Changing His Ways

Chapter Eighteen

CHAPTER | EIGHTEEN | UMAYMAH | POV

Shoaib and I both wave goodbye to both families from the door and watched them speed home in their cars. It had been two hours since we came back from the wedding, two hours since I asked if the little girl, Laila, wanted to stay with us.

Both families had been surprised and not to mention the shock on Shoaib's face when I went looking for him. Since we had come home with Laila and her aunt, we had constantly been discussing if this was the right thing to do. I was only 17 and Shoaib 18 but that didn't mean we were incapable of such a thing.

It took a whole load of convincing from her aunt and our families to let Laila stay overnight with us. Laila however, happily ran in the house with her curls bouncing up and down, claiming that she was excited to be with her mom again.

That's when everyone saw the seriousness of the situation. She already saw me as her mom and no one could deny how heartbroken she would feel if separated again.

"I think we should go check on her." I suggested to Shoaib and he gave me a bid to proceed upstairs.

As we walked upstairs to the spare bedroom I couldn't help but remember how silent my husband had been throughout this whole arrangement. It was surprising how he stood up for me though and said he didn't mind looking after Laila.

Before we could open the door to her room, I turned around to face Shoaib, "are you okay with this?" I had to know what he thought of this and that he wasn't just doing this because I wanted to.

"Of course. I've always wanted a kid and now we get one with no hassle." He teased and shoved my shoulder as he opened the door, leaving me to smile like a fool.

Inside the room was light since Laila didn't like the dark. In the middle of the double bed that was too big, slept Laila with her curls spread out on the pillows and one thumb in her slightly opened mouth. The sight was adorable.

Gently I moved over to her side to try and wake her up. She needed some food in her like the rest of us did.

"Laila, baby wake up." She must have been a light sleeper because within the next few seconds her eyelids started to flutter open, showing her green orbs.

For a minute she just stared at me and Shoaib, but also looked around the room as if trying to figure out where she was. Her nose crinkled which must've meant she was confused.

"Baby are you okay?" I asked a bit worriedly at her.

Her eyes snapped back to mine and it was just in time that I caught her smiling before she lunged herself at me, making me lose my balance and fall on my back on the bed. From behind us Shoaib's laughter could be heard and I couldn't help but smile.

"Mommy." Was all Laila said before I picked her up and settled her on my hips.

"We're going to go eat now. What would Laila like?" Laila looked at Shoaib in thought before finally speaking up.

"I want spaghetti! With those balls and sauce like mommy always makes them. Can we have that, please?"

"Of course we can. Come here." Shoaib took her in his arms and she happily settled her face in the crook of his neck.

The two of them began going down the stairs, talking about how they wanted their spaghetti while all I could do was watch them. Before I could go down with them, I needed to change out of my attire and something more...comfortable. There was also a problem with finding something for Laila.

Going into our own room, I began stripping off the dress, careful not to ruin any detail of it. If it wasn't the fact that I now had a daughter, this day might have gone a little smoother with less arguments and confusion. But hey, what's an Arab family with no drama?