It was a gleaming crisp chilled day in January, and the breeze from the open balcony hitting right into Nayel's face who was taking an afternoon nap. "Please, shut those doors." He groaned to his wife, who was sitting in front of the dressing table, lost in her thoughts.

"NAYEL, M-my I-I." She sobbed a little, stuttering on her words.

This instantly woke him up from his sleep and rushed towards her who was staring at the mirror and weeping. Kneeling to her height, he gently caressed her cheeks and leaned his face closer to her asking,

"What's wrong Naira?"

"N-Nayel, I, t-think I a-am-"

"You are what? Calm down and say." He probed.

"I think I'm getting o-old." She said looking herself in the mirror and stroking her hair.

"What!? For this small thing, you cried now?" He laughed saying.

"Small thing? It's not small. See, my hair fall is increasing and soon I would be growing grey hairs." She apprised.

"No Naira, you are still young and beautiful as I am still handsome." He winked at her. "And, we would grow old together."

"We? No, you are smaller than me." Now she teased him. He hated when Naira called him small and young.

"Yes, I am smaller than you. But why do you have to remind me this all the time!?" He got annoyed.

"Aww, looks like my smallest baby is sad huh?" She starting poking and tickling him but stopped when he stood up and crushed her into a hug.

"Naira..."

"Mmm?"

"How about a-" His words stopped in mid-sentence when a creek cry was heard from downstairs.

"Looks like they fought." They both said chuckling and stepped down, where the roar was heard.

The scenario in front of them was cute, funny and heart touching at the same time. Their two-year-old daughter was on the floor, crying her heart out and a barbie doll in her hand. Near to Nafeela, sat her big brother who was slightly hugging his friend Fiza, in a protecting manner who was also mourning.

"What happened?" They asked Naim.

"Mama, Dada, she took away Fiza's doll and is not giving her back." Their five and a half-year-old son complained.

Naira bend down to her daughter and picked her up, calming her down and trying to take the doll from her hand. But, she was gripping tightly to it.

"And, what is this?" Nayel winked and asked his son indicating the slight hug.

"Dada, it is said that we should hug a pershon who is crying." The small boy spoke maturely.

"Oh, is that so? Then what about your sister? She was also crying." Naira asked smiling, folding her hands on the chest, raising her eyebrows.

"She was the one who started fighting." He said wistfully, looking down.

"But you know she is small right? So, you know what to do right?"

He walked towards his mother, raised his hands, indicating her to give Nafeela to him who was in her arms. He gently held her in his tiny arms, hugged her and said,

"I'm sorry Nafuu and I laav you." Saying so, he kissed on both her cheeks and she stopped her crying and was smiling now, being in her brothers embrace.

Indeed, he loved his sister more than anything but when Fiza visits their house on alternate weekends, they always end up crying or fighting. One second they would be all-loving and playing happily together but the next second it could be a disaster between them.

Nafeela was now fast asleep in her brother's arms. He handed over his little sister to his mother and went back to play with Fiza. Naira gently placed her daughter in the cradle and went back to her room.

"Do you think they would end up like us?" Nayel asked.

"End up?" She didn't understand his question.

"I mean our son Naim and Fiza. Will they be junior-senior duos like us?" He wrapped his arms around her and asked.

"But he cares her like his sister." She retorted.

"Even you saw me as a brother at first right?" She nodded.

"He is my son and I know him," Nayel said proudly.

"He is my son also."

"Naira, think about it. That day if you wouldn't have come to the management program to Chikmaglur and If we hadn't gone to Farah's housewarming, getting married out of nowhere, would we still be like this? Like how we are now? A happy loving couple?" He asked gazing her.

"Yes. We would have ended up together anyhow." She instantly said. "Because even if the scenario was different, our Lord has paired us in the heavens even before we were born. So, yeah we are meant to be together."

"Indeed." He smiled brightly hearing her response.

"But still, because of Farah's housewarming, I got the opportunity to drop you off at home and marry you at the same time." He said, remembering the journey which led to their Nikkah.

"Yes." She said and suddenly remembered something.

"Nayel, do you remember that day of her program?"

"Of cause how can I forget it."

"Not that, before going to the program, I messaged you about saying my dream, where you were getting engaged!" She exclaimed, remembering.

"Oh YEAH!" His eyes were full of enthusiasm.

"And remember I said that you may be getting married soon and you said back that you were excited to marry. Subhan'Allah, (All praise to Allah). Everything happened exactly on that day itself according to his plans."

Maybe he showed a small hint on that dream.

"Indeed, saying about our friends and especially Farah, we should treat her something big."

"She moved to another state with her husband and daughter," Naira replied.

"Wait, I got an idea. Do you miss our constant hangouts from college with all our friends and that trip to Chikmaglur?"

"YES. I miss everything so much. That train incident, I'll never forget it in my life." She said laughing at the incident.

"How about a trip like that with our friends again? This time, along with all our kids?" Nayel asked with hopeful eyes.

"It would be Amazing. But, you and Naim have office and school. Even others would be busy with their life." She said gloomily.

"Stupid office, work and school! I'm so tired of it. Let's all take a break and have some fun."

"But we have already gone to Chikmaglur."

"Who said we are going there? Let's go somewhere exciting like... Manali." He suggested.

"Manali? Very funny Nayel." She laughed saying.

"I'm serious. It would be fun, amazing and memorable."

"With our kids? I don't think it's a good idea."

"Come on Naira, loose up a little bit. Call your friends now and ask about the idea. I'll call mine." He stood up to grab his phone to call them.

Yeah, it would be fun. She got excited to meet her friends after so long and to go on a trip with them. along with all those naughty kids.

Everyone frantically agreed to the trip and they got excited to share this news with Naim, who was fond of going out and travelling. But their little boy was sad as his friend Fiza won't be companying with him.

"Mamaa pleasshh. Let Fiza also come." He requested.

"Will you promise to not fight with Fiza and your sister?" She asked him back.

"Yes, I promiseee."

After one whole week of preparing for the trip, they were ready for their journey. Naim was the most excited one for this trip when he got to know more kids were coming. He wore a white t-shirt and a denim jacket, jeans and his favourite black sneakers, carrying a small backpack. He was looking dashing although he was a small boy. Nafeela wore a pastel pink frock with a matching hat, her pom-pom shoes and her new barbie doll in her hand.

They kept all the luggage in their car trunk and started their journey to make more memories with their family and friends, and to relish old memories.

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ASSALAMU ALAIKUM/ HEY

How was the bonus chapter?

That's the end of Nayel and Naira's Journey.

Stay tuned for next story!

Lots of love

Thatabayagirl