Better Late Than Never

Bonus Scenes: Part 2

Two years and six months after Zoya's birth...

Zoya stormed into the living room, demanding her father's attention. "Ajua'nni (I am hungry)!"

The conversations in the living room ceased immediately and all men turned to the little one who stopped right by her father. Ayman smiled amusedly, reaching out to hold her little hand. "Anti jua'anni? (You're hungry?)"

Zoya nodded, smiling back at him. "Aju'anni."

Hayder, who sat beside Ayman, chuckled before he asked. "Shw bidak takuli, ya bint alju'anni? (What do you want to eat then, hungry girl?).

Zoya beamed. "Hummoosh!"

The reply was so unexpected that they all laughed which caused her to smile even more. Ayman found his voice first. "Hummus?"

Zoya got even closer to him. "Halib (Milk)."

Adil was nearly crying. "Halib?"

Zoya nodded, not looking away from her father who laughed as quietly as possible. "Halib. Halib, Baba!"

Ayman told himself to stop laughing but it was hard. "Ma fiki takhidi hummus wa halib, Tinkerbell (You can't take Hummus and milk)."

Zoya shook her head, certain of what she wanted. "Halib!"

"Halib, hik? Laka khalas halib? (Milk, is that it? Just milk?)" Ayman asked.

She nodded, taking a step back. "Bas!"

The men laughed again, repeating the word. Undisturbed, Zoya raised a hand, her grin blinding while curls framed her beautiful face. "Bas!"

Six minutes later, she sat between her father's leg with a small carton of sweetened milk in one hand and a chocolate cookie in the other. Hammad went on to mimic her earlier statements and that was all it took for the men – Ayman included – to laugh all over again.

♠

Two years after Iyad's birth...

As soon as home classes ended for the day and her teacher left, Zoya all but ran to the living room where Iyad sat on the centre rug, playing with his learning cards that had shapes and their names printed in maroon red against a white background.

Once she'd said hi to her mother and father in the kitchen, Zoya grinned and lay on her stomach on the rug, right in front of Iyad. "Hi, Sayf."

Iyad beamed at the sight of her and went on to grab a few cards. He moved even closer, determined. Zoya watched, amusedly – just like their father would, as Iyad grabbed the first card and turned it towards her.

"What ischitt?"

Ayman and Ayra glanced at each other before they turned to their children, watching as Zoya laughed before she said "Rectangle."

Iyad smiled proudly and out the card aside. "Good job."

Zoya laughed some more while Ayra and Ayman exchanged stunned looks and continued watching the scene play out. Iyad grabbed another card and flashed it in front of his sister. "What ischitt?"

Zoya made a guess based on the little she'd seen. "Rhombus?"

Iyad had never looked so offended. "No!"

Ayra had to snort and Zoya playfully face palmed when Iyad turned the card towards her once again. She nodded. "Diamond."

Iyad nodded, his smile returning as he put the card aside. "Good job." His voice was so soft and heavenly. "This isch a diamond. Ischn't a rhombus, this isch a diamond."

Ayra had to turn and bury her face in her husband's chest as she laughed as quietly as possible. Ayman laughed too. Her lips rolled in, Zoya watched as Iyad grabbed the next card and showed it to her. "What isch this?!"

"A star."

"A schtarrrrr. Good job...What isch this?!"

"Square."

"Good job..."

Back and forth, the siblings went until Ayra and Ayman called them over to have lunch. Both of them – Zoya and Iyad – all but rushed over. The family of four sat by the breakfast nook; a new addition to the recently extended kitchen. Ayman perched Iyad on his laps and smiled at the younger one. "You're being a lecturer already, huh?"

Iyad grabbed the first cucumber slice he could reach and held it out. "Circle!"

Chuckling, Ayra nodded. "A circle." She handed Zoya a plate of chips and chicken. "You're so smart."

Zoya nodded, grinning. "He is." She then smiled bashfully. "I am smart too."

Ayra nodded without any hesitation. "The smartest of them all." She leaned in, patting the younger one's cheek until she – Zoya – giggled. "You're my very own Albert Einstein."

Zoya grinned once again. "Yes!"

Ayman could only laugh, shaking his head at home. Both his women – as he always called them – blushed and went on to eat their meals. They were rounding up when the doorbell rang. A moment later, Faris's voice was clearly heard. "Zoya Lily Hakeem Bello! I came with Khaled!"

Zoya, her eyes wide, dropped her chicken drumstick and got off her chair with a speed that shouldn't have been possible for her little body. She ran out of the kitchen and straight to the foyer, leaving a glaring Ayman and a laughing Ayra.

On the front porch, Faris grinned when the door went open. "Hi, Zoya."

"Hi!" She blushed when he stepped aside, revealing a shyly smiling Khaled who held a single lily in his hand. "Hi, Khaled."

Khaled shifted from one foot to the other, his cheeks rosy. "H-hi."

Faris snorted, sounding so much like his mother when he said "God abeg."

At the gate, Adil and Ibrahim walked in front of Mayah and Ibtihaj who caught up on the latest gossip they'd each gotten hold of since the last time they saw each other. Back in the kitchen, Ayra laughed harder when Ayman swore under his breath to kill Faris and Khaled.

Iyad looked up at his father and smiled, a splitting image of Ayra. "I love you, Baba."

Ayman melted, momentarily pushing all thoughts of murder to a corner. He leaned in and kissed his son's head. "I love you too, Iyad. Fid-dunya wal akhirah In Shaa Allah."

The End (For real this time).