Maryam woke up the next morning with a nauseating feeling. Her head felt light and she felt the need to throw up, but as her gaze darted to her husband and daughter sleeping so peacefully beside her, the sides of her lips curved upwards - into that dazzling smile of hers. Her heart swelled at the sight and happiness was written all over her face as she recalled the previous night's moments - what happened to her was a like a blessing in disguise - she smiled. If it had not happened, then Saeed would not have had a change of heart. She was thankful when they arrived back home, Manal was not awake and they decided to bring her to her room for the night.

Momentarily, she felt all of her discomfort disappear. She felt ecstatic knowing she was now free to resume working at the hospital. All she had to do was to come up with a valid excuse to tell at the hospital for her absence in the last few days.

She allowed her gaze avert back to her family and involuntarily, her hand moved to Saeed's face and she caressed it slowly and loving. The kind of happiness she felt at that moment could be fathomed by just anyone. Saeed gave her back her happiness - her habibi. She leaned forward and placed a kiss on his temple. "Thank you. I love you." She whispered more to herself than to him. "I love you too, baby." She blew a kiss at Manal.

The nauseating feeling she thought had disappeared surged into her like a wave of storm. Her hand flew to her mouth as she made gagging sounds. She got out from bed immediately and raced to the bathroom.

Getting to the bathroom, she allowed the contents of her stomach emerge and splattered into the toilet bowl. Just as she thought she was done throwing up, my stomach contracted more violently and more chucks of food covered in the creamy chyme of her stomach propelled in the air and splattered all over the bathroom floor. She turned on the faucet and washed her mouth as well as the floor.

Emerging from the bathroom, she noticed Manal was awake and was occasionally flinching in her sleep. She hurried towards her and attempted to wake her up. "Manal! Manal!!! Baby!!!" She called harder, but she was still not responding. Her breathing hitched in the throat and she began to panic. "MANALL." Still not getting a response from her, her worry intensified. She couldn't bring herself to grasp what was happening within her surrounding. She just hoped and prayed it wasn't what she was thinking. "What's happening to you?" She yelled and this time Saeed awoke. "Habibi, something is wrong with Manal. She won't wake up." She cried.

Saeed's gaze instantly moved to Manal, then to Maryam."Calm down. She's alright." He moved closer to his daughter and placed a hand on her forehead. "She's moving and at the same time crying in her sleep. This can only mean she's having a terrible nightmare." He reasoned.

"What should we do now? Shouldn't we take her to the hospital right away?" Maryam asked panicked.

"Wait a second." He said and started reciting some duas into her ear. "Wake up, baby. No one is going to hurt you. I'm here. Abi and ummi are both here." He urged after he was done with the supplications.

Maryam didn't stop praying for her as well.

Instantly, Manal jerked up and rushed into Saeed's arm crying profusely. She wrapped her tiny arms tightly around Saeed's neck.

Maryam muttered alhamdulilah under her breath and Saeed also let out a sigh of relief.

No matter how hard Saeed tried to loosen Manal's arms from around his neck for it was starting to get too tight, he couldn't. Instead, she wrapped them tighter. "It's okay, baby. We're here. Tell me, what's wrong with you? What happened?"

"Please talk to us, sweetheart. We are very worried about you." Maryam probed.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Saeed asked.

She shook her head aggressively.

"Then? If you didn't have a nightmare, why are you crying then?" Maryam questioned.

She remained quiet, but didn't stop sobbing silently.

"Baby? Won't you tell abi why you're crying?" Saeed asked, stroking her back soothingly.

"Please don't let me go, abi. She will stab me with a knife. She will kill me. She said so herself. Please." She cried harder and her grip around Saeed tightened.

"Say bismillah." Maryam encouraged.

"Who are you talking about?" Saeed questioned.

"She was here last night. She wanted to kill me. I ran to your room, but no one was inside and when I tried to run outside, she was after me. I couldn't go outside either as the door was locked. You and ummi left me all alone. You didn't save me from her. I was so scared." She cried.

Realization hit both Saeed and Maryam - she woke up last night and when she couldn't find them, she cried herself to sleep once again. Maryam felt incredibly sorry for her daughter. She wanted to hug her and calm her down, but she couldn't as Manal wouldn't let go of her father. She felt her chest tighten at the sight of Manal was seeking comfort in Saeed's arms instead of hers - her mother's. Then and there, she realized just how much Manal preferred Saeed to her. The pain she felt in her heart was indescribable. She was supposed to be the one in Saeed's place. A lone tear escaped her eye and her lips sealed. She couldn't say anything even if she wanted to. Her eyes were clouded with tears and her mind, with thoughts.

"We're here now, baby. No one is going to hurt you. No one can hurt you while I'm here." Saeed soothed.

"No! It's a lie! She's going to come back and kill me." She cried.

"Don't you trust me, baby? Do you think I will ever let anyone lay a hand on you?"

"No, abi."

"Then tell me the reason you didn't wake up while we were trying so hard."

"She came again this morning. She was right inside this room and was trying to wake me up. She wanted to take me with her, but I didn't want to go, so I refused to open my eyes. I didn't want her to know I was awake and take me with her. I don't want her to take me, abi. Please don't let her take me with her."

Saeed's demeanor contorted in worry and he continued stroking her back soothingly.

Maryam wiped the tears away from her eyes and went forward to take Manal from Saeed, but her grip only tightened around him.

"No... Please ummi, don't take me to her. I'm sorry, I was bad. I hit someone in school. I promise to be good now. I won't repeat my mistake. Please forgive me ummi, don't allow Nafisa kill me."

"Na... Nafisa?" Maryam stuttered.

"Nafisa?" Saeed asked, untangling her hands around him. The fear in her eyes were vivid. "She was the one in your dream?"

"It wasn't a dream, abi. She was really here. With a knife." She added.

Maryam's face scrunched up in confusion. "It was just a dream, Manal. Nafisa would never do that to you and besides, she's no longer living in this house. She can't possibly get in without a key."

"But ummi, I saw her."

"It's okay, Manal. I told you, it was just a dream. Stop making false accusations n-"

"Don't worry, baby, she will never be able to come close to you anymore, talk more of hurting you." Saeed assured.

Maryam was about to speak up, but Saeed made sign languages, ordering her not to say a word and play along instead. She sighed, but complied anyway.

Manal's eyes lit up a little. "Really, abi?"

"Yes, princess. Anything for you." He smiled.

"Thank you, Abi. I love you." She said and wrapped her arms around his neck once more.

"I love you more, baby." He replied and kissed the side of her head.

Maryam shook her head as she watched. She just couldn't understand why Saeed deemed it fit to spoil their daughter so much.

Few seconds later, Saeed lay Manal down on the bed as she had already fallen asleep again.

"Why did you lie to her?" Maryam asked with a raised brow.

"Lie? I didn't lie to her about anything." He clarified.

"Don't tell me you actually believed Nafisa came into this house to kill her."

"It may not be true, but there's is more to what meets the eyes. That Nafisa of a girl is not a saint as you assume. I have had my doubt about her since the very first time I laid my eyes on her. Manal having a nightmare about her is not just a coincidence. There is more to it."

"Habibiii." Maryam face palmed. "She's probably just still scared about last night. She will be okay. Don't take all she said seriously."

"I don't know about you, but I will not stop till I get to the bottom of all these and if my hunch turns out to be right,..." He trailed off, gnashing his teeth.

"Hab-" she was cut off by the sound of the doorbell ringing repeatedly.

"Who could that be so early in the morning?" Saeed wondered.

Maryam shrugged. "I don't know. Let me go find out." She said and hurried downstairs. "Be patient. I'm coming." She yelled to whoever was at the door, but that didn't stop the person from continuing. Maryam sighed and turned the doorknob, opening the door. Her eyes widened and a huge smile appeared on her face. "Zainab!!"

"Surprise!!!" She squealed.

~~~~~~

Assalamu alaikum/ hello!

How are you all doing?

What do think is happening to Manal?

What do you think of Maryam as a mother?

What do you think about Saeed as a father?

Who's excited about Zainab's visit? Will she be a good impact on Maryam or bad? 😎

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