When Ali was born Cassim was overjoyed and so proud he felt as though he could burst!
Aladdin led him into the room. Jasmine smiled at them. Aladdin took Ali and went over to Cassim. He held him out to his father.
Cassim hesitated.
"Take him, Dad. It's only right that you hold him."
"No, it's not."
"Huh?"
"I don't deserve to be his grandfather, let alone your father. Not after what I did and who I was."
"That was in the past. Dad, you have a bright future, and right now, a bright present. He's your grandson. You've changed, reedeemed yourself."
Cassim still hesitated.
"Take him. It's your right."
Cassim turned around.
"Aladdin, I have no more right to hold him than I do to be royalty, which I'm not."
Cassim heard Jasmine get off the couch and walk over to him. She put her hand on his shoulder, and he turned to her.
"Cassim, you are a good man. You are willing to risk your life to help the people of Agrabah, which you have done many times. You are now Agrabah's greatest hero. You've thrown away your past life as a thief and exchanged it for the life of a hero. You're the royal vizier and general. You didn't have to enter the war, but you did. You did because you chose to. You have as much a right to hold Ali as Aladdin and I do."
Again, Aladdin held Ali out to his father. Cassim very slowly reached for the baby. He hesitated again and looked at Jasmine.
She smiled and nodded.
"Take him."
Cassim slowly took Ali in his arms. He looked down at the tiny infant.
"He's the image of his father."
He looked up at Aladdin and smiled.
After a few moments he handed Ali back to Jasmine. Ali looked up her.
"Cassim, Aladdin, look!"
"What?"
"Look at his eyes."
Both men looked at the baby's eyes.
"They're dark brown, just like yours, Cassim."
"By jove! You're right, Jasmine."
Aladdin and Jasmine looked at him.
"Where did that come from?"
"Sorry. I think I spent a little too much time in England."
"Apparently."
"That's kinda strange. Aladdin has brown eyes like his mother."
"That is strange."