Khadijah:

Inhaling the sweet and fresh morning scent, I let the windows bring in new dose of air which was free from toxicities of unrequited love, betrayed trust and lost hope and affection.

I was missing my mother, the sight of her caught in dreadful flames was playing in my vision again and I had to gulp down my tears myself as now I was all alone, I had no one with me to wipe my tears.

Miss Johns had given me her number and I still had her number on a paper folded neatly  in my bag. It had been three years since I left her, I wonder if she still remembered me or not. And about him, I didn't wanted to linger in the past anymore.Thinking not more than twice, I finally dialed her number. After few rings she picked up the call.

' Hello. Who is speaking? '

The same melodious voice dripping with motherly love, breaking the barriers of my eyelids drops of tears cascaded down my cheeks.

" Assalam.o.Alaikum. Maa. "

It was hard to swallow the lump which was forming in my throat due to severity of emotional breakdown, I had to press my hand on my mouth to suppress the moan.

' Khadijah?? My child. I missed you so much. How are you my dear.. I miss you. Pls come back. Pls. I am turning old. '

She was still missing me. But I couldn't return back to what I had come back.

" Maa. I.. I.. I miss you too, I am learning Quraan here. You know I've started tafseer , explanation of the words of Allah. "

I could here suppressed cry on the other side of speaker, so I softly called her.

" Maa, why are you crying? In sha Allah, we will meet some day. Now I've to go. It's time for my classes. "

' I really miss you beta, and...he still loves you. He ... '

" Okay maa Khuda hafiz. I love you always. "

I hanged up the call as I couldn't hear more about him.

Getting ready as quick as possible, I wore my shoes and locked the door behind me and fastened my steps to the university.

Panting enormously , I wiped the trail of sweat that was dropping down my chin with the back of my hand and gathering strength once again raced to my classroom.

" Heyyy"

I heard someone call from right behind me but I didn't bother to turn around and changed my direction towards the corridor that lead to my class instead.

" Heyy wait, listen pls. "

Halting at my steps, I turned behind to face her again.

' What now? I said I don't want to talk to you about that Sehr. Why are you constantly after me? '

I was literally annoyed. Sehr was also a revert who had joined two months ago, and since then she wanted to talk to me about her brother.

' Assalam.o.Alaikum Dija, come here quickly we have something to tell you. '

As soon as I entered the classroom, my friends pulled me into their circle of conference.

" Walaikum Assalam. What's being discussed without me? "

I raised an inquisitive brow at sal and the other two just shrugged in response.

' Guess what? This never happened but it's happening now! I can't. Uf. Allah ji! '

" What? Will a male teacher be teaching us unlike the history of AlFurqan. Hmm? "

I smirked at her and rolled my eyes at her way of creating unwanted suspense.

' OMG! How did you know????? '

" What do I know? "

' That AlFurqan is having it's first ever male teacher. '

" Haan so? What's alien? Wait. What???????? "

' Yesss Khadijah yess! And you know who is he? Professor Ahmed Nasirullah. '

" The one from ... The one who was recently appointed as one of the Islamic scholar in Madinah Munnawarah?? "

' Yes. He is here only for one month on a special request by... '

" By me. He is my brother whom I wanted you to meet. "

To say I was shocked was an understatement, I was terrified.

" Sheikh Ahmed is your .. Brother? "

' Yes. '

My mind was supposing all the wrong things about him, and that was all because of her. Sehr had told me that she was interested in making me her brother's wife, and so she wanted me to meet him once and then decide. But I had always refused to even listen to her and that was because i had chosen to stay single.

Breaking my train of thoughts, the Mualimma entered the classroom and everyone stood up in respect for greetings.

' Students, AlFurqan first time in it's history has decided to include a male teacher for teaching Fiqh. Sheikh Ahmed Nasirullah. He is here for only a month, and then maybe some other sheikh will join us. Next period will be of Sheikh's. My dear ladies I request to please behave around him and do not spoil the reputation of our institute. And Sehr, come to my office after this period I want to talk about something to you. '

Everyone started whispering about the news that had created a havoc in our class. Mualimma had asked Sehr to come to her after this period, Allah knows only what was going to happen. I felt as if something undeciphered was coming my way.

Durre:

" Congratulations you are mother to a handsome boy now. Born at 9:45 am. Please attach him to your chest, the baby needs to feel mother's warmth, and feed him the colostrum too. It's nutritious and a must for a baby. "

The nurse handed me over a tiny being wrapped in a soft cloth that had designs of stars and polka dots. I could see small hands lifted in air, fist tight wailing for the disturbance he had faced from sleeping in a warm cocoon of his mom's womb to being have to face the bright surrounding. I unbuttoned my shirt and adjusted my baby closer to my breast, allowing him to suckle. Soon he reciprocated, and started to feed.

" Isn't he just cute like you? His lips are exactly your replica, I am thinking of kissing his soft lips instead of yours from now on. Yours are a little old now, I mean they are kind of worn off and... "

Saaleh stood right beside me holding my hand, and giving his remarks about our baby and had started favoring him over me. Well, I was not going to be jealous I had decided.

' Saaleh. I know why you're saying that, and sure you can kiss his lips. They look luscious don't they? And specially when he is suckling, he looks even more cuter. Aww, such a cutie pie. Alhmdulillah. '

I kissed my son on top of his head and held one of his little hands to which he responded by holding my pinky finger.

My eyes were wet with happy tears, Allah had bestowed us with a blessing after 3years since my miscarriage.

" Why are you crying now? Don't tell me your moodswings aren't over yet! I am almost broke feeding you 3 icecream scoops each day and night and middle of night and... "

' No. I was missing the other baby,you know people used to say that it's not a big deal if I am fighting with that trauma. We can have another baby. But. But those people do not know that whats lost is lost, it cannot be replaced ever. There might be a substitute or an adjustment but not exact same. It's same like saying someone you like to drink water, so what if you don't have water you can drink a juice, it's the same thing. But Saaleh, it's not. It's not. I.. '

" Ssh.. Ssh it's okay, you can cry. I am there for you and will be there for you as long as Allah wants me to be. Yeah people are stupid, they don't realise what they say may be hurting the sentiments of another person. Surely, we belong to Allah and to Him shall we return. That day when my operation went unsuccessful, remember you were the one who told me that ayah? Which said It's only in Allah's hands to give life and take life. He or she whoever it was is happy because it has returned back to whom it belonged. And I must say I'm lucky and blessed enough to find a blessing like you in my life. I never saw you complain to Allah that he took away your baby. You always were hopeful and pleased with Him, that your Lord is pleased with you in what you're dealing with because He loves you and is pleased with you. "

He patted my head and kissed the top of my head and then took our son in his arms.

" I have to call out aadhan in his ears. Then the tehneek. "

He smiled and then in his most beautiful voice began calling out the most beautiful words that brought tranquil to one's soul.

After performing sunnah actions to be carried out after a birth of a baby, we felt content and happy.

"You know what we are going to name him?"

He inquired holding my hands, gazing lovingly into my eyes.

" Mohammed "

' Subhan Allah! May Allah bless our child with the qualities of this name, and May Allah be pleased with us and be pleased with him. '

He bent towards me , I could feel nervousness crawl up my spine, I could feel his breath fanning my cheeks, I could feel him so close inches apart... But then he raised up with an evil smirk.

" You thought I was romancing with you? Oh My God look at how you're blushing. Seriously woman?
I was just taking this. Your son is a dirty boy,look at him. "

He held a handkerchief in his hand and was pointing towards the crib, the boy who was just asleep was now wide awake with a dirty sticky face with vomit and saliva all over his shirt, hair and face.

' Ya Allah! When did he wake up? And how did he vomit? Is he fine? Should we call the doctor? '

" Durre relax, you just didn't make him burp. "

And then he didn't let me get up from the bed, all by himself he cleaned up the boy dressed him again and then lulled him to sleep.

Our lil bundle of joy, was a bundle of monster too. I was right about them, these lil monsters ate up their mommies head and made them into zombies by not letting them get proper sleep. I could already see the trailer, but Alhmdulillah... I had Saaleh with me.