Twice Upon Qadr - A Shot At Love **EDITING**

Chapter 10

"So how was your day today?" Ilham asked, and Hisham finished buttoning up his pajama shirt before climbing into the bed next to her. He put his arm around her and as she leaned against him, he pressed a kiss into her head.

"It was good Alhamdulillah. Long and boring. What about yours? Did Hamoudi give you a hard time?"

Ilham laughed and traced a finger over the back of his hand.

"He wanted to color. Which was good it kept him occupied. You know until the phone rang and I turned around one second to answer it, and he decided it would be the perfect time to color on the wall."

Hisham groaned before laughing.

"I'm sorry baby! Do you want me to clean it up?"

"It's okay habibi I did it already. The little stinker kept kissing me over and over saying 'I sorry Mama! I sorry!' You know I can't resist that face! Just like his Baba's!" she said looking up at him fondly, and he bent to give her a kiss. Once she had pulled away she leaned against him again, snuggling into his chest.

"So what else is up?" he asked and she sighed.

"Have you noticed that something is wrong with Hana?"

Hisham frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"You haven't noticed? She is quieter and distracted and is really out of it."

"You know now that you mentioned it, she has seemed a little stressed. Maybe it's just the newspaper is getting to her. It is a lot of responsibility."

Ilham shook her head.

"No she has been stressed before Sheikh even gave her the news. There is something else going on."

Hisham combed his fingers through her hair.

"What do you think it could be? Did anything new happen recently that could have caused this change in her?"

"Hmm," Ilham said thoughtfully, and it was silent in the room as they both mulled over the possibilities of what could be wrong with Hana. Suddenly Ilham shot up and gripped Hisham's face in her hands. "Oh my god Habibi! I know what it is!"

"What?" he asked with a smile.

"Hisham! It's so obvious! She started acting weird when Houssam came back! Hana likes Houssam!" she exclaimed, and Hisham looked at her skeptically.

"What? That's pretty farfetched isn't it?" he asked, and she shook her head, moving his face in time with hers.

"No it's not! Habibi it makes perfect sense! Oh my god!"

"Okay I am confused. How does it make perfect sense?"

"Well the timeline fits perfectly. He returns, and she starts acting heartbroken!"

 "Heartbroken?"

"Yes! She obviously could not stand the pain of seeing him after all of these years and not being able to be with him! That would explain why she got all weird when I asked her if she could think of any candidates for Houssam!"

Hisham's eyebrow raised in amusement.

"Candidates for Houssam?"

She waved a hand in the air.

"Yusra and I are trying to find him a wife."

"Does Houssam want you to find him a wife?" he asked with a laugh and she shrugged.

"He doesn't get a say in this! But oh my god Hisham wouldn't they be perfect together!?" she exclaimed.

Hisham shrugged.

"I have never really thought of it honestly. I mean she is my baby sister I don't like to think of her being old enough to get married!"

"I hadn't considered her either. It's not because I don't think she would be good with him or anything it's just you're right, I see her as my little sister as well."

 "Should we talk to her about it?" Hisham asked, and Ilham placed a hand over her mouth in horror.

"Oh heavens no! You know how closed in Hana is, she would be absolutely mortified if she found out we knew!"

"But baby we don't know anything! It is just an idea you have! The only way we would know is if we talked to her!"

She placed her hands on his chest, leaning forward so their faces were almost touching.

"Or, you could ask Houssam and then when he proposes to her we will know!"

He laughed again, and kissed the tip of her nose.

"I think you are getting ahead of yourself darling."

"Just bring it up with him! Please?"

"Baby what am I supposed to say!? 'Hey Houssam, want to marry my little sister?' Um talk about awkward!"

She sat back against the headboard, a slight frown on her face.

"Hmm, you're right. Get Amir to ask him!"

Hisham groaned, and pulled the blanket over his head.

"Hisham!" she exclaimed and they played tug of war for a few seconds, until he finally let her pull the blanket off of him before tackling her. She let out a shriek as he pinned her to the bed, and he laughed kissing her forehead.

"Are you going to ask Amir?" she asked, pushing his hair out of his face, and he gave her a smile.

"I will talk to him. But I am not promising anything!" he warned and she smiled before sitting up and giving him another kiss. It would have been a perfect moment if at that moment from down the hallway there didn't come the loud screams of;

"MAMA!"