The Truest Soldier-Islamic Life Story

Epilogue2

A/N#1: This is what would happen if Asima lived after being shot. :)

"Adam," Nakia suggested, scratching her head, although she wore a hijab since Zaen was in the room.

"Fernando," Jasmine, Nakia's four year old daughter, declared. She received three confused looks. "That's the name of the superhero on TV but he's not a superhero until after past his bedtime!"

"Zaen sounds like a great name," Zaen said, grinning. "You can change up the spelling so you won't confuse me and the kid." Asima rolled her eyes.

"I am think I'll name him Adil," she said, biting her lip. The two nodded thoughtfully. "Hey, hand over those cookies," Asima said, stretching over to the table. Zaen swiped the plate of chocolate cookies from her. "Zaen!"

"Eating unhealthy foods while pregnant isn't a good thing," he said seriously. Asima scoffed.

"And you'd know this how, Doctor Zaen?" He shrugged, biting into one of the cookies.

"Fine," she muttered, sitting back into the sofa. Nakia watched the two, frowning a bit.

"You guys are way too friendly with each other," she noted. Zaen and Asima looked at each other and then back to Nakia.

"I think its called friendship," Asima said. "It happens when you spend a war together."

"I hope that's the only thing you two shared together," Nakia replied warily. Asima shook her head. What was with older sisters and perfection?

Maybe she and Zaen had met the wrong way, maybe they're close freindship had evolved through haram intentions, and maybe she did commit wrong by placing herself among so many men, but what could it matter when she repented for it every waking day of her life after coming back?

"Hey, Asima, don't tell her about the night of June of '13. I think she'd have a heart attack," Zaen whispered in an unnaturally high voice. Asima grinned at her older sister's horrified face, leaning slightly closer to Zaen.

"Yeah? She thinks sitting next to each other's bad!"

"You two are so haram!" Nakia cried, a hand over her heart. "I hope your husband knows about this!"

"He knows the full extent of it," Zaen agreed. Nakia gasped, making Asima laugh. That night was one of the better days of her recovery. Asima smiled absently at the thought, her hands curling around the inner part of her thigh.

"If you guys are lying cut it out!" Nakia said angrily. Jasmine, seeing that she was no longer the center of attention, stole the cookie plate and hid it and herself under the table. "I'm leaving if you two can't grow up," Nakia replied to their smug grins.

"Well you'd have to find Jasmine first. I don't see her here," Zaen said, looking around the room. "And anyway, weren't you going to wait for your brother-in-law to show up?"

Just as Nakia shrugged, the doorbell rang. Jasmine, leaving the cookies underneath the table, rushed out to meet the visitor.

"Uncle CC!" she yelled, using the nickname she head her aunt refer to him as, and jumped into his open arms. He laughed, picking her up.

"Well hello, Jasmine. Have you been a good girl?" She nodded enthusiastically. "Good because I got you a gift." Jasmine squealed in delight, clapping her hands. "I'll give it to you once everything's unpacked."

Zaen stood up, shaking CC's hand before helping bring in his luggage. "I trust that you're here for me, Zaen, and not to steal my wife, right?" he asked, grinning in Asima's direction.

"Yes, sir," Zaen replied, saluting.

CC walked over to her, kissing her head. Asima smiled, scooting over to let him sit beside her with Jasmine comfortingly on his lap.

"Nakia, Assalamualaikum," he said, nodding in her direction. Nakia straightened and greeted him back. CC then instructed Zaen where to find Jasmine's gift. As Zaen searched for it, there was a moment of silence before Asima spoke up.

"Hey, CC, I have to tell you something," she started.

"Yeah?"

"I'm, well, we're–"

"Aunty's gonna have a baby," Jasmine said for her, smiling. She then scampered off CC's lap to chase after Zaen, who had run with her gift in hand. Nakia, taking Zaen's hint, excused herself. CC's eyes widened and he looked at Asima for confirmation.

She gave him a sheepish smile. "What she said."

"Wow," he said, looking stunned. "A baby. Wow." His gaze instinctively dropped to her abdomen, although her loose clothes covered the shape. "How long?"

"Seventeen weeks," Asima answered.

"Do you know if it's a boy or girl yet?"

"They say it's going to be a boy," Asima said. "But I'll have to check again since it could be too early."

There was a stretch of silence.

"Wow, I can't believe it," CC said at last, leaning forward to kiss her. "Too early for a name?"

"I was thinking of Adil," Asima murmured, drawing back. "No better way to remember him, right?"

"His middle name should be Zaen!" Zaen shouted, walking into the room again with Jasmine in his arms. She was playing with a princess wand and wearing a small tiara. "Just think: Adil Zaen Atara. Brilliant!"

"Leave our baby alone," Asima retorted. CC just grinned, kissing Asima's temple. Her nose wrinkled. "CC, did you shower?" When he didn't reply immediately, Asima pushed back from him. "Go take a shower and pray. I'll make dinner. We can talk about this later. Oh, and we need to find Zaen a wife, CC. He's dying to have a baby of his own and name it after himself."

A/N#2: So how was this version? It was my first epilogue before I changed it!