زُيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ حُبُّ ٱلشَّهَوَٰتِ مِنَ ٱلنِّسَآءِ وَٱلْبَنِينَ وَٱلْقَنَٰطِيرِ ٱلْمُقَنطَرَةِ مِنَ ٱلذَّهَبِ وَٱلْفِضَّةِ وَٱلْخَيْلِ ٱلْمُسَوَّمَةِ وَٱلْأَنْعَٰمِ وَٱلْحَرْثِ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ مَتَٰعُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَٱللَّهُ عِندَهُۥ حُسْنُ ٱلْمَـَٔابِ

"Beautified in the eyes of men is the love of things they covet: Women and sons; Heaped-up hoards of gold and silver; horses branded (for blood and excellence); and (wealth of) cattle and well-tilled land. Such are the possessions of this world's life; but in nearness to Allah is the best of the goals (To return to)."

( Aaya 14, Surah Aali Imraan)

* * *

Raeesa parked her car outside the fashion designing company. A towering skyscraper, one building that stood out from the others, the one and only G.C. (Galmorous Creations), that was encompassed in glass.

They walked towards the entrance, while excitedly discussing and planning for the baby on board.

Raeesa had been ill and had been feeling naeseus for two weeks continuously. Uthmaan being the sweet, caring and constantly concerned  husband he was, insisted that she should go and see  the doctor. She tried to convince him that she was fine,  but he insisted and well, it wasn't any sickness! She had a little human growing inside of her! She still couldn't belive it!

Uthmaan was over the moon. Raeesa on the other hand was not expecting this and felt that she was not yet prepared to carry a child, even though they were already married for two years. Uthmaan convinced her that she was most definitely ready, if she was not , Allah Subhanahu  Wa Ta'allah would have never given her the opportunity of becoming a mother.

Uthmaan was right, so many women were grieving because they were barren, they couldn't concieve and here she was being ungrateful.

"We're  going to paint the baby's room pink and white, if it's a girl, or blue and green if it's a boy! And the interior decorating will be done by none other than meee !"

Basheera blabbered as they walked into the building.

Nancy, the receptionist greeted them with a warm smile, to which they replied to with the same enthusiasm.

Basheera and Raeesa had been friends since childhood. They spent all their joys and sorrows together, they were always a support for each other in times of need, they were inseparable, even after Raeesa got married.

Basheera was usually an introvert,  she was not as outspoken as Raeesa, but she was the sweetest, kindest, most loving and patient person Raeesa ever came across. Raeesa on the other hand was the total oppossite, she could lose her calm very quickly.

Once Raaesa got to know Basheera better, she discovered her crazy and loud side, her continous blabbering and if you really crossed her limits, then her dangerous anger as well. The two, although very different from each other,  got along very well and their friendship became stronger over the years.

Raeesa Raheem was married to a handsome, yet modest and shy person Uthmaan Musa, at the age of twenty. It was no love marriage,  an arranged one instead. She wasn't very excited about the idea of an arranged marriage,  but Basheera convinced her that halaal love was always true and pure love and now  she didn't regret taking her friends  advice of marrying him even though she hardly knew him. Sometimes he droned on with his pious lectures, but besides that he was a great husband.

Raeesa's family consisted of four members, her father Zubair who was an extremely soft natured person and always listened to Raeesa's demands, even after she was married. Her mother Attiya she was loving and caring ofcourse, but was a bit more strict compared to her father, Raeesa, and her younger sister Roshan, who was seventeen.

"Bashi I swear on oreo chocolate, if you don't lower your voice I will smack you ! I'm sure the whole company knows I'm going to be a mother by now!"

Raeesa scolded, shooting her a stern look, when she saw some people looking at Basheera, who was still talking non stop.

"Oh sorry I think I'm talking abit much hey!", she gave Raeesa a sheepish look.

"You think!"

"Speaking of oreo chocolate I don't know when last I had that,  I think I should tell Bilaal to....", Bashi stopped midsentence and glared ahead of her.

Raeesa followed her gaze, and saw that she was glaring at Mr Seth who was walking in their direction. He was new here and took over the photography.

"Morning Raeesa !", he stopped infront of them and flashed Raeesa a wide grin.

"Oh morning Basheera, didn't notice you standing there!", he mocked, nodding at her.

She greeted back through clenched teeth and glared at him.

"Sure you didn't!"

She mumbled sarcastically under her breath.

Raeesa stiffled back a laugh.

"My my , don't you get more and more beautiful by the day !"

He complimented, clearly checking  Raeesa out from head to toe.

He made her feel so uncomfortable sometimes, that was why Basheera didn't like him. He was always complimenting and trying to flatter Raeesa despite him knowing she was married .

Gosh, some men!

Basheera grabbed Raeesa's arm and pulled her towards the lifts, still mumbling under her breath.

A few seconds later the lift doors opened and they both stepped in.
Mr Seth was still standing at the same spot chuckling at Basheera's annoyance.

"That outfit looks good on you by the way", he shouted, just before the doors of the lift closed.

There's nothing so great about this outfit, he's just saying that to annoy me.

The lift stopped on the eighteenth floor and they both made their way into the office silently. Basheera still fuming in silence. She  was usually a very calm and collected person but this was an exception, she was never calm around conceited and egotistical  guys. She admired men who possessed  modesty,  kept their distance from women and respected them, which was why she could not  stand Mr Seth and the likes of him.

Raaesa didn't like the way he behaved at times,  but she didn't tell him anything, she just let it be, she thought he just does that to annoy her, so the more attention she gave him,  the more he would perform.

They walked into the office and Basheera shut the door with a loud bang, causing Raeesa to jump in shock.

"Bashi do you want to kill me and my child!", she asked, holding her heart dramatically.

"No I want to kill that irritating conceited, annoyingly stupid man who can't just shut up and mind his own business! Why doesn't he go flirt with someone who is not married and leave you alone!", she exclaimed  in a frustrated tone.

Raeesa burst out laughing. She sounds just like Uthmaan when he gets all overprotective, if he caught someone in a shopping mall or restaraunt staring at her.

"You sound just like Uthmaan , sometimes I think you two would have been a perfect match."

Raeesa joked.

Basheera scrunched her nose, then widened her eyes in surprise.

"You become utterly insane if a woman just glances at your husband longer than necessary and here you are now, teasing me with your very own husband! Are you crazy ! "

Raeesa laughed.

"I know it's safe to tease you, because you won't even look at my husband. We have been friends for years and since I'm married you haven't even looked at my husband properly. "

Raeesa explained.

"It's not funny Raeesa why don't you ever tell him anything you just stay silent! He's going to misunderstand your silence and think you like it when he compliments you! "

"No he will not, he just goes on for himself to irritate you because you get annoyed. Just ignore him like I do, he won't bother us !".

"Whatever let's get to work. My sketches are done we need to start putting this beautiful dress together with your magical touch of course!" Basheera exclaimed.

Raaesa could  never understand how her moods could  switch in seconds. She could   never calm down so quickly when she was angry.

Basheera did  more of the sketching she was the sketch artist while Raeesa did more of the designing, although both worked together most of the time and with both of their creative minds, they created some amazing things.

At the moment,  they were designing a dress for a rich business tycoon's fiance to be. Their engagement was in three months time so they needed to get started right away. They recieved direct orders from famous people sometimes and at times they designed outfits and dresses for boutiques.

6 p.m That very evening

He parked his car outside the apartments, proceeding towards the escalators.

While waiting for the lift to open, he fished for the apartment keys in his y jacket pocket. Once the lift stopped on the fourth floor, he opened the door with a glum expression and closed it behind him.

He reacited the dua for entering, then greeted his  empty house.

He sighed, it was already over a year since Raeesa started working again, but he still hated this feeling of returning to an empty, lonely home.

The first few months of marriage was just the way he imagined it to be, he would return  home and be welcomed by Raeesa who would have a warm smile etched on her face. Even if he had a bad day at work, just seeing her beautiful smile would brighten up his mood and he would forget his worries.

She insisted she wished to start working again, at first he refused , as he didn't see any need for her to work. Alhamdulillah he was  the manager of his father's engineering company and he earned more than enough, he was capable of affording their neccesities and luxuries, yet  she still insisted that she wishes to work and that fashion was always her passion.

He was a person who expressed his opinions aloud, but he didn't force anything on anyone. When Raeesa failed to see reason, he permitted her to  do as she pleased, but he also made it clear that he would be happier if she remained at home.

She returned home at seven p.m almost  every night and she was  exhausted most of the time, which meant they had to order takeouts when he had no idea of what to cook.
When he was frustrated with eating takeaways he would cook something himself.

Uthmaan's mother believed that men should help their wives in the kitchen at times. She taught him, as well as his two younger brothers to cook some simple and basic things. Despite having three sisters, she still distributed the house chores amongst the boys and girls when the maids were not around and even when the  maids were around everyone had to still make their own beds and put their dirty laundry in the laundry basket. Their mother always adviced them to help out, even if it was a little bit and not to burden the maids with everything. She always told them that Nabi (SalAllhuAlayhiWaSallam) treated even his workers and servants with kindness and never overburdened them and that Nabi (SalAllhuAlayhiWaSallam) did things for himself like patching a torn garment etc, and even helped his wives prepare food at times.

They grew up in luxury, came from a wealthy family, but their parents made sure that they recieved proper Deeni education and always advised them to give preferance to their deen over the worldly assets.

Uthmaan's father Ebraheem Musa was strict regarding deen and a more of a serious person, but he had his soft side as well, which he seldom made apparent. His mother Aminah was a very soft and loving person, the total oppossite of his father.

Uthmaan was the eldest son, after him, his eighteen year old twin siblings, Usama and Umama. Usama was five minutes older than his sister Umama, fourth, Huzaifa who was sixteen, fifth Hafsa who was fifteen and lastly Humairaa, who was ten.

When they were introduced to new people, their first reaction would be shock and their first statement would be 'Wow ! Whag a big family, poor woman, how deos she cope? '
The truth was, his mother loved having a full house that buzzed with activity  more than than a quite and a lonely house.

He grew up in a loud and rowdy  house which was  why he found  it extremely difficult to become a accustomed to being alone when he returned  from work. Alhamdulillah they were going to be parents soon, so he hoped that  his beloved wife would  be home soon.
In Shaa Allah.

With those happy thoughts of coming home to a smiling wife, he freshened up, ordered some food and sat down in the living room. He took out the Quraan and began reciting it, while waiting for Raeesa.

He was so engrossed in Surah Kahf, one of his favourite surahs, it had some amazing and strange incidents and lessons, he didn't didnt even hear Raeesa entering.

"Assalamualaykum"

She greeted in a cheerful voice.

He smiled to himself, even though she must have been exhausted like every other day, she was in an extra cheerful mood and he knew that was because of the good news of their baby.

He closed the Quraan and put it on the shelf, walked  towards her and engulfed her in a hug.

"How's my wife and baby?"

"We both are absolutely fine."

She replied smiling, they both sat on the couch.

"That's good Alhamdulillah!"

He returned her smile with a huge grin.

"Uthmaan I'm hungry!"

She admitted, rubbing her stomach.

"Wow! It sure is going to snow today, my wife is actually hungry as soon as she comes from work! That's a first, you usually eat dinner later on."

He give her an amused look.

He liked teasing her and seeing the way she gets worked up and all defensive, he found it very cute.

"Uthmaan don't start with your teasing already from now! This is only the beginning, what are you going to do when I get cravings for different things and that too at midnight!"

She said folding her arms and smirking at him.

"Insha Allah I will fulfill your every wish!"

He kissed her forehead and she smiled at him, lovingly.

Suddenly she pulled away, an alarmed expression broke out on her face.

"Oh my gosh! Do you know what this means Uthmaan !".

"What?"

He gave her a confused look.

"It means I'm going to get fat! Oh my word all my hard work to keep myself this slim! Now I'm going to look like a chubby bear!"

She  looked horrified.

He burst out laughing.

"Seriously my dear, you are very dramatic!"

She grabbed a cushion from behind him and hit him straight in the face.

"Oh no you didn't ! You just asked for a cushion war! My dear wife!"

He grabbed two cushions and threw one at her, hitting her head.

"Wait " she pulled her scarf off and threw it onto the couch, then grabbed another cushion and threw it on his head, then ran into the passage.

"Now thats not fair Raeesa. "

"You're such a baby Uthmaan! ", she pulled out her tongue, like a child.

"And you call me childish."

He walked slowly towards her.

She laughed and turned so fast that she was about to fall, but quickly held the door frame for support.

"Ya Allah ! Are you okay Raeesa? Please be careful!"

He hugged her towads his chest, concern lacing his voice.

"I'm fine don't worry."

"How can I not worry about you!"

He kissed her forehead and she smiled at him.

Alhamdulillah ! She was blessed to have a spouse like him. He was the coolness of her eyes.

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I would like to dedicate this chapter to saalihaismail0 and laaiqu_13 the first two people to vote for my story!

JazakAllah Khair for the support !

Please don't forget to vote,comment and share.

Readers are most welcome to inform me regarding any mistakes.

💜Jawhariy