Negina | ✔️

Chapter fourty-five "He loved me back?"

There goes the alarm, ringing in my head
-Anne Marie

{~Negina~}

My hand holds Arezo's as we wait for someone to open the door. My breath tightens when Khalid opens the door wearing a familiar black pair of tradition afghan clothes. He notices my dress. I shut my eyes tightly for a second, rewinding old memories, and plaster on a smile as my eyes open.

"Salam." He says, grinning at us. He opens the door wider and let's us in. When Arezo steps in his path he kneels down at her level. She shyly looks down as he chuckles. "Hey princess."

She looks up, slightly replying. "Aezo not your pwincess."

Khalid frowns, "Oh, who's princess are you then?"

She giggles, "Nassew mama's."

"Aw okay then. You'll be my queen, yeah?" Khalid suggests.

"No." Arezo clicks her tongue sassily. "Mama is kween."

Khalid's head falls back as he picks her up and leads us into the living room. I hear his whisper in her ear, "I know she is." And Arezo giggles.

"Mama?" She says from his arms. I hum, looking up at her. "Khalid my Plaara?" She asks.

(daddy?)

I freeze in my spot, unable to process anything that my daughter had just said. "Arezo!" Saiid scolds as he holds out his hands to take her from Khalid's arms. She shakes her head and wraps her arms around Khalid's neck. "Plaara!" She shrieks in anger. She looks down at Khalid for approval.

He smiles, "Khao, graani, za plaara yem." (Yes, honey, it's daddy.)

As we walk in Raihana appears, as well, wearing a pair of cotton salwar clothes. She smiles and does roy machi (double cheek kiss) with me and gives Arezo a loving hug. She smiles at Saiid and leads us to the living room.

We take a seat on the couch and I expect it to be awkward but we slowly make conversation and smooth talk. Raihana leaves, to the kitchen I assumed. She comes back and announces the dinner being ready.

I smile at how responsible looking she is. Just like her mother. Jasmine, she was a one of a kind angel. I remember seeing her all over magazines with Khalid by her side. It was really amazing. And before Khalid was announced as my fiancée, I was really hoping they'd go through.

"Damn, Raihana! This is great!" Saiid comments. I appreciate his enthusiasm but I give him that stare at him use of language. His eyes look guilty for a split second and he looks down at his plate. I look beside me at Arezo who is busy spooning her rice into her mouth.

"Thank you." Raihana smiles shyly. "My dad helped me."

I notice Saiid's eye twitch at 'my dad'. I put my hand on his thigh to tell him to stop. He looks at me for a second and looks back. We soon finish our meals and Raihana starts cleaning up the dishes.

"I'll help you." Saiid offers standing up and grabbing a plate in each hand and following Raihana to the kitchen.

"I hewp!" Arezo notices nothing in her hands and I hand her a cup and she runs after them. I turn back to Khalid who I catch staring at me. "Are you okay?" I ask in Pashto. He nods, "It's just crazy how we're here, together, after all these years."