Jannah. [SEQUEL TO DAWUD]

Chapter 54: Pancakes!

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

If the time of prayer has been called and you haven't prayed before reading this, please do so.

Muna's P.O.V

I skipped out of the washroom and made my way to the kitchen. It was around ten in the morning on a Wednesday, one of the few days I get the see my husband before Dhuhr time. He gave away his mornings to the 'Gym Life', as he put it. But on Wednesdays, we had breakfast together. And because of this, it was my favourite day of the week.

My husband was leaning over the counter, flipping a pancake in deep concentration. I rubbed a hand against his firm back gently. He smiled and turned to face me. 'Good morning, Princess.' He whispered, kissing my forehead.

'Good morning.' I returned, grinning at him.

Akhlaaq and I were remarkably distinct people. Normally, you wouldn't pair the quietest girl in the room with the guy whose shirt was close to tearing at the seams - with muscle of course. You would think that the introverted nurse would marry someone just like her, and have introverted kids and a quiet home. But I just had to bend the rules. I smiled to myself now, causing my husband to question my strange behaviour. He grilled another pancake.

'I'm just... thinking about how we ended up together.' I explained. His caramel eyes filled with a fog of confusion. 'You know...' I elaborated, 'You don't usually hear about an Extroverted Gym Junkie and Introverted Nurse falling in love.'

Akhlaaq tossed his head back, laughing playfully. His light locks tickled the back of his neck as he nodded in agreement. 'It all happened so suddenly, wouldn't you agree?' The memory of us stealing glances at one another in the university hallways fogged my mind. I hated how much attention he got from other girls, but I loved the feeling that he possibly had eyes only for me. He wasn't looking at anyone else. 'I'll never forget your face when I showed up at your house. You almost fell down the stairs when you saw me.' Akhlaaq teased, flipping the pancake. I shook my head, laughing with him.

'You still haven't told me who gave you my father's number! You're lucky I was headed to work and was wearing a hijab that day!'

He nodded. 'Yeah, or else I would've married you right then and there.' Akhlaaq said calmly, stroking my face. 'Too beautiful for this world.'

We kissed, interrupted only by the smell of burning pancakes. He removed the pan from the grill and we giggled against one another, laced in a tight hug. 'Are you happy?' I asked him. He didn't answer for a while.

'You're someone who completes me. Guys don't usually like to talk about their feelings but... I'll let you in on a little secret.' I bit my lip in anticipation. 'I think for a long time, I took advantage of improving my outward appearance by getting fit and looking good, to hide how empty I was on the inside. I didn't have a deep and intimate connection with anyone. It was all surface-level and shallow. No one knew the things in my life that hurt me, or the challenges I've had to overcome. Except maybe Dawud. But I can't marry him.' I rolled my eyes at their extreme bromance. 'When I met you, I saw the potential for a relationship I've never had before. I could finally drop the facade and be my authentic self. And be accepted for that. And be loved for that. It was scary deciding to start a relationship I've never had before, but it's the best decision Allah has guided me to make. And I thank him every day for bringing you into my life.'

My eyes pricked with tears as he seized me even tighter. I was sandwiched between his chest and arm muscles. He asked me the same question.

'Of course. I've never been loved this way before.' I explained. 'You and I both come from pretty quiet homes. There wasn't much love or expression in either one of our families growing up. But here, with you, I feel loved, every moment of every day. And I'm valued just for being myself. I don't have to do anything special, I just have to be me, and you accept me, and you love me. And it feels like nothing else in this world.' I managed to iterate. My throat grew tight as I resumed. 'I'm so glad that you and I waited for a halal relationship because I can feel the blessings of Allah in everything that we do. Everyone knows you as the crazy one, and I as the calm one, but here, in this little apartment, you have your moments of stillness and relaxation, without any expectations put over your head. And I can have my little bursts of insanity and excitement without judgement. And it's beautiful.' I finished, wiping away the burning tears streaming down my cheeks.

My husband pulled away, bending forward slightly to meet my eyes. 'I love you Muna.' He whispered.

I laughed, hiding my face.

'I love you, Akhlaaq.'

Jannah's P.O.V

It was a beautiful Wednesday morning. My husband just returned from the mosque after praying Fajr and spending a few more hours reading Quran. I had warm pancakes stacked on top of one another, paired with a beautiful display of fruits and juice! I was a sucker for a nice, aesthetic breakfast display. Dawud shook the snow off his coat and hung it in the closet. 'Good morning Habibti.' He croaked, voice still laced with raspy fatigue. I bit my bottom lip, skipping towards him.

'Good morning Dawdie!' I returned, far more enthusiastically. He pulled me in for a hug, and then slowly peeled himself away. His beautifully arched eyebrow watched me suspiciously and then made its way to the table.

'Ah, coffee.' He whispered. 'My little addict.' He added, pinching my cheek. I laughed, squeezing him tighter. 'Let's eat.'

Dawud placed my plate in front of me, followed by a fork and spoon. I cheered happily as he sat next to me. 'How are you?' He asked me with a grin. I ran a hand through his thick hair and sent him a thumbs up with the other. The rising sun lit up our white apartment like a candle, and everything was a saturated yellow. Except for his eyes. They were always unwaveringly jade.

'Blessed.' I whispered, for just us to hear. We both ate from the food in front of us. The air was quiet but filled with love. We looked at one another from time to time and beamed. 'You're my person, Dawud.' I told him. He put his fork down and slipped his hand under the table, pulling my chair closer to him with ease. I blushed. He tossed an arm around my shoulder and looked at me through his dark eyelashes.

'And you're mine.' He said, after kissing me softly. I leaned my head against his shoulder. 'Oh, by the way,' He started. I knew my husband very well and could tell that his tone was slightly guilty of something.

'What did you do?' I asked accusingly, fighting back a smile.

'I hope you don't have a busy weekend because your sister is having a gender reveal party.' He said sheepishly. I blinked a few times, in awe. How did he know this before I did?

'How did you... never mind. Who is going to be there?' I asked. He was quiet for a moment. I knew that the guest list extended beyond my expectations from the nervous smile on his face.

'Well... you know... your parents... Abdallah's family... Akhlaq... Warsan and Muna.' He paused, biting his lip. 'And my parents.'

I gulped. 'Both... your parents.. in the same room?' I managed to squeak. He nodded, sharing my worried expression.

'Abdallah thought it would be nice to put them in the same space. What surprised me was that they agreed! Guess they're excited about the baby.'

My jaw was on the floor. We stared at each other in silence. 'Well, I'm glad your parents are more civil than mine were.' I joked to ease the tension. He chuckled with me and for a moment it all felt okay.

Ya Allah, I prayed. Please make it go smoothly. And please let them have a baby girl, I secretly hoped with a smile.