Question: Dear I have hots for you Shehzer! I would like to know how will you react when you get to know about your Inayah's Shehzer, i.e. what if a guy is being a hero and saving Inayah when they are playing or in a mess, or maybe in future when a guy will bring a proposal to you? (Asked by: smartypantsthatsme)

Shehzer:

*Laughs hysterically before becoming dead serious*

If you think, I'm letting any snot-nosed little creep near my Inayah, then you have another thing coming. (Although I must admit that you have excellent taste, if you have the hots for me. I am taken though. So umm...sorry?)

Because I am a man myself, and because I was once a boy, hopelessly in love with a crazy-haired, blue-eyed little cartoon, I can understand very easily, how some twerp can try to sweep my Princess off her feet, like I did to her mother...and I will do everything to make sure that the twerp goes through Dr. SHEHZER H. KHAN, before even breathing the same air as my baby.

In fact, I remember this incident a few days after Inayah turned Three. 

"Oh, yeah, sure we can look after Trevor for you! It's no big deal...Oh yeah. Ahaan. I Knowww!!! The vocabulary words, scared me! So much work for a prep-course, it's unbelievable..." I overheard Mina chatting on the phone with one of her friends from Inayah's Playgroup, as she tried simultaneously feeding Inayah her potatoes. 

"Ganday 'Taters! (Bad Potatoes)" My spoiled rotten Princess pushed the bowl away. She has a firm grasp on Urdu now. Just not the words we'd prefer her to know...

"Ina. If you don't eat your food, I won't let Trevor come over today." Mina warned her. 

Miracles of miracles, Inayah opened her mouth moodily, letting her Mom feed her until most of the bowl was empty. 

"Honey, please can you finish her food? I hate throwing it away." Mina kissed my cheek before thrusting the awful looking leftover "Taters" in my direction. 

"Ganday Taters."  I mumbled under my breath to tease her. She giggled.

"It's so hard holding my laughter when she speaks Urdu, Shehzer. She's worse than you were! her accent! Oh God!.." Mina laughed, as I scowled. 

"Meri Urdu bohot achhay hain." I pronounced carefully. 

"You mean to say, 'Acchee'." Mina snorted. "Your daughter has better grasp on singular/plural than you have. Linda says that she has even taught some sentences to Trevor. I was so embarrassed when she said, 'He calls me 'Gandi Ammi' all the time! I feel so loved!'  I didn't mention to her, that it means "Bad Mommy!" 

"Who is this twerp Tyler anyways? and why is he coming over? Doesn't Linda have Babysitters or something? I don't like strange boys hanging around my baby..." I muttered, forking the tasteless 'Taters into my mouth. 

Mina's jaw hit the floor at this. 

"His name is TREVOR. Not Tyler. He is three years old, Shehzer, chill out! And he is coming over, because I offered to take him in myself. I think it's good for Inayah to be around kids from different ethnic backgrounds. I read it on a parenting blog, that kids who're exposed to diversity at a younger age, tend to be more tolerant, and more intelligent. Not to mention their verbal skills are better..." 

I grunted back. 

I can just imagine, why that little twit hangs around my beautiful daughter. 

"I don't mind if you invite the entire girl population of her playgroup at our place. But this whole inter-racial dating thing isn't going to fly under my roof. Nope. No way. Diversity can kiss my ass." I cracked my knuckles as a period.

"KISS MY ASS, SIMBA!" Inayah squealed, as she skipped past us in the kitchen, chasing after our Tortured Cat. "KISS. MY. ASS." 

I winced, grinning guiltily at a scowling Mina. 

She wordlessly pushed an overflowing Swear-Jar towards me. I cracked open my mostly empty wallet. Hey! Don't judge me! Whenever Mina, or George swear in our house, they use my wallet to fund their punishments.

When the doorbell rang an hour later, Mina subtly yanked at my hair on her way to the door.

"Behave." She hissed in my ear. 

I grunted back as I usually do.

.......

I don't like him. 

I have a feeling that he doesn't like me too much either. 

I'm currently having a no-blinking contest with a three-year-old kid. 

An adorable, dark-skinned, dark-eyed little munchkin. 

But his adorableness doesn't deceive me. 

"Bet you're a regular Casanova, eh Trevor? African American dudeds really like to have fun with the ladies. Don't they? Kanye. Will Smith. Tiger Woods. The Jordan...Just remember, that not all ladies have ME as their dads. Okay?" I whispered silkily, while Inayah was busy setting up her own Clay-station for the two kids to play with. 

He just stared wide-eyed at me. His gaze, nervously darting towards my Baby girl. 

I picked up my reading glasses from the coffee table.

"I'll make it simple for ya, buddy. See here...These glasses represent you. *Gestures at the Boy*, and my eyes represents, my eyes *gestures at my eyes*..." I slowly, dramatically put on my black-frames, "I've got my eyes on you, buddy. All night long..."

I watched the kids playing, like a hawk, even though Mina was there in the periphery, setting up snacks for the kids, and chatting with The Boy, every so often. 

I breathed a sigh of relief when Linda came and took her good-looking kid away from my gorgeous daughter. It was really hard protecting Inayah from falling in love with his sweet manners, and adorable chubby cheeks. He even helped Mina put the toys away after Playtime, unlike a certain curly-haired Princess, who cleverly climbed into her Daddy's lap, and demanded the pre-requisite One-Hundred Kisses before bedtime. (even though it was like Six in the evening! That sly little fox!)

It wasn't until the next morning that I got the shock of my life.

"I made this for my boyfriend Trevor." Inayah showed me a blob of clay, as I got ready for work. 

I very nearly lost my breakfast right there. 

Then I looked over at my wife, cheerfully humming as she put on her make-up. 

In an epiphany of irony...I realized exactly how I was going to handle this "Boyfriend" business.

"You don't have a boyfriend, Ina. You don't need one. Not now. Not EVER. Okay? Boys are EW. Remember? Boys have cooties...Boys eat snot..." 

Not sure if this will work for longer than a few years...But a father can hope, eh?

Author's Note:

This was so much fun! coming back to these characters is always super fun! I have been unable to update often, because of my ongoing book. (DO check it out, if you haven't already! It's called Don't Remind Me and it may or may not guest-feature some of your favorite NTI characters. ;) ;) I'd love to hear your feedback on it.) 

Hope you enjoyed this double treat! :) 

Don't forget to POST your QUESTIONS on the FIRST chapter of this book, guys. I cannot keep track of questions posted elsewhere. I'll try to get on top of all your questions, but you have to make them interesting enough, and creative enough for me! :D 

Lots of Love (LOL), 

-E.