Bismillah hir Rahman nir Raheem.

Shabna pulled her legs close resting her head above her knees as the chill evening breeze flickered through her face with a gush of saltiness lingering in the air. The white curtains flew back and forth. She cloud gazed for some time and as the sun dipped furthermore on the ocean space, her sight traveled to the margin line of dividing the landscape from the ocean. The beach waves kissed the desert smooth soil again and again like a desperate husband. Each time, they stride with more force as the pinkish hues of the sky turned a shade of light and dark blue. Their love was inexplicable.

She sure was enjoying the ravishing view but her heart felt an unsettling desire. A type of hollowness seeped through it with as second passed. She missed a part which was her. A part which she had left behind for this trip. Her three children. Saad, Khadija, and Muhammad. They were too small to be taken on a trip like this. She missed them even though she didn't voice it out loud.

After the fabulous episode of trekking the Kawasan falls, they had moved to the beachside. Their hotel rooms were located in such a way that, it gave a feeling as they have rented into the beach sand for a night stay. The view was splendid and its beauty was enormous to put forth in mere words.

All of a sudden, a hand grazed her skin, blocking her eyes from the view of the mighty ocean. "Maahi", she exclaimed overwhelmed with his touch after the initial shock subsided.

" How did you find out?".

"Don't be silly. I know the feel of your hands".

Maahi hummed in response as he asked her to stand up and when she obliged, he started guiding her to the place he wanted her to be. " Where are you taking me?".

"I am not going to confront it to you. You should see it on your own".

" It's a surprise then?".

"A pleasant at that one", Maahi replied removing his hands across from her eyes. Shabna blinked back and forth to adjust to the lighting, looking over at her surroundings which immediately conjured her brain to recognize as the lounge, she had crossed to reach over her room. There were couches lined across for them to rest and then her gaze lowered to the wooden teapoy in the center. A surprised yelp left her lips as she went to grab the tablet in her palms, " Mamma", Saad grinned.

"Oh my God! Saad", her eyes got blurry with moisture and she mumbled a Thank you to Maahi who came behind her putting a hand over her shoulder while she was amazed at the fact that he knew her deepest of thoughts and understood her more than her own self.

" How are you. What are you doing?", she asked wiping the tear away with her fingers.

"Good Mamma. I am playing Pubg with Asad".

" Saad, you are too small to play violent games like that".

"Saad, how many times do I have to tell you not to mingle with Asad?", Maahi chimed in. The phone was snatched from Saad on the other side, " Maahi, you know I can hear you", nine-year-old Asad glared at his elder brother.

"I don't care. I don't want you to spoil my innocent son".

" That's the meanest possible thing you can say. Even Samad was playing with us", by now three cute faces popped up at them through the phone screen. Asad, Samad, and Saad. At the mention of his name, Samad's ears turned pink, "Asad, you don't have to address me whenever somebody targets you", he finally uttered, embarrassed.

" You are my twin. You should accept the second-hand embarrassment which comes towards you because of sharing a birth with me".

"Asad, don't be such meanie".

" Says the one who is actually being mean".

Maahi shook his head at the Lil prankster and turned towards Saad. "Don't play that game, okay?".

" Okay, Dad".

"Saad, don't listen to him. He has left you behind to tour the most beautiful place in the world".

" Fasad ki Jad", muttered Maahi under his breath.

"Asad, We wanted to take Saad with us and he was the one who rejected the proposal so you stop putting fuel to the nonexistent fire".

" Why would you do that Saad?", Jesima walked in and plopped herself beside Shabna with Fathima on the toe.

"I don't want to leave Muhammad and Khadija behind".

" For a five-year-old, you are such a sweetie", Fathima blew a kiss his way.

"Thanks, phops".

" Aw! Saad. You always don't fail to win my heart", Jesima's exclamation made Aashiq cough as he entered the lounge.

"Jessie! How are you?", asked Samad.

" Alhamdulillah! Samad, look at you. You have changed so much since the last time I saw you".

"We grow up Doctor, not sprout low", Asad rolled his eyes.

" I doubt you would ever grow up, Asad".

"Guys, where are my other two babies?", Shabna asked grabbing the attention.

" Khadija's tantrums just subsided downstairs and Muhammad is sleeping. Do you want to see them?".

When everyone nodded enthusiastically, Asad took the phone in hand and ran through the notches to reach the first floor and the phone showed them the upside-down view of the living room until he stopped near someone and after a moment of pause, he switched to the back camera while taking along a few steps back. Muhammad was pouting his lips in the cutest way as he slept in Mubeena's arm. They all were awed by the sight.

They talked for a few more minutes before hanging the video call and Shabna had thanked Maahi once again, as she took a seat between Jesima and Fathima.

"Saad is so cute", Aashiq wondered out loud.

" He is and the twins are too if you avoid the nonsense talks of Asad".

"Saad is always close to my heart", Fathima sighed.

" No wonder why he is my first love", Jesima deadpanned.

"You know that's why I am planning on to marry him to my daughter in the future".

" Fathima, take your words back", Jesima shook her head, turning towards Shabna, "My daughter is going to marry him".

" Not happening, dude".

"I say why not?".

" My daughter will have only one choice but you have Asad and Samad in the list too".

"Did you forget Muhammad? He's the cutest, marry your daughter to Muhammad because if Saad is not mine, I will make sure he marries someone who is mine".

" You two are sounding like matchmaking Desi Aunties", laughed Maahi at their enthusiasm.

"Muhammad is not Saad".

" Muhammad can be much more than Saad, you just back away".

"Shabna, I am the sister in law who hasn't ever let you down".

" Shabna, I am your that friend because of who, you married the person you loved".

"Shabna, I am the one who sneaked Doritos from Asad because of the fact that you liked them even though it was a deadly task".

" Shabna, I am the one who gave you my favorite stilettos when you said you liked the color".

"Shabna--", Shabna plunged in cutting Fathima off her speech, " Stop it guys. My boy is just five-year-old for Allah's sake".

"And I am going to make sure he would not marry either of your daughters if they ever turned up like you both", Maahi put forth.

" And I am also not going to force him to marry anyone. He can choose his other half, himself".

"Then I am going to make sure he falls for my daughter".

" I would go into disguise to patch them together", Jesima rubbed her hands in a swift motion.

After a lot of quarreling about who would marry who, they called it a night. "How are you so sure that we are going to have a girl?", Aashiq asked once they came inside the confines of their own room.

" One is enough to be cheesy, I don't want another one, or else I would die getting the butter off of his hands".

"Are you hinting that I am being cheesy with you?".

" I am not hinting rather rubbing the truth on your face".

"Ouch", Aashiq clutched his heart.

" So?",

"So what?".

" Have you decided on the name you are going to name her?", he asked plopping on his bed and his eyes raking the lights in the ceiling.

"No. I didn't". Jesima applied some more moisturizer on her arms looking at the adjacent mirror.

" Can we do that now?".

"Why are you so eager. Calm down, she isn't going to give her entry now. Not anytime soon", she grinned at him through the mirror.

" You know, if you want, we can try asap".

" I don't want to", her face became red without any makeup on.

"That hit straight heart".

" Don't worry, Ashiq. I am a doctor, keep that in mind. I will save you if you need any immediate treatments".

"If I pass out, will you give me the CPR the next moment?", to which she threw the comb she was using on her hair at his way as a reply.

" Don't be so high on yourself. You will definitely acquire diabetes with all your sugar quotes", she stood up from the dresser and walked towards the second bed that was after the bed on which Aashiq was laying.

She was so much grateful for the double beddings that she had thanked Allah and promised to pray two nafl rakah of prayers as an act of gratefulness. She then busied herself reciting all the invocations before sleep when she heard a shuffle across the side and she twirled her neck towards her right to see Aashiq cross laying in his bed, staring at her.

She quickly finished the duas and blew them over her palms and then she ran her hands all over her body as mentioned as the Sunnah of our Prophet. "What?", she turned his way.

" Asma".

Her eyes squirmed together in confusion.

" We would name her, Asma", his dimples skimmed his facial features.

Jesima's throat suddenly went dry and she couldn't fathom a reply to that, and her eyes didn't leave his face. "Asma is the name which comes out from both of our names. As' from Aashiq and ma' from Jesima. So name her, Asma".

....

Jesima put a hand on the bathroom wall to steady herself before making her face cringe at the sight of the color red. She bit her bottom lip in exasperation at the perfect timing of mother nature to spoil the fun of her trip. Her lower abdomen ached with cramps as she proceeded to work on the case which occupied her body's court.

Deep down in her heart, she was very well aware that the enjoyment of this trip was officially has come to an end as she exited the bathroom. She lazily got dressed in a full-length gown and randomly matched a hijab from her suitcase.

" What are we going to do today, Aashiq Bhaijaan?", asked Fathima in between her bites of the crisp sandwich which was spread with too much of Nutella.

"We are going to go underwater diving to see sardines and whale sharks".

" Wow", clamored Maahi.

"Why do you plan a death trip?", Jesima pulled a chair and got seated herself.

" For your kind information, these whales are harmless".

"A whale swallowed Prophet Yunus A.S".

" It did with the will of Allah".

"But it did".

" No one is forcing you, Jesima. It's your wish and if you don't want, you can watch our adventures from the shore", Ali answered.

"Thanks for your concern, Ali. By the way, I am not willing to come either", she turned her face away causing Aashiq to pause midway biting his breakfast.

" Why?", Shabna asked slowly.

"Code red", she whispered looking at her from her plate. Her heart becoming heavy all of a sudden. She ate her breakfast quietly in order not to spoil the fun of their friends with her moody dialogues.

She was grabbing her phone after eating to go back to the room when Aashiq came to stand beside her. " It's going to be fun, Jesima. Trust me, I am there and I won't let anything to harm you".

Her throat clotted and her breathing hitched. "You don't have to be so nice to me. I am not anyone who is scared of everything and I surely, don't want you to think I am dependent on you", she paused looking at her friends retreating forms towards the ocean, " Because I am not, Aashiq. I am not as fearful as you imply me to". She glanced from her friend's to Aashiq, the greyness of his eyes, and the hurt that flashes through his face immediately made her regret each syllable she had uttered.

He didn't say anything instead scrutinized her face for a second until Maahi called him out and then he turned around and left. Without any words engaged. If the heart could crack, it surely did for Jesima while she did not even will to think about Aashiq's plight. She blamed her silly hormones. It was totally their fault. Her mood of lazing around the room vanished into thin air. Instead, she walked out of the glass doors of the resort and took small steps towards the waves which splattered the shore.

Everyone climbed a small motorboat, and then she saw them wear masks shielding their eyes as the boat marched furthermore the water until it took a stand quite far away, near the start of the deep part of the sea. One by one, they had jumped inside the water. Aashiq was the last one to jump when she made herself sit on the soft sand, pulling her aching knees more towards her.

The boat started towards the shore and her eyes popped up surprised to see Aashiq still on the board. When he got down, she willed herself to stand up and walk up to him. "Why didn't you jump?", she asked, her voice hoarse.

He remained silent. " Did you forget something in the room?", her mind popped a question aloud, to which he nodded his head in agreement.

"What is it?".

" You", his answer muted her.

"I can't go without you", he shook his head, " I took you here in order to be with you. If you are not going to be the part of the adventure than I am not going to be in it too".

"Aashiq you can't deprive your happiness for me".

" You are my happiness, Jesima". She looked up in time to meet his shining emerald eyes which shimmered with the golden truth. They were the real gold.

She looked down, her face heating in the embarrassment of how she had hurt him unintentionally. She had truly not meant those words but sadly, the irony of words is that once they are uttered they can't be taken back.

"Jesima", he whispered her name, taking a few steps towards her. " Did you forget that period flow stops or gets less when you are in the water?".

Her face looked up. The second-hand embarrassment she felt for forgetting the things she had learnt after several years of hard work in this subject was more than the embarrassment of him, confronting her about her menstrual cycle. She was a DOCTOR in the profession and no wonder, she had mastered in DGO.

When she bit her lips in anticipation and sealed her lips, he added, "It's okay! Forgetfulness makes us all the more human".

" You should not be so cute or else--", she looked away, folding her hands and stopping herself mid-sentence.

His green eyes shined at once with a new spark and when his lips twitched up, his usual dimples grazing the outer layer of skin. "Or else, What?".

She revised her head for proper comebacks until she found one. " Or else, I would think about accompanying you to the sea".

He grinned, running a hand through his hair, and took a few steps back. "That's great".

She smiled sheepishly at his form and she was startled when he came towards her again, grabbing her hand in the process and started running towards the water. They both hopped in the boat and the man, in charge started the engine. The water was crystal clear and transparent. Jesima could already see small black sardines swimming inside it and her heart fluttered with excitement.

Before they took the leap, Jesima took ahold of Aashiq's elbow, making him whirl towards her. " I am sorry. I was not being myself. You know, I was blabbering shit when my mind was elsewhere".

"It's okay", he murmured as a reply.

The instant water surfaced her whole being made her breathing hitch down her throat but a while later, she plunged out of the surface of the water to cough and gasp for air. Aashiq held her hand as he guided her under the water, their breathing bubbled up in front of them and went upwards as they swam deeper inside the ocean. Her clothes soaked to the core but she felt thankful for wearing underwear called thing which was half waterproof, so she didn't fear smudging blood in the water.

The light was visible throughout the water. At first, there was no one around them except the two. A little deep inside, she caught sight of small fishes. Her hand held Aashiq's palm tighter.

A few minutes later, they came across a sight that made them wobble their eyes up. An enormous whale swam with its mighty yet small fins. White Polka dots lined its outer black skin. Aashiq started moving towards the giant mammal. When they reached it, he ran his hand over its skin along the way swimming with it. Jesima's eyes lit in amusement when the whale did not hurt them. She took her fragile fingers to touch its skin and the moment got itself saved in the draft of her memory.

They were moving with the whale until they reached several thousands of sardine fishes which were moving in swift motions. The whale took speed as it sped fast, making the couple gape at the thousand fishes surrounding them. They all moved in a uniform manner within a group. It felt like living a dream. Jesima and Aashiq just shook their finned legs as they watched the marvelous scenery unfold before their eyes.

Aashiq looked up at Jesima and smiled. Even though it wasn't clearly visible through his mask, she knew what reaction he was giving her. They held their hands firm as they conveyed unspoken words to each other inside the water. The moment froze to eternity. Every single thing they had felt embarrassed about each other, flew out of the window. What mattered was their intertwined fingers which resembled their intertwined lives, by the Supreme Creator who had created everything their eyes perceived that moment. Those nanoseconds tickling the clock couldn't get even more magical than they actually were, making the couple find their solace in that juncture upon no one but on themselves and on their relationship.

.....

It was almost the time of Asar prayer when Jesima willed herself to unbuckle her stuff which was sprawled across her bedroom in two big rolling suitcases. The task was tuff, she knew deep down but her hospital work started within a couple of days so she had very little time remaining in her vacation.

They had landed early that morning at California Airport. The trip had finally ended. Waving goodbyes to her friends had been the hardest task for her after all the fun they had so much together and the golden time spent in her life with her dear ones.

The rest of the days in Cebu went by exploring the monuments, going shopping, riding bikes, having fun playing indoor games, and sift through restaurants.

She sighed at the pile of clothes that stared back at her as she opened the zip. Her hijabs cuddled with her dresses and one of her undergarments peeped through the corner. Moreover, it was a total mess.

She wiped a nonexistent sweat from her forehead and clamped her head into her hands.

How am I going to finish stashing this humungous amounts of clothing?

As if on cue, her phone started ringing from the corner of the bed where it was laying. At once, she got herself up and picked the phone to see Rafa's name in green fonts. She swiped the call to answer. " Wow!, Rafa, I didn't know you missed me so much so that you are already desperate to meet me".

"Salaam to you too, Jesima ", Rafa spoke from the other end, " For one, I didn't miss you. Not even a bit. And the second thing is approximately correct, I am desperate to meet you".

"Oh! Really?".

" Yes".

"Will meet in the hospital, this Thursday in shaa Allah", Jesima peered over her nails.

" No".

"Then".

" We are meeting at Samra's", Rafa paused and then continued, " Come before the Maghreb prayer".

"May I know why?".

" Ahmed is going to come with a proposal".

"Ahmed, What?", blurted Jesima, her eyes popping out.

After Rafa exclaimed everything about Ahmed's plan to propose a marriage proposal to Samra, Jesima sighed. " I don't think this is going to work out rather I think we should ask Samra beforehand. She seems indifferent whenever he confesses his feelings allowed".

"Maybe, as she is pious she wants him to make everything halal".

" We shouldn't do anything this serious when we are not sure".

"We should at least try. It's been so long for Ahmed to only have one-sided feelings".

Jesima readied herself in an instant after a few discussions, and in no time, she was ringing the bell on Samra's apartment.

" Assalamu alaikum. I thought you just landed today?", Samra wondered as she opened the door wide to Jesima to enter.

"I did, earlier this morning", Jesima removed her shoes and coat.

" If you don't mind me asking, can I know why you both are here all of a sudden?", Samra asked as she sat in the living room.

"Samra, you don't ask such questions to the ones who come to visit us", Samra's mother shook her head.

" Aunty, It's okay. I already know Samra lacks her manners", Rafa snickered.

Before Samra could throw a reply to Rafa, the door rang for the third time making both Samra and her mother look up in surprise.

"I will go and open this time", Samra's mother got up and went to answer the door.

" Assalamu Alaikum, Ahmed", she cried in surprise.

Hearing the name out loud, Samra instantly got up and marched towards her room to grab her veil to cover her face, all the way muttering, "You both better tell me what's going on?".

When Samra returned from her room clad in her niqab and khimaar, she saw Ahmed already seated in the living room. He looked so much different than his usual demeanor. He had a five o clock shadow lurking on his posture. He wore a shiny navy blue blazer shirt and pants contrasting his blue eyes. He looked stunning in his own way.

" Ahmed, do you want anything. Tea or coffee?".

"No, Aunty. I am good". He seemed nervous when Samra took a stand behind her mother.

" Actually, there is a purpose to my visit", he started making Jesima and Rafa rigid in their seating.

"Yes?", it came more like a question to Samra.

" Yes. I have come to address the elephant in the room. I have shown clear signs of liking on your daughter ever since I saw her", he paused, "I mean, I have not really seen her face but she has this aura which irks me to like her without even have seen her face. I like her a lot, more than a friend to be precise and as I have finally graduated, I don't want to delay it furthermore. Aunty", he looked at Samra's mother, " Give me the hand of your daughter. I promise I will never make you regret your decision of entrusting your precious pearl to me".

The room turned eerily into pin-drop silence. The air turned harsh to breathe. The only sound was the tapping Ahmed caused by tapping his palms in his knees, restlessly.

"I am sorry to disclose this to you but I don't think Samra is ready for any relationship now".

" Aunty, it's Samra's decision to take", Rafa plunged in earning a glare from Samra.

"I think you people can take your time if you want to", Jesima maturely tried to handle. The look of disdain washed Ahmed's face.

" Ahmed, it was so nice of you to actually come and propose to make everything Halaal. But, I really am sorry, Ahmed. I am sorry to have turned you down".

"Samra--", he tried to assert his feelings and explain them but she stopped him by showing her palm to stop.

" No, Ahmed. You have liked the wrong person. I can't surrender myself to you. I can't return what you feel for me, not now and I don't think I will ever in that matter".

Hurt flashed his blue eyes as he got up, nodding in understanding. "I don't know what reasons you hold to not like me while I just know that, I didn't need any reason to love you. No matter what and how much time you take, I am not going to marry anyone else because no one can take a place as a replacement for you in my heart", Without a glance back he left the house, even after Rafa's futile attempt to stop him.

"What was that Samra?", Rafa barged inside the living space of the small apartment where Samra and her mother lived. " You better have a good excuse to have knocked him down".

"Samra, I am going to go out to breathe in the fresh air. You better clean this mess you have caused with your friends". Her mother walked out.

" Samra, is something wrong?".

"I don't know why you people let him come to me in the first place".

" I told you, Rafa. She was not ready. You didn't listen".

"Don't put all blame on me. It was Ahmed who wanted to come here. He wanted to follow the footprints of sunnah", Rafa shook her head, " Don't deviate from the topic. Samra, why would you do something like that knowing very well that no one would love you as for him?".

"Rafa, you can't force me to marry anyone".

" She is not forcing you, Samra".

"Jesima, you can be not ready to hand your heart to Aashiq and you need time to even take a step towards him but when someone other than you takes time, you wouldn't allow them to".

They all fell limp, sealing their lips before hurting the others in the way they can't heal back. Samra buried her face in her hands and Jesima fell back on the couch. Rafa stood up and went out.

Initially, they thought Rafa went back to her house but to their surprise, Rafa came with a tray of three glasses containing water.

" Let's relax first and not hurt others due to our anger and stop Shaitan from doing all the talking", she set the tray on the middle.

Jesima took the glass and gulped it down in a second while Samra willed herself to look up, moisture clinging her eyes and she slowly took sips of the water which prickled her thorny throat.

The next moment, Samra was on the ground, laying her head in Jesima's lap. "I am sorry, I didn't mean any of that but I know I wronged you. I am so sorry", she cried.

Jesima patted her head, " It's okay".

Rafa came beside her friends. "We are sorry for pushing you down the brink".

" We didn't know you were not ready."

"I might never be ready", Samra looked up, eyes welled with tears, " Ahmed doesn't deserve a mess like me. I know one day or the other he would knock on my door to marry me. That's why I had informed my mother already what to reply when he comes to ask my hand".

"But, why would you do such a horrible thing to yourself?".

" Because I can neither marry nor trust any man".

"We are not pushing you now, Sam. If you don't want to confront, it's okay", Jesima caressed her head.

" I will let you guys know. It's time to weigh down the weight which has slumped me totally". Samra kneeled down. " Ahmed is a good guy but I cannot ruin his life to wait for someone who would never be ready for a relationship", she wiped her eyes, looking at her friends. "Because I am not the person I show you all. I have had a harsh past, a terrible one to say out loud. I have had an abusive childhood".

" I was harassed physically", she breathed with so much difficulty, "by my own Father".

***

Character Relationships if you get confused.

Jesima's best friend is Shabna. Maahi is her husband. Shabna and Maahi have three kids.
Saad (Adopted from an Orphanage)
Khadija and Muhammad (Twins which were born to the couple)

Jesima used to live as a paying guest in Maahi's house. Maahi lived with his Paternal Uncle before marrying Shabna and his Uncle has three children. Asad, Samad who are twins and Fathima. Maahi is related to them as their Milk brother. Ali is Fathima's husband.

Samra, Rafa, and Ahmed are her batch friends.

I hope this is clear enough.

Do you like the chapter?

I am sorry to announce to you but this book will go on a serious route from now on.

I hope you would be happy with the twists and turns.