💎 Z A Y N 💎

31

"Well because pregnancy tests were faulty before, so you should get a scan,"

His mind was in a daze right now. He would only fully accept it once he saw the ultrasound.

"I already did, so the ultrasound is later on today, in an hour. Your mum offered to babysit Imran," she said.

Zayn was at a lost for words. They were having a child. Again. Two children in one year. Still teen parents. He would be eighteen before this next child would be born. But he couldn't move out - who would take care of the kids while they were both in college? How would his mum handle both of them? What would his parents and her parents say to this now? One kid at such a young age - okay, learn you lesson. But getting her pregnant again just a few months later - he was never going to hear the end of it.

He was snapped out of his thoughts by a sniffle. He looked up at Syra to see her wiping her tears. Guilt filled him - here he was fretting over stuff while she would have to go through the most difficulty. He scooted over to her.

"Come here," was all he said.

He didn't know how to comfort her. They had just gotten used to having one child. And possibly another was on the way. They couldn't just dump their children on their parents.

He pulled her tight against him, letting her soak his shirt. He peered over her shoulder to see Imran who had fallen asleep, his mouth half open. His chest rumbled with a laugh.

It was a blessing from God. He didn't burden a soul more than it could bear. And with every difficulty, there is relief. They had taken the preventions, and when they didn't work, they would accept it. You couldn't use western labels like 'pro-choice' or 'pro-life' on Islam. It just doesn't fit into either, nor does it need to. Zayn narrated these thoughts to Syra, rubbing his hand over her back soothingly.

"We'll tell our parents when we get back, okay. That way we can be sure,"

She pulled back, nodding. She pursed her lips, then spoke,"You know Zayn, I hate being a burden like this on our parents. I want to move out, like even a cheap apartment, but we are young and not independent, so we need their help. I've decided. Imma keep attending sixth form. It's the near the end of December. If you count the months, the due date is gonna be after our exams. And I'll be home after that. I can take a gap year until they are a little older, and start an online course after. I can go do an apprenticeship, but I want to be home. I still have my henna business,"

Zayn smiled, agreeing with her. He loved how adapting she was, always coming up with a  solution, taking everything in her stride. She didn't realise how strong she was. How capable. He couldn't have asked for a better mother for his kids.

"Why you smiling like a fool?" She asked, poking his cheek.

He looked over to Imran, then back at her,

"Just thinking about how our children are the luckiest to have you as their mother,"

Syra opened her mouth, at a loss for words, then closed it. She leaned over and kissed him quickly, before gently scooping Imran up and addressing him,

"I'm going to put him in his cot and give the baby monitor receiver to your mum, and then I'll get ready,"

"Sure I'll be waiting in the car," he got up to leave.

"And you're the best father and husband too, so I guess we all lucked out," she called out from behind him.

Zayn smiled.

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"Just lay back on this chair for me, Ms. Siddiqi, after you've pulled your shirt up," explained Nurse Kone.