H A N A N

The moment I saw Malika standing by my doorstep with a smile plastered on her face, I was beyond shocked because I've never seen malika smiling at least not to me but now she was totally smiling at me.

"Uhmm...welcome come on in" I step aside unsure of want to do.

I stretched my hand to collect afnan waiting for malika to walk past me but much to my surprise she passed afnan to me. Afnan looked super cute and adorable.

They walked into my living room downstairs which smelt like turaren wuta and I caught Malika looking around the house with an expression I can't fathom.

I went to the kitchen to get them something to drink. "Afnan!! How are you?" I asked the cute baby who just smiled at me as I kept her on the counter, opened my fridge, brought out and arranged some refreshments on a tray. I took it to living room and kept it on the centre table.

Zayd was just pressing his phone. She poured the drink for them both and passed to them. "Uhmm...Thank you," Malika muttered.
"No hanan I think you should take my share of the drink because my stomach is upset and I want to rest." Zayd said standing from the sofa and left for the upstairs.

"So it now makes the two of us." Malika said taking a sip of her drink.

"That's right" Hanan said unsure of what to say. "So I just wanted to say sorry for all the things I've put you through. First when you got married to zayd the first thing that came to my mind was that you are a gold digger and that you just wanted his money, but you proved me wrong. I did all that thinking I was protecting him, I'm so sorry for accusing you and for everything else." Malika finished the sentence looking at everywhere but Hanan.

Hanan shook her head thinking how terrible jumping into conclusions is, "I never held a grudge against you and of course I understand your situation, nobody would want his husband to get married again, but it's just that some people have a different way of showing their jealousy or should I say anger like you but if you have faith in Allah then all would be well. The co-wife would never disrespect you and the husband would also give you the respect that you deserve." Malika nodded.

"Allah forgives whoever asks for his forgiveness then who am I not to forgive you.. Uhmm?? I forgive you for the sake of Allah," she said with a smile. Malika smiled too, what they say about her is true after all, Hanan is a very nice person.

"You are the most generous soul I've ever came across. Thank you."

Afterwards

Hanan asked Malika to stay over for lunch, and she offered to help her prepare it. They made Chinese fried rice, Apple salad with a Rhubarb pie as dessert. They get along so well and they even found out they are very similar in some aspects.

Hanan went upstairs to call zayd while Malika arranged the table. Hanan was a bit skeptical about letting Malika alone downstairs but she let her.

Hanan entered their room and found zayd seated on the prayer mat, "Ya zayd lunch is on the table." She said expecting zayd to get up because a moment ago he came downstairs claiming he was hungry. Instead he pulled her down to sit on his lap, "Thank you so much baby, May Allah(S.W.T) bless you," he said, pulling her into a loving hug.

Hanan silently whispered Ameen shukran (thank you). He kissed her on the cheek and smiled.

They then went downstairs and ate their meal in silence. All of a sudden, hanan ran to the toilet downstairs and threw up all the food she ate. Both zayd and Malika followed her. He slowly rubbed her back, "What's wrong?" Zayd asked extremely worried. "I have no idea, maybe I ate something bad." she assured him, rinsing her mouth thoroughly, "No thats not possible hanan,You know I hate it when something happens to you and you also know my policy, I don't believe in that 'I think I ate something bad or whatever so we would have to visit the doctor Okay?" zayd says but she could only nod because of the dizziness that she was starting to feel.
"What? What's wrong with you?" he asks, "I'm feeling kinda dizzy."

"You see that's why we would have to visit the doctor."
"Are you okay?" Malika asked. She could only nod.
"You can go home malika, I'm taking her to the hospital."
"Okay Toh, Allah ya bada Lafiya Hanan." She prayed. "Amin," hanan said meekly with a smile.

Hanan kept telling Zayd that she was okay but he did not believe her saying it is the doctors job to know whether or not she is ok.

🎃🎃

So they finally made it to the hospital and did a blood test and were currently waiting to see the doctor.

"It's okay zayd, don't worry." Hanan said holding his hand. She was the one that was sick, but he was the one that was so worried.

"Mr and Mrs Zayd, you are next." The nurse said. They entered the doctor's office with a salam.

He gave them a warm welcome, "Please have a seat" he said. "Thank you Dr Asim." He pulled out the chair for her, before he also sat down. "Doctor, please tell me what is wrong with my wife?"

Dr Asim couldn't help but smile at the way zayd was eager to find out what was wrong with her.

"There is no need to worry, in fact it's a good news." He said looking at zayd, he then turned to Hanan, "Congratulations hajiya you are 2 months pregnant."

"Oh Allahu Akbar!" He exclaimed prostrating as he thank Allah for the blessing. Hanan was just looking at him with tears brimming down her face. "Alhamdulillah, thank you Allah for this." She whispered. She then placed her hand on her tummy and said a dua. The doctor had since left them alone to show their happiness.

Zayd hugged her so tightly that she had to push him away saying he would choke her to death before she even gave birth to the child but that did not stop zayd from showing her how thankful and happy he was with her.

Hanan couldn't contain her happiness when she told mama about it all they were all so happy for her and also all her siblings.

Hanan was on the phone with her mother, when zayd received a call from Malika. He picked it up smiling, "hey there,"
"Hey how is she?" She asked.
Zayd smiled and told her that she was okay. "We also have some good news to share." When he said that, Malika's heart slammed hard in her chest. She just knew what that good news is. "Hanan is with my baby." He said grinning from ear to ear.

As much as she was happy for happy, she was also very jealous. "Masha Allah, Allah ya taimaka," she prayed. "Amin Amin, thank you babe. I'll see you later." He said.
"Bye." She then disconnected the call. "Oh Allah please lighten what I'm feeling," she whispered. She is a very jealous person but she's trying her best not to let it get ahead her.

Since then gifts, food, chocolates, fruits all of her and also zayds family filled her house with it.

Mama even sent Yusra to look after her and all was well.

6 MONTHS LATER

"Ya zayd wake up please," Hanan pleaded shaking zayd who was sleeping. "Uhmm.. Baby please let me sleep, I'm so tired." He groaned and pulled the blanket over his body. "Please wake up." She hit him a little.

"Please let me sleep,  you made me bake you a cake an hour ago for God sake karfe daya da rabi na dare fah 1:30am." The pregnancy has been very hard on her.

"Please I want to have fruit basket," she pouted. "Oh please not again. Last week you asked me to bake what was the name again...creme caramel, now please tell me how can I make that? And you always do this at night."

He then turned and looked at her, "I did not even take cooking classes, I just learned how to make cupcakes by chance, and now you want fruit basket? How do you expect me to make that in the middle of the night please hanan let's sleep okay?" he said, rubbing his eyes as he made an attempt to pull her to bed with him.

She turned a deaf ear to what he had just said and continued shaking him. "Ya Zayd please, I don't know what I would do if I don't eat that please just go. Yauw wake Yusra up she knows how to make it please." She said pushing him out of the bed.

Now it was left for Zayd and Yusra to know what to do. He groaned and headed to hanan's room where Yusra was staying. He knocked and knocked until she came and opened the door.

"I'm so sorry Yusra for waking you but I am in desperate need of your help."

They were both downstairs in the kitchen cutting the available fruits, hanan started shouting Zayd's name. He groaned and palmed his forehead. "Oh please, what does she want again?" Yusra couldn't help but laugh.

He rushed to their room regardless, "what is it now?" He asked walking into the room. He found her on the carpet holding her stomach and her water broke, "Zayd," she called. "Oh Allah, her water broke." He exclaimed rushing to her side. He picked her in a bridal style rushed downstairs calling out Yusra's name "Yes ya Zayd." She answered rushing to the parlor.

"Oh my God, what is wrong with her?" She asked worriedly. Hanan was crying and clutching her stomach.

"Her water broke."
"Subhanallah," she exclaimed. "Go get her luggage and I would ask Mallam sani to take you to the hospital okay?" He said moving towards the door. Yusra assured him that all will be right then she left for the stairs while he ran out of the house. He put her in the backseat and pecked her forehead, assuring her that all will be fine.

Turkish Hospital

While hanan was in the Labour room Zayd used that time to call his family and also his in laws.

Z A Y D

I didn't know what to do, this is the second time this was happening to me standing by the labour room waiting for my bundle of joy to give birth to our little one insha Allah. I am so nervous, and I hope she makes it.

I pray to Allah that all would be well, I pray that both my wife and our little one would come out safe and sound. I found a chair and sat down.

I closed my eyes thinking about how life has been for us, we have been through a lot, and here we are now. It hasn't been easy but I can proudly say that we did it. "Hey," Someone tapped my shoulder, I opened my eyes to come across malikas'. Over this month malika and hanan became great friends, they would do everything together and sometimes they would gang against him if they want something and he refuses to accept their request, Gosh they are so stubborn.

"Malika," he called.
"Stop zayd, Hanan is in the labour room and you didn't feel the need to tell me right? Now you've shown me my right position in your life zayd, thank you so much." She said.

"Look I'm so sorry malika but you know I... I am so sorry, I just can't seem to place my mind over anything." Just then a loud wail of a baby was heard across the hallway.

Both Zayd and Malika looked at the direction of the room and waited patiently for someone to come out.

Few minutes later a doctor walked out of the room, and disposed his surgical gloves. "Congratulations Mr Zayd," he stated smiling and that alone made zayd's world to revolve around him, he was beyond happy. He hugged the doctor unknowingly. Malika was just by the side smiling. Everyone knows how Zayd loves children.

He asked if he could see hanan and the baby and he said yes.

IN THE ROOM

He stepped into the room with a salam. A tired looking Hanan that was on the bed holding their baby looked up at him with a smile. "May Allah bless you hanan," he pecked her forehead. Using the little strength she had she handed the baby boy to him. "Masha Allah." He said looking a the baby. He looked a little like Hanan.

"He is so light like a feather." He said looking him over. This baby is the result of their love, he is their happiness. He pecked her little head and called the adhaan in the baby's ear. He also chewed on little amount date and fed it to the baby.

Hanan was just watching them, her heart swelling with love. Thank you Allah. "So what are you going to name the baby?" hanan asked, looking into zayd's eyes lovingly.

"Adam Amir. " Zayd replied. "Nice name, naming your child after your elder brother huh?" she said smiling

"What don't blame me! He deserves it."

"May Allah bless you Hanan, thank you.. I love you." He whispered pecking her lips. "Amin ya rabbi, I love you too."

He asked a nurse to please call Malika who was standing outside. A few seconds later, Malika walked in. "Assalamu Alaikum" she salamed.

"Wa'Alaikum Salam," they both replied. Both Zayd and Hanan were waiting to see malika's reaction. "Masha Allah," she beamed looking at the baby in awe. "Hanan he looks just like you. Masha Allah, Allah ya Raya (may Allah bless him)." She said looking at Hanan. She collecting the baby from hanan who couldn't stop her tears of happiness from falling from her eyes. She is beyond happy, now everyone is standing by her. she doesn't want anything else other than her family's blessing.

Later the family members came to greet her and brought gifts for the baby.

A week later
The naming ceremony of the baby was conducted and he was named Adam Amir. Everybody loves and adores the baby to the core because he is so adorable. 

He looks like his father now. He was pampered a lot by his grandparents, and also his step mother malika because she loves him a lot.

A week later zayd visited hanan's parents house where Hanan went for the ritual bath.

Zayd went into the house, he did not find anyone in the living room so he went straight to hanan's room, she was standing looking all beautiful with Amir on her shoulder smiling which brought out her dimple, she looked amazing, he made sure to snap a picture because they looked amazing.

"Baby," he called out walking towards her. She turned and her smile even brightened. "Laa ya zayd you are here"she said, passing Amin to him. She pulled him into a hug "Mi Rey I've missed you so much," she wrapped her hands around his waist careful not to hit their little one. "Baby if their is someone missing someone here then it's me. Now all I want is to take you and Adam from here Wallahi. Malika begged me not to do so if not I would have taken you away from here to our house a long time ago."

She smiled and pulled him to sit with her, "how are you?"
"I am fine Alhamdulillah, how are you? Baby do you see how fresh you look," he said. He just can't take his eyes off her. She looks even more beautiful now that she has given birth to his baby.

"I love you so much and thank you once again for my bundle of joy," he said, hugging both Hanan and Amir. She rested her head on his shoulder and held her his hand that held their baby's. "I love you. I can't thank Allah enough for having you in my life. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me."

..—..

And this brings about the end of Grandpa's Choice. Thank you all for reading and enjoying it in the process.

There might be an epilogue. Thank you so much for the most amazing ride of my life.
I love you guys ♥
I had a really great time with you guys ♥ ♥

Hanan, Zayd and Amir asked me to greet you guys, that they are going to miss you guys a lot.

With love, Fatima🦋