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

Priorities

Valentines Day special! Enjoy all my lovelies and hope things are going well for everyone! Thanks for reading, vote and comment x 

And since the news is out, I will say it here too. The next story in the series is Ali's (a fan favourite apparently :P) and this story will be wrapping up after another 10 chapters or so... maybe, not sure how many more chapters are left but be prepared for the next one :D 

I woke up the next morning with the expected pounding in my head and a pain in my stomach. I took a hot shower and took some medication for the cramps. It was only 8 but Yusuf wasn't in bed.

I head downstairs but the house was empty; not a person in sight. I put a bagel in the toaster and sat down with my head on the counter. The pain in my stomach could be numbed but this migraine wouldn't go away so easily.

"Good morning babe," Zinat bhabhi walked into the kitchen with her laptop in her hand. "Everything okay Inayah?" she said, noticing my form.

"Period," I mumbled and she nodded understandingly.

"Is that why you guys left early last night?" she asked, cutting up an apple. I nodded against the cold marble. It felt good against my temple.

"Where is everyone?" I forced myself to sit up and be a little civil.

"Kismat was feeling really sick so Zayed took her to the doctor's. Aisha bhabhi took Sufyan to the park because he was still crying about his stiches. Ali and the rest have gone out for a run and Yusuf said he's going to the office with Mizan bhai. He didn't tell you?"

I shook my head. "He probably didn't want to wake you," she smiled as if he did me a favour. I just nodded along with her. God knows what would happen now.

------

He came home at dinner time with Mizan bhai, not a text or call all day. I had just begun to fold laundry when he came into the room. He went straight to the bathroom and came out in his pyjamas. I didn't notice him come up behind me and then sit down on the bed beside my basket.

"We need to talk," he started.

"Now you want to talk?" I muttered, folding a shirt of mine a bit too aggressively.

He ignored my PMS-infused bitching and continued. "I spoke with Mizan bhai and he cut me a deal."

I looked at him with a hand to my head. "What wrong?" his face softened and he stood up. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah, just period pains," I answered him quietly. He sat me down on the bed and leaned down in front of me.

"I'm sorry Inayah," he looked down at the floor. "No matter what, I shouldn't have acted like that. But you really hurt me," he admitted, looking into my eyes now.

"I'm sorry too. But I did what I had to do-"

"I know that now. Mizan bhai told me everything and I know now that you had to keep this from me. But he proposed something else to me," he took my hands into his and held them in my lap.

"What?"

"We both work on this hotel. Whoever they think deserves it at the end will get the position."

I let that work through my head. Both of us, fighting for one position, and only one of us would get it.

"That sounds like an awful idea," I told him.

"It is. But we both have worked our entire lives for this. If the opportunity is here, I don't want to let it pass."

"And when it inevitably gets in the way of us?" I challenged his useless optimism.