Maryam woke up in the middle of the night, feeling extremely dizzy. She felt the need to throw up. Immediately, she covered her mouth with the palm of her hand and rushed to the bathroom. With one violent contraction, the congealed content of her stomach propelled into the air and splattered all over the floor. She heaved and more chunks of food emerged from her stomach, nothing digested since the evening before. Her stomach contracted so violently again that she had to clutch it tightly, yet nothing came out. She quickly cleaned the bathroom as well as herself up before going back to the bedroom.

Few days later, the morning sicknesses were only getting worse. She threw up almost every morning and dizziness was not left out. She was really having a hard time. Compared to the hardship she was going through now due to her pregnancy, Manal's own was way easier.

In spite of how sick she was, she still didn't stop going to work. She was looking very weak when Aisha walked into their office. Concerned, she rushed towards her.

"Are you alright, Maryam?" She inquired. She felt her temperature with the back of her palm.

She replied, "I'm fine, Aisha."

"No you're not!" She argued. "What's wrong? You can tell me anything."

Maryam sighed. She didn't want to tell her about her current state of mind, but she knew it'd be better if she did, for Aisha was her friend and she was very good at giving advises. "I'm pregnant."

Aisha's eyes shimmered with happiness for her friend. She smiled heartily and threw her arms around her. "Wow! Congratulations!! This is such a good news, Manal will no longer be lonely." She paused and pulled back. "But why aren't you happy?"

Maryam was quick to come to her defence. "I am. Of course I am, but there's something bothering me."

"What is it?" Aisha asked, worriedly.

Maryam puffed out air from her mouth; "I haven't told my husband yet."

Aisha looked at her in disbelief. She had not told her husband? Shouldn't he be the first person to know? - she wondered. "Why? Shouldn't he be the first person to know before anyone else?" She voiced out.

"I know-" Maryam said, rubbing her forehead. "- but I'm afraid he'd stop me from continuing my job. I have told you my husband doesn't like me working right?"

Aisha nodded. "But don't you think it's about time you do what he wants or better yet, convince him to allow you continue. Hiding your pregnancy from him is uncalled for."

"I know. I know. Please stop making me feel more guilty. You should have seen how hard I worked to convince him to allow me continue working when I was pregnant with Manal. I had to even result to starving my self before he agreed. He is definitely going to tell me to stop working once he comes to know about this pregnancy."

"If he really wants that, why don't you just do it? For his happiness and peace of mind." Aisha suggested.

"I can't. I can't just give up my passion just like that... After all the difficulties I passed through in university? Where is the justice there?"

"If I were in your shoes, I'd do just that without thinking twice." Aisha said, eloquently.

"Individual difference. You can do that, but I can't. We're different. I'm passionate about my job and quitting is never an option for me."

"Even if it'd cost you you're family?" Aisha asked.

"It would never." Maryam smiled.

"A piece of advise to you as a friend; do what you're suppose to do before you regret your action later." Aisha said, non offensively.

"I appreciate." Maryam smile, but deep down, she felt like rebuking her and telling her to mind her own business, but she couldn't due to the great respect she had for her friend.

She was about to leave the office, but stopped precipitously and spun around. "...and Khadijah misses Manal, we will be coming to visit her in the evening."

"Only Manal?" Maryam asked, humorously, lightning up the mood in the atmosphere.

"Yes. Just her," Aisha smirked and walked away.

Maryam smiled. She couldn't stay angry at her for a very long time. The headache and dizziness she was feeling a while ago was slowly ameliorating.

• • •

Maryam returned back home early. Saeed, Manal and Nafisa were yet to return. She dropped her bag in the living room and went straight to her room to perform ablution and pray zuhr prayer. Immediately she was done, she returned to the parlour and napped for a short period of time. When she woke up, she went into the kitchen to get a glass of water for herself and decided to cook something for her family as well as for Aisha and her daughter Khadijah. She smiled - Manal would really be fascinated to see them.

In less than a hour, Nafisa returned with her earpiece in her ears listening to DJ_Lord_Mans_Not_Hot. She didn't even realise the door was not locked. She walked into the parlour and was startled to see Maryam seated there. She quickly pulled out the earpiece and stammered; "good... After...noon, ma."

"Good afternoon, Nafisa. How was school?"

"Fine ma. I didn't know you were going to come home early today. Let me go and prepare something for you." Nafisa was about to go to her room, but was stopped by Maryam's voice.

"There is no need, I have already started cooking. You should go to your room, pray and take a rest." Maryam said.

"Alright ma. Thank you." She smiled and left for her room. For once, she was really very grateful to Maryam for not waiting for her before starting to cook. Immediately she got into her room, she plopped into her bed and brought out her cellphone to call Mukthar. At the first ring, he picked up. "Babyyyyy I miss you." She cooed.

"I miss you too, babe. When are you coming to visit me. I'm lonely. I need you here with me." He murmured.

"Awwn! Don't worry babe, I will skip school tomorrow. Will you come and pick me?"

"You know the answer to that. Of course I will."

"Thanks babe."

"I can't wait to have you in my arms again."

"Me too."

"How was your day?"

"It was okay. Aysha's boyfriend just bought her the latest iPhone." Nafisa said, enviously.

Mukthar could sense the jealousy in her tone. "Do you also want it?" He asked.

Nafisa smiled, maliciously. She definitely had him where she wanted. "I don't really like iPhone-s, but since the phone I'm currently using is old, I will manage it. I don't really use phones for more than five months."

"Wow! Big girl."

"Yeah," she suppressed a laugh. "- I wasn't brought up in poverty, so what do you expect?"

"Anyways don't worry, I will try to her it for you as soon as possible."

"Thank you, baby. I love you to the moon and back."

"I love you more. Can't wait to have you here."

"Just few more hours."

"Alright, I will call you again before you sleep."

"Okay. Bye." She said and ended the call.

• • •

At exactly 3:30pm, the school bus stopped in front of the house. Manal was sad as she alighted from the bus. She was sad because she knew Nafisa was going to be at home. She was going to make her sweep the living room and even her bedroom. With trembling hands, she knocked on the gate because she was too short to reach the bell. The gatekeeper peeped through the small opening of the gate to confirm who the person was. Immediately he saw Manal, he opened the door and entered.

On getting to the main door of the house, she halted. She wasn't ready for Nafisa's cruelty to begin, so she sat down in the veranda like a solitaire for almost ten minutes before mustering the courage to go into the house. She was about to sneak to her room, when Maryam saw her.

"Manal?" She called.

Hearing her mother's voice made her very happy. She had no idea she was around. She quickly dropped her schoolbag and ran into her open arms, not saying a word, but smiling.

"How was school, baby?" She inquired, pulling her back gently.

"Fine." She replied.

"Why were you tiptoeing?" Maryam asked, confused. "You were being mischievous, right?" She chuckled.

Not having anything to say, Manal laughed. "Is abee home?" She asked.

"No, he will be home late today, remember?, but don't worry, tomorrow he is going to be at home." Maryam assured.

"Okay." Manal smiled. She really missed spending time with her parents and was very happy to meet her mum at home, which meant, Nafisa would not maltreat her today.

"Did you finish eating your lunch?"

Manal shook her head.

"I have noticed you've become so skinny, so the reason is because you don't eat much." Maryam stated. "What do you want to eat today? I will prepare it specially for you."

"Nothing." She replied.

"You're not hungry? There's rice and stew in the kitchen."

"I'm not hungry, ummi," she replied.

"Won't you have even a little?" Maryam continued being persuasive.

"I will later, ummi," she replied.

"Okay-" Maryam said and smiled. She knew what she was going to say next would make Manal happy. "- aunty Aisha and Khadijah are coming to visit later."

Manal's lips curved into a smile. "Really?"

Maryam nodded.

"Yesss!

• • •

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