Y'all didn't expect this, did you?😏❤️

This is it guys😩😭
I'm not ready😖😔

Third Person P.O.V

The atmosphere of the house is lively and warm, chatters from different people served as a background noise. A big round table is placed in the middle of the huge backyard with so many chairs surrounding it, for adults. Some of the chairs are occupied whilst some are empty. Then to the left is a similar table of smaller size, for the kids.

Three young boys, of ages six, five and four were chasing each other around. A pretty little girl of eight years ran after them calling out their names. "Abbakar, Alee, Hadeed, stop!" She yelled in a commanding voice but the boys didn't even look her way.

She huffed and turned to look at the little boy beside her. "Salman, don't grow up to be like your elder brothers please." She pleaded with all seriousness and the three year old boy giggled as if he actually understood what his elder sister said.

On the play ground, four little girls were having a tea party. Two of them are dressed in the same type of gown except for the color. You can tell they are twins. The oldest there, from the look of it, stood up to serve the tea. Whilst serving the tea, she heard footsteps so she turned around in fright thinking it was one of the boys. She sighed when she saw who it was. "Ukhti Manal." She beamed.

Manal smiled softly. "Ukhti Batool." She replied to the four year old princess. "How's the tea party?"

Batool beamed. "It's amazing. The twins, Inayah and Inara, and Daneen are the princesses." Manal nodded and took a seat adjusting the eight months old Rafiq she's holding. Together the sisters continued to play.

******

Jawahir was smiling, scratch that, she was grinning like a lunatic. She let her gaze roamed around the entire field of her backyard, filled to the brim with the people she loved.

A pair of sinewy arms wrapped themselves around her dainty waist and she sank into the embrace, the move was involuntary. "'Am 'awladi alhabib; Mother of my beloved children." Aayan whispered against her neck.

Jawahir sighed, after almost ten years of marriage her heart still races at the thought or feel of him. "How did we get so lucky Noorie?" She whispered after a little while.

Aayan placed his chin on her neck, and together they looked at the wonderful scenery in front of them. "I don't know hayati, all we can say is Alhamdulillah."

"Alhamdulillah....."

Over the years, so much had happened. There were ups and there were downs. There were happy moments and they were sad moments. They were times when it almost seemed like they won't be able to recover, there were times when hope was almost lost.

Little Daneen fell down and Abbakar was swift to pick her up. His eyes scan her whole body searching for any injury, Jawahir couldn't hear what he was saying but she's sure he is consoling her. Her lips lifted at the thought. Her prince.

Over the years, Allah SWT has blessed Jawahir and Aayan with five beautiful kids. Manal the eldest, was named after Jawahir's paternal grandmother, Safiya. Hajiya passed away a few months before Jawahir could give birth and it was only fitting to name her after such a strong woman. One who played a major role in their marriage.

When Aayan announced the name of the baby, Jawahir couldn't describe how she felt.

"What should we call her?" Aayan had asked. Jawahir smiled and whispered. "Manal..." The look on Aayan's face was indescribable. He just cupped his wife face and rewarded her with a deep kiss. "Thank you." He had only whispered but Jawahir could hear and feel every single thought that ran through his mind.

Two years later, she gave birth to a baby boy and he was named Abbakar. Baba and Abu refused when it was proposed that the baby should be named after one of them. "Name your kids after the bravest of men." Was their reply.

Years later, two, she gave birth to a bouncing baby boy again and he was named Alee.

When she gave birth to twins, girls. She cried and begged Aayan to name them after their mothers. That was what he planned too. On the day of the naming ceremony, they were named Khadijah and Maymunatu. Inaya and Inarah. Inayah means one who cares for the well-being of others and Inarah means a heaven sent daughter, one who shines with light.

Jawahir's everyday prayer seeks guidance from the Almighty to raise her kids the appropriate way.

"Alee and Hadeed are too troublesome." Aayan chuckled. Jawahir's gaze drifted to the duo and she laughed when she saw the mischief they were causing. Hadeed is Kausar's eldest child, he is five years old.

Kausar met the love of her life, Kareem in Gombe when she went for a friend's wedding. They started on the wrong foot, when he mistakenly poured a glass of juice on her. And now years later, they are married and blessed with two kids, Hadeed and Daneen—who is two years old, same age as the twins. The couple compliment each other, while Kausar is loud and outgoing, Kareem is calm and reserved.

Jawahir's gaze wandered to a heavily pregnant Jahara, her husband Faraz, was hovering over her. Jahara got married last year, the nerd completed her masters degree before getting married. She met Faraz during her final year in Nile University. She drove him away as she was still nursing a broken heart at the time. "Karatu zanyi." Was what she told him. Faraz agreed to leave her alone, unbeknown to all them he was lurking in the shadows. And the day she collected her certificate, on her graduation day is the day he went on one knee and asked for her hand in marriage.

Jawahir can still see the flabbergasted look on her best friend's face then, in fact she has a picture.

Amani cuddled baby Rafiq to her bosom as he takes in his fill. Her hubby, Haroon was lovingly looking at them. The two met at a workshop in Abuja. Amani being the loquacious person she is ranted the poor guy's ears. One thing led to the other and here they are.

Jawahir's heart clenched painfully when her gaze wandered to Nabila. Her heart aches whenever she looks into her friend's eyes and see the sorrow that lies within them. Nabila was engaged to her cousin, Salman. A date was set, preparations were being made. Sadly, Salman passed away in a car accident a week to the wedding. And Nabila has not recovered, that was three years ago. Amani gave birth to her first child a week later and the baby was named Salman.

Nabila loves Salman to death. He calls her Ammie, she nurtured him as if he was her biological son. She says he is her first born.

Salman ran to his Ammie and Nabila engulfed him in her warm embrace. When Jawahir saw the smile on her face as Nabila looked at Salman, she knew her friend will be okay. Maybe not now, but someday, definitely she'll be happy.

"Look at what Batool is doing," Aayan pointed out with a chuckle. The girl is imitating her father as he walks. Fatima Batool is Suhayla and Sayf's beautiful princess. Those two met at New York Fashion Week.

"Aunty Hanan!" The children all of a sudden chorused as they ran to the guests. Little Inarah was the first to reach, so Hanan swung her up. Alee being the second ran to his uncle Uthman and he too swung him up. The rest grumbled and Hanan smiled sheepishly before carefully setting Inarah down and took turn to hug and kiss each and every child.

Hanan is Uthman's wife, and like Jawahir, she absolutely adores children. Sadly, she's yet to give birth after five years of marriage. But all is well, it's just a matter of time in sha Allah.

"Let's go, everybody is here." Aayan softly said, he wrapped his arms around his heavily pregnant wife and carefully led them to the table. Pleasantries were exchanged.

They try to have a get together at least once in a month. This time around not all of them are present. Mammie, Mama, Ammiey, Baba and Abu are in Saudi Arabia for Umrah. Ya Yusuf and his family are absent, they've traveled to visit Hairan's family. Ya Nana and her family couldn't make it this month. Ya Fifi just gave birth to her third baby, Amna. Her eldest child, Muhammad is ten followed by Bilkisu (Amma) who's five.

And Ya Farha and her family are on a vacation in America with her four kids. Ruqayya who's ten years old, Malik(Imam) who's seven, Layla who's four and Amna who is just a year old.

Ya Akram and his wife Halimatou Sa'adiya couldn't make it either, with their bouncing baby girl, Aafreen. Ya Akram was posted to Lagos.

"Have I mentioned how happy I am?" Jawahir asked lovingly looking at the people that are sitting around the table.

"I feel you babes." Kausar answered.

"I think you'll be happier if you look that way," Aayan pointed to the entrance. Jawahir stared at the figure that walked in, she stood up with wobbly smile on her face as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Suhayl.." She whispered.

Barr. Suhayl Malik Zayyad sauntered in gracefully. The first thing he did was engulf his baby sister in a hug. "I missed you munchkin." He mumbled. Even with Jawahir's protruding belly, he hugged her tight. Suhayl hasn't been home in almost a year, he went for a course in Afghanistan.

"Hey Twin." He pulled Suhayla's cheek and she hit his arms before hugging him too. Another set of pleasantries were exchanged, the kids were ecstatic to see him, some were seeing him in front of them for the first time. Like the twins and Daneen, he left when they were still babies so they've only met him through video calls.

Inayah refused to leave his embrace. Suhayl chuckled. "Where are Nai'a and Amal?" He enquired as he took a seat, beside Nabila. Jawahir smiled when she noticed, she prays it's what she thinks.

"We are here!" Two girlish voices screamed running in, behind time was Affan. The two eighteen year olds greeted their elders before taking a seat. Affan who's now thirteen, did the same before taking a seat.

Lunch was served. They had fun and new memories were created, to add to the ones that are already in store.

Aayan glanced at his wife and he saw her wiping her tears. "Hayati," he whispered softly so only she could hear not that the others would since they are arguing.

"Why the tears?" He asked.

She turned around to look at him. "I'm just so happy habibi, I feel like my heart will burst. I have everything I need, Alhamdulillah. A big and loving family. My business is soaring, we have a restaurant in almost all the states. I have my own culinary school, where I can teach what I love the most. What else do I need?" Aayan didn't answer, he knew it was a rhetorical question.

"Alhamdulillah." Jawahir prayed. "I know things are going to get hard, it always won't be this easy but when I remember that I have you, and my family by my side then my heart eases."

Aayan leaned in softly pecked her cheeks. "I love you." Jawahir mumbled.

"I love you too Tesoro. Till when our hair becomes grey, skins becomes wrinkled. And till we meet in Jannah In sha Allah."

"In sha Allah." Jawahir prayed, she leaned in and placed her head on Aayan's shoulder. With her palm in his, they caressed her protruding belly adoringly.

"I cannot wait for this baby to arrive." Aayan said, you could hear the excitement in his voice. Jawahir can still picture his face the first time he told her that she was pregnant and the first time he held baby Manal in his arms.

"I can't wait too."

Jawahir continued to whisper Alhamdulillah(s) under her breath as she took in her surroundings. Family is the most priceless treasure.

THE END

Author's Note.

😩😭😭 you guys! Give me a minute or two.

This is it!

T
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Please leave your honest review on this book in the comment section, thank you.

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If you could change a thing in Jewels, what would it be?

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Parting words.....

I'm too overwhelmed right now😭😭😭😭

I'll write a long author note later today❤️

27 February, 2020
©️Maimunatu I Bukar