Shashi and Phief untel

-honk honk-

Ali got out of his thoughts as he heard the sound of honking cars behind him. Driving away, he just planned to deal with things as they come.

But just as he started the car, he heard a thumping sound from his back. He looked up at the rear view mirror and saw nothing, so he just focused on driving.

But he probably didn't even cross that path crossing when he heard a light sobbing sound behind him. He looked back again, but found nothing.

The crying sound continued for a few seconds more, so Ali pressed a button near the grip and his seat started sliding back.

Ali had just turned his head back to glance at everything, when he felt his seat bump into something, and then , there was another whimpering sound. But this time a little louder.

Seeing a girl who suddenly popped up from behind his seat and moved a little to the side, the surprised Ali screamed 'ghost' loudly and ended up hitting the brakes suddenly.

The little girl fell forward with the sudden stop and ended up hitting her head on the window.

Two different screams echoed in the close car, as Ali looked at the little stranger girl around 4-5 years old, sitting in his backseat, while the girl covered her forehead and cried even more.

honk - pommmppp - honk

Hearing the complaints and curses from the other drivers stuck in traffic, Ali turned his attention back and started driving a little away from traffic, yet his eyes kept fixed on the little girl, who was still sobbing silently, while massaging her head.

Stopping his car at the side, he turned back fully and stared at the girl. "Who are you?" He asked suspiciously.

If not for seeing the familiar totem hanging at the forefront, given by his mother, Ali might've doubted if he drove someone else's car, cause otherwise how can he explain an unknown girl sitting in the background.

(Sobbing sounds)

"What're you doing here? Did you get lost? Where are your parents?" Ali asked a few questions, which only ended up making the little girl even more scared and cry.

Sigh

Ali gave a helpless sigh as he grabbed a water bottle and passed it to her, after hearing her sniffling on tears. "Here, drink some water first."

The little girl looked at him for some time and then at the bottle, before suddenly raising her hand and snatching it fast.

Without saying anything, she just started gulping down the water in large mouthfuls. And as expected, ended up choking on water.

"You okay?" Ali asked as he gently patted her head, to help her calm down. "Can you tell me your name now?"

"Sh_shi," The little girl said as she tried to slide back into the corner. Away from his reach.

Ali saw her little actions but didn't question it. As he doubted if he really wanted to know the answer or not.

"Okay, Shashi. Can you tell me what you're doing in my car? Did someone drop you here or you got lost?" Ali asked again.

And the answer he got nearly stumped him "It's mama car. You_ phief uncle."

"Thief, me?" Ali said pointing at himself in disbelief. Someone accusing him of being a thief, well, that was a first in his life.

But then noticing the little girl's face filled with fear, which didn't look like she was joking or something, Ali looked back at the car he was driving and noticed it was some old model of Rolls Royce. Probably something he bought for fun when it came out years ago.

'Did her mom drive this model too and she got confused and entered mine.' Ali thought in his mind, as he looked at Shashi's fearful expression, and not so subtle movements on trying to stay away.

"Well, little girl, this car is mine. You see did your mom's car had that sign at the front." Ali said pointing at a symbol of belief (Om) hanging over the dashboard. "You made a mistake."

"Now why don't you just tell me where your mom lives, and I'll take you there. She must be quite worried looking all over for you." Ali said calmly, but color drained from Shashi's face as she stared at the car and all around her in a hurry. Trying to find something that was hers or her mothers, but got nothing.

"Okay, tell me where you live, your home _ house. School _ anything ?" Ali asked again trying to find her address but Shashi just looked at him mumbled God knows what in her little throat, cuz he didn't hear a thing outside.

He tried to remember where this little girl would've gotten into his car, but got nothing. The only place he stopped outside of Shiva's funeral was at his previous base, Hell - to rest his remains. But both those places are empty and away from any crowds and traffic places, where someone could miss their daughters.

Ali took his phone and texted Emily his location and asked her to come here.

"Forget the address, tell me her name. I'll ask my friends to find her." Ali asked again.

"Mama?"

"Yes, Mama. What's her name? Do you know_?"

"Mamma"

Ali asked for her mother's name again, but Shashi just looked at him with a confused look cutely and replied the same again.

"That's her name. Mama?" Ali muttered and watching as Shashi nodded her head, he could only sigh.

'Why are kids so dumb these days?' Ali thought as he looked at her hands, feet or clothes, just to see or find any resemblance or marking that could help him get a clue, but found nothing.

The little kid didn't have anything expensive or any jewelry so that was gone. The frock she wore looked like it was probably homemade, tailored just for her. So tracking them was a no go too. She didn't even have shoes on her tiny feet so _ nothing at all.

'Not a single clue of her belongings.' Ali thought and shook his head.

He could just hope that someone is probably out there looking for this girl right now, so the police can help find her parents or guardians.

But seeing his dejected look, Shashi seemed to realize her current predicament too finally and started crying again..

Uwooonn wooo wooo

"Mommy, _ I eed mommy. (Uhm Woon) Phief untle, mommy _ car wooooooooo."

Ali watched as the little girl looked at him and started crying even more again. Her cute round face was getting quite red with every passing second.

The flowing tears and her wiping hands ruined the little mascara applied near her eyes, making them all covered in black lines and circles, like someone doodled over her face.

Her hair though weren't long, just barely reaching her shoulders, were tied in a single braid which moved along her sobbing and sniffling face like an antenna.

Giving her an overall funny but cute look. Since he owned the Star corp. The entertainment industry business helmed by his family, he saw and met quite a lot of child actors who were both called cute and naughty all over the social media, but even then he was surprised seeing someone so smart yet so adorably gullible.

Ali even had a little urge to take a photo or video of her just to show it to his sister or mom later.

But something told him that if he took out his phone now, his already bad impression of a phief uncle who steals cars and kidnaps kids, might get even worse in her eyes, so he let it go.

He dropped his seat in the laying position and moved onto the backseat to sit near Shashi. As he started coaxing her with some chocolates he found in the glove compartment at front. Probably his sister's doing.

"Here, see, I'll show you a magic trick. There's nothing in my head, nothing here too, and keep looking, and woah, there's toffee." Ali said, as he just closed his fists and opened them again later, showing her the chocolate with a surprised face. "Who wants it? Do you want to eat this magical chocolate? Then you gotta stop crying. Sad girls get nothing. You're a good girl, right. Come on, don't cry. I'll get you one more later. Or better I'll get you an ice cream. Kids like that, right."

The idiot him, who never had to pamper a little girl for over a decade, didn't even realize how rusty and weird he looked at the moment, as he just kept trying his luck to get her to stop crying.

Finally after what felt like an eternity of embarrassment something managed to trick the little girl and she stopped crying.

"Tuo cups_ benila." Shashi said, raising two fingers at Ali, as her other hand still covered her eyes.

He could literally see a smile on her face behind that little hand of hers, and couldn't help but think.

'Did I just get tricked by a 4 year old kid?'