One Way or Another (Al-Ameen Family #2)

Prologue

Ahhhh another one!!! Really hope you guys enjoy and love this one as much as Through the Dark! Comment and let me know how it is so far :)

Inayah

I turned the stove off and poured the soup into a big bowl. Music coming from the living room told me that X Factor was back from commercial so I hurried to cuddle back into the couch with dinner. Once again, I checked my phone but still no reception. Seemed the storm was really interfering with phone signals and so I had no way of calling my aunt tonight.

Thank God for the Al-Ameen boys otherwise I'd still had been walking in the rain looking for a cab or a bus or even a bike to get me home.

Right as the show was coming to a close, my phone rang. It was Shabnam Chachi.

"Salam chachi," I lowered the volume of the telly.

"Salam Inayah. I've been trying to get a hold of you for hours but the damn phone wouldn't work," she sighed, frustrated.

"Same here. But I got home an hour ago. Actually, the people who interviewed me gave me a ride home," I played with the hem of my t-shirt as I relayed what happened.

"Alhamdullilah they were there then. Otherwise you'd still be out in this weather. So you think it went well?"

"Yeah Inshallah. They've called me back for a follow up since the eldest son was in a meeting during the interview. I'm going back Tuesday," I told her happily.

"I'm so happy Inayah. Quit that other job of yours now and make some good money so you can come out here to me," she gave me here regular quip.

"Inshallah chachi, soon. I'll let you go now, I'm beat."

"Okay, Allahafiz. Take care love," she said softly before putting it down. I made an extra prayer that night to thank God for getting me home safe and prayed that this interview on Tuesday went well.

I would get this job and move out of this tiny apartment and finally straighten out my life. I would do it against all odds.

Yusuf

I was sure the house was going to tip over. And if the wind kept at the pace it was going now, I'd have to take Sufyan and hide in the basement. Bhabhi winced again when the thunder cracked loud enough that Sufyan stirred in his sleep.

"Hun, can you try again?" she asked me. I dialled Mizan bhai's number once more but it didn't go through, just like the first seven times. Ali's snores filled the room as I looked to Bhabhi expectedly.

"Ya Allah keep them safe," she muttered a prayer under her breath, again, and covered Ali with a blanket.

The storm began earlier this evening but took power around 10, before Mizan or Zayed could get home.

Kismat and Zinat Bhabhi came into the room, Kismat Bhabhi with her phone in her hands and she glanced at the door before sitting down beside me. "Mom called. She said the storm's going on all night," Zinat bhabhi sighed.

My phone buzzed. I opened my screen to see Omar's text. "They're on their way home," I told the ladies. There were hushed sighs of relief and Aisha bhabhi got up, presumably to warm up dinner. Zinat bhabhi followed while Kismat bhabhi left to go to the bathroom. I was left with the two sleeping boys and after a couple seconds of watching them, my eyelids started to feel heavy too.

My brothers came a couple minutes later. The shuffling of Mizan, Omar, Zayed and Ayaan entering the house caused Sufyan to stir and so I took him up to his room. When I came back downstairs, I could hear them all talking from the kitchen. Their conversation reached my ears before I did and I unconsciously slowed down my steps as I approached them.

"Yeah the poor girl was stuck with us the entire time. She was going to take the bus home so we dropped her on the way. She might be the one we end up choosing. She was good," Omar said.

"She was top of her class and already has strong experience handling a bed and breakfast. No wonder Dad seems set on her," Zayed agreed. When I came into view they all stopped, save the small mashallah from Aisha bhabhi as she head over to the sink.

I sat down beside Ayaan and the conversation turned to me. First year of my masters under my belt, I was more than disappointed to hear their conversations. I deserved this job. I graduated with honours in my bachelors, I've been working with Mizan and Omar since I started university and I was a part of this family. All my brothers got their fair share after they worked hard. I deserved to get mine too.

And some girl wasn't going to come and take that away from me.