Kano State, Nigeria.
2018.

"I don't know if I should even be doing this, I'm thirty one weeks pregnant. In a week, I will reach my due date." She mumbled to the camera and move closer to Shaddad who placed his hand gently on her shoulder and brought her closer to him.

"I told you not to. We already have twelve, that is enough for them." He argued, trying his best to coax her out of doing her into stopping her weekly videos, some she discards and some she keeps for her babies.

"You can go away if you don't want to be here." She glared hotly at him and move away from his arms to emphasize just how mad she is about him stopping her from doing something for her babies. She feels like she is the only one that loves them and he doesn't.

"I'm sorry." He gets used to apologizing all the time knowing how she changes more than a kid can play with a switch.

In those weeks that she has been pregnant, he won't say he has suffered knowing he enjoyed each day of their ride. When she doesn't sleep, she makes sure to stop him from sleeping also. They will keep talking about everything and nothing along with their babies and the names they want to name them. They didn't get the gender since the babies are not exactly opened after the miscarriage. She asked the doctor not to even tell her about it and they will find out after she gives birth. Hoping they are not all boys and there are girls more than boys. Maybe two girls and one boy, she wish.

When her cravings kick in, she will never eat anything in the foods that is in her house, nothing at all. Sometimes, they will leave the palace and roam around the streets of Kano to get something to feed her stomach. They will buy lots of suya, and other junk foods all around the State. And she wasn't satisfied with all that they got and had to go back again to get some more food for her. She ate maize, beans cake and other junk foods that she never will look at if she wasn't pregnant.

She makes him cook his famous spaghetti and kidney sauce almost everyday. He will happily oblige and make it for her while she threw up whenever she finished eating sometimes. Shaddad will clean the room and the maids will clean the other places around the house. She was so heavy in just five months that you will think she is seven months pregnant. Her legs are swollen, she's got several backaches and her fingers are swollen too.

Daily massages are his work after getting back from the hospital. Those deep tissue massage with firm strokes pressing deep into muscles. It's Swedish massage that he learnt how to by some gynecologist. She hardly gets to comment when he is  doing it except for the moans she releases whenever he got his hands on her. It turned him on to no end but who is he to stop her from getting what she wants. After each massage, they make love, that is just how the routine became.

"Okay, so I don't even have much to tell you guys. I just need to tell you triplets that I'm about to give birth to your heads and I did the most weirdest thing on earth while carrying. Don't even forget how much I'm suffering right now so after growing up, if I ask any of you to do something and you frown, I will make you suffer you whole existence. Now I can't wear my favorite clothes just because I'm carrying you three." She narrowed her eyes at the camera making Shaddad chuckle at her cuteness.

"I'm serious, wallah. I expect full enthusiasm when I ask you to do something! Even if it is to kill yourselves." She continue to ramble on the camera as usual chirping in Shaddad all the time.

"How about you show them the changes made in the nursery?" He raised a brow when she beamed at the camera and took it from the ring lights so they can walk to the nursery made for her three children.

Walking down the hallway to the room just next to theirs, Falak opened the door and walked in. She has never thought Shaddad will be so intrigued with her videos and even offer her some great advice. The thought of showing them the room had been in her mind for a long time but it always slips away from her mind. The pregnancy tend to mess with her blood pressure and also her head.

The room is painted bone cream. There are four bone lamps at each corner of the room standing tall while illuminating the room with cream hue. There are three white cribs close to each other with royal canopy atop each bed blanketing it with same royal like curtains but there is small space for carpets in between the cribs. In the middle of the first cradles, there is lapis carpet while in the middle of the other two is fuscia. She wants the babies to be both genders so she will give the room a hint of blue and pink just in case what she feels comes true. There is a bone coloured gigantic carpet in the middle of the room taking the whole space then by the further back, there is a drawer stacked with so many toys, bumpers and blankets. There is also a walk in closet close to their bathroom then a changing mat close to the bathroom.

There are three one sitter couches two of them are sky blue and the one in the middle is baby pink. A bone coloured ottoman sat in the middle of the couches. Then there are three beautiful empire chandelier hung above on the white ceiling. Two wardrobes are glued to the empty left side wall. A rocking chair sat by the side where Falak spent most of her days when she is alone.

They won't be using the room till after they are six months old, according to the doctor that is the best time for the babies to start sleeping alone. For the first six months, they are going to share the same room. A big crib that was brought to their room some days back. The doctor told them that that way, they will be able to keep tabs on the baby's wellbeing.

Falak moaned trying to maintain good posture as she stands after finishing the video. It's getting harder for her to move around again. Sometimes she gets too annoyed and will keep lying on her sides in anger. Why is pregnancy so hard yet exciting at the same time? It makes her think why did she even dream about having five kids, now she don't even want to give birth again.

"It's time for your stroll." She heard Shaddad muttered behind her as he assist her to stand up and gave her her hijab.

Another routine given to them by the doctor. He asked her to move her body as much as she can so they opt for strolling around five or six in the evening everyday. Shaddad does all the walking as she could only lean on him as they walk but he try including a lot of physical activities in her daily routine. With Falak, he is close to going nuts. She is already strong headed and with pregnancy, he doesn't want to talk about it. For the past few months, he knew how much his father tried when his mother was pregnant. It's never easy being in pregnant woman's presence two four seven.

"Must I go today? I'm so tired." She whined, making the best puppy dog eyes that she can make which is not working on him when it comes to her health.

"Just few more days and we won't have to do this again." He cajoled, his hands sitting on her shoulders and massaged scapulae, emerging another grunt close to moan from her lips.

She sighed and draped the hijab around her then slip the slippers he placed right in front of her feet. Sometimes she feels like this is not Shaddad but someone using his face and body. He's changed even before she gets pregnant but after she fell pregnant, he isn't the man she knew again. He was so caring, considerate and talks a lot more than she will sometimes. He smiles and even chuckled once when they were doing one of their famous videos which result to her squealing and telling her kids that that was the first time he chuckled.

He is used to rolling his eyes too like she does. When they both do something annoying or cheesy, they will roll their eyes at each other and laugh. While she giggles, he will chuckle showing his pearls. She never fails to get mesmerized by his smiles, she will just keep staring at him like a creep while he shakes his head and peck her lips. And whenever he does peck her lips, it will yaw to love making so he does that to distract her or when he was too turned on by her rouge lips.

He even makes funny faces sometimes and talks to the babies at night when they kick. The first time they kicked, Falak shrieked in pain, delight and anxiousness. She woke Shaddad up who moved her nightdress and stare at the stomach for thirty minutes till they kicked again. The smile she saw on his face and the gleam of shining tears, she knew she is not the only one in love with her unborn babies. There was so much content, felicity and sacred devotion in his eyes.

She'd emotionally drew his face to hers and kissed him gently, savoring the moment like it's their last. It was a French kiss with no lust or desire but pure love and happiness sprouted in it.

"You look huger than yesterday." Amrah commented upon sighting Falak along with Shaddad who busied himself with talking a little to Masrooq just to avoid talking to her. He isn't comfortable with talking to anyone other than Falak so he always come up with an excuse.

Amrah and Masrooq got married some months back and she is now pregnant, four months along. Falak could clearly remember that when she was four months, her stomach is way bigger than Amrah's small one. She is happy for her though, she might be happy with having triplets but the package that comes with is is not exactly something exciting. The happiness will only be felt after the babies' have been delivered just like how she can't wait to deliver hers. Three children at the same time, what a blessing.

"I know right. I can't wait to have them in my arms, I'm so tired." Her hands are placed on her waist behind her like a typical pregnant woman.

"I can't wait to see them too. I bet they are going to be too cute for my eyesight." She wiggled her brows while Falak only giggled. Oh she's prayed to God for her children to get some genes from both her and Shaddad so if Allah answered her prayers, she is definitely going to give birth to Adonis.

"InshaAllah." And they parted ways, she got back into Shaddad's arms and they made rounds as usual before going back home.

"I want you close to me please." She pouted and saw him moving closer to where she is then wrap her in his arms while they continue to ramble on and on. It is one of the nights where she can't sleep. Anything for her!

The wails of pain gritted from beside him shook his guts. He settled his gaze on Falak whose hands are clutching unto her lower abdomen as the pain became unbearable for her to handle. She thought it was one of those constrictions that come and pass for five seconds the ones she knew as false alarm but this lasts longer than ten and she couldn't hold the pain by just biting on her loser lip and gritting her teeth. Her lower abdomen feels like someone is prickling her continuously with a sharp arrow.

He knew what that means so like the calm person he is, he took her in his arms and made his way outside shouting out orders to the night guards outside the Chamber. He placed her gently in the car and went to take the bag she's told him countless times that they will take with them when she is going to give birth. The drive to the hospital is filled with Falak's moans and grunts of pain then she will pray silently before she goes back to moaning again then yelling.

"Don't talk! You don't know how it feels to be in labour! Ahhh." And it goes on, he didn't say a thing like he's being ordered not to.

Shaddad tried his best to drive calmly to the hospital for hearing her voice in those whimpers is trampling with his senses. He could only pray silently, then glance at her before driving faster down the almost empty roads. He is afraid of the worst happening even though he knows not to think worst of the situation but he can't help it. Not when she cries in excruciating anguish and torment. His heart is thudding loudly with each sound she makes.

Not when he's always been a pessimist.

They arrive at the hospital around ten in the night, she was taken to the delivery room immediately. Shaddad changed into one those green surgery gown, disposal face mask and scrubs then got inside with Falak. She was wailing and telling them not to dare try any c-section delivery since she feels fully dilated and she was. The doctors explained how risky it will be for both her and the babies but she was stubborn and didn't let them tear her. She's heard that the babies will be safer through natural delivery and she'd give her life for them to visit the world safe and sound.

Shaddad couldn't watch as she cry in anguish and hold onto his hand tightly. He could feel the tears shimmering in his eyes, however he tried his best not to let them fall and let her squeeze his hand painfully. It is surely going to leave bruise or even scratch from her nails but that doesn't matter, all that matters is Falak giving birth safely.

Hours later when the whimpers, moans, grunts and yells subsided like it was never there, the wails of children fill the room. Shaddad felt her hand dropping from his in a way that has his heart dropping along with it. She has her eyes closed and she is... not breathing! What the heck is wrong?!

"What is going on here? Is she alright?!" He thundered in the room seeing some nurses cleaning their babies while asking him to cut their umbilical cords and name them like it happens islamically.

"She isn't breathing!" One of the doctor's screamed in a horrified tone and started checking Falak all over again.

Shaddad move him from the place and check everything there is to check in her heart like the Cardiologist he is but it wasn't beating. His heart literally broke into tiny pieces but he didn't give up, he kept checking, looking for something that will lead him to bring back his wife. He didn't even bother yawing his attention back to the babies, he was so engrossed into bringing Falak back to him. No, she can't leave him when she promised not to. She told him she won't leave him even if he will push her away and he isn't even doing that and he promised not to.

She promised, she promised not to but she broke that promise. Shaddad helplessly took her shoulders in his strong but soft hands, shaking her body with all the strength he has and when her cold, pale and lifeless body remain unmoved, he screamed at the doctors to do something as though he isn't one himself.

He doesn't even know what to do and is too lost to even think about his job. He continue to shake her, tears gushing down his cheeks at the thought of what he is going to say to their children when they ask of their mother. No, she can't just die like this and let him deal with the world all alone. She won't leave him, with that thought, he continue to shake her.

The doctors around the room alongside the nurses gave him sympathetic eyes while some of them have teary eyes. He looks so lost like a dejected baby in the desert with no water. Who would've thought there was that side to the crowned prince? He was crying while mumbling things to her like a mad man.

He cried and yell, shout and shake her body but Falak didn't even flinch or reprimand why he is shaking her. She would've scolded him for manhandling her but she didn't move, neither did her mouth twitch or her eyes move. She was lifelessly lying on that bed looking as pale as the machines beside her that don't beep with her heartbeat anymore.

Oh no, why did he took her for granted so many years ago? Is this the punishment awaiting him for torturing the pour young girl in love? Please this should not be it, anything but this. Please this nightmare of moment should not be true, not in this life or any other one to come.

"You can't leave me when you promised to help me raise the kids. You promised to be the crazy mother while I remain strict to them. I can't look after them without you, you need to come back and hold your babies. They are crying so loud right now feeling their father's pain. You need to wake up and shut them up like you said you'd do when they cry too much. Can't you see I am nothing without you? Please wake up and don't leave me." His voice was hoarse as he whispered into her lifeless figure, the doctors crying from the sidewalk.

The scene before them is something that has their hearts tugging and twisting in the worst way possible. A powerful Prince looks like a kid needing attention from his mother. The way he was shaking her and his head along the way, you'd think he's gone crazy. He is not ready to accept that she is gone and won't be back. She's brought the babies safely to the world, the rest is his.

Some of the nurses sniff and whimper, seeing him cry into her shoulder while she lay inanimate in blue hospital gown. He cried so much that the doctors and nurses couldn't stand seeing so they try completing the formalities before they give the couple their time together. He needs it.

"Time of death, 01:38..."

*****
Yoyoyoyo!
Ahhh, what is going on?😭😭😭 Please Falak can't die like this but what can we do, every soul shall taste death. May your soul rest in Peace Emir of Zazzau🙏
RQ; Would you rather be blunt or shy? I don't even know😂 you?

Aishatu.