Forgiving You (Dublin Sisters #2)

Chapter 50

The cold spring mornings replaced by warm long sunny days. The sun brightly shone replacing gloominess and darkness with its lustre and cheerfulness. The swans migrated up north. Flocks of birds returned back to Ireland from their migration. Flowers of all colours and sizes bloomed. Roses as big as one's palm adorned backyard gardens. The trees were thick with leaves and fruit.

As the seasons changed, the little life in Nawal grew. Her baby bump was slightly prominent now. Skinny jeans was not fitting her anymore. Her t-shirts stretching around her. In her second trimester, nearly half way through the pregnancy, she was gaining weight fast. It wasn't just the baby bump but rather her buttocks had grown out big. Well at least, she thought so. Then there was a problem with her bra size. What was going on? Never had she thought she would grow from everywhere. Urgh! How would she be going back to shape? She wasn't one of those women who only had a big baby bump and rest of their bodies remained in shape.

Since the day, Salman promised to listen to her when he was ready, Nawal had been at ease. Day by day, she was concentrating on her education. She had immense amount of projects, assignments and quizzes this last semester. Her attention was all on that. She had put up a high aim to achieve good grades. During the fatigue of the semester, she didn't realize how fast time was running.

They still didn't talk much. But at least Salman wasn't completely quiet. In fact, now he would initiate a conversation. Well, not exactly conversation but he would always ask how she was. He persistently took care of her in his subtle ways. Giving her money without her ever asking him, making sure she was eating well and even once or twice he made Seema call her when she was working late evenings at the library. Just as she was this evening.

Her phone vibrated silently beside the thick digital marketing book she was reading. She glanced at the screen and Seema's number flashed.

Sighing, she answered the call, "Khala just few more minutes."

"Beta, it is really raining hard. How will you come back?"

She glanced at the large panelled windows, the rain sliding down the glass panes, "I will take the bus as I always do."

There were some noise at the background until Seema said, "No wait there Salman is coming to pick you up."

She leaned back on the hard wooden chair, "No Khala he doesn't has to. I will be there inshaa Allah."

"He already left. He was after me since last half an hour that I call you and check on you."

"Okay. I will see you in a bit," Nawal feebly said.

Alone with Salman? She didn't remember the last time she spent time alone with him. Perhaps, now was the time to bond. She touched her cheek, she had not even a brush of makeup applied. Worse, she didn't even have a lipstick or kohl pencil in her bag. Last few months, she was just too busy with her studies to bother in paying attention to her looks.

The most she could do was fix her wrinkled hijab. After packing her belongings in her bag, she was about to stand up when she felt it. She became utterly still. And she felt it again. A small fluttering from the middle of her stomach. A slow smile spread on her lips, she wasn't the only one excited to spend some time with him. The baby was just as excited. Her hand tentatively touched her small bump and she whispered, "Let's go and meet your Daddy."

But before she left, she hurried to the ladies toilet to look presentable. When she was scrutinizing her looks one last time at the mirror reflection her phone buzzed. A text message flashing, "I am here"

She sighed, squared her shoulders and strode out of the toilet.

This is it.

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