More To It

Chapter 13- Birthday Surprise

Zaynab

“Look at you growing up”,Fawaz ruffles Yousif’s hair making him let out a laugh.

“So what do you want to do? Todays your day”,I ask him.

“I want to spend time with daddy. Let’s go”,he drags me towards the door but I pull him back.

“Not today Yousif”.

“What? But I always spend my day with daddy”,he frowns.

“Not today. You can spend your day here...with me?“.

“It’s not the same. Me and daddy always play NBA and Just Dance then he shows me new moves on NBA and gives me a present. I have to complete this”,he holds up a set of cars which is missing one more passenger.

“Am sorry Yousif. There’s no visit today”.

He looks up at me with a frown then he walks past me with his shoulders dropped.

“How about we get you a chocolate cake? Will you eat that and pizza?“,I ask him.

“No thanks. Am not hungry”,he replies in a whisper.

“Aww”,The ladies whisper with a frown on their faces.

“I can play NBA with you”,I bend down in front of Yousif.

“It’s okay. I’ll be in my room”.

“Yousif”I frown as he walks up the stairs.

“Yeah?“,he turns around slowly.

“Guess who?“,Fawaz opens the living room door revealing mommy and Abiodun who was just about to.open the door.

“DADDY”,Yousif screams then he starts jumping up and down in one spot with excitement.

Abiodun chuckles and walks in.

“Sup lil man. Happy birthday”,he smiles.

Yousif runs down the steps and races towards Abiodun who picks him up and throws him up in the air earning an excited laughter from Yousif.

“I missed you daddy”,he hugs Abiodun tightly.

“Am doing this for you lil guy. I’ll be out soon yeah? Then we can stay together like before”,Abiodun tells him.

Uh. No you not.

“You promise?“,Yousif asks him.

“Well.....right now I can’t promise you. But we’ll see”.

“MOMMY, THIS IS BEST PRESENT EVER. THANK YOU”,Yousif screams then he runs over to me and hugs me.

“You’re welcome”,I smile and ruffle his hair.

“Daddy, let me introduce you to my new friend. I didn’t like him at first but now he’s my best friend. After you then he’s my best friend”,Yousif tells Abiodun.

“Is that so?“,Abiodun raises an eyebrow then Yousif drags him towards Azeez who hugs Fawaz.

“Daddy, this is Azeez, Azeez say hi to daddy”.

Azeez looks up at Abiodun who raises an eyebrow.

“Hi”,Azeez replies in a tiny whisper.

“He’s just shy daddy. Where’s my present?“,he asks Abiodun.

“You never forget huh”,Abiodun chuckles.

“Hold on, gimme a few minutes, your present will be here soon”,Abiodun tells him.

“What did you get me?“,Yousif asks him, his eyes widens with excitement while he jumps up and down in one spot.

“You’ll see when it gets here”,Abiodun replies with a chuckle then picks up Yousif.

“Okay daddy let’s play NBA now”,he drags Abiodun towards the playroom.

“Why do I feel tense?“,Fawaz whispers.

“I don’t trust him”,Khalid adds.

“He’s trying. Plus he hasn’t dome anything”.

“Why are you suddenly backing him up?“,Khalid looks at me.

“Am just saying. He hasn’t done anything”.

He hums but doesn’t say anything after that.

An hour later

“Okay, Yousif come cut your cake”,I tell him.

“Okay. Mommy come over here, me, you and daddy will cut it together”.

“Uh. You and your dad can cut it”,I tell him.

“Mommyyyyy, come on. It’s my birthday”.

“Okay. Calm”.

I walk over towards the two and lift up the knife. Yousif adds his hand on top of mine then Abiodun adds his, which covers both Yousif and my hand completely. His hand feel so rough,

and strong yet it gives a warm feeling. The good soothing kind, which is SUPRISING. But it felt good.

“Okay, on the count of three. ONE, TWO and THREEEEE”,everyone cheers as we cut the cake together.

“Happy Birthday”,they yell. Yousif looks up happily and claps along with them.

“He’s so cute”,Aaleyah chuckles.

Yousif kisses Abiodun then he gestures for me so I get on my tippy toes towards Abiodun by holding his arm to prevent me from falling back down. Yousif smiles then gives me a kiss. I smile then glance at Abiodun who was staring down at me intensely.

I get back down quickly and clear my throat at how awkward everything now seemed.

“Uh Abiodun, some guys are here saying they here for you?“,Ibrahim yells from the front door.

“Yeah, let em in”,Abiodun replies.

“What is it?“,I ask him.

“Yousif’s present”.

“MY PRESENT?“,Yousif screams then he starts running in circles.

“Okay calm down. Don’t use up all your energy.before you see it”,Abiodun tells him.

“Okay”,Yousif nods.

The door opens and Ibrahim walks.in with two other males, both of them holding a massive box in their hands. One, with long dreadlocks and dressed in a tight white shirt showing his muscular and built body while the other one has a low haircut and is tall and lean but you can tell he’s built.

“PHILIP”,Yousif screams.

The guy with dreadlocks smiles as he places the box onto the floor.

“Happy Birthday lil guy”,he wishes Yousif who hugs him then highfives both him and the other guy.

“How you holding up?“,the guys look at Abiodun and greet each other with the bro handshake.

“Chill”,Abiodun shrugs.

“Okay so Yousif. Imma open it but don’t get all excited yet”,Abiodun warns him.

“Okay daddy. Hurry though”,Yousif replies.

Abiodun hums then he walks over to the box. He starts to rip off the cardbox at first but it was taking a long time and it looked like it was irritating him.

“f**k this”,he curses under his breath then he punches the top and instantly makes a hole. He then rips it easily from then on. Once he was done he moves away revealing a life size racing sports car, another set of racing cars, about 6 in one packet and an Xbox.

“AHHHH”,Yousif jumps up and down with happiness then he starts running around the box.

“DAD!“,he yells.

“Figured I’ll be in there for a while. So you have things to play with until then”,Abiodun smiles.

“It’s AWESOME. Thank you daddy”.

Abiodun nods then folds his arms with satisfaction as Yousif opens the car.

“Move out of the way. Yousif coming throughhhhhh”,he yells as he starts driving his car around in circles. I smile then look towards Aaleyah who’s capturing pictures of him with her camera.

“I want that too”Azeez tells Fawaz.

“You want to play?“,Yousif looks at Azeez who nods his head quickly.

“Come on in”,Yousif opens the passenger’s door for Azeez who gets in then they both start yelling as they drive around in circles.

“See, friendship is a good thing”,I whisper to Abiodun who looks down at me.

“Yeah? Can’t trust nobody, now can you”,he replies.

“Not everyone is bad. Your friends are also here for you aren’t they?“.

“No. They getting paid for this. Ain’t nobody can do s**t for free. They can’t be trusted. The only reason I even let them around my son is because they fear me and know they can’t do s**t without me not.knowing about it. Plus Yousif likes Philips company”,he shrugs.

“You need to learn the value of friendship. Maybe you and Ibrahim can connect more”.

“Yeah? Don’t think so. Am good, it’s me and my son. That’s enough”,he shrugs.

“You’re a lonely sheep”.

He looks at me then we both let out a chuckle.

“Did you find out the gender yet?“.

“Uh no. Am supposed to go tomorrow”.

“Tell me what it is”.

I sigh then look at him.

“Come on. It’s the least you could do. I am letting another nigga claim my own child”.

I bite my lip anxiously by nod anyways. Bad idea. BAD idea.

“For the record”,he leans down into my ear and whispers.

“You look sexy as f**k when you bite your lip”.

My eyes widen as the words enter my ear. They just stick there. I look up at him as he pulls away and couldn’t help but notice my cheek getting hot at how close to me he suddenly was.

“You can’t say that”,I whisper.

“I just did”,he smirks then we both look towards the kids but I instantly notice that everyone, especially Khalid, staring at the two of us with suspicious looks.

“Since when did y’all start getting CLOSE?“,Khalid asks openly.

“Since I knocked her up”,I hear Abiodun whisper which made me smack his arm but he just chuckles.

“What’s funny?“,Fawaz raises an eyebrow.

“Look, CHILL. Sebi it’s my mouth. I can laugh, I can smile. I can do whatever it is that I want. So I don’t get why y’all hopping on my s**t for”.

“Yeah, except, I don’t know you’ve noticed. But she’s not your wife anymore. So all that closeness makes no sense”,Khalid says. He glances towards us so I move far away from Abiodun as possible.

“Well she may not be my wife no more. But she still the mother to my kids. Sooooo”,Abiodun shrugs

“You got one kid. Why the use of plural?“,Aayan snickers.

Abiodun. Oh s**t.

“Ah. My bad. My KID”,Abiodun rephrases but it sounded sarcastic.

“What is your problem?“,Khalid suddenly snaps.

I don’t have a problem,Abiodun folds his arms and leans against the wall.

“Really? REALLY? You don’t have a problem?“.

“Uh, you want us to take care of this?“,Philip asks Abiodun who holds his hand out stopping his men from trying anything.

“It’s cool. I got this. Y’all can go”.

Philip and the other guy nod then wall out of the house.

“Listen here, Khalid or whatever the f**k yo name is. I may be tryna calm my s**t. But don’t THINK for a second that I wouldn’t f**k you up any second. Don’t make me make your parents mourn for you. Don’t do it”,Abiodun shakes his head. His expression and tone sounded playful yet firm and threatening.

“So much for changing huh”,Khalid mumbles.

“Oh. I’d actually mess up right now but Yousif is here and I ain’t tryna start s**t”.

“But you did have to beat his mother right in front of him? And ask him to clean up? And oh wait. Do all your dirty works?“,Khalid states with a raised eyebrow.

“Khalid”I whisper trying to shut him up when I notice the tightening in Abiodun’s fist and jaws.

“What? Why’s he even here? I get it’s Yousif’s birthday b-“.

Abiodun who was facing the wlal turns around abruptly and leans towards Khalid.

“Look, don’t start s**t”,Fawaz tells him.

“Sit yo dumb ass down nigga. I ain’t talking to you”,Abiodun snaps.

“s**t my bad. I don’t think you was talking to anyone in particular. This ain’t yo house, she ain’t yo girl. Let the nigga get peace. Like f***s wrong witcho. You mess up, try to fix up, then when things are finally going right for the two, you wanna try to mess up AGAIN?“,Fawaz snaps at Abiodun.

“Ight ight. Fawaz...is it? Don’t let me do you like I did many. I been in that prison for too long to have another niggas blood in my hands. Not today. So. Step. The. f**k. Away”,Abiodun says.

“Or. What. Nigga?“,Fawaz replies with the same amount of venom to his tone.

Abiodun smiles then he moves backwards. His smile drops instantly then he aims at Fawaz and slams him into the wall harshly.

“ABIODUN STOP, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? YOU CAME HERE FOR YOUR SON, CAN YOU DO JUST THAT?“,I scream.

“MY SON! EXACTLY. You know why f**k this. f**k this nice s**t I been doing”,he throws Fawaz towards Malik then steps backwards.

“You know Nigga. I was just starting to help you out”,he turns to Khalid who furrows his eyebrows with confusion.

“YOU? help me out? In what messed up way is that working out?“,he folds his arms and scoffs.

“Mmm. Ask yo wife”,Abiodun tells him. Plain and simple. Ask your wife. That was all it took. Ask your wife.

Khalid turns towards me with a questioning look as if waiting on me to reply to what Abiodun just let out.

“What is he talking about?“,he asks me after a few seconds of me not replying.

“I don’t know”, I whisper then look at Abiodun with a begging look but he just dismissed it.

“What are y’all hiding? Why are you even keeping secrets with HIM of all people”,Khalid snaps.

“Ooooh. I’d be careful what you say there”,Abiodun smirks and leans against the wall looking satisfied and proud for some reason.

“Why is that?“.

“Have you gotten checked up? Maybe you should”,Abiodun adds.

“Why would I need to get a check up?“.

“Because mannnnn, I don’t think your sperm works”,I hear him whisper to Khalid.

“Oh shoot”,Fawaz and Aayan gasp while Aaleyah and I cover our mouths in shock. What the f**k Abiodun. In front of everyone?

“What’s that supposed to mean?“.

“I don’t think YOUR WIFE here is the problem. Hey. Man to man”,Abiodun pats Khalid’s chest with the back of his hand and gestures to the two of them.

“You two ain’t compatible”.

“Oh *scoffs* and y’all are?“,Khalid moves back.

“Well, think about it. She’s given me a child. A son”,Abiodun says.

“Yeah and she’s now pregnant-”

“Remember that video I sent y’all when I had her in my house?“,Abiodun asks.

“What’s that got to do with any of this?“.

“Remember what happened in the bedroom?“.

“Yeah, yo sick ass basically raped her. Why you sound proud for?“,Fawaz snaps.

“Oh am not proud. But how long ago was that?“.

“About 3 to 4 months?“,Aayan replies.

“And how far along is Zaynab’s pregnancy?“,he asks.

“3 to 4 months?“,Aayan replies.

I let out a defeated sigh then cover my face as I wait for them to realize what he’s trying to tell them.

“That’s not possible,Khalid whispers.

“Oh yeah boy. It is. She’s not carrying your child. She’s carrying MINE”,Abiodun says.

“That can’t be possible. There’s a chance that its Khalid’s child too. You can’t say for sure until you get tested”,Malik adds.

“Oh she did. Results are, am the father”.

Silence takes over for what seems like forever. Nobody said anything and I didn’t dare look up. I couldn’t. I just couldn’t. I could already feel my chest tighten, my breathing slowly increasing as I try to prevent the tears from making their way out.

“Zaynab. *clears throat* i-is-. *stops and sucks in some air* what’s he talking about?“,I hear Khalid ask but I don’t reply.

“ZAYNAB”,he yells which made me jump.

“What is he talking about? He’s lying right? He’s mad and trying to wgt at me by lying. None of what he just said is true. Is it? It’s all just a lie. Right?“,he asks me

I open my mouth and glance from him to Abiodun who raises his eyebrow at me.

“Look, I know s**t hasn’t been going well with us before. And you’re probably just angry or something. It’s some sick prank to get me to apologize like always. Well you got me. Am sorry. Just just. Please tell me this isn’t true”,he shakes my shoulders vigorously with his voice suddenly breaking. I could see tears forming in his eyes as he stares into my eyes as if begging me to tell him what he wants to hear.

“Khalid. I-. Am so sorry”,I whisper. As soon as the words leave my mouth, his hands drop from my shoulder and tears finally escape my eyes.

“Am sorry, it wasn’t my fault. I wanted to tell you but you were just so excited and happy. You started picking out names, clothes, I just, I couldn’t tell you that the baby wasn’t yours. Am so sorry”.

His jaw tightens and a tear falls down his cheek as he continues to stare at my baby bump.

“All this time. I-i- you- you made me continue to think and care for a baby that wasn’t mine?“,he whispers.

“I was excited for nothing? For another mans child? And yet you told me nothing? You let me believe what I wanted to believe for what? Temporary happiness?“.

“Am sorry”,I cry and face floor. I feel so ashamed.

“That’s just wicked. But I guess. You both are compatible after all”.

“Khalid”,I gasp and look at him.

“Khalid, please. I only kept it to myself because I didn’t know how you’d react. You were so bent on being done with m-“.

“No. Don’t even apologize. It’s my fault. I caused this. I gave us too many chances. Something that can never work. That can never happen. I tried to make it work. I wasted 3 years. All for nothing. There’s nothing more to say to you or HIM. Am just done. Forreal this time”,he says then just like that, he slides off our wedding ring from his finger and places it in my hand.

“Khalid”I whisper.

“Not one but TWO kids with him. You played the role as his wife more anyways”.

With that, he turns around and walks out of the house.

He’s gone? I lost him? Just like that? For something that wasn’t even my fault? For something I had no control over? He just left? Like my feelings didn’t matter? Like he just didn’t care or even love me. Like all he married me for was to bare him kids? That’s ALL he wants? Not for love, for time spent, for nothing else? I feared this, I feared it, I told them. Don’t ruin what we had by pitting a label on us. They did it anyways and now I’ve lost not only my husband but my best friend too. And the worst part is, I actually gained feelings for him. I love him. I love him more than a friend. I love him with all my heart. I love him so much. But that doesn’t matter. It doesn’t m-”

“ZAYNAB! ZAYNAB!“,I feel my shoulders being shaken vigorously then Aayan appears in front of me. He seems to be yelling at me but nothing was audible. It was as if everything was on silent mode. My eyes were just fixated on his lips as I try to make out his words. All of a sudden I feel my body being picked up before my hands drop to my sides.

***

Fawaz

“Is she okay?“,Aayan asks.

“The doctor says it’s a mixture of shock and stress. She’s still examining her”.

“Khalid okay?“.

“I don’t know where he’s gone. But o doubt he’s coming home tonight. We’ll be lucky if we see him tomorrow morning”,he replies with a sigh.

“Family of Zaynab?“,Dr Smith walks out of Zaynab’s room.

“Here”.

“Is she okay?“,uncle Abdul asks her.

“Fortunately, her babies are okay and still healthy but her own health is concerning. If she keeps having these panic attacks, she could end up causing harm to them”.

“Them? Who’s them?“,Aayan asks.

“Oh Mr Ali, you’re here”,Dr Smith turns to him.

“Your wife is pregnant with twins”,she tells him.

“TWINS?“,everyone let’s out.

“Oh, am not Khalid. That’s my twin brother, he’s not here”,Aayal tells her.

“Oh. Am so sorry. I thought-”

“It’s okay”.

“Well, you can tell him then. He must be very happy”,she smiles.

“Yeah....very”,Aayan mumbles.

“You need to make sure that her health is in check. If she had two episodes in just one day, it can cause harm not only to herself but for her babies. If possible, try to keep her from stressful environment”.

“We’ll try”,uncle Abdul replies. She smiles and nods then checks her watch.

“Well you can see her now if you’d like. I’ll just need you to sign her discharge papers”.

“Here”,uncle Abdul nods then follows her.

Aunt Jumoke and Eniola walk out with a weak looking Zaynab. Her face is gone pale and and her eyes are red from all that crying. I feel bad for her. It’s not like she asked for the pregnancy but she was wrong for not telling him. But then again, she was truing to protect his feelings. It must’ve been hard for her to even keep to herself.

“Well you’re having twins”,Aayan mumbles.

She doesn’t reply, she was just silent. As in full on silence. Her eyes weren’t even meeting anyone, they were just glued to the floor.

“I don’t know if you want to know the gender? Or do you want your husband here?“,Dr Smith appears from behind Zaynab.

Zaynab doesn’t reply.

“Would you like the genders?“,she repeats.

When she doesn’t reply again, she looks at us with confusion.

“What are they?“,aunt Jumoke asks her.

“Two healthy boys, congrats”,Dr Smith replies.

Wow. Wow, wow, freaking wow. Now I REALLY feel bad for Khalid. But Abiodun is lucky. He’s always wanted for boys, now he has three boys. Nize one.

“Hey”,aunt whispers as sobs suddenly escape Zaynab’s lips. She hides her face in aunt’s chest and cries harder.

Dr Smith moves back and doesn’t say anything.

“We got this. Thank you”,Eniola whispers to her.

She nods quickly then glances at Zaynab with concern before walking off.