Uncle Called.

Allicia carried little Zia in her arms and brought her to the living room. It was as though Ava shared telepathy with the mother and child as she had already arranged a big bowl of mixed flavour ice cream on the table. The three sat cross-legged around the table and picked a scooping spoon for the ice cream. Just like her mother, little Zia had a sweet tooth. They enjoyed anything sweet, especially ice cream.

"It is just the two of you?" Ava asked and before Allicia answered, Zia spoke first.

"Big brother Zayn does not like ice cream," she said and dug into the ice cream bowl immediately.

Ava looked at Allicia and she nodded while wiping the corner of her daughter's mouth that was smeared with Ice-cream.

"Zayn is intolerant of anything sweet," she told her friend.

Ava's eyes were filled with disbelief, she looked at Allicia and her eyes were practically screaming, "What exactly did you give birth to?!" In her opinion, she thought all kids like sweet things.

Allicia laughed, shook her head and shrugged before also digging into the ice cream bowl. No one knew her son more than herself, the little boy was just like a grumpy old man but he was cute nonetheless.

"Yummy! This tastes yummy!" Zia mouthed with glee. She turned to her mother and flashed her a sweet smile that melted her heart. The taste of the ice cream was so bland compared to the sweetness poured into Allicia's heart.

"You will have more of it if you love it so much" Allicia spoke gently to her dear baby girl.

"Thank you so much, mummy!" Little Zia uttered and smiled even brighter. Her rounded cheeks were graced with two deep dimples.

Ava looked at the interaction between the mother and daughter duo, she clutched her chest and blinked enviously. When will she ever have a daughter so sweet?

"You should thank your mama Ava too, she got you all the ice cream" Allicia uttered with a small laugh.

Little Zia nodded immediately, she threw her tiny hands around Ava's neck and kissed her on the cheek. "Thank you, mama!" She voiced out her gratitude.

Phew!

Ava's fragile heart was instantly struck by the overflowing sweetness of the little girl. She did not bother about her envy anymore at that moment. As long as she could be hugged too.

"As long as you want it, I will give it to you!" Ava promised seriously and the little girl bobbed her head seriously.

Allicia looked at her friend and smiled without saying anything. She had always known that her daughter lived up to her name, she was a little crystal ball of light that could brighten anywhere.

The two ladies and the little girl resumed eating the sweet dessert before it melted and very soon, they cleaned up the bowl.

While Zia planned with her toys, Allicia helped Ava with the dinner. In another hour, dinner was set and the family sat at the dining table to eat dinner. The dinner was accompanied by small talks made by the adults, Zia stuffed her face with food while Zayn who was more picky about what he ate merely picked up dishes here and there. He barely spoke a word with anyone throughout the dinner. He was rather decent and maintained a perfect table manners all through the meal.

The only thing Zayn did that caught other's attention was whenever his sister reached out for a dish that was farther than her reach, Zayn would frown before he help place the food in her place. Zia would then flash him a sweet smile which he always ignored. But, he paid close attention to her all the time.

Even at the times when she choked on her food, he was the first person who grabbed a glass of water and gave it to her before anyone else did. His stony face while he did all these good deeds simply made him very cute. He attended to every of his sister's needs patiently. When Ava thought that that was all, she was simply dumbstruck when the little boy deboned a fish for his mother and placed it gracefully in her place.

"Thank you, darling" Allicia voiced with a smile. Although all she got was a cold nod, her heart still trickled by the act of kindness.

Ava could only sigh, she was getting filled by all of their sweetness and did not even want to eat anymore. Just when Ava thought she was an invisible third party at the table, she heard a soft clang and she looked at her plate.

"Here you go, mama!" Zia's sweet childish voice sounded.

Ava's eyes widened at the sight of the poorly deboned fish on her plate. Zia pursed her lips when she saw Ava's expression and she got a misunderstanding of the expression.

"Does Mama not want this fish?" Zia questioned but before Ava could give a response, a helpless expression crossed the little girl's face.

"But, I cannot give you what my big brother gave me… it is mine because big brother Zayn gave it to me," the little girl said.

Ava laughed awkwardly and shook her head. "No, it's fine. I love what you gave me the most. Thank you so much, Zia, I bet your fish tastes the best!" Ava immediately praised.

Allicia chuckled while the stony face Zayn merely threw a glance at Ava and snorted inwardly.

Every fish on the table tastes the same way, what a bootlicker! The boy thought and glared at the fish he was currently deboning. He hurriedly deboned the fish and stuffed it into his mouth. A few moments later, he got down from the chair and stepped back.

"Thank you for the meal" he gave a small polite bow that left Ava staring at him helplessly.

Gosh! The boy was simply so modest, so cute!

"Wait for me!" Zia saw that her brother was done eating, she also dropped her cutlery and rushed after him.

Zayn had only taken a few steps when he heard his sister's voice. He froze immediately and turned around. He frowned when he saw her running and he could not help but chastise her.

"Don't run after meals, you will upset your stomach!" He scolded.

"I didn't want you to leave me alone" Zia lowered her head and said with a pout. She inched closer to her brother and pinched his cloth.

"I will not" the boy solemnly said. He looked at her hand gripping his cloth and he simply turned around and began walking again. Happily, Zia trotted after him.

Ava stared at the disappearing figures of the kids with her jaw dropped. "What exactly did you give birth to? How are they so adorable!" She exclaimed.

Allicia said nothing and smiled.

Meanwhile, in the kid's room, Zayn walked into the bathroom to have his night bath while Zia remained in the room. She was playing with a doll when she heard a phone ring. She looked around and saw the phone on her brother's reading table. She picked up the phone and looked at who the caller was. Seeing that it was a string of familiar numbers, she pressed the answer button.

"Uncle?" Her childish voice rang into the phone.

There was a few seconds of silence on the other side before she heard a response.

"It is you, Zia?" A man's voice was heard.

"Zayn is bathing" Zia answered.

"Oh, what of your mummy?" The man asked immediately.

Zia looked at the bathroom door before answering. "Mummy is with Mama Ava"

"Okay, I have called her but she isn't answering her phone…" the man said and fell silent for a few seconds before speaking again. "When is mummy bringing you back here, I miss you kids already" the man uttered deeply.

"We will not come back." Zia enunciated with certainty.

The man on the other side was shocked briefly before he spoke again, "Why? Your mummy said that?"

"Big brother Zayn said that we have to be here to find our daddy and a husband for mummy" the little girl explained innocently.

Silence followed after Zia spoke.

"Uncle? Hello, are you there?" Zia blinked and asked.

"What are you doing?" A cold childish voice reached Zia's ears and she jumped. She turned back and saw her brother standing behind her. She had no idea when he reached there. Perhaps out of guilt, she immediately stuffed the phone into her brother's hand.

"Uncle called!" She confessed.

Zayn narrowed his eyes and let out a 'hmm' and looked at the call that was still connected.

"Go and find mummy" he instructed before placing the phone near his ear.

"Hello," he said.

Zia rushed out, she paused at the door and gave what happened a thought, she did not understand why she was suddenly afraid of her brother. Had she done something that she shouldn't?

He only told her to hide the matter of finding their daddy from Mummy, right?

She nodded and smiled at herself. Then, she went to find her mother.