around the puppy.

I rush inside the house, and into the bedroom, where I break down.

I still love him. I still love Karthik so much that it hurts.

And the fact that he remembers me even today is heart breaking. He remembers Lizzie and the special bond she shares with the both of us.

He mentioned that Lizzie brought him love.

Does this mean he misses me as much as I miss him?

"Hey", a voice calls from the threshold of the bedroom.

I look up to see Evan looking dapper in a three piece suit, his face etched with worry.

"Are you alright?" Evan comes inside and sits next to me. He takes my hand in his.

I shake my head, and cry on his shoulder.

I could really use a friend right now.

I pour my heart out to Evan and he listens patiently without interrupting me. He keeps running soothing circles on my palm.

He finally speaks up as I finish my story. "Aarohi", he says, slightly hesitant. "I think it's time you tell Karthik about Zaara."

I shake my head. "I can't, Evan. I just cannot."

"Aarohi, think about it", Evan says. "Karthik doesn't even know Zaara properly, yet he cares so much about her already. It's like a part of him is automatically considering her as something equivalent to his child. He already loves her. I can feel that. Can't you?"

I put my head in my hands, shaking slightly. "Yes. I can feel that too. And that is what scares me. I don't want Zaara to get hurt."

"Not telling either of them will ultimately hurt both of them", Evan reasons as I take a deep breath.

"I will tell her", I say. "But not so soon. After a few days."

He nods his head and smiles. "Shall we go and resume the birthday party?"

I giggle. "We shall."

Just as I am about to step into the backyard with Evan, I hear Zaara cry, "Rick! You finally came!"

I look in her direction and see a cute little boy standing with-

Raveena?

Wait, that can't be right.

I squint a little hard and blink my eyes a couple of times.

Oh my God!

That's Raveena!

That must mean-

Rick is her son!

Rick is her and Karthik's son!

Oh my God, I think I am going to pass out.

I backpedal quickly inside the house and hide out of sight. But I can still hear Zaara speak, which is a good thing.

And then I remember what Zaara told me yesterday about Rick, her new friend.

"Rick is from India, mommy! Do you think he knows daddy?"

"His name is Ritwik, but everybody calls him Rick!"

"Happy birthday, Zaara", I can hear a little boy saying, and I assume that's Rick.

"Thank you, Rick!" Zaara gushes. "Look, I got a puppy for my birthday!"

"That's so cool", Rick says. "Even I have a dog at home. She-"

A car honks and my breath hitches.

Oh my God.

Could that be Karthik?

"Sweetheart", I hear Raveena say. "We should leave. We have to go for the dinner."

"Sorry Zaara", Rick says. "Here, your present."

"Thank you, Rick", Zaara says and I hear a smile in her sweet voice.

"I should go", Rick says. "Happy birthday!"

"Happy birthday Zaara", Raveena wishes her as well. "You look very pretty."

"Thank you", Zaara gushes.

Once I know they have left for sure, I step out of my hiding place.

My eyes are filled with tears once again. My heart is filled with hurt and love once again.

And there are three things running inside my head right now.

Karthik and Raveena's son is my daughter's new friend.

Thank God nobody here knows how Raveena looks.

What is destiny up to?