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COMMENTS AND VOTES KEEP DECREASING WITH EVERY NEW CHAPTER 😑 please let me know if you're already tired of the book, so I can find a way to end it as soon as possible 😊

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Emerging from the ward, Sa'eed met Maryam sobbing intermittently on a bench. His heart broke for her - she looked so pitiful - this was exactly what he was avoiding by insisting she didn't work. Had it been a job which wasn't time demanding, he wouldn't have had a problem with it, but her job didn't give her enough time to spend with her daughter, to take care of her needs, to help her with school assignments, to tuck her into bed at night, reading her bedtime stories, to be able to witness her say her first word and take her very first step - indeed she had missed a lot and though he would never admit it to her, he knew it would be almost impossible to make up for her mistakes, for the moments would never return again and given that, Manal was a very sensitive child. "Habibty." He called in his ever gentle voice, placing a hand underneath her chin and raising her head. The pain in her glossy eyes couldn't be masked even if she tried. "Don't take what Manal said to heart. She's only a child. She doesn't mean what she said."

"Is that what she told you?" She asked, fixing her gaze in his. "Did she tell you she didn't mean what she said to me?"

Sa'eed sighed. "She doesn't really need to tell me. I know it for a fact. You're her mother and that will never change."

"Am I?" She asked with a heavy heart. Was she? Well her daughter didn't consider her, her mother anymore. She might not have said it directly, but she did by her actions and actions speaks louder than voice.

"Habibty." Sa'eed started. "I know this might be difficult for you to take in right now, but it shouldn't hold you down. I'm sure she's going to get over this soon enough." He assured. "She can't possibly be mad at her Ummi for a very long time." He reasoned.

"I don't think so." She wiped her tears with the palm of her hand. "You should have seen how she looked at me.... She looked at me with... With..." She trailed off. "I don't even know the right word to use. Was it... Hatred?"

Sa'eed swallowed, making his Adam's apple bob to and fro. "You're blowing things out of proportion. Manal doesn't hate you. She can never do and besides, she is too young to even know what that word means, talk more of being capable to hate someone, especially her mother. Believe me, habibty, your daughter does love you a lot."

Maryam shook her head in disagreement. "That was not what I witness in there." She pointed at the ward. "A while ago. Even in her nightmares, she calls out to you for help. Not me. I get what you're doing, but you seriously need to stop, I'm not a child and I can see and understand things clearly. I just need to adapt to it. Don't worry about me, with time, I will get used to it." She forced a smile.

Tears welled up in Sa'eed's eyes as well. He was instantly consumed by pity for his wife and could only imagine what she was going through. He was there when she did all she could to save her child from Nafisa's clutches. He was there when she demanded for a divorce - something he was a hundred and one percent sure she would never do on normal basis, but she did - only for her daughter's sake. He was also there when she couldn't stop crying, when she swallowed her pride and knelt down in front of Nafisa. When she swore to be a better mother to her and when she didn't leave her side even for a moment when she was unconscious - except for when she went to offer her obligatory prayers. He was also there when she begged to be taken and hurt instead of Manal. Indisputably, only a mother would be able to do these things and she had proved to be a mother in these aspects. She committed a mistake, but it was about time she was forgiven - she deserved to be.

"I'm sorry." She suddenly apologized, breaking him out of his trance. "I should have listen to you. If I had, all these wouldn't have happened. I'd still have my child's love. I wouldn't have been this miserably in regret now. I kept malice with you - All For What? I neglected my daughter without even knowing it - All For What? I missed her first word, her first step... I missed all of her firsts - All For What! All for a stupid career which is meaningless compare to my family. With my own actions, I pushed my child away and now she hates even the sight of me." She sobbed sporadically.

Sa'eed bent down to her level and engulfed her in a hug. He felt her pain and he was hurting as well, for he knew his family would not be the same again for a long time. "It's alright, habibty. Everything is going to be just fine." He reassured, kissing her forehead. "We will make her know just how much you love her more than anyone else."

Maryam nodded against the crook of his neck. "Thank you." She appreciated. She could not even imagine life without her habibi. He was simply the best in all aspects. He loved her with all of his hearts, he gave her her respect, he understood her, he supported her, he believed in her, her pain was his and her happiness was his as well - how did she end up getting this kind of a husband? "I love you, habibi."

Smiling, he replied. "I love you more, habibty." And pulled back to plant a chaste kiss on her lips. "I love you too." He placed his hand on her slightly protruding abdomen.

"She loves you too." Maryam smiled.

"She?" Sa'eed raised a brow.

"Yes. She." Maryam replied with a confident smile on her face.

"I want a boy." Sa'eed blurted. "A healthy, righteous little baby boy."

"But I want a girl again." Maryam sulked.

"That can be settled." He shrugged. "We can have another girl after this one is birthed."

"No." She replied, adamantly. "I want this baby to be a girl, so Manal can have someone to play with and share her secrets with, since she's never going to be able to do that with me..." She trailed off, sadly.

To lighten the mood once again, Sa'eed continued with his argument. "I want a baby boy for two reasons. First is; I already have a princess. It's only fair I get a prince this time around and second is; because I want someone who will be able to protect Manal from bullies and boys in school, when the time comes and I'm not around to scare them off. Brothers can be very overprotective." He stated.

"Fathers too." She laughed.

Sa'eed could only smile in contentment as he watched Maryam laughing. The sound of her laughter released a huge burden from his heart. Thankfully, he was able to make her smile and laugh in spite of the situation at hand. "Absolutely."

Momentarily, they forgot all about their problems and spent the time in each others company. Sa'eed made sure to crack more jokes to hear more of her laughter and it worked. They continued their argument about the gender of their child and Maryam ended up giving up - the idea of a boy wasn't that bad after all. Inwardly, she vowed to take care of their next offspring the way she should have taken care of their first. She promised to not miss his 'first moments' if Allah spared her life. The mistake she had made in the past would never be repeated. She promised to dedicate the rest of her life serving Allah in the way he wants and taking care of her family - her loving husband and all of the children they would have in future.

"Why did you leave Manal all alone in the room, habibi? She's going to be scared." Maryam remarked all of a sudden.

"She fell back asleep, don't worry." He replied.

"How is she?" She inquired.

"I think she's fine. She didn't complain about any pains." He answered.

"Alhamdulillah." She muttered. "That's a relief."

"Yeah." He replied. "Don't you want to see her?"

"I want to." She replied, sadly. "But she probably doesn't want me around her right now."

"She's asleep." He pointed out.

"When did the doctor say we can go back home?" She inquired, intentionally ignoring his last words.

"He hasn't specified yet." He answered.

"Alright. Let me quickly rush home and prepare something for her. She must be really hungry and-" She remarked, imagining how Nafisa must have starved her while she was still in their custody.

"That would be stressful." He cut her off. "Why don't we just get something from a restaurant or..."

"No." She shook her head adamantly. "I want to do this. I really want to. I want to make up for old times' sake."

Sa'eed smiled wholeheartedly - Maryam had already began making an effort in proving to Manal that she was also capable of being a good mother and without a doubt, he knew she would conquer and he would always be there to support and encourage her. "Just a sec." He remarked and swiftly walked into Manal's ward. Just as quick, he returned. "Let's go." He giggled the car keys in his hand.

"Wait..." She trailed off for some seconds or so, before continuing. "Do you intend to go with me?"

"Of course." He replied immediately. "I could be of assistance."

Maryam smiled, making her eyes scintillate. "Thank you, habibi." She kissed his cheek in a swift motion and collected the car keys from him. "But thank you, I can manage and besides, Manal is going to be more terrified when she wakes up and doesn't see both of us around." She reasoned.

"Alright then." He held her hand in his. "Please drive safely. May Allah protect you."

"I will." She smiled reassuringly. "Ameen. Bye." She disentangle her hand from his and slowly began to walk away.

Sa'eed's gaze trailed behind her, until he could see her no more.

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