Malika Bashir had a darkened view of the world. Ibrahim Ahmad refused to see anything but the light.
Soon, a friend from the past appears at Ibrahim's doorstep and a mysterious set of letters are left in his bedroom. Old conflicts are raised and ne...
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1 year later
The first year of marriage was overwhelming to say the least. Malika left behind everything she knew and moved in with a new family. Ibrahim had to learn to navigate the new responsibilities entrusted upon him. They both had to learn to live with each other.
The couple decided to ditch their honeymoon and save up money for their own apartment instead. As Malika put it, honeymoons were so overrated anyways.
Ibrahim never imagined he would consider moving from home and get his own place. He loved living with his family and has never known any other way. But six months into their marriage, he could tell his mother still couldn't accept Malika from the heart. It was heartbreaking from his end, but this was the reality he had to accept and learn to deal with.
"We don't have to move," Malika said at first. "This relationship is new for everyone. With time, I believe, we'll all learn to adjust."
He knew she was reluctant to move for the sake of his happiness. He knew she was willing to try and adjust for his sake.
They went back and forth a few times. But Ibrahim ultimately decided living separately was needed if peace was to be maintained in the long run. So after months worth of debates, they started looking for an apartment.
They found a place they could see building a life in. A week before they were supposed to leave home, Malika came to him and said, "Well, I don't think we have any option but to delay our move now."
Ibrahim was in the midst of writing an email. He looked up, brows furrowed. "Why? Don't tell me it's because you'll miss Dahlia barging into our house at odd hours of the day," he quipped.
"Only partially," she said as her eyes danced playfully. "Mostly because your sisters were just starting to show me your baby pictures."
He let out a sigh. "This is getting out of hand. Now we're moving as soon as possible, before all six of you decide to gang up on me."
Malika lets out a chuckle in response. "I was joking." She leans forward and clutches his hand, his attention now fully on her as his email sat half written. "I don't think it would be a wise idea to move because I'm pregnant."
He was overjoyed. He embraced her, gave her a kiss on the forehead and then wasted no time in barging into Dahlia's house in the middle of the night to break the news to his sisters.
There were lots of surprised shrieks and tears involved. They stayed up celebrating until late into the night.
"I hope the baby, regardless of gender, gets your eyes," he told Malika under his breath as his sisters chatted in the background.
