*Ilham is laying across a lounge chair on her and Hisham's private balcony, letting the sun soak into her skin. She takes a deep content sigh, lifts her glass of raspberry iced tea up, and takes a long drink. Her and Hisham are a week into their honeymoon, and she is just absolutely loving it. She looks up as the sliding glass door opens, smiling as Hisham appears wearing swimming trunks. Ahh she just loves him!*

Hisham: *giving her a dimpled smile* hello hayati!

Ilham: Hello habibi! Did you have a nice swim?

Hisham: *nodding* oh it was amazing! I have everything planned out for you to come with me tonight. The manager is arranging it right now for the staff to put cloths over the windows, and disable the locks and put an out of order sign so that we will have the indoor pool all to ourselves, and you can swim all you want!

Ilham: *squealing* yay! Alhamdulillah! *she pulls his face down, and gives him a loud kiss* Thank you habibi!

Hisham: *grinning and blushing slightly* you're welcome hayati. It's my pleasure!

Ilham: Ahh I am so excited! I haven't gone swimming in SO long!

Hisham: Don't you swim a lot at Yusra's?

Ilham: We used to before she got sick, now she doesn't have the energy and I am certainly not going to ask her if I can use her pool while she watches from her window while she is stuck in bed!

Hisham: *laughing* that is true!

Ilham: I am so glad that we are doing it now though.

Hisham: *leaning back in the lounge chair next to hers* why?

Ilham: Because I am starting to get all bloaty and crampy, and well you know what that means.

Hisham: Uh, no?

Ilham: *looking at him alarm* oh dear God. Oh ya Allah! Please tell me you know what a period is!? *she closes her eyes* oh please please please please!

Hisham: *in amusement* Ilham, I have a sister, of course I know what a period is.

Ilham: *in relief* oh phew! Alhamdulillah! I was so worried I would have to give my husband 'the talk'! How awkward would that have been!?

Hisham: Uh, Ilham? I think it would be kind of too late for the talk considering we have already been together.

Ilham: Well, that is true! *she takes another sip from her tea* okay, but if you know about periods, why did you say you didn't know what I meant?

Hisham: Well because I didn't. I may know what it is, and why you get them, but that doesn't mean I know everything about them.

Ilham: Oh okay. Well, basically a bit before, and during, and after sometimes we get something called PMS and we get all bloaty and crampy and hungry, OH we get so hungry! And we crave different foods and we lose energy and we get so so tired, and sometimes a little bit emotional.

Hisham: Oh that sounds horrible!

Ilham: *nodding* it is horrible!

Hisham: Well, can I bring you anything now?

Ilham: Chocolate.

Hisham: *laughing* haha you're so cute.

Ilham: Hisham, I'm not joking. Get me some chocolate.

Hisham: Well, if you are having cramps, maybe you should eat something with potassium? Maybe some bananas?

Ilham: *blinking* if they are covered in chocolate.

Hisham: Okay, what about something with iron? Let's go eat some steak for dinner!

Ilham: Hisham, habibi, I love you. And I know that you minored in nutrition. But if you don't stop trying to shove healthy food down my throat and get me some chocolate *she tilts her head to the side* I may just have to throw you off this balcony!

Hisham: *his eyes widening* Milk, dark, or white?

Ilham: Always all three.

Hisham: *standing up* gotcha! By the way, how long does this limbo thing last?

Ilham: Well, Alhamdulillah my period is never late, so it should start the day after tomorrow!

*A WEEK LATER*

*Ilham is sitting on the couch surrounded by chocolate and candy wrappers. She is wearing Hisham's shorts and a tank top, and is staring blankly at the screen. Hisham comes in.*

Hisham: *taking a seat next to her* Hi hayati. How are you feeling?

Ilham: Hisham! I feel horrible!

Hisham: *brushing her hair away from her face* I know you do baby.

Ilham: I'm all bloated and my stomach is killing me and I feel so nauseated! Ugh I can't believe my period is late!

Hisham: Well, maybe it is because we are traveling?

Ilham: *leaning against the couch and shaking her head* no that can't be it. I've been getting it since I was thirteen and it has never been late. Even when we went to Algeria for two months it was right on schedule! I'm telling you, you could set your calendar by my period!

Hisham: Maybe it's something you ate?

Ilham: I haven't eaten anything weird. And its not like we are out of the country where I am not used o the water or anything.

Hisham: *nodding* true. Maybe you are stressed out?

Ilham: *smiling and putting a hand to his face* what do I have to be stressed about? I am married to the most wonderful man in the world, in the most beautiful place ever, having the time of my lif...*she pauses, and her cheeks puff out as if she is going to throw up. A few seconds pass, and she leans back against the couch, and gives a groan.*

Hisham: *frowning* if things are getting this bad, maybe I should take you to the emergency room?

Ilham: Ugh I hate the emergency room! After being there so many times with Yusra, it gives me the heebie jeebies!

Hisham: I know, but I can't think of anything else that could be going on, and I am getting really worried about you! You have barely eaten anything lately, and you LOVE food!

Ilham: Well, the only thing I have done differently is...*she trails off, her eyes widening so large as she stares at Hisham that she looks like an owl*

Hisham: *in confusion* what?

Ilham: Oh my God.

Hisham: What!? What?!

Ilham: *smacking her forehead* Hisham! I'm pregnant!

*Hisham starts choking, and it takes him a few seconds and Ilham pounding him on the back before he can start breathing*

Hisham: What?! How can you be pregnant!?

Ilham: It's the only thing that makes sense! My period is NEVER late, I'm nauseated and craving food and tired! And I've gained weight!

Hisham: Maybe you're just fat from all the chocolate and cheese you've been eating!

Ilham: *glaring at him* Hey!

Hisham: Well it's true! I've maxed out one of my credit cards just on stuff you've been craving!

Ilham: *sitting up* Habibi, I know it's a shock but it's the only thing that makes sense.

Hisham: But I mean, we've been, we've been using...*he trails off, and she nods*

Ilham: I know, but they aren't always...*she sighs, and puts her hands in her face for a few seconds, before standing up* okay, we are going to have to go to the store and get a pregnancy test!

Hisham: *in surprise* right now!?

Ilham: Yes right now! I have to know!

Hisham: But we are in our pajamas! And I just called for dinner to be delivered up!

Ilham: *glaring at him* well then we will change out of our pajamas, *she takes a deep breath* AND YOU WILL HAVE TO CALL DOWNSTAIRS AND HAVE THEM HOLD OFF DINNER UNTIL WE COME BACK!

Hisham: *holding up his hands* woah okay okay! *he starts to head towards the bedroom, but pauses* he, when you get this SMS, does it come with mood swings?

Ilham: HISHAM!

Hisham: *quickly leaving the room* I'll take that as a yes!

*AT THE PHARMACY*

*Ilham is dashing down the aisle, and Hisham is quickly following*

Ilham: *muttering under her breath* where are they, where are they?!

Hisham: Ilham, calm down! You look like you are going to rob the place!

Ilham: *ignoring him* found them! *she throws three in the basket, and starts to head towards the chocolate*

Hisham: *catching up to her* Ilham, are you sure you aren't just getting ahead of yourself and being dramatic like usual?

Ilham: *pausing to throw two bags of chips into the basket on her way to the chocolate* Hey! When have I ever gotten ahead of myself and been dramatic?!

Hisham: *rolling his eyes and watching as she begins to throw insane amounts of chocolate into the basket* only all the time!

Ilham: Look, Hisham. You don't have a *whispers* period, so you don't know. But my *whispers* period is NEVER late. When I said you could set your calendar by my *whispers* period, I wasn't kidding! I always get my *whispers* period three days before Ramadan, and we don't even bother looking for the moon! They just wait and ask Hey! Did Ilham get her *whispers* period?!

Hisham: *shaking his head in amusement* okay habibti. If it will make you feel better, let's go back and take it.

Ilham: Thank you! Now where do you think they keep the Ramen Noodle cups?

*After Hisham pays for the pregnancy tests and the mountain of junk food, they return to the hotel, and Ilham quickly goes into the bathroom. As she comes back out, they sit there waiting anxiously.*

Hisham: *nervously jiggling his leg up and down* Ya Allah this is the longest three minutes of my entire life!

Ilham: *squeezing his arm* I know, I know.

Hisham: How long as it been? It's got to be time now!

Ilham: *looking at the phone* It's been thirty seconds.

Hisham: *groaning* aw man!

Ilham: It's okay. We will get through it. *she starts to play with his wedding ring, before looking up into his face* Hisham, I'm so scared.

Hisham: *leaning forward and kissing her, before putting an arm around her waist, and pulling her against him.* Me too.

*they wait in silence for the next two and a half minutes, and even though the timer on Hisham's phone goes off, they don't move, they just sit there staring at the test that is resting on the sink across from them*

Hisham: *thirty seconds later* Ready hayati?

Ilham: No.

Hisham: Me neither. *he gets up, picks up the test, and looks down at it.*

Ilham: *after a few seconds of him not moving* well? *when he still doesn't answer* Hisham? What is it?

*He looks up at her*

Hisham: You're pregnant.

*A shocked silence falls over them, before Ilham gets up slowly, and walks towards him, an almost uncertain expression on her face, As she reaches him, she takes the test out of his hand, and looks down at it, before she looks back up at his face*

Ilham: I'm pregnant.

Hisham: You're pregnant.

Ilham: *tearing up* I'm pregnant!

Hisham: *laughing* You're pregnant!

*He swings her up into his arms, and they both start laughing and crying, and once he puts her down, they start to kiss.*

*For a long time*

*Finally when they break apart, she looks up at him in horror, giving a loud gasp*

Hisham: *in concern* What's wrong?!

Ilham: OH MY GOD! HISHAM!

Hisham: What?!

Ilham: I'm pregnant!

Hisham: I know!

Ilham: *shaking her head* No! You don't understand! It has only been two weeks since our Walimah! And I'm already pregnant! *she sits down on the edge of the bathtub, and puts a hand to her mouth* what are people going to say!?

*Hisham sinks down on the floor in front of her, and puts his hands on her knees*

Hisham: Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn.

Ilham: *laughing and wiping tears from her eyes* leave it to you to quote my favorite actor, Clark Gable, at a time like this.

Hisham: *kissing her gently* All jokes aside, I really don't care what people think. You are my wife, my heart, my life, my soul. We united together in marriage so that we can be together forever In Sha Allah, and so that we can start a family. And if people feel like they have a right to tell me I have to follow a timeline before I can meet your beautiful children, then I don't need them in my life.

*Ilham gives a loud sniff, and throws her arms around him, crying into his chest*

Ilham: *her voice slightly muffled by his shirt* I love you habibi.

Hisham: I love you too hayati.

*A few minutes later after Ilham has finished crying*

Hisham: So now that we know this isn't SMS...

Ilham: *laughing* Habibi, SMS is text messaging! It's PMS!

Hisham: *nodding* right, is there anything I can get you?

Ilham: *nodding* yes.

Hisham: *pushing her hair away from her neck* what? Anything you want is yours.

Ilham: *her voice wavering slightly* I really need some chocolate!