2 weeks later

Sayyid and I returned home about thirty minutes ago from the hospital. His aunt, Mufeeda, gave birth to a beautiful baby girl last night but had to undergo a C-section.

I'm currently lounging on the couch in the living room, replying to messages from well-wishers on Instagram, Snapchat, and WhatsApp. Last week was incredibly hectic with people coming and going every day, visiting us to celebrate, and the house was always full. This week, I've started cooking since the Amarci is over, and to be honest, the whole cooking routine has been quite overwhelming, especially with the constant hustle and bustle.

Sayyid resumes work tomorrow, Inshallah, and I already know I'm going to miss him. He's so much fun to be around, honestly. I've gotten so used to having him by my side all the time. Speaking of the devil, he walked into the living room dressed in a black shirt and matching black sweatpants.

He came over to where I was sitting on the couch and plopped himself right down on my legs. "Ahh, kana so ka karya ni ne?" I screamed dramatically, pretending to be in agony.

He chuckled and looked at me with a teasing grin. "Haba mana, I'm not that heavy fa."

I tried to push him off, but he was solid and heavy, and I couldn't budge him. "Sayyid, please! I haven't even spent a month in your house, and you're already trying to break me!"

He leaned in closer, his voice lowering. "I'm planning on breaking you, but not here." He whispered in my ear, sending a wave of heat through me, making my face flush bright red.

I rolled my eyes, shaking my head. "You're so shameless, wallah."

He smirked, stood up, and moved off my legs, but then he sat back down and gently placed my legs across his lap, looking at me with that familiar mischievous glint in his eyes.

"What are you doing, anyways?" he asked, his eyes scanning my phone.
"Nothing, just replying to my messages, ya know?"

We sat in silence for a moment, the only sound being the soft click of my phone screen. Eventually, he spoke again. "Get ready, we're going out after Isha."

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Where are we going?"

"To my parents' for dinner," he replied simply, then stood up to head to the mosque for Isha prayer. Before leaving, he leaned in and gave me a quick peck on the lips, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

I stood up and made my way upstairs, feeling the weight of the day on my shoulders. With each step, my breathing grew heavier, and I lazily dragged my feet toward my room. The comfort of my space awaited me. I love my room—everything is white and silver, creating such a peaceful atmosphere. The silver and white canopy bed glistened in the soft lighting, looking as beautiful as ever.

I walked to my closet, scanning for something to wear. After nearly ten minutes of searching, I finally spotted the perfect outfit: a dark green lace boubou. I paired it with a black silky scarf, laid them on the bed, and headed to the bathroom. A warm shower was exactly what I needed. The smell of food still clung to me—I probably smelled like the kitchen after hours of cooking.

I came out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel that stopped mid-thigh. As I walked toward the vanity, I saw Sayyid sitting on the bed already dressed in his black kaftan. He looked so handsome, as always.

"I didn't hear you come in," I said, walking over to the vanity table to start getting ready.

"I've been here for ten minutes now. Subhanallah, you take an hour to bathe! Kin fiya son ruwa kamar agwagwa," he teased, laughing.

I playfully glared at him. "Did you just call me a duck?"

"Did I? I can't remember saying that," he chuckled, clearly amused.

I shook my head and focused on getting ready. I rubbed my Victoria's Secret strawberry lotion on my skin, spritzed my body spray, and did all the other things that made me feel fresh. As I slipped into my undies and the boubou, I couldn't help but notice how Sayyid kept his eyes on me. Honestly, I didn't even know how I was so comfortable dressing up with him in the room. It was just... him.

I tied my scarf, put on some earrings, slipped on my Cartier wristwatch, and sprayed a hint of my Armani perfume. With that, I was ready to go—just needed to grab my handbag and slip into my shoes.

"I'm ready, babe," I said, walking toward him.

He immediately circled his arms around my hips, pulling me closer to him.

"You look so beautiful, baby," he said in a hushed tone, his voice full of admiration.

I smiled and kissed his cheek before gently pulling him up. Hand in hand, we walked out of the room and stopped in front of the mirror in the lobby, taking a moment to admire how perfect we looked together.

"Let's take a picture first," I said, pulling out my phone. I snapped a couple of photos, making sure to capture the moment.

"Now let's go, we're getting late," he said with a smile, and we made our way downstairs. He switched off the sockets, lights, and the TV before we headed outside.

We climbed into his Audi and zoomed out of the compound, the drive filled with light conversation and music playing in the background. The house wasn't far from ours, so we arrived soon enough. As soon as we stopped, Sayyid quickly got out and opened my door.

I smiled, feeling a sense of warmth, and whispered a soft "thank you" as I stepped out.

We greeted with Salam as we walked into the main living room. Ruqaiya was on a call, but as soon as she saw us, she smiled and waved us over. She quickly ushered us to the dining room while Sayyid gave her some confused looks, but she simply rolled her eyes in response.

As we entered the dining room, a mouthwatering aroma greeted my senses, and I couldn't help but smile. The maids were already busy arranging the food on the table, while Sauda was helping with the plates and cutlery. "My favorite person is here!!" Sauda exclaimed and rushed to hug me the moment her eyes landed on us.

Sayyid let out a dramatic sigh. "Okay, so nobody hugs me when I get home? That's not fair," he pouted, slumping down into a chair with a mock sad face.

"Yes, nobody loves you," Najeeb said with a smirk as he entered the dining room.

"Yeah, nobody loves you anymore," Ruqaiya teased, sticking her tongue out at him.

Sayyid dramatically placed a hand on his chest, feigning hurt. "Well, that's a lie. My wife loves me, right, baby?" He turned to me, his eyes sparkling. "You love me, don't you?"

I smiled sweetly at him and nodded. "Of course I do."

He grinned, clearly satisfied with my answer, and placed a quick peck on my cheek. I smiled at him, but quickly looked away, my gaze involuntarily shifting toward the door where Mami was standing with an amused expression on her face. I silently prayed she hadn't seen Sayyid's affectionate peck or, worse, heard me say "I love you." Oh my god, I felt like the floor should open up and swallow me whole right now. The embarrassment was real.

Mami walked into the dining room just as I squatted down to greet her. She gently raised me up and embraced me lovingly. Mami smiled widely. "Lafiya kalau, Aidah. I hope Sayyid is treating you well?" she asked, making me blush.

"Mami am, I'm right here!" Sayyid said, clearing his throat with a grin.

"Hamma, Mami only saw Adda Aidah," Sauda teased, sticking her tongue out at him playfully while greeting Mami.

"Lafiya, Sayyid am. How are you doing? How are you treating our bride?" Mami asked, glancing at me with a smile.

"Fine, Alhamdulillah Mami," Sayyid replied.

"Mami, have you noticed something?" Najeeb asked, catching Mami's attention.

"What is it, Ajeeb?" She asked him with a smile.

"Marriage has changed Hamma... like Sosai," Najeeb teased, grinning mischievously.

Sayyid shot his brother a glare. "It's been only two weeks since the wedding," he responded, trying to defend himself.

Sauda chimed in with a grin, "But it's true, wallah! You're looking so fresh and happy. Adda Aidah is surely taking care of you." She winked at me, and I could feel the blush creeping up my cheeks. These people really need to stop making me blush!

We finally settled down to have dinner. Sayyid's dad was out of town, and Aunty had traveled to Maiduguri with Meera for a wedding, leaving just the rest of us to enjoy the meal.

I sat beside Sayyid and Ruqaiya, while Najeeb was seated across from me, with Sauda next to him. Ruqaiya started by serving Mami, then herself, before passing the serving spoon to me. I took it, smiling, and served Sayyid. "Ya isa ko na kara," I whispered softly to him.

He smiled and gently shook his head. "No, no, it's okay."

After serving him, I helped myself to some of the delicious food. We dug into the mouthwatering spaghetti Bolognese, topped with juicy grilled chicken, and enjoyed refreshing lemonade. The food was absolutely delightful, and as we ate, the conversation flowed smoothly. We laughed and shared stories, some from the wedding and others about our lives in general.

The mood was light and easy, and before long, Mami excused herself from the dining room, leaving the rest of us to continue chatting and enjoying each other's company. It felt so natural to be around them, like I had always belonged. We talked about everything, from funny wedding mishaps to our plans for the future, and I couldn't help but feel grateful for the warmth and love surrounding me.

"Babe, did you know that Najeeb once wanted to become a farmer?" I said, glancing at Sayyid.

He burst out laughing. "Why on earth would he want to be a farmer?"

Najeeb shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't really know. I guess it was because I hated school."

Ruqaiya chimed in with a smirk. "You still hate school!"

Najeeb shot her a playful look. "Do you think studying engineering is easy? Huh? Besides, now I like school. It's all about the hakura."

We all burst into laughter, the conversation light-hearted and fun. The evening flowed on with more jokes and stories. After a while, the girls decided it was time to whisk me upstairs to their living room, where they began showing me their photo albums, some dating back to when Sayyid was just a baby.

Sayyid looked so adorable in those pictures, and I couldn't help but marvel at how far he had come. I couldn't resist the urge to capture this moment. I grabbed my phone and snapped a picture of the scene, wanting to remember how happy and content I felt in this warm, family-filled environment. It was a moment that made me appreciate the bond we were building more and more each day.

Sayyid looked so cute and adorable as a baby, and as I gazed at those pictures, I couldn't help but wonder about the future—how our kids would look, who they'd resemble. I secretly hoped they'd take after their father, with his charming smile and kind eyes. The thought brought a warm feeling to my heart.

We spent hours chatting and laughing, the time flying by so quickly. Eventually, Sayyid came upstairs to tell me it was time to leave. I stood up, bidding the girls goodbye and thanking them for a wonderful evening. They walked us to the door, and I hugged each one of them tightly.

Before we left, I went back inside to bid Mami goodnight. She smiled warmly and wished us well, reminding me how lucky I was to have such a loving family around me. As Sayyid and I stepped out, I couldn't help but smile, grateful for the memories we'd made that night and the future we were building together.

The ride back home was quiet, with only a few brief exchanges between us. We arrived home safely, and I couldn't help but rush up the stairs to our room, eager for a moment to myself. I quickly showered, feeling the weight of the evening lift off me. Wrapped in a fluffy purple towel, I stood in front of the closet, contemplating what to wear.

As I browsed through my options, I found myself gravitating toward something different, something bold. Tonight, I decided to step outside my comfort zone and pull out one of the more daring pieces in my wardrobe. The white outfit, with its red accents along the plunging neckline and bottom, caught my eye. It was shorter than I was used to, stopping mid-thigh, with delicate straps over the shoulders. The sheer chiffon midriff added a touch of intrigue, and as I stood there examining myself, I felt a rush of excitement.

I ran my fingers through my silky black hair one more time, taking in the image before me. Lord have mercy, I thought.

Opening the door, I found Sayyid lounging on the bed, relaxed with his head leaned back against the headboard. His legs were stretched out under the quilt, and he was typing away on his phone, seemingly lost in his own world.

Sayyid watched me intently as I closed the bathroom door behind me. Neither of us said a word as I stood awkwardly in the middle of the room. I nervously tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and glanced at him. His gaze slowly traveled from my head to my toes, and I noticed a faint pink flush creep up his face. The heat in my skin intensified as his eyes lingered, and he sat up, visibly surprised.

He chuckled softly, covering his face with his hands. I stood there, caught off guard by his reaction, unsure of what to make of it.

Sayyid shook his head, a smile tugging at his lips as he looked at me with a mixture of longing and admiration. He pulled the blanket back, got up from the bed, and walked over to where I stood. I met his gaze, batting my eyelashes and biting my lip, knowing full well the effect it would have on him.

"Oh baby," he murmured softly, his voice filled with desire.

He placed his hands gently on my hips, the fabric of my outfit brushing against my waist. His lips met mine in a tender kiss, followed by a soft kiss on my temple. My hands remained clasped between us, unsure of what to do next.

"Is it me or did it get really hot in here?" he asked, his tone teasing and smug.

I looked up at him, a playful smirk curling at my lips. "We're in July. It's not supposed to be cold," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

He grinned and chuckled, his hand sliding from my scalp to the middle of my back, where my hair ended. "Damn, my wife is a smart ass," he growled in my ear, his breath sending shivers down my spine.

He kissed the inside of my jawline, and I closed my eyes, lost in the sensation. My fingers absentmindedly played with his t-shirt, my mind racing to keep pace with the rising heat between us.

"You look hot," he whispered, his voice low and filled with hunger.

I tangled my fingers in his hair, pulling his face closer to mine. I kissed him softly, then pulled back just enough to speak.

"Do you like what I'm wearing?" I whispered, kissing him again before he could answer.

He kissed me back, urgently, but pulled away far too soon. "I love it," he breathed, his hands tightening on my hips, his knuckles rough against my skin.

My touch lingered on his cheek, guiding his gaze back to mine. My fingertips brushed along the edge of his hard waist, and I felt him shudder under my touch. Good.

I rose up on my tiptoes and kissed him again. He groaned and pulled me closer, his hands gripping my waist.

"Damn it, Aidah," he murmured, his voice full of raw need.

I let my fingers trace the ridges of his stomach and lower abdomen, feeling the tension in his body. "I love you," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion.

"I love you," he replied softly, his gaze intense as he held me close.

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