Falling Innocently

Chapter 27 -Surprises

Chapter 27 –Surprises

"O you who believe! You are prohibited to inherit women against their will; and you should not treat them with harshness, that you may take away part of the Mahr you have given them, unless they commit open illegal sex; and live with them honourably. If you dislike them, it may be that you dislike a thing and Allah brings through it a great deal of good."

~Surah An-Nisa, verse 4.

After returning from their honeymoon, a strange feeling enveloped Waliya. She did not speak to Aahil about it, not did she mention it to anyone else in her family. It was a hope that she had, but she doubted she would ever be lucky enough to be blessed with such an honour. Her despair grew deeper two weekends after they had returned from their honeymoon. Waliya was sitting in her jeans and loose fitting t-shirt, working on some advice that had to be delivered to her higher up for a client when she got the call to rush to the hospital.

Changing into an abaya and tying up her scarf as quick as she could, Waliya rushed to get done and call Aahil to let him know where she was going to be. He spewed question after question at her, but with one annoyed, "I don't know!" he finally relented and cut the call.

Disobeying as many rules of the road as there were, Waliya rushed over to the hospital. All the while her heart was beating out a disjointed rhythm as it tried to force itself out of her chest, while her mind conjured up different scenarios of what could have actually happened and to whom.

Her mind seemed disconnected as she parked the car robotically and rushed up the elevator and dialled her mother's number. "Waliya, come to the maternity ward," her mother said cryptically and gave the room number.

With raised eyebrows, Waliya stared at the screen. Her mother's weird behaviour made her panic as she got out of the elevator and ran the other way in an almost crowded hospital to the maternity and paediatric wards. Nearly ten minutes later, Waliya reached the maternity ward her mother told her. Standing outside the ward was her mother and father and her brother in law pacing like cages lions. Waliya greeted them and stood mostly by her mother to find out what was happening.

Two hours later, Waliya was welcomed into the room to see her exhausted sister. Zakia's forehead glistened with sweat, her eyes looked tired with an almost gloss of fatigue. Her usual warm smile spoke of her tiredness, yet deep in her eyes, Waliya saw the happiness and excitement of finally giving birth to her little princess. "Assalaamu alaykum, Waliya," Zakia said, her voice on the edge of sleep. "Meet your niece, Rania Mohamed."

Waliya walked warily to the little clear cot beside Zakia and looked over to see a perfect little bundle wrapped up tightly in a semi-thick pink blanket. An unexplainable emotion overcame her as she stared into little Rania's eyes. An immediate sense of protection enveloped her and she could barely think straight. Want like she has never felt before filled her body. She wanted her own little baby, her own gift from Allah.

A warm, thick arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her against their body. "In Shaa Allah," Aahil whispered into her ear.

Forgetting momentarily about her sister and her new niece in the room, Waliya turned and faced him, her hands automatically flying to his chest, one hand over his heart. Her eyes spoke the words she found difficult to utter. How did you know?

Leaning down, he kissed her forehead and whispered into her ear again, "I could see the way you looked at her, sweet heart." Then, he pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Hold your little niece," he told her and lightly pushed her forward.