Are We Okay?

Chapter 17

"So, have you thought about your decision?" baba asks Abdullah as soon as he walks into the house, looking rather happy. 

Of course. He told her and now he's happy that he's getting back with her.

"Yes, I have," Abdullah says, then turns to me and his face falls. 

"And?" mama asks. 

Abdullah walks towards me. "Aminat," he whispers. "I never liked you or loved you in any way," he says. 

I look away with tears threatening to fall.

"Our marriage may have been fake to me, but to you it meant a lot. Even when I spoke a word to you, ate your meals, or talked to you rather than going to bed."

He sighs. "I disrespected you and our marriage many times, but you still respected me regardless." 

"Choosing between you and Aliyah wasn't hard at all. I knew her first, I've been with her and you... I know only few things about you," he says.

I shut my eyes tightly, letting the tears fall as I wait for his heartbreaking news.

After what feels like forever, I hear gasps fill the room. I open my eyes slowly, but don't see him anywhere. 

I think he has left. I look down and gasp when I see him on both his knees.

"What are you doing? You can't do that," I whisper. 

"Aminat, I am sorry for everything I've put you through. It's true I never loved you, but your qualities, your innocence, values always amused me, and this drew me towards you deeper than I could have ever imagined."

I look at him in shock. 

"I always pushed the thoughts away. I was in love with you but never could admit to it myself. What you did yesterday did not only open my eyes but made me realize that I would be nothing without you. I don't even deserve you, yet you are here with me."

His voice cracks. "I failed you, and for that I'm so sorry. Aminat, for everything I said, everything I did for failing to be your carer, protector, and lover, please forgive me," he says as tears stream down his face.

"Abdullah, please don't." I kneel down in front of him and hug him tightly. "You don't know how long I've waited to hear these three words from you."

I sniffle. "I love you more than I can express, I cannot ever think of leaving you, I will stay with you until my last breath." I cry along with him.

"I hope you didn't just confess your love to her because Aliyah faked your ass." Daneen raises an eyebrow. 

"Daneen, stop." I slap her shoulder. 

"I'm kidding, welcome back, jiju." She smiles. 

"For the record, never yell at me again," Abdullah warns her. 

She gulps and smiles innocently. "You are not innocent, no one's falling for that," Sahil says. 

"Hey, you!" She tries to hit him but he runs away and she chases after him. 

We all just laugh at the two. I smile and wipe my tears away.

                                                                Chapter 17- Daneen

"Asalam Alaykum," Abduallah says as he takes a seat beside me. 

"Walaykum salam," everyone replies, then we start eating.

"Are you sure you guys want to cancel your honeymoon?" mama asks Daneen and Sahil, who nod. 

"But why?" Aisha frowns. 

"Because she's pregnant and is terrified of planes." Sahil shrugs. 

"Ah, Daneen is terrified of something, now that's shocking," Abdullah jokes. Laughter fills the table while Daneen just glares at him.

"I'm starting my internship tomorrow." Daneen smiles excitedly. 

"Internship for your psychology?" Aisha asks. Daneen nods in reply, then glances at Sahil, who shrugs. 

"I'm starting my residency tomorrow too." I smile. 

"I don't think you should go, Daneen. You are pregnant, can't you wait until you deliver the baby?" mama asks with concern filled in her tone. 

"Pregnant people work too, mama plus I'm only three weeks pregnant, not even a month," Daneen says. 

"I don't know. What if something happens to your health?You can't be doing anything at all, you should rest fully," mama says. 

"Don't you agree, Sahil? She should, right?" mama asks. 

Sahil looks at her, then at Daneen, who raises an eyebrow at him. He glances at mama, who's staring at him with so much intensity. The pressure is real.

"Let her if she wants, ummi. She finds it boring sitting at home all day anyway." He shrugs. Daneen smiles and nods. 

"But the b--" 

"Ummi, let her, she can handle it," Rahul jiju says. Mama sighs, then nods. "I'll be in my room." She gets up and pushes her chair in. 

"Ummi," Sahil calls. 

"It's fine, I'm tired," she says. She walks to her room and Sahil looks at Daneen.

"Sahil, no, no, don't start. Just because I'm married now doesn't mean I have to put my previous life on hold. I don't want to be a housewife. I studied for this and I'm doing it," she says, her eyes stubborn. 

"I didn't even say anything." 

"But you were going to tell me to stay." She folds her arms. 

"No, I was going to ask if you can just wait till the baby is here. It'd give ummi peace of mind to know you are alright if your here," he says. 

"Here it says, a wife listens to her husband if he asks her to stay away from work," Aisha reads from her phone.

Daneen looks at Aisha, then at Sahil. She shakes her head and gets up. 

"Oh, come on! I was only asking. I didn't say you had to listen," he says, getting up with her. 

"Right, so I can be labelled as the bad, disobeying wife that sums it up." She rolls her eyes. "You are making me regret even having a baby," she mumbles before storming up to their room.

Sahil sighs and sits down beside Aisha. "Does it actually say that?" he asks her. 

"Yup, right here." She shows him her phone. "Now, she's mad at you." She smiles. 

"Can't wait till they get you married." Sahil groans loudly. 

The men laugh at his comment. 

"Hey! Not yet. I don't want to, I'm happy staying with ummi and baba." She hugs baba and gives him a kiss on his cheek. He chuckles and shakes his head, then gets up and walks to his and mama's room.

"Do you want me to talk to Daneen?" I ask Sahil, who shakes his head. 

"It's okay I'll talk to her," he mumbles. 

"Okay."