Modesty Is Beauty

A Blessing

"Auntie?" Waniya called as she knocked on her aunt's bedroom door. She was feeling contractions since morning but as this was her first baby so she wasn't sure if it was real labour or not. She had felt this kind of pain before as well even when Fareed was alive but nothing happened so she was confused.

She felt a painful tug at her heart when she recalled how Fareed got excited when she told him she was having contractions. She even remembered his face when the contractions stopped and her aunt told her that it was just braxton hicks contractions and not real labour. He was so excited to see his baby but fate had something else in store for both of them.

"Waniya, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard her aunt's concerned voice. That's when she realized that she was crying standing right in front of her aunt's bedroom. She wiped her tears and smiled weakly at her aunt.

"It's nothing auntie. I just wanted to ask you something." She said hoping her aunt would forget she was crying.

"Come inside." Her aunt told her as she moved out of the way letting her in.

Waniya sat down on her bed and interlaced her fingers. She didn't know if she was sad or excited. When she thought about her baby, she got excited but the thoughts of her baby's father made her sad.

"What is it, dear?" Her aunt asked putting her hand on her interlaced fingers. She looked at her aunt and answered.

"I think I am having contractions auntie."

"Is that why you were crying?" Her aunt asked and she shook her head. Since Fareed's death, she had been closer to her aunt more than her own mother. They would talk for hours about Fareed trying not to cry as they talk about him.

"I was thinking how excited Fareed would have got if he was alive." She said and bit her lip in order to stop the tears which threatened to come out.

"Don't worry Waniya. Just pray that may Allah forgive his sins and grant him a better place in Jannah. In'shaa'Allah you both will unite in Jannah." Her aunt said englufing her in a hug.

She mumbled In'shaa'Allah as she hugged her aunt back letting the tears flow. Just then she felt another contraction and hissed. The contractions were becoming stronger.

"Are they too strong?" Her aunt asked gently grabbing her shoulders and creating some space between them.

"No, but they are getting stronger as the time progresses." She told.

"I shall get your hospital bag, something to eat and put it in the car. We should leave as soon as your water breaks or if the pain becomes unbearable. When did the contractions start?" Her aunt asked as she stood up to gather the things.

"In the morning at about 8." Waniya told and her aunt's eyes went wide.

"It's been five hours and you are telling me now." Asma huffed shaking her head at how careless Waniya was and left the room to make something to eat for her daughter in law. Waniya smiled looking at her. Her aunt was taking care of her since Fareed's death because when he was alive, she didn't have to worry about Waniya as Fareed was always there for her making sure she eats properly and after every few hours.

Waniya rubbed her tummy missing the time when Fareed used to do that just to feel the baby move. It was painful for Waniya because the baby was getting bigger and Waniya's tummy didn't have enough space for the baby to do somersaults. She couldn't even tell Fareed to stop because she loved seeing the smile on his face whenever the baby moved.

"How I wish you were here Fareed. I never thought you wouldn't be there to see the baby you were so excited about." A tear escaped her eye and she quickly wiped it not wanting her mother in law to see her crying again. She would get worried and Waniya didn't want that.