Unexpected But Mine

chapter-24

The room hummed with peace. Shaheer sat at the tea table, laptop balanced before him, eyes quietly focused on numbers and projections. Emira lay sprawled on the bed, head partially buried under the blanket, her fingers lazily scrolling through her phone screen, occasionally whispering complaints about maternity clothing ads and slow-loading pages.

A knock echoed softly on the door.
Before either of them could respond, Ahmed cracked it open and peeked in.

“Am I interrupting the royal couple’s precious alone time?” he asked, stepping in with that ever-so-familiar teasing smirk.
Shaheer didn’t look up.

“If it were precious, we would’ve locked the door.”

“Rude,” Ahmed muttered, plopping down onto the chair beside Shaheer and glancing at Emira with a sly smile. “I actually came to talk about something serious.”

That got both their attention.
Shaheer paused typing. Emira, now halfway out from under the blanket, looked up, phone dropping to her lap.

Ahmed’s usual teasing expression had shifted—still playful, but with an undertone of genuine intent.

“There’s this girl…” he began, eyes darting awkwardly to the floor for a second before returning to them.

“You both know about her. I’ve liked her for a while. She’s… not someone I thought I’d fall for, but I have. And now it looks like she’s going to get engaged.”

Shaheer gave him a long, unimpressed look. “Another one? Do you want a spreadsheet made for all your past serious interests?”

Ahmed shot him a glare. “No. This one's real. I don’t want to miss my chance. I’m telling you—I need Ammi to go talk to her family before it’s too late.”

He turned to Emira, leaning forward a bit like a schoolboy seeking a co-conspirator. “Please convince Ammi. She listens to you more than she listens to either of us. If you say it’s serious, she’ll believe it.”

Emira’s eyes widened as she shot upright, blanket falling off her shoulders. “Wait—that girl? The one from the hospital staff?”

Ahmed nodded, hopeful.
Before Emira could reply, Shaheer suddenly lunged and smacked Ahmed lightly at the back of his neck, pulling him into a half-headlock. “You flirtatious disaster, how do we even know you’re not just charmed by her eye-rolls at your bad jokes?”

“Ow—Shaheer, I swear this is different!” Ahmed wrestled out of his grip with exaggerated effort. “I’ve grown. I’m serious!”

“Exactly,” Shaheer retorted dryly. “You grow into one crush and fall out of another. What’s next, you’re going to propose with a meme?”

“Actually,” Ahmed grinned, rubbing his neck, “I had a good meme picked out.”

Emira couldn’t hold back a laugh. “I’ll talk to Ammi,” she said, softening. “But only if you promise to behave like an actual adult about it. No sending poetry in emojis.”

Ahmed grinned wide. “Deal.”
He stood up and smoothed his shirt, glancing toward the door.
“But seriously, thanks. Both of you.”

Shaheer shook his head, eyes amused now.

As Ahmed turned to leave, he paused by Emira’s side. Without a word, he held out his fist.

She bumped her knuckles against his with a small smile.
And just before exiting, Ahmed added with a smirk, “By the way, bhai—your wife’s on my side now. You officially lost home court advantage.”