"No leave that, I'm coming by the end of next month so I'll get it myself."

"Okay no problem, I will just keep the rest. Do you want me to check the material for the bridal gown before you come?" Fa'iza brother Na'im's wife asked.

"Oh, you are such a darling please do so, and my regards to the twins."

"In sha Allah."

Who said planning a wedding was something to look forward to? She hated weddings, they're all chaos. Her phone rang, and she sighed in agony; it's the event planner.

When she was done making calls she turned to her mother "Ammie do I really have to have a grand wedding? I'm so tired already, if this is how the wedding preparation is so tiring then how will the marriage be?"

Hajiya Ajwa smiled and said "Oh it's a wonderful journey dear, with its highs and lows, but nothing more comforting and exhilarating as a marriage when you have the right person as your partner. Mind you, no marriage is perfect. But turning these imperfections into your support for each other, now that's what really matters."

Zeenah smiled, her mother's words were so magical she already felt fresh, she knew Hisham would be the right person for her, they just have to work on some things.

Later that evening she went to the hospital because she was on call, surprisingly when she went to see Mama, the nurse told her that she'd been discharged in the afternoon, she felt bad she wanted to meet her once before she left because she liked the woman, there was just something that clicked between them. Zeenah continued working keeping it in her mind to pray for Mama's health.

Sa'eed came back to the hospital for his mother's drugs when he thought of meeting the doctor in her office, but decided against it.

Dr. Zeenah was leaving the A&E unit after meeting a colleague, that was when she saw him, she needed to talk to him so she decided to follow him walking at a brisk pace trying to meet up. At that time she regretted not knowing his name, "Hey stop, Mr. Grumpy!"

He heard her because she covered the distance, "I'm sorry to stop you midway. I want you to give me your address."

Sa'eed blinked trying to comprehend her words, and Zeena realized how her words must have sounded. Putting her hand to her forehead she said "Oh, I didn't mean that. I want your address, that is the address where your mother lives, please."

His mouth twitched almost smiling before he said "Do you have to call me Mr. Grumpy? You're more grumpy than anyone I've ever met, you're very aggressive and sad, don't you ever laugh?"

Zeenah embarrassed said, "I'm sorry about that, actually I don't want to lose you because I don't have any of your numbers, and I wanted to be in touch with Mama, so are you going to help me or are you going to stand there, taunting me?"

Zeenah didn't want to admit that she checked their file and found no number available there to make contact, which was strange considering he had a phone. But now telling him that would sound creepy. It was creepy... to some degree. But she cared about the woman.

He liked the woman, Sa'eed thought.

"Get in." He said.

Zeenah opened her eyes in astonishment "What!"

"I said get inside your car, you want to know my house, you got a ride and I don't. So get inside and drive."

The look was still plastered on her face.

"I'm not a human trafficker." he said as if reading her thoughts.

"Now that you said so, I'm beginning to have my doubts."

His eyes laughed in amusement and he opened the car door, she joined suit. Zeenah drove while he showed her the way. "Why are you always angry?" he asked.

Startled, she looked at him "umm?" she asked, making him repeat his question.

"Why are you always so grumpy?" She asked him his question back.

"I'm not grumpy!" Sa'eed said pulling his brows into a frown.

"Yes, you're."

He raised his hands in surrender. "Okay, case rested I have my reasons. Do you?"

"No, that's just the way I am. I hate to see people acting stupid and careless and selfish, so I get angry whenever I see people being any of the above. Which by the way, most of the time people are, so I'm bound to be angry every time."

She said rolling her eyes and at the same time honking the horn continuously at a careless driver who almost hit them. "You see what I mean?"

Sa'eed Sighed, he wondered how she ever managed to go home every evening without throwing herself into a ditch. "I see your point, but this is Naija, so you have to keep calm. Otherwise, you will go nuts."

Zeenah smiled and continued driving "By the way, what's your name? It's totally not fair that you call me Dr. Azare while I don't even know your name."

"Hmm, Dr. Azare is not your name, what is your first name?" he said, turning her question back at her.

"My name is Zeenah Isma'il." She said shrugging "So now you have to tell me yours."

"Okay, Sa'eed is my name. Sa'eed Abdallah."'

"Thanks, now you've saved me the trouble of following you around town, calling you Mr. Grumpy, though it kind of suits you more," Zeena said smiling.

"Take your left turn." He said.

*****

Zeenah didn't know what she felt when they parked in front of the house; it was a trail of mixed emotions that trapped her heart. She imagined Sa'eed being from a middle-class family, seeing the way they struggled with their mother's bills in the hospital but after seeing this relatively big house in a very nice neighborhood as their home, even with its paint chipped and some parts of the house turning gray, indicating lack of regular maintenance, it made her question what the case was.

Sa'eed smiled and said "Not all that glitters is gold. Bismillah"

She looked puzzled at his statement but followed his lead into the house nonetheless. Mama was in the kitchen when they came in, so Sa'eed asked her to feel at home while he told his mother of her visit.

Mama was very happy to see her, "A'a Doctor, it's a very pleasant surprise. How is work?"

"Alhamdulillah, how are you feeling now? I went to the ward just to be told you've been discharged by Dr. Bello."

"Yes, I'm much better now. Thank you so much."

Mama brought some cold water and food to her, but Zeenah said she was okay, seeing how she insisted made her took a sip of the water.

"Okay, Mama I will take your leave, whenever there is any problem just tell Sa'eed to give me a call, or when you are coming for your follow up, you can just give me a call."

"In sha Allah, thank you so much, my regards to your husband."

Zeenah gave her a shy smile and said, "Mama, I'm still preparing to settle down, hopefully, this year in sha Allah."

Mama beamed at the news. "Ah may Allah bless you with a very kind spouse."

She opened her bag and gave her some money. But Mama refused to take it; she had to insist before she took it.

When she went back to her car, Sa'eed was waiting outside. "Thank you, doctor. Now that you know my house, is it fair that I don't know where you live?"

Zeenah covered her mouth in surprise and said, "It's fair, because you don't have a reason to know where I live, my husband is not one to be exactly happy with male patient's relatives visiting his wife."

"Liar!" he said.

Suddenly his words took a stab at her.

That was outrageous, how dare he call her that! okay, granted she was lying - a bit- but it wasn't outright, and she was engaged so almost the same thing, right?

And by the way who did he think he was? She closed her car and said, "Keep your comments to yourself when you know it will hurt someone."

He crooked a brow at her, "And you practice the same? Where were your ethics when you called me negligent? Uhh... 'irresponsible' to be exact."

Zeena was speechless, she couldn't believe he brought that up. Okay, she called him names, but that was before she knew the reason that made him left.

"Should I come to your office for the address or will you save us both the stress and give me now?"

She had to hand it to him, the man was so full of himself. "And why should I?"

"Because I want you to."

It was official. He was the most arrogant man she'd ever met in her entire life. "Ask my husband first."

Placing his hands on his hips casually, akimbo style, he looked at a distant vehicle passing on the lane and clicked his tongue in his cheek. His eyes went back to her briefly.

"You're not married, and I know that. So cut the crap and tell me where you live or I will have to find out myself."

Zeenah drove off, taking him off guard, she saw him smiling in her rear view mirror she also smiled, surprisingly amused by his demeanor before she left the area.

****** ********* ****** *******

"You aren't eating." Hisham complained.

Zeenah smiled slightly and said "I'm full." touching a flat tummy, which was further pressed down by the tight fitting blouse she was wearing.

"Zeenah full? with her favorite ice cream? What is wrong with you? I've been observing you for the past week, you haven't been yourself."

Zeena grinned she wanted to say the same about him, but that aside her case was something else. How was she supposed to tell him that she was considering letting some arrogant handsome man she had met at the hospital, come to meet her at home? No. That's a very bad idea and she couldn't even think of the episode that would become of the aftermath.

"You're just worrying for nothing. I'm good. So, what do you say brown or gray?" She said, pointing at the catalog of fabrics she was holding for their living room design.

Hisham held her gaze for a while trying to figure her out and said "Whatever you choose is fine by me, just be happy. I hate seeing you lost." She smiled and finished her now melted ice cream.

"Shall we?" he said wiping his mouth with a tissue paper.

Zeenah answered in response, Hisham was the most kind person she'd ever met, if she overlooked his sometimes overbearing personality, like how he would ask her whom she was speaking with whenever he called her phone and found it busy, she understood that maybe that was his way of showing he cared. He really cared about her despite his tight schedule, he always got time to see her, at least once in two weeks most especially now that they're getting closer to the big day.

"Fareeha called me yesterday," Zeenah said "she wanted to know some details. Please, Hisham, don't bother yourself with all these things." She was speechless when she received his sister's call the previous day, asking her the sizes of her shoes and her intimate apparels. She could buy her underwear herself, why would they go to that trouble? She just couldn't understand some traditions.

"Don't worry, anything for you Babe, besides I can afford it so just chill."

Zeenah slumped in her seat "I know you can afford it, it's just that I don't need all that. Just make it simple."

"Okay, your majesty, as you wish."

He bowed before her and opened the car door, he drove her back home. "So, December is good with you?" he said when they reached the professor's house in Gandun Albasa.

"Yes, it is. All my brothers will be home by then, so December is perfect in sha Allah."

Hisham smiled, finally, he got to have Zeenah for himself in six months' time. That's one more of his dreams coming true.

Her phone rang for the fourth time. Zeenah wondered who it might be, she didn't want to answer it not wanting to be rude to Hisham but it might be important so she answered.

"Hello,"

"Hello, Assalamu alaikum. Good Evening." Argh! how could she forget that voice!

"Good evening, is everything all right?" She asked because she was still wondering why he called her.

"Ouch, is this how you answer all your calls? You are so boring."

Zeenah cocked her head to the side smiling at his words. It was so typical of him to talk that way. "I can't talk right now." she murmured.

"You can't talk right now or you won't talk to me? Is your 'husband' there?"

"Whatever, have a nice day and regards to Mama, don't call again unless it's an emergency."

Hisham said, "Who is it, babe?"

Zeenah smiled and said "Just someone." Before she disconnected the call.

Sa'eed held his phone in his hand, wondering "Was she really being truthful when she said she was married? Then how did I read her wrong, why did I get the wrong impression? No, I have to confirm first, because if she's not then I really need to make a move. Now!"

******** ********* *********

"You need to stop doing that," Zeenah said as she sat on a chair in the cafeteria. Placing her channel bag, in front of her.

He turned facing her, as if perplexed "Excuse me are you talking to me?" His face lit up more when their eyes met, he pulled one chair and turned the back so that he was sitting facing her, "What a pleasant surprise! Dr. Zeenah how is your day?"

"You know there is nothing to be surprised about, because you're in the hospital cafeteria which is by the way, where I work. So don't pretend as if you don't expect to see me here. If I may ask, why are you following me?"

This time around he smiled "Okay you got me, I know you'd be in here by this time that's why I stopped by. You know what I want; So please save us all the trouble and give me an address or Allah help me I'll follow your car back home."

Zeenah was too stunned to speak, what was wrong with this man?

She lowered her voice almost whispering "I told you to forget about my address if my fiancé sees you talking to me like this, I'm not sure what will happen, but one thing is certain; you will forget your home address."

Folding his hands across his chest, he watched her as she spoke then he chuckled. "You really do it fast."

"What? Do you hear what I'm saying? leave me alone." she said now glaring at him.

"Just last week you were married and this week engaged? Are you Widowed or divorced because I know whichever it is you're, your waiting period (iddah) isn't over yet, for you to get engaged this quick. Except if you have not observed any iddah, which will be so unbelievable, almost impossible unless the husband is either blind, unwell or stupid." He said his eyes traveling over her ever so gently which made Zeenah gasp in shock.

But Sa'eed sobered up quickly as if he was not the person that just made a direct innuendo at her. "So, Dr. Zeenah Isma'il Azare why don't we start over, as it is we've only got three more minutes." He said glancing at his mobile phone to look at the time, that was when she noticed he had no wrist watch on.

"I'm serious." She said her temper rising now.

"Well, do I look like I'm kidding?" He said grabbing a meat pie from her plate he took a serviette and started eating closing his eyes savoring the pastry while she looked at him like a voracious tiger.

Zeenah decided that this was the limit, "I'm calling the police the next time I see you anywhere near me."

"Who told you it's you that I'm interested in?" Okay, this was getting unbearable by the minute.

"Then Mr. Sa'eed would you care to kindly tell me what is so important that you have to know my home address?"

Licking the last crumb off his finger he sipped her drink, using her straw. She eyed him silently wishing to have a superpower of gouging eyeballs off, "Ah, Alhamdulillah. I just want to meet your parents, pure and simple."

"And what is it you want with my parents Mr. Stalker?"

He smiled too sweetly at her "I just want to know what happened to you as a kid to make you so bitter, and temperamental." He shuddered at the last word as if the mere thought of her temper is disheveling.

Zeenah took a deep breath before responding "How dare you accuse my parents of such... such a... you know what? There is no point talking to you. It was my mistake, I'm sorry I asked you to take me to your house. Now If you'll excuse me..."

She left in a fury, Sa'eed smiled and picked up her handbag, which looked so posh he wondered how large a fortune she spent on it. When she saw him an hour later near her car, she was sure she was going to commit a murder.

"Now what?"

"I think you forgot something." He said dangling her bag in front of her, she quickly snatched it away from him hiding her relief, she really thought she'd lost it or maybe she was robbed of it, anything was possible these days.

"You and me, we are done. Or so help me I'll kill you."

"Easy, I wish you luck," She questionably looked at him "with your marriage, wedding or whatever that is." He completed his statement with a smirk on his face.

"And one more thing, it's a piece of advice actually, don't go about threatening to kill people, please. You never know your wish might come true." He said joining his hands in front of her, he left her standing there. She smiled at him the man was impossible.

********* ******** ********

"Husna, I don't think your brother is with you right now."

Following their mother's gaze she smiled knowingly "No, I don't think so either." When he finally turned to look at them they burst out laughing.

"What is wrong with you two?"

"I don't know about you but we're very okay. Tell me, what is happening? you were so lost in thoughts."

Sa'eed sighed rubbing his face with both palms, "Just nothing serious. I have some work to do, see you guys later." Turning to his sister he said, "What time are you going back home?"

"I will be here, Musa is coming to pick us up after work."

"Okay, good day."

When he left they looked at each other "I think something really good or terribly wrong is happening to my brother, I've never seen him so lost before."

"Just put him in your prayers, I really hope all is well with him, my only prayer is for him to get someone he can open up to. I just wish he doesn't have to hide his feelings anymore."

"Mama, you should keep telling him maybe he will pay heed to you, after all, he never refuses you."

"You know how shattered it had left him, only Allah's miracle can help him now. He doesn't even talk about it now."

They thought he'd not been listening to them, he heard all they've said and that was what scared him, what if he couldn't give them what they wanted?

He knew they deserved much more from him, but what his heart desired was a very twisted thing, almost out of reach. But to make them happy he could go to any length. Any length!

*****

So your thought on these pair...

Who is your favorite and why?

You know I love you...

Keep the votes and comments flooding...

Thank you.

Umm Yasmeen😘