Epilogue

9 months later

"I'm really going to miss you aunty, why don't you just come with us?" Nafeesa asked aunty Aniba with a pretty pout while squeezing her in a fierce hug. It felt as if she was leaving an important part of her behind. All the others stood looking on with different degrees of smiles on their faces as people bustled about the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport departure hall.

"I'm going to miss you too, but I can rest easy knowing you are in the safest hands I can ever hope for and please do take care of this little one in here." She said as she gently parted Nafeesa's still flat abdomen. The shock that registered on Nafeesa's face on her not so well hidden secret being found out was clear, her eyes were asking the question.

"How did you know?"

Aniba smiled and winked before whispering conspiratorially "A mother always knows." The smile that lit Nafeesa's face was several watts brighter than the 100 watt incandescent light bulb and it would have been put to shame. It was a honor to be called daughter to this enigma of a woman and she will be forever indebted to her. They were still in their world, whispering random things and going down memory lane while laughing when a fashionably decked Rumaisa bustled towards them. She hugged Aniba from behind covering her in a cloud of Arabian scent and whispered loudly so her friend could hear "Aunty, what are you telling this one that has got her smiling like a loon?"

"Ke ce dai loon, why are you always like this Rumaisa? You are yet to realize you are all grown wallahi, and why are you dressed like you are attending a society event?" Nafeesa asked as she wagged her index finger at her best friend while aunty Aniba laughed at their antics. She was going to miss their banters and companionship, but she was glad their lives were on track especially Nafeesa, the child of her heart.

Sa'id and Sagir walked towards the small group of women were Nafeesa was fuming and glaring at her friend. "Rumaisa, what have you done to my zaujati again?" Sa'id asked her as he reached for his wife, kissed her cheeks and held on to her hand. They still acted like newlyweds even after all this months, and they were still crazy in love almost a year into their nuptials except for a few small marital squabbles which were inevitable.

"Habeebi, she called me a loon and she's all dressed up as if she's celebrating my departure." Nafeesa complained as a single tear trailed down her cheek. She knew she was being overly emotional and irrational, but she couldn't help how her hormones kept acting up at the slightest provocation or no provocation at all.

"Haba Nafs din yaya, you are leaving and you want to go while being angry at your bestie? I was just kidding and am not all dressy jor, Afwan Um..." Rumaisa didn't get to finish her statement when aunty Aniba pinched her. She jerked away and turned questioningly towards her as she scratched her arm. Aniba shook her head in negation and it dawned on her that Nafeesa hadn't yet told Sa'id she was expecting. She winked and made a zipping sign while Nafeesa glared at her. Luckily the announcement for their flight came up before she could continue being her very mischievous self. It was hugs and farewell before they went on for check-in. Nafeesa stopped and waved one last time at the family she was leaving behind before moving hand-in hand with her husband as they boarded for their new start.

They boarded their flight at 11:50pm and as soon as they settled in their seats Nafeesa found a comfortable position and pillowed her head on her husband's shoulder. Her new love for sleep was beginning to worry Sa'id, they might be talking or doing some random thing and she suddenly drifts off, he just hoped she was fine. He adjusted his seat and held her to him in a more comfortable position while covering her legs to the ward off the chill in the craft. She whispered a thank you and he smiled and pecked her on the forehead before asking the question that had been plaguing him for a while now "Babe, are you sure you are fine? You've been getting easily tired, you fall asleep as you sit, your appetite has dropped and you're beginning to lose weight. I asked to go to the doctor but you've refused me at every turn or brought up an excuse, what's going on Nafs?"

She raised her head off his shoulder drowsily "Beebi I'm fine, it's just the packing and preparation that has been taking its toll on me, but I promise you I'm fine, more than fine even, I'm great." She said with a smile. She had a surprise waiting for him as soon as they got home. With the help of Fa'eezah, she was able to pull it off without a hitch. She wanted no suspicion from the family and if she had sort Hajja's help with her very little surprise, her excitement would have let the cat out of the bag.

Her friendship with Fa'eezah had grown beyond bounds after she found out she wasn't making eyes for her prince charming in hard hat. Fa'eezah and Nasser were back on the mend after she had tried severally to refuse him but he had vehemently refused to give up and had in turn become her shadow that she had no option but to thaw and forgive him. Wedding bells were in the air and both moms weren't giving her any rest with the preparation and Nafeesa has become her whining buddy and her vent much to the amazement of Sa'id.

Nasser and Fa'eezah were to pick them up from the airport as soon as they arrive while a little package containing one leg each of a pink and blue baby booties waits patiently for Sa'id Abdullah Kai in the mail. She just prayed the surprise will be as exciting and amazing to him as it was to her. She was going to have Sa'id's baby and that was a blessing and a sign that their trying times were over, she was starting her very own family and she just prayed she would be half as good a mother, daughter-in-law and wife her mother was.

THE END

Author's Note

So finally it's over, I can't believe this. Trying Times is over; I kept dragging out this last update, but I made a promise to update the last part of this work that's so close to my heart on my birthday, which happens to be today the 24th of July and as hard as doing this is, I have to. I'm not going to wake up most mornings with the express thought "I need to get a few paragraphs down for the next update. Now I understand why they say goodbyes are hard. This is bitter sweet, I'm happy I was able to start and end this journey with you all, you've all become a part of the TT family, and reading your comments, seeing your votes and getting messages asking me to update was the highlight of writing this book. But saying goodbye to the characters who have come to mean so much to me over the period of writing this book breaks my heart to tiny bits. It's like letting go of my very own babies, I created them, and watched them evolve into amazing characters with personalities I can't help but be proud of, and proud of them I am.

So I've got several people asking if Trying Times is based off of a true life story, or if it's a story of someone I know. The answer is no, Trying time is purely a work of fiction, it's no one's story, but then it's everyone's story. It a story of the realities of our culture, a story that tells the story of a lot of people's situation, it's someone out there's reality. Some have it worse than Nafeesa or Aniba while others have it better than them.

One day I got thinking, how would it feel to be in such a situation? Would I survive it? Loss is the most painful feeling in the world I know, but how bad would that pain feel if you had no one to turn to? Those were some of the questions that birthed the idea for Nafeesa's story. I won't be truthful if I said some of the characters, their personalities and situations weren't based on real people I know and who have affected my life one way or the other. I will leave you to guess who and who they are. The most important lesson we should all take away from this story is if no situation is permanent, a little kindness to someone goes a long way in helping them heal the wound that has been festering, a kind word and encouragement gives people the courage to trudge forward. We don't have to do a lot, we just have to do those little things to make the world a better place for us all. We all need a hand to hold, if you haven't got that hand to hold, be that hand for someone else.

I think I have answered the most asked questions about Trying Times and hopefully there's going to be a sequel Aniba's Story in the nearest future, who knows? But while we wait, there's hopefully going to be a new story with a twist coming soon insha Allah. It's not good bye from here, it's see you soon.