Salaam everyone. Today we lost a member of our family. Please keep us in your Duaas <3

“Amir!”

“Houssam!”

The two brothers embraced fondly, and Amir put a hand on Houssam’s shoulder, smiling broadly.

“Aw man look at you! You look amazing! Have you gotten taller!?”

Houssam laughed, and tossed his bags into Amir’s trunk.

“I think I am tall enough thank you!”

Amir laughed, and the two of them got into the car.

“Everyone is so excited to see you! I’m not supposed to tell you this because it is a surprise, but there is a little party waiting for you at our house.”

“Aw really?” Houssam asked with a pleased smile, “that’s so sweet. Yusra’s doing?”

“Yusra’s doing.”

“Who is there?”

“Um, well when I left to get you, Hisham and the gang had just arrived.”

Silence.

“Was Hana part of the gang?” he asked quietly, and Amir shifted uncomfortably.

“Yeah.”

“So it’s true then?”

Amir cleared his throat.

“What?”

“Don’t play around with me Amir. Is she engaged?”

“Yeah. She is.”

“Man!” Houssam exclaimed angrily. “What the heck man!? She was the one who was claiming to have loved me for years then three months after I leave she goes and gets engaged to someone else!”

“Woah three months? Who told you that?”

“Yusra.”

Amir smiled slightly.

“Okay. I have to tell you something about your sister.”

“What?”

“She has the worst case of pregnancy brain I have ever heard of in my entire life. Worse than when she was pregnant with Kareem, worse than Sarah and Eman with all of their pregnancies combined!”

Houssam tilted his head questioningly.

“What do you mean?”

“She forgets things and she gets things wrong. Once I found the butter in the hallway closest and the shampoo in the refrigerator!”

Houssam snorted.

“Wow. Poor Yusra. Well what was she wrong about?”

“Hana and Abdullah.”

“You have to say his name?” Houssam grumbled, and Amir glared at him.

“Yes.”

“Fine. What was she wrong about? You just said they were engaged.”

“They are. But they have only been engaged for two weeks now. It hasn’t been three months.”

“Oh. But still it’s not like I was gone for six years! Then I could understand! But she couldn’t even wait six months!”

“You told her not to wait for you!”

“And she listened!”

A silence rang through the car, and Amir sighed.

“I’m sorry bro. But you did go. It wasn’t fair to her.”

“Why did she get engaged?”

Amir’s eyebrows crinkled together as he pulled off the freeway and started driving towards his house.

“No one knows actually.”

“What?”

“Yeah. When her dad told her, at first she was like no way. And then a few days later she agreed. It was pretty random.”

“Huh.” Houssam said, and he put a hand to his head, leaning against the window. “I don’t know what she sees in him. He’s so short.”

Amir laughed.

“Come on bro he is an average sized man. You are just the abnormally tall one!”

“Whatever.”

Amir left his brother to his thoughts the rest of the five minute drive, and when they pulled into the driveway, Houssam laughed.

“I see my parents didn’t bother hiding their car.” He said nodding in the direction of a blue minivan, and Amir chuckled as he went to the trunk to pick up one of Houssam’s bags.

“Yeah well you knew they would be here. No way would your mom let you come back after six months of being away and not come and see you with lots of food!”

They gathered up the rest of Houssam’s things, before going towards the front doors, and as Amir unlocked them, and they stepped inside, everyone popped out.

“SURPRISE!”

“Ahhhh! Wow! I had no idea! This is amazing!” Houssam exclaimed with a hand to his heart, and everyone laughed.

“You knew about it didn’t you?” his mom asked as she came over to hug him, and he laughed, tightening his hold on her.

“Well just a little bit. But it’s okay because everyone is here! Baba!” he paused to hug his dad, “Yusra! Oh my God! You look like you are carrying eight babies!”

Yusra slapped him on the arm, and he attempted to hug her over her huge stomach.

“Shut up! I am a week away from being nine months pregnant! It’s not my fault I am so big!”

Houssam laughed before turning around.

“Ilham salaam! Layla habibti!”

“Walaikumasalaam Houssam! Welcome home!” Ilham exclaimed.

“Amu Houssam I missed you!” Layla exclaimed throwing herself into Houssam’s arms, and he laughed.

“Barak Allahu Feeki! Layla I missed you too! Hisham! Bro!” as he hugged his friend, his gaze fell on Hana and he just stood there staring at her over Hisham’s back, not really aware that everyone else in the room was staring at him staring at her. Finally he cleared his throat.

“Salaam Hana.” He said stumbling slightly on her name and while she returned his salaams, she kept her eyes on the floor. What could have been an awkward moment was broken by the sound of little feet, and Kareem appeared toddling in the doorway Mohammad in his wake.

“Khalo Sam!” He exclaimed rushing at Houssam, and Houssam gasped before putting Layla down, and picking him up.

“Khalo?! No! What happened to Moo Sam!?” he asked, kissing his nephew as he threw his arms around Houssam’s neck.

“The other children made fun of him so much that the poor baby had no choice but to start calling you Khalo.” Amir said with a fond ruffle of his son’s hair, and Houssam groaned.

“Oh I’m going to miss him bellowing ‘Moo Sam’ at the top of his lungs!”

“Khalo Sam look it!” Kareem exclaimed extending a mini basketball towards his Uncle. “Mine is like Khalo Sam’s!”

“Yeah it’s just like mine!” Houssam exclaimed, and as he shifted his nephew onto his other shoulder, it put him in view of Hana again. As everyone else was busy setting up the food and talking, he took a step closer to her to talk to her, feeling safer that he had the baby with him, but at the last second a commotion from the front door caused him to turn around, and he began to laugh as his sisters and their children came bursting in the door, and he was suddenly bombarded by what seemed like a million hugs.

“Houssam!”

“Habibi!”

“Welcome home!”

“Khalo what is Jackson Reynolds like!?”

“Khalo, Bilal doesn’t believe that you really got to work with Michael Jordan!”

“Is it weird if I ask my own Uncle for his autograph?”

“Of course it’s weird you dummy!”

“Mama! Lotfi called me a dummy!”

“Well if you didn’t ask dumb questions Amani, I wouldn’t be calling you one!

“Was Michael Jordan fat?!”

“Why would he be fat? He used to be the best NBA player alive!”

“Khalo is better!”

“Woah! Calm down everyone!” Houssam said with a laugh. “Salaam Khadija! Wafaa! Latifa!” he exclaimed hugging each of his sisters, before patting each niece and nephew on the head.

“How was your trip?!”

“I made cake!”

“You look tired habibi, sit down!”

As his sisters began to fawn over him, all tugging at various spots on his shirt, he laughed, and catching Hana’s eye, he winked, causing her to blush prettily. The next half hour was a blur as everyone hugged and started to catch up and set up the food.

They made quite a loud and merry party around the dining room table, the children set up in the family room on a picnic blanket.

“So Houssam! Mabrook MVP again!” Khadija exclaimed, and Houssam flushed.

“Barak Allahu Feeki Khadija!”

“MashaAllah Anas and I watched your last game with the children. They were so excited!” Wafaa exclaimed waving her hand in the air.

“The children are so proud of you. They sign their own autographs at the Islamic School and in Youth Group!” Latifa added, and everyone laughed.

“Even Dawud brags about his Amu Houssam!” Ilham added, and as Houssam blushed deeper, they all laughed.

“Okay you guys are making me blush.”

“I thought manly men didn’t blush!”  Yusra teased, and Houssam glared at her.

“I am manly enough to admit when the praise gets to me and I need to show it by blushing!”

“Yeah okay Houssam you’re the only man who voluntarily blushes!” Amir said.

“And admits to it!” Hisham crowed, and they all laughed again.

***

Hana glanced around the crowded and noisy table, feeling partly overwhelmed and partly happy to be there. She loved the Shaykh family and all of their loudness, and it was an honor to have been included with them. Although she could have killed Yusra because she hadn’t known today was going to be Houssam’s homecoming. She thought it was just going to be a regular dinner. She had hoped she wouldn’t have to see him until…well until things were straightened out.

By the way he kept glancing at her engagement ring, she knew that he had to have known, and she couldn’t help but wonder what he must think of her. She wished with all of her heart that he hadn’t found out yet, but well, there was nothing to be done now. Maybe she could catch him later and reassure him. But what would she say? Technically she was engaged. . .

“Hana habibti, the children want to play in the backyard, and I’m going to help the girls with the dessert because I don’t want Yusra to do anything. Will you take them?” Ilham asked, and Hana nodded, glad to have a break from Houssam’s intense gaze.

“Yes of course.”

“Okay kids, Khaltu Hana said she will take you outside, but you have to not fight!” Khadija exclaimed with a clap of her hands, and as all of the children cheered and rushed towards the door, Hana laughed, picking up Kareem who was struggling to toddle after his faster and older cousins.

Once they were outside, the kids began to play on the jungle gym and were running around playing tag and Kareem and Mohammad, who were the two youngest by far, settled into the sand box, and Hana stood over them, watching them. A few seconds later though she heard soft footsteps behind her, and she had no doubt in her mind who it was.

“Hey.” He said quietly, and she closed her eyes. Six months of not hearing his voice, and she had forgotten how deep it was. How alluring…

“Hi.”

His gaze flickered towards the ring on her left hand, before he quickly looked away.

“How’ve you been?”

“I’m good Alhamdulillah. You?”

“I’m okay.”

“You cut your hair.” She said motioning towards him, and he ran a hand self-consciously through his short locks.

“Yeah. You know. New team, new chapter in life, new look.”

She nodded.

“Makes sense.” She looked him over again, smiling slightly. “It looks good.”

He smiled.

“Thanks.”

She turned back towards the children, hyperaware that he was standing directly behind her.

“How long are you here for?”

He ran a hand through his hair.

“I’m not sure honestly. I had originally planned to stay here until next season but,” he hesitated slightly, “circumstances have changed.”

She winced slightly, wondering what he meant by that.

“So you think you’ll leave soon?”

She felt him nod.

“Probably after a week or so.”

“I see.”

A tense silence fell over them before he stepped around her, standing in front of her yet not meeting her gaze.

 “So it’s true then. You’re engaged.”

She nodded.

“I am.”

He laughed a short laugh.

“Yeah that’s right. Abdullah. I had forgotten for a moment.” He clapped his hands together. “I hope you will be happy.”

“Houssam,” she whispered, and at the sound of her crying, he had to resist the urge to wipe away the tears that were falling down her cheeks. He was so close to just reaching over to her. Even though he was so upset with her, and was hurt beyond belief that she was engaged, he loved her. He had never been surer of that than he was at that moment.

“No I really do.”

“It’s not what you think.”

“Oh really? Because it seems exactly like what I think. You pretended to love me until I was gone then you get yourself engaged to someone else. How were you any better than Kalthoum?!”

While he had expected her to get riled up, she merely shook her head, tightening her arms around herself, and glancing back down at the babies.

“It’s so much more than that. It’s not what you think, I promise you.” She said quietly, and he swallowed deeply, his own eyes shining with his unshed tears.

“Ask me to stay Hana.” He pleaded softly. “Tell me not to go.”

She turned her face up to the sky, trying to prevent the tears that had started gathering the second she saw him, not to fall.

“I can’t.” she whispered, and she felt her heart constrict at the agony on his face.

“I see.”

As another silence fell over them, she turned away from him, trying to control her emotions, trying to keep from crying.

“I should go inside.” He said eventually, and she nodded, still not able to look at him.

“Okay.”

As she heard him shift away from her, she took a deep breathe.

She could do this.

She would not cry.

She would not cry.

However when a black jacket landed on her shivering shoulders, her restraints were lost, and she broke down crying.

He just stood there next to her, his stance showing how unsure he was about what to do.

But for that moment he was all she needed.

 She just needed him near her.