6 YEARS LATER
"Ummi, where do I put this?" Haadee asked me with his cute little voice as I turned to him, smiling widely. "Put right next to TV," I ordered him gently before he nodded and brought the small chair to the spot. "Ummi, can we eat now?" Aiyla then appeared from behind, her angelic cute voice rang to my ears as I sighed tiredly. "Later, okay? We have to wait for your uncles and aunts first," I smiled to her sweetly as she pouted her lips, before nodding slowly. "Let me take care all of these." A deep voice spoke, and I grinned excitedly, knowing that my superhero had came to save me.
"What took you so long?" I crossed my arms, before turned to him and pretended to be angry. "Sorry, had to deal with this kid." He gestured to Hannah, who was sleeping soundly in his arms. I then walked closer, kissing her small face softly. "She's so like you." Haarith voiced before I looked up to him and gave a small smile. "Really? Then Haadee is so like you, too. Strong and kind." I replied to him shortly. He winked at me before landed a kiss on my forehead.
"Here," He whispered at me before Hannah was shifted to my arms from his and I smiled, watching my 7-months-old little daughter sleeping. I threw my gaze at Haarith who was now tickling my 5 years old pumpkins, Haadee and Aiyla whom turned out to be twins. It'd been 6 years I belonged to Haarith Feterson, and now I worked with him in the dawah group aside of building a happy family with our 3 angels.
Today was the third day of Eid celebration, so we decided to make a small party which only involve of our relatives and friends. Everything wasn't as the same as before. Yasmeen was married to a humble man named Hakeem 2 years after I got married. I didn't even bothered to know how she ever got to know him while Husna was engaged to Wadi, who was also a part of dawah group. Azeem had also showed interests in Faqihah, which I found it kind of funny.
"Habibti, come here for a while." Haarith called me out, brought me down to Earth as I walked to his direction. I took a seat next to him on the sofa while the twins came to us, bothering to know. Haarith then showed us a picture of me and him during our honeymoon in Virgin Island. I smiled sweetly, recalling the sweet memories. "Ummi, why do you cover your face?" Haadee asked in all of sudden, and as I wanted to open my mouth, Haarith cut me off, "Because Ummi is only for Abbi." Haarith smiled, showing off his cute dimples. Haadee nodded before he voiced innocently again, "Then, Should I cover my face too? Because I am only for Ummi and Abbi!" He squealed as I laughed faintly at his innocence before hitting Haarith lightly for his nonsense. "What? I'm right, ain't it?" I grinned and shook my head, "No, Haadee, you are a man. Aiyla should be the one who will veil her face, okay?" Aiyla turned to us, arching her eyebrows. "What is veil?" Those two asked, before I burst out laughing again. I glanced over Haarith and he was grinning, as I signalled him to response at them.
"Ah you guys, you will learn later in school." Haarith ruffled his messy hair before pulled both of them into his hug. I then joined hugging them as I felt Haarith kissed me at the top of my brunette hair. I smiled secretly and mouthed to him, I love you.
He winked at me, as I got up and put Hannah on the sofa carefully. Haarith caressed her soft cheeks gently and I just smiled at my husband.
I then walked to the kitchen, ready to serve my food. I prepared everything set on the table, and just waited for the guests to come.
Today is going to be very exciting.
***
I looked at the mirror thoroughly, and fixed everything on its place. I smiled, curving my eyes before I saw Haarith appeared behind me as his arms found their way to my waist. He looked at the mirror and I grinned at him under the veil. "You're pretty enough." He said, smiling.
"Only for you." I said softly, and he exhaled, still with a smile on his face. I turned to him and instantly put my arms around him. Thoughts lingered in my mind as I spoke, "I'm afraid of losing you."
His face darkened as he said, "Never. I won't go away, Aisha."
His answer made me relieved as he pulled me into his embrace, sending sparks all over my body. "Thank you for being with me all these years." I murmured in his chest as he replied flatly, "Always, love."
The bell then rang, echoing our entire house before we pulled apart and grinned at each other.
"They're here!" We spat it out at the same time as stormed out the room and descended the stairs hurriedly.
I looked over at Haadee and he was combing his hair, while Aiyla was trying to take a piece of the cake. My eyes widened, "Aiyla! No, no----" But I was too late, she had already fed her stomach with that chocolate cake. "Hehe, sorry Ummi. I couldn't help." She grinned shyly and I sighed, smiling a little.
I heard the door creaked opened and murmurs echoed the house. I grinned excitedly and walked out the kitchen, only to find my families gathering up. Alice was the first who saw me and squealed as she walked to me with her baby bum instantly. "Aisha! I miss you so much!!" We then hugged each other tightly before I saw Tay appeared behind. "Aww, dearly beloved husband is here looking for his Juliet!" I giggled at the newlywed, as they flushed laughing faintly.
"Anyways, how's life?" Tay asked politely and I smiled, "Great, very." He chuckled slightly before I told them to sit as I moved to greet the niqabis. "Aisha! Miss you so muchies!!" Yasmeen hugged me and I responded to her hug in instance. "Miss you too, pretty." I whispered in her ears before my eyes shifted to Hakeem, who was now her beloved husband. "SalamAlaykum." He greeted me with a smile, and I returned his salaam. As I opened my mouth to say something, a voice I missed so much greeted behind. "Aisha!" I turned around and saw Khala with my bubbly cousins with wide grins spread across their faces.
"Fam!" I screamed softly and ran to their embraces. "It's been a very long time!" Nadia said sadly and I giggled faintly. "Miss you guys badly," I said to them after we pulled apart. "You've been doing great, I can see." Khala said to me and I just grinned secretly. "Alhamdulillah." I spoke softly.
Haarith then announced, "Let's eat! Food made by Aisha are waiting!" The guests moved along to the dining hall and I smiled, greeting them.
David passed me by and gave me a bright smile as I returned the smile with a little bow. Greg glanced over me before he walked to my direction excitedly as he voiced to me, "I'm in love." I faked my gasp and smiled to him happily. "What? Finally you found a girl! I'm so happy for you!!" He smiled a second before it fell off his face.
"And she's here. You don't mind?" He said, guilty laid on his eyes. I brightened, "Of course, no! Where's she? Oh my, I'm so excited to see her."
"There." He pointed on the corner of my living room as I saw Aiyla was playing with Haadee happily. I furrowed my brows and looked at him again, who was biting his lip, trying not to laugh. "How dare you fooled me!" I spat out, biting my lower lip and pretending to be mad. "Oops. Pete! Your wife is on fire!!" Greg laughed loudly as he ran into the crowd and echoing the hall with his laughter. I snorted and moved to talk with others.
"Where's your daughter, Aisha? And the twins?" Khadija asked me, her husband was beside her. I pointed to Hannah who was in her father's arm and the twins, eating the chocolate cake. "They're so cute!" Khadija gasped softly and made her way to the twins. "Hi!" Khadija greeted them and I smiled under my veil. Adib pinched Haadee's soft cheeks gently and said, "You look so much like Haarith." He looked puzzled and asked me, "Ummi, who's Haarith?"
I giggled faintly and answered him shortly, "Your father, of course."
The other niqabis then appeared from the crowd, squealing excitedly. "Haadee! Aiyla! Why so cute?" Ameera asked them, and they smiled proudly, and I laughed at their cockiness. "No, don't do that." I said to them and that cocky face immediately fell off from their cute faces.
"Aww, look at them!" Amani giggled and I joined her all along.
I then got up, looking at the every faces I loved before I found myself smiling in the moment.
Everything seemed to be slow-motioned when finally my deep thoughts slowly consumed away.
Sometimes life is just too unfair, and that's okay. You fall, but you will eventually stand up again. You give up on hopes, but you will eventually find out light again. You title yourself a trash, and you will eventually take it back. Because you're belonged. Whether you will find it now or later, you're always belonged to the Merciful. And He is always close to us wherever it might be, to tell that you're belonged.
You're loved.
"Habibti, wanna some ice cream?" I turned around and saw Haarith with a huge grin spread across his face and a cone of ice cream on his hand. I smiled to him back and took it gratefully.
"Thanks," I whispered on his ears softly as he looked down to gaze at me.
He put his arms around me and winked, "Know that I'll always love you, Aisha."
"I'd know that." I winked at him back before snuggled deep into his hard chest as I found myself smiling under him.
Life is full of unpredictable moments, but you just don't know when you will bump into one of them. That's what makes life very interesting.
Alhamdulillah.
✽✽✽
Hi Assalammualaykum, My name is Aisha Ahmed.
And that's how my story is.