It's my birthday!! Alhamdullilah!

Dedicated to hasmerhD who's one of the first few people to remember and wish me a happy birthday. I love you b!

"I'm waiting!" Jannah called out to Suhad who went out to get her gift. The two had just returned from the birthday party that lasted for about two hours. But those hours were the best she had in weeks. It was refreshing to be around people that love and care for you after everything she'd been through.

Who knew the day would end like that? The day she's supposed to share her husband with someone turned to a day she'll never forget...

Silence followed afterward. She waited for a couple of seconds more before she called him again, "Jaan!"

Still, no reply.

She sighed and quickly tied her hair into a bun and slipped into her flip flops. She didn't bother to cover her hair knowing that they're the only ones in the house. Well, technically, they along with the maids that live in the house but she highly doubts that they are awake, it's pretty late. Just an hour before midnight. Yes, they stayed out that late considering the fact that they didn't go out for the dinner date the instant they left Bilkisu's house.

The sound of the flip flops softly hitting the tiled floor is the only sound heard, and even then, it wasn't that audible.

The lights are still flicked on which only made her surer that he's still out here. "Jaan" she called again as she checked the kitchen—he wasn't there. So, she made her way to the living room and just like the kitchen, he wasn't there too. She sighed and was about to go back to their room when her gaze caught something that wasn't there earlier.

She made her way to the table where a brown envelope sat with something in it. Her brows furrowed as she made her towards it. A note is written on the envelope.

To Jannah. It said.

The crease between her brows deepened as she reached out her hand to pick it up. She turned it around and peeled the top off. Her hand slipped into the envelope before she pulled out something out of it, keeping the now empty envelope aside and holding what she pulled out in her hand.

She blinked as she read what's written on the cover that's a collage of the pictures she had Suhad had taken right from the day the two went on their first date, five years ago.

"Stars Align" She muttered to herself as she ran her hand over the neatly cursive font in black color. She opened it, her eyes going over the words written on the first page that's a picture of her laughing. She never knew the picture existed but there it was.

-My life didn't have much of a meaning. I just followed orders and did what was expected of me. I didn't have a problem with it though, I thought I liked the way I lived.

I guess that was all before I met her.

She showed me that there's more to life that the one I was living. That I didn't need to follow every order and have my life planned to be happy. She taught me that I could be happy if I made my own decisions, because well, I'm human too.

She taught and showed me the meaning of life.

I now know what life is. I know what my life is.

And it's her. She's my life.

Jannah blinked and just as she turned to the next page, two arms wrapped around her waist as he placed his head on her shoulder, "What is this?" she whispered. She didn't need to turn to know that it's her husband. She could tell from the cologne.

"It's our story. One chapter for each year since we started dating" He said as she ran her fingers over the content of the book. A total of five chapters.

"You wrote this?"

"I did"

"When?"

"I started about the same day I fell in love with you" he said just as she closed the book and watched the cover again, she simply couldn't get it off her head.

It's beautiful to say the least.

She had always known that he loved to scribble something down every now and then, but she didn't think it goes to this extent.

Suhad glanced at the book before Jannah turned and hugged him, he hugged her back.

At first, he hated it when his therapist suggested that he scribbled down what he was feeling, since he never was good at expressing his emotions. He just kept it all in. Jakadiya didn't like it though. She didn't like the fact that he's always keeping stuff in because she knew it wasn't good for his health. So, she somehow managed to get to convince him to go with the flow.

That was 19 years ago. He was just ten then. But at the stage he needed a therapist, and Jakadiya was the only one that knew about it because she got him one. She being addressed as 'Jakadiya' is degrading her value in the palace. As of the moment, she's way more than that. She did start as that, and as time goes by, everyone just knew her by that name and not her real name.

As of the moment, she's one of Mamita's most trusted people and personal assistant. Having worked for Mamita for years meant that she's richer than some PAs in some companies.

Mamita isn't exactly a poor person. The opposite actually. And no, it's not her husband's money. Being a daughter to a rich man has its perks.

So, Jakadiya is basically the one person Mamita trusts to take care of her son, and to Jakadiya who didn't have the blessing of having a child, she loved him as her own. So, in his whole life when Mamita never cared about the things disturbing him, she had been there with me throughout the toughest stage.

And she had always supported him all through the way no matter what the situation is. Of course she kept it a secret from Mamita and everyone. It was hers and his little secret.

And Suhad, well he loved her just as much as he loved his mother. She's more like a second mother to him. She along with Didi that is. Even though Didi doesn't know what he went through, or more like is still going through, she never for once regarded him as a co-wife's son but rather, a son to her.

"Suhad" Jakadiya said as she crouched low to meet the height of the ten-year-old Suhad who stood unmoving, his lips set into a straight line. "Why don't you do as the therapist said? You want to get better right?"

He nodded but didn't utter a word.

Her lips stretched into a sad smile as her eyes welled up with tears. He's just a kid, He shouldn't be going through this' She thought in her head. She shook those thoughts away though and then replied, "Then you should please do as he said, kaji Yerima na?"

She noticed the corner of his lips tilted up slightly, and if she wasn't looking up close then she wouldn't have noticed it. He nodded once again. That's usually the most she gets out of him.

He was a quiet kid back then. Except when he's with Aamir and Faruk that is.

"Okay" He finally said after a while. His voice didn't come out as weak as it sounded earlier, and his lips had regained their normal color of red, instead of the pale blue it was earlier.

That quiet boy she knew though broke out of his shell and became a playboy—that started when his mother started setting him up with daughters of influential people when he turned 21. It didn't take much for Jakadiya to realize that he wasn't exactly happy with that lifestyle, but he lived with it with no complaints made.

Though Jakadiya never admitted it, Alamin Suhad is the strongest boy she had ever met, back then and now still. The things he went through and endured are things not much can do.

That is reason that whenever she sees him now, smiling or laughing, she sees him as a different person. A much stronger person that the little fragile boy she knew.

"Thank you. I love this birthday gift" Jannah muttered a she tightened her hold around him making him chuckle.

"Loosen up will you? You want to choke me up or something?" He joked but she didn't take it as that. She immediately loosens her grip on him not wanting to do anything like that.

Suhad raised a brow at that but he didn't say anything. He doesn't get why she's treating him this way these days. Almost as if she's walking on eggshells with him. He decided to ignore it though, dismissing it as he's just overthinking things.

"This is the first birthday gift. The second one's a little late. Will come tomorrow morning"

Jannah pulled away from the hug, a small grin on her face, "I know I'm supposed to say that you shouldn't worry about other gifts but man, I'm not like those girls. I like my gifts" she chuckled and he did the same shaking his head at her.

"You're so materialistic" he muttered making her shrug.

"Everyone's materialistic. Even the ones feigning to be goody two shoes" she said before she turned and picked up the book again, "Why did you name it Stars Align though?" she couldn't help but think about that.

Suhad tucked his bottom lip between his teeth as he thought of what to say. He wasn't always good with words, but for Jannah he tries the best he can. "Well, you and I are so different yet we're perfect for each other. Though on so many occasions we've had our ups and downs, we always find a way to come back together. I guess since we ended up together, that means we're meant to be together despite our differences. You and I Jaan, we're one now. So, as others will say, ours stars aligned"

Jannah didn't know what happened, but one thing she knew for sure is that it definitely wasn't a spur of the moment. She made the move, as her leaned up and made the touch that she had hesitated about a thousand times before finally doing it. "I love you" she whispered as she leaned her forehead on his, trying to catch her breath.

"You do?" Suhad knew how dumb that questioned sounded. But try to be in his shoes and be dumped by her times without number and see if you won't ask such question.

"Of course I do. So much" A small tugged on her lips, his face mirrored hers.

"I love you, more than you can ever imagine" She didn't get the chance to reply because just like she didn't give him a heads-up before she kissed him earlier, he didn't give her that either.

And well, the rest is history. Definitely history.

~*~

"Okay, just let me braid it for you now"

"Nah bro. Not happening"

"Can you not bro-zone me all the time. See this girl fa" Suhad shook his head once Jannah began to laugh at him. He ran his fingers through her unbraided hair just like he's been doing for some minutes now, "But seriously though, I used to braid Fatima's hair. I can braid yours"

Jannah shook her head that rests on his lap as she looked at him with her brows slightly creased and lips puckered, definitely not believing him, "I'm good. You don't have to braid it" She didn't get why he's still pressing this issue when they have been on it for over five minutes now.

After having breakfast that morning, with occasional teasing here and there, even the maids could tell that the two woke up in a good mood. It's Saturday, so they decided to just spend some quality time together since they're both going back to work on Monday. Jannah has spent too much time away from work already. She hasn't been there since the fiasco with Mr. S, and that was a month ago already.

So, that is how they ended up in the living room with her head on his lap while he ran his finger through her hair, trying to convince her to let him braid her hair.

"Why don't you trust me ne kam?" Suhad asked after she had said that. He wasn't kidding, he doesn't know how to plait a girl's hair, not like can expert but he can manage and plait all back—that too with one bigger than the other.

"Because I know that you can't plait a girl's hair"

"Okay but I can learn now. Who else will be plaiting our daughter's hair?" He said making Jannah raise a brow at him.

"Are you serious? You're already thinking of a child"

He shrugged, "I want to see mini you and I now. How cute do you think our daughter will be? I mean you will inherit my features obviously; she's bound to be stunning"

"Wow" Was all Jannah could say as she stared at her husband as if he'd grown two heads. She knows that he can be self-centered sometimes but not to this extent.

Suhad chuckled when he realized what he just said, "Well, she'll get some features from you but come on, you know my daughter will definitely be beautiful"

"And who told you that you'll have a daughter?" She raised a brow slightly. The whole 'child' topic isn't exactly sitting right with her but he seemed to be so happy talking about it that she didn't say anything.

She isn't the 'This baby is cute; I want to have one' type. She belongs to the 'This baby is cute. Let me give him/her back to her mother now' type.

She doesn't picture herself with children. No please. The world is already cruel enough. She doesn't want to bring children into it when she herself hasn't fixed everything up with her.

"Just wait and see, it'll be a daughter in shaa Allah"

Jannah wanted to say something but she just shook it away. She wanted to change the topic to end the discussion there. She doesn't want to burst his bubble by telling him that they are not having any children any time soon. She knows she can just talk to him about it, but she hates serious situations and she feels like that will end up being one. Though she knows he will understand, she doesn't want to take the chance.

She sat up and reached her hand out to his touch his coils, "You need a haircut too" she said, a mischievous smile making its way on her lips. This made him narrow his eyes at her slightly knowing she's up to something.

"I don't know what you're thinking of, but it's not going to happen" He said reaching out his hand to take a hold of hers, successfully taking it off his hair.

Jannah rolled her eyes, "I was just going to say, I'll let you braid my hair if you let me cut your hair"

"Like I said before, it's not going to happen"

"Come on! I cut Kamal's all the time"

Suhad nodded as he pretended to think, "Yeah, no wonder he's bald"

Kamal isn't bald, but he had to say that to let her know that he knows she isn't the one that cuts his hair. He and Kamal actually met in a barber's shop. Just like him, Kamal doesn't let anyone touch his hair except his personal and most trusted barber.

Jannah leaned back on the other side of the chair, resting her legs where her head was. Suhad tickled her foot making her laugh and pull them back quickly. "You just don't want to cut the hair. You love flaunting that Fulani hair you treasure"

"That is true"

"Okay let's compromise" Jannah said as she sat folding her legs over the other as she turned to face him.

Suhad followed her actions and did the same, "Compromise?"

"Yeah. The elders say we have to learn to compromise right? That's how this marriage this works"
He nodded agreeing with what she said, "Okay. Let's compromise then"

"I'll let you braid my hair if you let me reduce the length of your hair. It's a bit too long for my liking—too many girls will fall for you because of it and I don't want that. Deal?"

Suhad thought about it for a while before he nodded, "Deal"

"Great. Where are the scissors?" Her eyes glinted with mischievousness when she mentioned the scissors. Oh she's have fun making him look like her bald late grandfather—Iyah's husband who they call "Baba Tanqwal". The old man is so bald that his head shines whenever he's under the sun. It didn't help that he's always rubbing Vaseline on the bald head.

Suhad will be Baba Tanqwal the second. Baba Tanqwal II.

"What have I gotten myself into" Suhad groaned as he leaned back on the chair, face palming himself.

Jannah cackled, her lips curving into a wicked smile. She could already imagine how much she'll laugh as she watches him with a bald head—that will definitely keep the girls away, "Too late to back down now Jaan. Where are the scissors?"

"Vanity unit" he muttered, still not looking up from the position he's in.

"I'll get them" She stood up and made her way upstairs to their room. She didn't stop till she reached the en-suite. She reached the vanity unit. She then pulled the first one and because everything's neatly arranged there, she spotted the scissors that instant.

Her smile turned into a frown when her gaze fell on a bottle she's all too familiar with. She reached her hand and picked it up, removing the cap, she glanced at the birth control pills she had with her for emergency cases like last night, courtesy of Daihaah who gave it to her to tease her. She knew that Suhad wouldn't know what the bottle's for but still, there's no harm in being cautious so she changed the bottles since that day. She felt bad for taking it without telling him, when he obviously wants children but she didn't want to go through the struggle of telling him and all.

Keeping it from his is much easier and stress and drama free. At least that's what she thought.

She didn't hear his footsteps as he came into the room, "Jaan" His voice came from behind her startling her.

She quickly whipped her head to look at him, placing the bottle down and closing the drawer whilst doing that. "Yeah?" An uneasy smile took over her features as her voice came out slightly shaky.

"Are you okay?" Suhad who's leaning on the door asked, one of brows quirked up.

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"

He didn't believe her, but he didn't press any further. He just nodded, "Okay well your second gift just arrived" his lips stretched into a small grin.

She dropped the scissors and made her way towards him hastily, "Let's go" She took his hand and dragged him downstairs, too excited to see what the gift is. She forgot the cutting of the hair and everything related, much to her husband's pleasure.

He led her downstairs, and the minute he opened the front door, he handed her something and gestured to a spot with his finger.

Her eyes widened as her she jumped in surprise, "A freaking Panamera?!"

~*~

Irris my birthday!💃💃💃💃

I'm not feeling the vibes anymore since I'm spending it home alone but sha sha, I have you guys. Lemme just go and drown myself in tiktok. My tiktok people, follow up @jannah.mia please. No one should ask me if I'm okay there o, I am fine!

I don't know why but I suddenly feel more mature today! Is it the birthday or something? I mean my level of sense has gone top a notch! I just woke up today and boom! My sense increased.

Also, where are those saying they'll read any book I write?

WELL WELL WELL! I JUST PUBLISHED A NEW, COMPLETE BOOK TODAY, TITLED, 'TILL I MET YOU'.

It's on Okadabooks app and website and not on Wattpad, though I'll upload half the book here for those who might want to see if the book is 'worth their time' first. Las las it's okay sha.

For the whole weekend, you can add and read the book free of charges. Here's the twist, it's not Nigerian! It's not my first time writing non Nigerian but it's my first time sharing it with y'all so join the cruise of AIDEN WALKER AND ISABELLA MORETTI. I won't promise anything, but you'll like it in shaa Allah.

Also, don't forget to tap on those stars and rate the book once you add it to your library please. Thanks.

Question of the day, where are you from? Me, Bauchi! Where are my Bauchi people? And let me not forget where are my Jigawa people???

Other updates coming up today so...stay tuned.

Love, Jannah.