Zain's POV
The next day, I can still hear Momsie complaining to Marmie that we are trying very hard to make their visit useless.
"You are right. We have only been looking odd when visitors come along. I feel like an assertive momma" Marmie continues to agree. And I wonder what they think they would be doing in my house just because Mira has a baby. I guess we used to need them so much. But now, we have each other and we no longer need them so close. I wonder when they would come to realize it.
And then I heard them speaking about something else that got my attention right before I got too far away to hear them. I am on my way to the gym when I heard them anyway.
"When do you think he would open his eyes and his hands? Is he even from this generation!" Momsie would sometimes worry. Like now.
"He is going to be a shy child!" Marmie would grin. Making the situation very normal.
"Or a stingy fella. Closed hands are bad omen oh" Momsie is clearly teasing Marmie.
"It's just a sign of determination. He is going to be a little soldier!" Marmie defends. And they both laughed.
I swear those sisters have determination. Now that they ar determined the baby is the most normal kid, they invent any excuse available in their brain box to make it real.
To be honest though, I am getting worried that the key won't come out of his hands. I wonder why that is...
Marmie's POV
"Let's add one more week Marmie. Baba Murtala is busy and your husband has gone abroad again" Momsie says mischievously.
I frowned a little, knowing where she is coming from and not quite agreeing with her.
Momsie is worried about Mira. The girl has already started praying after one week of giving birth. She hasn't been herself since she saw Mira praying. She keeps worrying that she will get pregnant too soon and Mira will not have enough time to recover from her first pregnancy.
"What will one week achieve Momsie?" I asked pointedly.
"Come on! Baba Mufeed will get back from Cairo and I can speak to him about letting Mira stay in Abuja for a bit so we can really take good care of her. Didn't you hear? Zain is going back to work at his office and who is going to take care of her?" She reasoned.
"Momsie, you know Mufeed will never accept it. He is content just seeing Mira in her own home" I expressed.
"Oh! Mira has endured a lot of things from you parents! Ha'ah! Since when does a mother in law even seek permission from the girl's father to take care of her after birth? Am I not supposed to ask her husband? The way I see it, her husband cannot deny me. Just let me see who will!" She fumes deliberately.
Yeah I know it's deliberate cox she is looking too miffed too early!
"Momsie be reasonable! Zain will be crushed if you take them away. Right now he needs them near him. Please don't deny him what is his own right" I pleaded.
"Have you already forgotten how Mira has suffered through this pregnancy? Emotional wise, she was a total wreck! It had taken a lot from her. The least is for her to rest a little and gain back her energy. You know she is fragile. And you and I both know how emotional it is right after birth. Can't you pity her a little?" Momsie reasons back.
"But Zain was there for her through it all. It's not fair to him that we need to take her away. Especially because of Nayel!" I pleaded.
Momsie frowns, giving me one kind look and refuses to comment again. She has given up on me!
Momsie's POV
It's during dinner when I finally made up my mind that i won't leave Mira here. I am just certain she won't be able to deny her husband and she might get pregnant again! At least one month is better than one week!
I just can't rest easy.
A part of me is telling me to let it go. That Mira is not that dumb. But the moment I see the way they look at each other when they think we aren't looking, I become fearful.
So I asked Zain to wait so I can speak to him.
It's now only me and him in the dining room.
"Zain, I want to take Mira with me to Abuja until she is feeling better. That way, I can rest assured she is personally taken care of. You know how it is with pregnancy and birth. It's a delicate matter and she needs someone experienced to keep an eye on her and teach her how to take care of herself" I explained.
Zain is still looking at me as if shocked I am saying this. I can see panic rising in his eyes and I glared at him without even realizing that I am glaring so fiercely.
"You won't allow it?" I ask through a stern voice.
Zain looks away and for a long time, we both stubbornly keep to ourselves.
Finally, he raises his head and says to me "I will take care of her habibti. But you can't take her away" his eyes are pleading but his voice is strong. Seems like some things just never change.
Alright! I can play this game as well mr husband with rights.
I blinked my eyes a little until there is enough moisture to support my pained expression.
"It's alright. I always knew you would never grant me anything you don't want to give to me. Why am I surprised that you are going against me hm! This isn't even the first time!" I used the hem of my veil to wipe the tears.
"Ya Allah habibti. Don't kill me. You gave birth to me but you can't kill me. Honestly, I was patient enough for this time to come when I can finally have Mira fully back. And you want to take her away? I can't Momsie habibti. Please don't force me!" He pleads.
Though I can't get over Zain pleading so desperately, I still can't believe what I am hearing oh! He is not even ashamed of telling me! Wallah Zain has no shame in his eyes!
"Just go away from my sight!" I dismissed him, looking very angry.
"I will really take care of them both Momsie please believe me" he tried again, in a humbling tone. I pity him a little sha. But I still can't forget how fragile my Mira is. I have to put her best interests at heart cox she is the one who had a baby pushed out of her tommy!
"Did you think of going to the doctor's to seek advise on family planning methods?" I ask sternly.
Zain is looking really uncomfortable.
"Momsie, is this about Mira getting pregnant again? Is that why you want to take her with you?" His frown is increasing. Though to his credit, he wasn't looking at my eyes when he spoke. Only after. Which nullifies any points he has accrued in the first place.
"Yes" I replied straightforwardly.
"Wallah we are not going through the hassle of family planning. I know Mira will agree with me on this one. We want to have our kids very early please Momsie don't pity us just yet. Wait until we have at least three kids um?" He pleads again.
I feel like kicking him wallahi. But I still tried to be the adult and said "fine! I will not even ask you again! Tell Mira to prepare her bag. Make it sound like you have blessed her leaving. And if I am your mother walid habibi, you will definitely do as I say without saying pim against it!" I stipulated.
Zain's frown deepens as he quickly walks out.
I shake my head. Now I am the bad guy!
Mira's POV
I have seen how he keeps looking at me and I know the fire building behind his eyes is a lot of trouble for me.
Sweet delicious trouble, that is!
It's been long since we had anything to do with each other and then surprisingly, I stopped bleeding after only four days. Still, I was kind of scared, so I prayed in secret so Zain doesn't see.
Seriously, I am already thinking of family planning cox I don't want to get pregnant too early. I want to raise my child and give him all of my attention and care.
So I decided I will speak to him today.
Unfortunately, before Zain comes up, Momsie came to take me away cox there is this sit bath she always makes me go through which she thinks will help me get back in shape faster.
After the sitbath though, she asked me to sleep in her room and though it's odd, I didn't mind cox I was so sleepy. I was also thinking that I could always speak to Zain in the morning.
My first mistake was forgetting that things are no longer as they were when I was pregnant. I should have checked in on him to see if he needed anything. But wallah I a, being pampered a lot and it gets me a little self centered cox duh I am the sick one in the family now!
Anyways, morning came rather easily. I did not meet Zain until nine in the morning when he is having breakfast alone at the dining room.
I noticed he didn't look at me. But I thought he is just in his head thinking about something. So I went to him and kissed his cheek before murmuring good morning.
"Morning" he replies in a clipped tone.
Now I know something is definitely wrong.
So I sat down next to him and asked "what's wrong?"
Zain is still ignoring me. I began to feel really mad cox I can't remember what I did wrong and he is acting all childish about it.
We are so silent until Momsie comes into the dining room with Marmie who is holding Nayel.
Marmie gives me the child and told me he is hungry so I needed to breastfeed him.
If there is one thing I am not comfortable with, it's breastfeeding. Aside from feeling this heavy feeling weigh me down, I don't like destroying my perfect getup.
It takes looking at his face once to remind me he is my little angel and I will forget all the apprehensions.
So I stood up and went to the living room next to the dining room and began to feed him.
I can hear their voices arguing about something which gets me wondering what they are fighting over.
I muted them out as I try to think of what I did to deserve the cold treatment from Zain.
Zain is the first to come out of the dining room looking very mad. He didn't even look at me and he walks out of the room.
So I decided I'll have to sit him down and calm him before asking what is bloody wrong that I did not even know!
Momsie accepts Nayel as if nothing has happened. Marmie looks annoyed but she also looks quite helpless.
I went after Zain and didn't find him anywhere inside the house. So I went out back where there is a large wooden gazebo amidst a very thoughtful arrangement of a mini garden representation.
I saw him just looking into space as if in deep thought.
I stood behind him before gently slipping my hands around his neck. I am busy rubbing his side burns in lazy circles and still, he didn't show any reaction.
I bent, placing my face next to his head and made my voice sound a little intimate as I asked "what's wrong?"
He is still ignoring me though and like the normal human being that I am, I was a little miffed he is being so stubborn. But I still tried to forget I am annoyed cox he is already so angry and my anger will serve no purpose at this point.
I stood back up and continued to rub his jaw in very teasing circles now, urging him to calm down. After a while, I bent again, but instead of speaking, I pushed my face around his neck and began to run it a little. My breath is coming out in a breathy manner and repeatedly, I won't stop kissing pulse on his neck, measuring his heartbeat, wondering if I am having any effect on him.
Toh, Zain has gone a really long time starving and I realized with gladness that he cannot control his response despite staying so still.
When I am sure his body is tensed, but from a different kind of tension, I hid a smile, stepping back from him. At least now, his anger will dissolve a little to accommodate other needs!
Slowly, I walked in front of him and stood with my hands akimbo. In a serious tone that bellies a kind of yanga energy I haven't felt in months, I asked him "what is wrong Mr King?"
His eyes finally look up at me and I can see his eyeballs roaming all over my figure in a few seconds he definitely wished didn't happen, and then he sighed.
"Adhanna annakee jazhaabaah..." he makes a really pitying face and adds lowly in a way I can still hear him "..so don't leave Miratee" he finished his really odd sentence I was not expecting!
I sooo did not expect him to say that! But damn it! He is making me blush for no reason. Why will he even find me cute cox if I am translating his Arabic correctly, that's exactly what he just said to me!
'...I find you cute...' my mind cannot stop whispering in his sexy voice and I can't stop smiling. Even though he just answered my what is wrong question!
"Stop being sweet" I warned, looking so embarrassed I feel like a teenager right now which is so not cool! Clearing my voice, i sit on his lap with all of my weight just trying to dispel the very odd moment! The entire mood changed in one second flat! I am still reeling from the way his mind works!.
"Ouch. So heavy!" He teased.
"That's your punishment for making me forget myself for awhile. That's right. Remember how heavy I am and be warned! I am taking away some of my weight right now. I am not even sitting correctly. Don't wanna crush your legs you know" I declared.
He pushed his hands around my waist and held me close so he is now hugging me. The moment is so tender and I relaxed on his lap, thinking about what I was about to tell him before he had to tell me he finds me cute...awwwwn...no one has said that in years! I used to be so cute as a girl. As an adult, I guess people just see me as pretty...
"Momsie wants you to follow her to Abuja" he murmurs.
Oh..right! I was asking him about why he ignored me! Stupid me! I even forgot the real reason why I am here.
"Well...I kinda guessed she would want that habibi. I just gave birth for the first time and I am not sure I will be able to bathe with all those herbs as I am supposed to when they are gone. In fact, I'll definitely ditch the hot water and maybe turn to some really modern short cut...thinking about all these, I think it's best I stay with Momsie..." I told him. But the way his ands tighten around me shows me he is not liking my train of thought. So I sealed my mouth shut.
"I can't wait two more months to have you Mira. I really really missed you..." he trailed off in what I can only refer to as a pregnant pause.
"I am scared I will get pregnant again" I confessed out of the blue desperately wanting to confide in him.
Zain is so silent and he refuses to comment on that. Disappointed, I sighed to myself. Zain seems to really like kids. It's a gut feeling that is beginning to ring true. So how to make him understand that I like kids too but I don't want 'rawer kai' to destroy to good intention? Definitely not now when Momsie has already told him the news he doesn't like so much...
Later, Momsie sent Jidda to call us both and she found that Zain is looking like he has fallen asleep on the chair with his arms around me.
"Tell her we fell asleep" I lied knowing he just closed his eyes trying to stop me from reading his mood...
So she left.
It's very much later when we went to find Momsie. Nayel is still sleeping and Marmie is the one taking care of him.
Momsie asks us to sit down and we both sat on the floor respectively which surprised even Marmie who couldn't stop looking at us both. We look like a team and it's supposed to tell Momsie that our ideas are the same. Even the ones we don't agree upon.
But Momsie knows me so well and refused to buy the act, sweet as it was.
"Mira, I know he already told you about my wish. I am not trying to force you two into doing things you don't want to do. But it's very important for you to come with me to Abuja. Will you deny me?" She asks, putting me on the spot.
I never thought I'll have to choose between Momsie and Zain. But I also know that should such a time comes, I will always choose Momsie first. Cox Zain will have to be obedient to her also, it makes no sense why I will go against her wishes, especially when she never asks anything of us until now...
I just can't look at her and say no... though I don't want to leave Zain too. I had this idea that I am gonna pamper him a little to show my appreciation for going an extra mile in taking care of me during the pregnancy...
"I cannot deny you anything Momsie" I replied steadily. I can feel Zain tensing next to me and I just know I have disappointed him.
Momsie looks very happy. "So it is you who will deny me umm?" Momsie asks Zain who makes a face.
"This is blackmail!" He exclaims in a frustrated whisper.
"Momsie..." Marmie began to speak to her but was rudely cut off when Momsie says "even if it is blackmail, will you take me to court?" Momsie challenged.
Marmie began to do 'sallallami' in the background as if she can't believe Momsie is doing this.
"I could" Zain looks very frustrated and Momsie is looking dubious the moment she heard his voice.
"You won't though" Momsie ignores the threat in his words.
"But I could! Shouldn't that account for something? It's not fair!" He won't just let it go and I feel as if he is whining. It's even a little cute...
"Our flight is leaving in two hours. You better prepare a bag for you and Nayel" Momsie states, looking at me.
I couldn't go back on my word so I tried to look brave as I went upstairs to do as she asked.
I felt bad when he didn't even take us to the airport. For the first time, he asked his security detail to take the responsibility. He didn't even say goodbye. He left the house for us as if he can't bear to see us leave...
"Aaf! He will calm down don't worry. He is just blowing off steam. And I didn't ask him to come visit us did I?" Momsie complained. It's like she is justifying our leaving by being so generous and Marmie is like "anything to make you sleep well at night Momsie. Really"
"I will sleep like a baby thank you!" Momsie retorted, but she looks kinda down. Like she would ask me to stay if she didn't think it's best for me.
And so we boarded the plane to Abuja where Momsie spent all of her time trying to see I am back to normal and that I am doing everything as I should.
Zain's POV
The house is so empty without them. I feel like packing up to follow them to Abuja. But I want to punish Mira too. She should have told Momsie she doesn't want to go.
One moment I am a man with a full set and the next, I am back to my single status. I can't remember being single getting so lonely...
Eman came to find me when I am wallowing in self pity. Either he didn't see my mood or he simply didn't think I was miserable. Either way, he said he wanted to speak to me about something and that it's very sensitive.
"What?" I asked rudely, which is lost on him cox he really looks to be very anxious.
"You are the only one I know who is truly in love with his own wife. So I was wondering if you can tell me exactly what it means to fall in love. The wedding is coming closer and I am getting anxious. What if we grow tired of each other after the wedding? What if we don't work out? There are things I feel for her but it's not exactly so deep that I feel I can lay half of my life for her or anything and I don't doubt her beauty is my only focus right now. So...." he shakes his head, unable to look at me as he spoke.
He is seeking love advise from me when I am not even feeling lucky that I love my wife right now. If I loved her just a little less, her leaving won't hurt me so much...
Annoyed at Eman for asking ridiculous questions, I stood up and walked to him. Without letting him realize what I am about to do, I used a bit of strength to hit his chest where his heart is with a fist, and quite annoyed, I said immediately after "pain, here. That is love"
And I walked out of the office to let him stew on that!
Mira's POV
Both me and Nayel are looking so healthy and robust. We just miss Zain terribly and we didn't have any one to complain to. Not even Zain who has been annoyed with all of us and hasn't called since we elf Lagos. He won't even pick my calls. And I am sure if he saw Nayel, it has to be on social media. It makes me feel so panicky cox I really really don't like fighting him right now. I feel a little responsible cox Islamic ally, there is nowhere that said it's right for Momsie to bring me to Abuja even if it's a good idea. She could have stayed longer with us is she likes...
So Hoor is my closest friend now since she is the one one available within my circle. So we talk all the time and we are virtually inseparable. One day, I offered to help her set he hair.
"Your hair is too frizzy, come let me help you set it" I offered to Hoor who shook her head. "Don't bother. I don't wanna get a headache. You know I don't like touching this hair unless it's absolutely necessary. Like once a month?" She looks hopeful.
"Let me help you joor. You are just being a baby" I insisted. I have this new formulas I want to try out I have been having the idea since last week and I don't wanna try it in my own hair. But I won't let her know it. I am certain I won't ruin her hair. The worst will be the chemical reacting in a bad way and her hair bleaches a little. Which, I can solve after...
Evil...a part of my mind is warning me. But I ignored it.
So I kept insisting until she accepted and so we went to her own bathroom and we stationed a chair in front of the sink while her hair is pushed back into the bowl of the sink in preparation for my attentions.
The moment I washed it with my new potion, I swear, the entire layer began to fall off and was I scared!
I thought, that's it! I have ruined her perfectly good hair with karamabani oh! Sweat is breaking out of my skin and I don't know why she is still lying so still...
"Ehm...Hoor..." I whispered fearfully.
Now she opens her eyes and mine avoided clashing with hers when I looked over at my handiwork. It's been so long since I did anything so very bad and my feelings are all so buzzing with jitters...
And then Hoor realizes something is wrong and her hands immediately went to her hair..which...is falling off with the slightest touch!
Her eyes widened with shock. And she gets on her feet in one second flat. I stepped back looking like I am about to run.
And then she ran over to the mirror on the wall and she started to look at her miserable hair...and...
My own eyes widened just as hers darkened...
Cox...
Beneath all that beautiful hair...is an undergrowth...a very dark undergrowth...
My mind began to reel in disbelief. She is not a redhead?
A/N
Hi people! I miss you guys. Your comments were so lovely they got me so emotional. Thanks for sticking this far.
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Bye for now!