Najah couldn't explain her feeling when Jameel broke the news of Afrah's pregnancy to her. One moment, she was happy-happy that there was going to be an addition to their family for she knew how much Jameel loved kids. The next moment, she felt a tad sad that it wasn't her. It would be awfully nice to have a family of her own. She also loved kids. She wanted them. A lot of them. It was a bittersweet moment for Najah but despite the mixed feeling, she still wore a smile on her face all through the conversation they had.
"Hey," Jameel nudged her with his elbow. "Where's your head at?"
Najah flashed him a smile. "I was thinking about Afrah...you must be extremely happy about the baby."
Jameel glanced at her with a smile before averting his gaze back to the road. "It feels surreal. For some reason, I was stupefied. It was more than I bargained for."
The bliss in his voice couldn't be overemphasized.
"It was sincerely the last thing on my mind." Jameel continued. "Afrah didn't expect it either because before we visited the hospital, she had taken a home test and it came out negative."
"It's not always accurate."
Jameel nodded in agreement.
"Have you told Hajiya yet?"
"I have. She sounded happy. She even said she'd come to the house when Afrah is almost due to take care of her herself. I think she's started to have a change of heart."
Najah hummed. "Seems so."
"I want that so badly. I just want everyone to be at peace with one another."
"But I don't think Afrah is ever going to be at peace with me. I've been doing everything to get on her good side... it's even beginning to seem I'm forcing a friendship with her, but it's not working. She sees me as her biggest enemy."
"Naj-"
"I'm not telling you all these with any motive in mind, I just felt you needed to know that I have been putting in the effort. She hates me and I don't think she'd ever like me. It's fine though. I'll just keep doing my part."
"Najah," Jameel stretched his hand to grab hers. "I know you have been putting in the effort. I see it...I'm thankful to you for that. Words cannot express how much."
Najah gave a closed-lip smile. It was what was most important. At least he knew.
"And Afrah doesn't hate you," Jameel sighed. "You don't know this but there's something she said to me that makes me so sure. More time is what she needs. You can't say she's not nicer to you than before."
"What's that?" Najah couldn't contain her curiosity. "What did she say?"
Jameel shook his head.
"You're not going to tell me?"
Jameel nodded. "But trust me, it's something admirable from her end."
Different thoughts flooded Najah's head. She just wondered what the good thing Afrah had said to Jameel about her was. Or, she thought, did Jameel fabricate a lie to make her feel otherwise about Afrah?
"Hmm..."
"Trust me."
Wordlessly, she nodded.
"What's," Jameel looked at his wife. "On your mind?"
"You didn't notice what I called you earlier, did you?"
"Of course I did," Jameel chuckled. "I wanted to even bring it up earlier but it skipped my mind."
"You don't like it?" Disappointment dripped off her tone.
"It's just..." Jameel chuckled. "Sounds funny. Dove? Bird?"
"I find it cute though. I chose that name for you because it fits perfectly. You're as calm as a dove. Sincerely, I haven't met a man as calm as you are. I love many things about you but that's the attribute I love the most about you," a smile curled up her lips as she added the last word. "Dove."
The precipitous smile on Jameel's face didn't go unnoticed by Najah. "Still sounds weird to me."
"Oh, really? Why don't you suggest a name for me then?"
"Why should I?"
"Because I want you to?"
"I'm okay with anything. Be it dove, pigeon, duck," he shrugged. "Anything. You can call me whatever you want."
Najah rolled her eyes and huffed.
"You really want me to suggest a name for me for you?"
"It's fine if you don't want to, I'm just going to stick to 'Dove'..."
"Cool."
"Wh—" Najah abruptly cut herself off from asking him if he had a nickname for her too. For some reason unknown to her, she couldn't bring herself to let out the question.
"What?"
"Nothing."
•
After getting the stuff they needed at the store, they returned home.
The house was quiet. So quiet that one would think no one was living in it.
"You can go ahead and start, let me check up on Afrah."
Najah nodded. "Sure." She didn't wait for his response before advancing to the kitchen. She didn't do that because she was jealous or the sort. She was genuinely concerned about Afrah too—In her own way.
As Najah began to cut the vegetables she had bought from the store, her thought wandered to Hajiya and how she liked a lot of vegetables in her food, and she found herself smiling. Indisputably, she missed her and wished she was present in the house with them.
She was still lost in a trance when her phone began to ring.
"Speak of the angel," she chuckled before picking up her phone.
"Assalamualaikum, my daughter." Came Hajiya's motherly tender voice.
"Wa alaikum salaam, Hajiya! How did you know that I was thinking of you? The timing was just perfect! I'm sorry I didn't get the chance to call you these past few days...I have been a little sick lately."
"Have you gone to the hospital?"
"No, Hajiya. Who goes to a hospital for something as trivial as a headache."
"I want you to go together with Jameel. Today!"
"Hajiya!" Najah puffed out her cheeks. "Trust me, it's nothing to worry about. Even Jameel didn't notice. I'm perfectly fine now. I took some painkillers. Right now, as I speak to you, I'm even in the kitchen, cooking. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't strong enough. Please let it go already."
Hajiya sighed. "What other choice do I have? You're hell-bent on not going...seems you don't listen to me anymore."
Afrah gasped in surprise. "How can you say that Hajiya? You know that's not possible. You're the person I listen to the most in this world—even more than my husband, Jameel. I really don't want to go because it would be a waste of time but if you insist, I will have to—"
"It's fine since you said you're alright now...I won't force you to go anymore."
"Do you see why I love you so much, Hajiya?" Najah smiled. "You understand me so well. Thank you for your boundless mercy."
"Will you quit being dramatic?"
Najah burst out laughing. "I just can't help it," she reclined against the counter as her laughter toned down. "Congratulations, you're going to be a grandmother soon. Your wish is finally coming true. I was told you're coming...when do you plan to come?"
"I have something very important going on with relatives right now and I just can't leave my business to strangers so it might take a little while but I want to make it there before she gives birth. I will try to make it before then."
"Alright. We can't wait to have you! May Allah ease your work."
"Ameen, thanks, my daughter. I'd be looking forward to hearing your own good news before my arrival so you better get to work if you haven't."
Najah felt her cheeks heat up. She remained silent for she had no words to say to her mother-in-law. She was suddenly tongue-tied.
"And I'm as serious as ever. It will make me really happy to welcome a child from you too. I never fail to include you in my prayers every day."
"Thank you, Hajiya. You don't know how much this means to me. I appreciate you."
"I appreciate you too. Just don't forget what I told you. I'm hoping to receive the good news anytime soon. Do not keep me waiting for a very long time."
Hajiya's words sunk into Najah's heart. She knew she wanted a child too, but she didn't realize just how badly until Hajiya mentioned it. The cravings, the morning sickness, the bump, the contractions, and childbirth, she wanted to experience it all. She wanted to build a family with Jameel too. She wanted to make Hajiya happy as well—the woman who had gone out of her way to ensure her safety and happiness. Hajiya deserved all the happiness in the world. "Okay."
"I will leave you to continue cooking then."
"Thanks a lot for calling, Hajiya. Please don't overstress yourself with work and also, don't skip your medication. Take them on time and eat lots and lots of vegetables."
"Okay, doctor Najah, I'll do as prescribed. Take good care of yourself too...and continue being the patient person that I know you to be. I hope Afrah isn't being unnecessarily rude to you."
Najah gave a closed-lip smile. "Yes, Hajiya. We're living peacefully as you want. We're practically like sisters now."
Hajiya hummed. She didn't seem convinced at all. "I hope you're telling me the truth."
"Yes, I am, Hajiya. Do I have any reason to lie to you? We're cordial. No fights whatsoever. You can even ask Jameel if you don't believe me."
"Jameel?" Hajiya huffed. "I trust your words more than his at the moment. He promised me he was going to visit... it's been a week and he's nowhere to be seen."
"Don't be angry with him, Hajiya. Work has been hectic for him. I'm sure he's already making new plans to surprise you."
"Of course, you are going to make excuses for him as usual."
Najah chuckled. "I'm not making excuses for him Hajiya. It's honestly how it is. I'm going to take it upon myself to keep reminding him of his promise to you. He can't be too busy to visit his mother. There's absolutely no way."
"Exactly!"
"Yes, Hajiya, so relax your mind. He's going to come to see you soon."
"I thought you'd want to come with him."
"I'd have loved for all of us to go to you together but Afrah might not be able to travel far right now due to her condition and if I decide to go with Jameel, she will be left alone with no one to take care of her...and you know it will be extremely difficult for her. I don't even think Jameel will agree to it"
"Najah," Hajiya called her name out of the blue. "May Allah continue to bless your good heart. You are indeed one of a kind. I have never seen you put yourself above others. You're always thinking about other people. Not everyone can have that quality. I didn't mince words when I said Jameel is lucky to have you. Your big heart is what attracted me to you in the first place. Never change for anyone. You shall reap the reward soon."
Tears prickled Najah's eyes at Hajiya's words. What those complimentary words meant to her, she couldn't express properly and in words. "Thank you, Hajiya."
Dropping the phone on the counter, Afrah let her tears flow. The feeling of being appreciated and respected at the same time was second to none to her. It meant much more than being loved.
"That was lengthy."
Jameel's voice pulled Najah from her daze. She quickly wiped her face before turning to Jameel who was standing just behind her. "How long have you been here for?"
"Hmm...a while?" He responded. "I can't recall the last time Hajiya and I talked for so long over the phone."
"And when last you visited her!" She added.
Jameel heaved a sigh. "That too. Work has been taking so much of my time."
"That's really not an excuse. Hajiya misses you. You should create time and visit her. She's really disappointed in you."
"I definitely will."
"Great."
"So...what else did y'all talk about?"
"Why do you want to know?" Najah raised a brow.
Jameel shrugged. "Curiosity."
"Well," Najah turned around; her back on him. "I'm not going to tell you."
Jameel moved closer to her. So close that Najah could feel his breath on the back of her neck. "Why? I think it concerns it because—"
"You really want to know?" Najah turned back around with a smirk plastered on her face. "okay, I will tell you!"
"I'm all ears, ma'am."
Najah could imagine Jameel's demeanor to what she was about to say and as a matter of fact, he didn't disappoint.
"Hajiya wants us to make a baby."
•
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