One year Later;

"Ya Allah Adeel, stop misbehaving." He stops dancing behind me for a moment to Major's  This is why I love you  to kiss my exposed nape.

"I don't know why you're wearing makeup when you know I'll be taking it all off later." I eye him through the mirror, with my upper lip raised in mockery, he shrugs and I shake my head.

"When did you turn this wicked fa?" He smirks at me once the song changes to Joeboy's My baby.

"Na why be say I no fit get enough of you." He sings shaking his shoulders in tune with the song, I shake my head again as I sweep my blending brush over my face in one last sweep.

"Baby shey you dey for me?" I melt and  he sits on the bed. I carefully bring out my silk scarf and begin to tie it around my head.

"I hope Zeenah loves the party." I say with a sigh. He shrugs, still in the throes of the song.

"She has to, she will. She deserves it because she's my baby sister." I frown at him through the mirror.

"Alright- one of my baby sisters." I shake my head again, there's a load of saliva in my mouth and I get up to the bathroom to let it out. Other people have morning sickness, I get a saliva overload. Pathetic right?

"Done?" I nod and he picks my black handbag from the vanity table and his car keys.

"Let's go surprise Zeenah." I walk behind him to the door.

I smirk at him, surprisingly, we like to surprise people. Were the Hassans.

Hehe.

"******

"Surprise!!!!!"

Zeenah walks in with Hakim behind her looking as surprised as his wife, they were married earlier this morning at a small ceremony after Jumaah service at the central mosque.

"You guys!" She works the room with Hakim by her side, Adeel doesn't get up to meet her, his hands are wrapped around my left hand.

"Hamma Adeel." When she finally reached us, she's teared up already and I raise one hand to her.

"Madam. No tears. None at all. You deserve this and more." She nods and tears spill out of her eyes.

Adeel finally lets go of my hand to stand up. He engulfs his sister in an all encompassing hug, rocking her side by side. The photographer takes pictures from the side.

"Hamma, over the past few months, you've become like a father to me. No one can take Baaba's place but you've taken your own important place. I love you." She breaks down afterward and all my fears for her makeup fly to the roof. She's gone and done it. Adeel holds her close, whispering words into her ear, disregarding his white ensemble. 

A map of her face will be on his Babba Riga. Surely. I sigh and look away.

They pull away and Hakim hugs Adeel in a man hug style, that involves shoulder clapping and forehead rapping.

Someone taps me and I turn around to see Ya Ajike holding a wailing Fatima. She dumps her with me and walks away making me burst into laughter.

Fatima has become something of an enigma in her walking months, wailing for absolutely no reason at all. Making her mother hand her to me for hours at a time.

I bring out my phone from my clutch and hand it to her after pressing play on the Powerpuff girls video she likes to watch. She has gone silent.

I hear a click and we both look up to the intruder and it's Adeel. I frown in question.

"You look so beautiful with her in your arms." I shake my head. Adeel is so incorrigible these days. No filter whatsoever.

The event has started in front and Zeenah and Hakim have taken their seats upfront.

I look round to look for Maama and when I catch her eyes, she smiles widely at me. She makes a picture sign and I pick up Adeel's phone from the table.

"I'm going to Maama." He nods without looking at me. He's deep in conversation with Moh.

I adjust Fatima on my hip, her left leg cups my swollen belly then walk off to Maama's table. I greet each of her friends with a near kneel and when I reach her, she smiles at me.

"Darling. How are you?" I nod quickly.

"I hope you're comfortable?" I nod again. She asks a series of other questions. Which I answer in affirmative. She's a worrier and has worried about me immensely.

"Thank you for this. For doing this for your sister. Huhn?" I nod again with tears in my eyes.

It's Zeenah's beginning, and I've never been happier for her.

*****

"Alhamdulilahi."

I unwrap the veil I had wrapped around my body earlier to ward off the cold. My body's temperature has been crazy, going hot when others are cold and cold when other people are hot.

"I'm so grateful everything went well. Even Inna Saude behaved." I shake my head. I had to beg him and Maama before Inna Saude was invited. Adeel had said she could come to the wedding but not the party. It had taken a lot of begging and reassuring for him to agree.

Even so, he'd placed someone to watch her and Uncle Seidu. Paranoid human.

"How do you feel?" I nod, exasperated. I've been asked that question like twenty times tonight.

"I'm fine Adeel. If I'm in discomfort, you'll be the first to know." He nods and removed his cap.

My phone's ringing breaks the silence.  I look at the caller ID and groan.

It's my mother. I let it ring.

"Why don't you take it? It could be an emergency?" I sigh and tap the call back option.

"Good Evening ma." I say when she picks.

"So, you don't know you're supposed to come home for wankan jego?" I laugh lightly.

"Well, hello to you too mother. How have you been? How are your legs?" She hisses in what I know is annoyance.

"Just tell them you have to come back for a month before the baby." I scoff. Trying to tamp down on the annoyance I'm feeling.

"I can't come. Besides you disowned me, remember?" She hisses again.

"You're going to incur the wrath of Allah. So you better come next month." I hiss lightly, enough so she doesn't hear.

"My tubes were tied and I'll need to give birth with a Ceaseran section. Are you satisfied now?" She goes silent.

"If you know you want to see your grandchild, wait till I return. And pray I return safe. Bye." I press the power button to cut the call.

"Beela, calm down." I sigh.

"Why does she do this to me?" Once he puts his hands around me I burst into tears.

"Don't cry anymore. Please." I nod and laugh a little. I can only blame pregnancy hormones for my tears.

"We'll find what to do. In Sha Allah." I sniffle and he hands me a fresh tissue to blow my nose.

"We'll be fine."

*********

Hi everyone 🤸🏿‍♀️🤸🏿‍♀️🤸🏿‍♀️🤸🏿‍♀️🤸🏿‍♀️

How are you all? New update? I knowwww rightttt. I feel so good. Today, I'll update the first chapter of Letting Go.

Check my profile for the book. I've updated something so you can add it to your library.

This one is for @Haaafsat_ I'm tagging you oo, no network.

Una see Nabeela mama again? See how I'm having to battle her? She has come again.

Have a splendid week.

TheOmoope.