Destined Hearts

Chapter 54

Madeenah's POV

I haven't seen Muhammad since early this morning after our conversation. I've been working to edit my defense and practice for the presentation. I also had to add a few finishing touches to my project.

It's been tiring but I needed the distraction. So many things are happening right now and I can't deal with all of it at once.

I do love Muhammad. I've been in love with him for quite a while now. But I know sometimes love isn't enough. Not always. There has to be trust and respect for anything to work. And no matter how much I want to trust Muhammad, I know that I don't. Not right now.

He's broken his promises. He lied to me. He broke my heart. And I was already naive enough to give it to him the first time around but not anymore. Not when it's more than just me. I have a baby to think about and he's more important.

I rub my eyes and my stomach when I feel it turn. I haven't eaten since morning and the baby is making me suffer for it. I shut off my laptop and head downstairs to find some food. It's just about 3pm so I can start lunch.

I stop in my tracks right before I enter the kitchen because I can smell cooking from behind the closed door.

I push open the swinging door and step into the kitchen to find Muhammad leaning over the stove, stirring something in the pot.

"What are you doing?" I ask him from the doorway.

He turns sharply to look at me. "Cooking lunch. I'm almost done." He says before turning back to the pot.

"Why?" I ask moving towards the island.

"You need to eat. I also need to. And that baby of our needs to also." He dips the spatula into the stew he's making and passes it to me to taste.

I pause at the normalcy of his behavior before extending my palm. He drips the stew onto my palm. It's not too hot so I taste it.

"It's really good." I nod at him. "But it's not your usual spice level though." I ask as I sit on the bar stool.

"You can't have spicy food Madeenah." Muhammad shakes his head as he turns back to the pot.

"What about you?" I ask.

"I guess I also can't have spicy food too." He shrugs.

I snort. "You're not the one pregnant."

"Yeah but my wife is." His voice is full of possession that I can't even ignore it. He gives me a loaded look before switching off the fire.

I help him in serving it into the containers then we carry it over to the dining table. We set the table and he makes sure we are sitting on the same side. He ignores the side eye I give him.

He pulls out the chair for me and then sits beside me. This time around he's the one who serves me. I even have to stop him before he overfills my plate.

"It's not just you. You're eating for two." He says then serves himself.

"I know that Muhammad. This is still a lot for me."

"Eat as much as you can then I'll take the rest."

"You're so stubborn." I mutter even as I take a bite.

"Look who's talking." He mutters back just loud enough for me to hear.

"You're the one making me eat more than I can handle."

"You're small Madeenah. If you aren't healthy then the pregnancy will take a toll on you." Muhammad says all so reasonable and I don't know why but it irks me.