Unconditionally

39 | Communication

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Anabia

Day Four.

I've been at my mother's for the fourth day. I walked after her slowly, as we entered the maternity sections of one of my favourite shops on the High Street.

"Anabia, are you expecting twins?" Mama asked me randomly, turning to face me.

I blinked at her, returning back to her with her unexpected question. "W-What?" 

She had a knowing look on her face, and she raised both eyebrows.

I nodded, slowly. There had been a point when Rehan and I had briefly discussed that we should tell Mama that I was expecting twins, since she'd already been through that experience. 

My mother's eyes filled up. "Ma Sha Allah. May Allah give your family long lives and good health. Ameen." She pulled me into a hug right there, kissing my cheek. 

"Ameen." I whispered.

"When I found out that I was going to have twins, I was so scared." Mama continued walking. "I was thinking how I would handle two children. My mother was in Pakistan and couldn't even come to be with me for my first forty days. My mother-in-law..." She pursed her lips together, and took a deep breath. "You and Saim were a few months before I could even take you to Pakistan to meet your Nano." She smiled at me. "But as scared as I was, the moment I held you both the first time, I couldn't imagine my life without you two." 

"How was Papa then? As a husband, as a father?" My curiosity made me ask those questions. "What was he like during your pregnancy?" I thought about Rehan going to buy me custard at midnight, and also being prepared to make it then, because I was craving it. 

"Look, what do you think of this?" Mama lifted up a long yellow maternity shirt. "This is so pretty. Anabia, you need to try this. And, as per the tag, you can wear it throughout the pregnancy, the material is such."

I didn't fail to notice how she had diverted the topic.

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FLASHBACK

Third Person POV

For Khadija, more difficult than the pregnancy was dealing with the behaviour of Waheeda Begum, her mother-in-law. Ruling her family with an iron-fist, she did not allow anyone to even breathe without her permission...well, that's how it felt to Khadija.

"Did you find out what you are having?" Waheeda glared at Khadija from over her glasses as Khadija and Zohaib entered the living room.

Khadija didn't want to even tell her mother-in-law, but Zohaib was eager. Grinning, he replied, "With the blessings of Allah, we are having a boy and a girl." 

Waheeda's expressions softened. "Ma Sha Allah! Again, a boy will bless our home. Alhumdulillah. Finally, you are doing something right, Khadija." 

Khadija hugged herself, her cheeks warming with humiliation. "I am also having a daughter, a  blessing of Allah, In Sha Allah." 

"Sure, sure." Waheeda Begum waved her hand, dismissively. "Come here, Zohaib." She held up both her arms towards her son, and as he leaned down, she ran both her hands over his head and kissed his forehead. "May your son be blessed with good health, a long life and a very blissful life. Ameen. After all, our sons are the ones who carry on the family name and legacy."