"Ina wuni Aunty Khadija." Maryam greeted cheerfully. A tall woman of about forty pulled her into a hug saying, "Ina gajiya Maryam, long time no see." She pulled out and hugged the others.

Maryam grinned and nodded saying, "how is your work at the embassy, is it fun?" Aunty Khadijah looked at her and nodded smiling, "very much." "How would it feel to be an ambassador? Goals Wallahi." Yasmin swooned. They all laughed and Aunty Khadija said, "you can be one, if you work hard."

"Insha Allah." She whispered. Maryam picked husna, Aunty Khadijah's youngest daughter. "Hello, baby." She cooed. "How are you? You good?" She asked in a baby voice. The baby smiled and made some soft noises. Mama and Aunty Khadijah looked at her smiling. "You love babies," — "just get married and have your own, sai kowa ya huta."

"Gaskiya kam," Mama said, and Maryam shyly ducked her head and slipped into humaira; Aunty Khadija's eldest daughter's room before they start talking about marriage stuff in front of her. She found humaira humming to a song and swaying her hips as she arranged her drawer. She had her back to Maryam.

Maryam smirked as she thought of a plan. She kept baby husna on the bed and tip-toed to humaira, gently stretched her hands and started tickling her. "Subhanallah." Humaira yelped and started laughing. "Reesla stop!" She yelled trying to stop laughing.

Maryam chuckled. "Maryam?" Humaira asked while laughing. Maryam let her go and she turned. Maryam opened her arms saying, "That's me."

Humaira excitedly hugged her, "Maryam!" She exclaimed. Mariam grinned and also hugged her. "I've missed you."

"You can't even imagine. From besties to strangers." They both laughed. Humaira went and sat on a bed bench and pulled Maryam with her. "How is life?" Humaira asked.

"Fine Alhamdulillah, how is everything?"

                       ———————

"You told her you like her?" Mummy asked staring at Muhammad. He had just told her about Maryam. She knew he had feelings for her, but she didn't know he could tell her. Guess she was wrong.

"Trust me it was not easy, I was shaking inside. I didn't know how she was going to react to it." He confessed and shook his head. Abdallah started laughing, "I can just imagine the situation. Muhammad acting all cool while trembling inside." Mummy playfully hit Abdallah and shushed him, urging Muhammad to continue.

Muhammad laughed and told mummy the whole story. When he finished, mummy was just looking at him and Abdallah was busy laughing. "Toh Allah ya sanya alkhairi." Mummy prayed. "Ameen."

Mummy went to her drawer and pulled out a black paper bag. "Abdallah take this to Aunty Ruqayya's house for me please." "Dama tananan?"

"Eh, she returned last week. We are taking our clothes to her tailor, for Reesla's wedding." "Ni I still cannot believe that that small girl is getting married. She is just 17 fah." Abdallah said and collected the bag from her.

"A'ah what should she wait for after she has completed her studies? Ai mace kwanciyan hankalin ta sai gidan miji. Had Aisha wanted, I would have gotten her married right after high school as well."-"It's the men that need to be mature before marriage." She added.

"That's true Gaskiya. But the ladies should also have a bit of sense dai. Before she enters his house and ruin his life." Abdallah gestured. "But I think reesla is old enough, and she has sense, unlike somebody." Muhammad cut in, getting up.
Abdallah gaped at Muhammad, "oh, you mean . . ." Muhammad ignored him and turned to Mummy. "Alright mummy I have some work awaiting me, so I'll just finish them, then come back."

She nodded and prayed to Allah for khair. He thanked her and got out. Abdallah also bade farewell to her, before following him.
"Ya Muhammad stop let's talk. What do you mean unlike somebody."
Muhammad shrugged and walked straight to their quarters and without looking back said, "Sai ka dawo, greet Aunty Ruqayya for me."

He went straight to his room and started working. Halfway through his work, he began feeling some tightening sensation in his stomach, he ignored it at first, but it got to the point when he couldn't handle it anymore.

"Innalillahi wainna ilaihi rajiun." Was all that he could mutter. Tears started running down his cheeks. He was trembling as he got up to get his medicine. He clutched his stomach as he walked slowly towards the bedside drawer, he was sweating and breathing heavily.

"Ya Allah." Exhausted and in pain, he collapsed on the floor with a loud thud.

                     ———————

"Humaira I cannot believe that Reesla is getting married before you. Kinji kunya." Maryam teased laughing. "Mun daiji kunya. Aren't we all older than her? See who's talking seff." Humaira eyed her.

Humaira and Maryam were currently at the patio just catching up. "When are you resuming school?" Maryam asked rocking husna in her cradle. "Kinsan they are on strike. I don't even know anymore. At first, I had hope, but yanzun ma I think I'm going to change school."

Maryam looked at her puzzled, "to where?" "Nile probably."
"Oh Masha Allah, that's so much better. Now you can finish school peacefully babu stress."

Humaira looked up at her and smiled, "tell me about it. You were lucky enough to finish school without strike interrupting." "We got lucky." Maryam smiled and bent over to caress husna's face. "You have finished already, I'm so proud of you." She pulled Maryam's cheeks so hard, that Maryam slapped her hand away and eyed her, saying, "Toh remove my cheeks before my husband even gets to touch them." She said sarcastically.

Humaira pouted and touched her cheeks again saying "humaira!" Humaira laughed and apologized.

"Oh I can't wait for reesla's wedding Wallahi, I'm itching to dance," Maryam said and humaira nodded in agreement. "Same. We will break the floor." They laughed and humaira pulled out her phone, checking her feeds, whilst Maryam continued playing with the little princess.

"Assalam Alaikum." They heard a salam and both looked up, Abdallah walked into the house. "Ya Abdallah," Maryam said with a smile. He waved as he approached them.

"Maryam, humaira, how are you?" He asked. "Lafiya, Ina wuni." They greeted, "how are you?" Maryam asked.

"I'm fine Alhamdulillah, so is Muhammad." He teased. She blushed and looked away.

"Ya su Aunty?" He asked looking at humaira then Maryam.

"Sunan Lafiya, tana ma chiki." Maryam pointed. He looked at her and smiled. He doesn't know what to say to her. He knows Maryam and Muhammad's future depends solely on Allah and her decision, so he is kinda nervous and excited because he thinks they are a really good match, even though in some aspects they are total opposites.

He turned and looked at humaira who was just grazing a plant beside her. "Is Aunty Khadijah inside?" He asked. She looked at him and muttered yes then looked away. He nodded and headed inside.

Baby husna started crying. "Oh, baby...husna." Maryam took her from her cradle and started rocking her against her chest. She looked at humaira and motioned at Abdallah who was already inside the house and said, "what was that about?"

Humaira pouted, "what?"
"You know what I am talking about. You totally ignored him, did something come between you two. You used to be like so close."

Humaira looked down and began nervously playing with her fingers. Maryam came and sat beside her. "What is wrong humaira? I know you are not the kind of person to just shun a person, did he do something to you?"

Just then, Abdallah walked out laughing saying, "Toh bye amarya see you soon."

From inside Reesla shouted goodbye.
"Har zaka tafi?" Maryam asked. He looked at her and said yes, that he has somewhere to be. "Where is Mubarak? I haven't seen him in a while." He added.

"He is lazying around at home." She said and he nodded and glanced at humaira. "Hajiya humaira ba magana?" She looked up at him speechless, she didn't know what to say to him. "Ya school? Or you still haven't resumed yet?" He asked.

"Yes, we're still on strike. How is school?"
"Lafiya Alhamdulillah." He smiled then put his hands in his pocket. "Toh I have to go now."

"Alright, Bye. Greet mummy for me." Maryam said. "Bye," Humaira said. He waved then walked away.

Maryam then looked at humaira who was on her feet. "Humaira tell me." She whined keeping the now sleeping baby back on her cradle. "Seriously it's nothing Maryam, we just had a little fight ne and he still hasn't apologized."

"Ohh, I understand." Maryam nodded even though she had a little doubt. She doesn't believe it. Humaira isn't the kind of person to hold a grudge, but nothing hides forever. They'll hear it when it's time.

They spoke some more before mama came and they left.
——————

Maryam was in the kitchen humming a song as she works when Yasmin rushed in and told her that Muhammad has been admitted.

She dropped what she was doing and ran upstairs to mama's room. She found her on the phone talking in a hushed tone. Maryam turned and headed to their room.

She entered with a salam. "Is it true? What is wrong with him?" She asked as she sat on her bed. Ya amma shook her head saying, "Stomach pain."

"Oh Allah sarki, that's was the reason why he was admitted the last time as well. He must in so much pain." She whispered the last part to herself. "So are we going to see him today?" She asked looking between Ya amma and Yasmin.

Yasmin shook her head, "no." "But why?" Maryam asked. "He is still unconscious. The doctor says he is fine. He just needs rest." Yasmin explained.

Maryam nodded unconvinced, she wants to see for herself if he was ok, but she knows she can't. She headed downstairs with different thoughts running through her head. One is being if he was going to be ok. She went straight to the guest toilet, eased herself, and performed ablution. She then came out and prayed.

She prayed for his well-being. She read the Quran, prayed for her family, father, and every other thing on her mind. Then got up and headed back to the kitchen.

"Ya rabbi." She muttered as she opened their fridge, she got out a mini ice cream tub, that they had bought earlier when they went out, grabbed a spoon then went back to the living room. She was suddenly feeling restless.

She switched on the tv and started eating the ice cream whilst looking at the tv because her mind was somewhere else.

Mubarak came out from his room which is downstairs and was about to head upstairs when he saw her mindlessly eating ice cream. "What is wrong with this one now?" He asked as he made his way to the parlor.

"Assalam Alaikum." He salaamed but she didn't answer, he looked at her puzzled. "She seems to be alive so what is wrong with her?" He asked himself as he approached her.

"Maryam." He called. No response. "Ke Maryam, what is wrong with you?" He asked. "Maryam!" He shook her, jolting her out of her reverie.

She almost dropped the ice cream in shock. "Subhanallah!" She exclaimed then turned and glared at him, "what?! You scared me." He laughed and muttered a silent sorry before sitting beside her.

"So..." he collected her tub and ate a spoonful. She glared at him and pouted complaining that he didn't even ask her before eating her ice cream. "What is wrong with you? Why are you so lost in thought?"

She grabbed the tub from him and kept it beside her away from his reach. "Have you heard the news? That ya Muhammad has been admitted at the hospital."

      "Haba? Nobody told me. What is wrong with him?"
     "Wai stomach pain. I'm so worried." She whispered rubbing her arms. "Insha Allah, he is going to be ok. Allah sarki, he got admitted last time because of the same cause, Huh?"

She nodded looking at her fingers. "Is that the reason why you are looking so gloomy?" She looked away and said, "I think they are not telling us something. It is more serious than what they're letting on. I...I don't even know what to do."

Mubarak smiled and hugged her, softly patting her back. "Insha Allah it's nothing serious. He is going to be fine."

"I hope so too."

———————

Muhammad was lying unconscious on the hospital bed, looking very pale and drawn. By his side was Mummy who has been crying, because her eyes were swollen.

Daddy was by her side holding her hand. "Sadiya please don't worry too much, Insha Allah he is going to be okay." Mummy turned to him with tears flowing from her eyes. "But this isn't the first time, it only worsened. The doctor said the stomach pains can harm him and prevent him from ever having a child or even worse, kill him."

He hugged her as he whispered soothing words in her ear.

"Should we just fix his marriage, since he isn't ready to settle now? We can find a good match for him and get him married." Mummy ranted looking at him. "Sadiya relax, insha Allah he is going to be alright. But as for the marriage part, we talk to him about it once he awakens Insha Allah."

She nodded and placed her head on his shoulder, "I'm so afraid Habibi, what if he doesn't wake up if you saw how he was when he was found unconscious in his room. He was in so much pain. I wish that I can just transfer his pains to myself, and have him not feel it at all." She weeps.

"No, don't say that Insha Allah he'll be alright." Daddy said, trying to be strong for both of them.
"Insha Allah."

.
And that concludes this chapter.
I'm so sorry guys, I couldn't update because I have been busy planning my sister's wedding, studies and a lot of things.

I love you all guys, and I pray you'll find it in your hearts to understand why I don't update regularly.

Fatima💙