Salaam everyone! I just wanted to say Barak Allahu Feekum for all of your kind words of support in the wake of my family member's death. May Allah swt reward you and please continue to keep him and everyone else around the world who have lost their lives in your most sincere Duaa. All of you are in mine as well, I really appreciate it <3 <3 <3

Also, can anyone guess why Hana is engaged?! I know some of you are hating on her right now and are calling her selfish and vindictive, but I assure you it is a legit (albeit slightly out of the ordinary and just a little bit weird lol) reason! (Gotta keep you hooked on those twists!) :) Stay awesome!

“Baby, can you help me with my tie?” Hisham called down the hallway, smiling as a moment later, a yawning Ilham appeared from their bedroom into the bathroom. She blinked a few times as if to clear her eyes from the sleep, before gripping his tie, and folding it expertly and quickly.

“There.” She said giving it a final pat, and he bent to kiss her, laughing as she dropped slightly in his arms.

“Sorry I woke you up hayatee. I just couldn’t do it perfectly, and as this is my first time seeing patients without Amu AbdulJabbar in the office at all, I want to look perfect.”

“No worries,” she paused to cover a large yawn, “I wanted to kiss you goodbye for luck anyways!”

“Thank you baby.” He paused to kiss her again, and she smiled before perching on the edge of the bathtub, watching as he combed his hair and began to brush his teeth.

“Did you notice the awkward tension between Hana and Houssam yesterday?”

Hisham grimaced over his toothbrush, rinsing out his mouth before nodding.

“Yeah I did. It was so weird.”

Ilham frowned, and began to swing her legs back and forth.

“Remind me again why Hana is engaged to someone else?”

“I wish I knew baby. But she didn’t tell anyone.”

“You didn’t find it odd that at first she refused and then all of a sudden she was okay with it?”

“Of course I find it odd,” he paused to spray some cologne behind his ears and on his wrists, “but you know how she is. She doesn’t open up.”

“You didn’t talk to Abdullah?”

“What am I supposed to say? ‘Why are you REALLY engaged to my sister?’ Yeah that won’t work.”

“I would.” She mumbled, and he looked at her in amusement.

“I know you would. But you aren’t right?” he asked, and when she just stared at him, he tapped her on her nose. “Right hayatee?”

“Right.”

“Good. Is Dawud ready? I have to leave in ten minutes.”

“Yeah he’s eating breakfast.”

“Layla doesn’t have school today?”

Ilham shook her head.

“No, the teachers have a conference.” Suddenly her eyes lit up. “Ooh! Maybe we could use Layla as a spy to find out what is going on! She already spilled the beans once!”

Hisham threw his head back and laughed, before gathering his wife into his arms, and kissing her fondly.

“You are adorable. But that was our mistake for talking in front of her. We shouldn’t do it again.”

“Okay.” She mumbled against his chest, and he smiled.

“Alright go back to sleep, I’ll get Dawud ready.”

“You sure?” she asked with a yawn, and he chuckled.

“I’m sure. Go hayatee.”

“Okay.” She paused in the doorway. “You know what? I should call Yusra. We need to make a plan.”

***

“Amir. I am so tired of being pregnant.” Yusra whined as she attempted to sit down on the sofa, but failed as her stomach almost toppled her over.

Amir laughed, and took hold of his wife’s arm, helping her to sit down, and bending to kiss her.

“Almost there love. Just a little more time InshaAllah!”

Yusra put her feet up on the ottoman next to the couch, and sighed.

“Yes I know.” She looked at her stomach. “Come on habibi! Get out!” she shouted before groaning. “Nothing is working with this child!”

Amir shook his head in amusement, and sat down on the floor next to her, beginning to massage her feet. She closed her eyes, putting a hand in his hair, and stroking it away from his face.

“So did you see how undone Houssam was yesterday?” She asked, and he nodded.

“Yeah. He was pretty shaken up in the car too.”

“I still don’t understand why she accepted. She has been in love with him for forever.” Yusra said with a frown, and Amir nodded.

“I know. It doesn’t add up. And I saw the two of them the other day, Abdullah and Hana, and I dunno something was off. It’s like this isn’t a real engagement.”

Yusra opened her eyes.

“What do you mean?”

“I think there is something going on that they just aren’t telling us.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. I wish I did. She seemed miserable too. Did you tell her Houssam was going to be there yesterday?”

Yusra gave a guilty smile.

“No. I wanted to surprise her.”

“Oh love. We don’t want to mess things up. She is still engaged after all.”

Yusra waved her hand in the air.

“Yes, yes I know. But at the same time it isn’t set in stone until they do Nikkah!”

Amir laughed.

“Technically they aren’t even engaged. They hadn’t done the Fatiha yet.”

“Really?! Well then there is still hope!? I should give Ilham a call!” she exclaimed, her eyes brightening, and he bent to kiss her hand.

“Love, as much as I want to see Houssam and Hana together, I will not have you getting too excited in your state.”

“I’m not handicapped you know. I just am as big as an army tank!” She glanced down at her swollen stomach. “You still love me right?” she pouted, and he raised on his knees, capturing her lips in a kiss, before leaning his head against hers.

“I love you more than I have ever loved you before.” He put his hands on her stomach. “You are giving me another baby. Nothing could ever compare to that.”

She smiled, and kissed him back.

“Have you thought of any names yet?” she asked as he settled into the seat next to her, drawing her head down to his chest.

“Well it depends. Do we want to stick with ‘K’? Because then we have Khalid, Khalil, Karam, Khabab, Kadir or Kamal.”

She smiled.

“I like Khalid. And if we don’t stay with ‘K’?”

“Well there are a million options!”

“Tell me something you like.”

“Salaheddin for one. Alaudeen maybe.”

“Ooh Aladdin!” she exclaimed, and he laughed.

“Okay I guess going off of Aladdin characters we could do Jafar. I like Yahya too.”

“Yahya.” She said slowly. “Sulayman is pretty too. I want a name that sounds good with your last name.”

“Well anything eventually would sound good with it. We would just have to get used to it.”

“Hmm, that’s true.” She snuggled into him. “He’s kicking.” She whispered, and he eagerly put both his hands on her, smiling widely.

“He just might be a famous soccer play with those kicks!” he exclaimed gleefully, and Yusra laughed.

“How is Sarah doing by the way? SubhanAllah I’ve been meeting to call her but I keep forgetting.”

“Mustafa said she is good. Apparently Hani is a screamer, and the other day Hawa started complaining that she didn’t want a baby brother anymore.”

Yusra laughed.

“Are you worried how Kareem will handle the new baby?”

“I think he will be okay. He has so many cousins that he is used to being around other children.”

“Yes but right now he is the baby.”

“No, Hani is the baby.”

“Oh. That’s true.” She said with a grin. “But he’s only been around him twice before. I still think he will have a hard time.”

“InshaAllah he won’t. We will prepare him. Maybe have Mustafa and Sarah over for dinner tomorrow with the kids? Let Kareem be around the baby?”

“Sounds good.” She said with a smile, and he bent to brush his lips across her cheek. They sat quietly for a few seconds, when suddenly her eyes widened, and she gave a gasp, pressing her hands against her stomach.

“Amir? Amir oh my God. My water just broke.”

His eyes widened, and he looked at her in surprise before he jumped up.

“I’ll call Hana!”