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*

Jasmina

Hania is the perfect example of the fact that when Allah wants to create life, no contraception in the world can prevent that. 

She had come into existence after my very first time with Fawad. My husband had asked me whether I was ready for a baby, and I wasn't, so we'd used protection. I had been a young girl deeply in love, and was curious about s*xual intimacy with my husband, the love of my life, and I had not been ready for the responsibility of being a mother. 

And yet, Hania still ended up coming into existence. Initially I was confused, and a little anxious, but not once had I regretted motherhood. 

The announcement of my pregnancy with Hani had brought immense joy to both the Ali and Sheikh family, as she united both in an even stronger bond. 

And now that very same Hania was telling me that she had taken a pregnancy test, which had come out positive. 

"Mama? Are you okay?" Hani asked, cautiously when I didn't say anything for a few minutes. "Breathe."

"You're pregnant?!" I whispered. "As in, you're having a baby?"

I nodded.

"Hania!" I burst into tears, throwing my arms around her. "Oh my God! My baby's having a baby!" 

I was overwhelmed with emotions. My Hania, my firstborn was going to be a mother, In Sha Allah. She was going to make me a Nano! 

Suddenly realising something, I pulled back, keeping my hands on her shoulders. I recited Ayat-ul-Kursi and blew it over her. "May Allah always keep you safe from evil eyes, and may He bless you and Hamza with a healthy baby. Ameen." I looked at her, straight into those eyes that were a mirror of mine. "Ya Allah! When did you grow up, Hania? It feels just like yesterday when I found out that I was pregnant with you, and now..."

"Well, clearly a lot of time has gone by since then." She grinned.

"Oh, Hani. Sweetheart." I couldn't stop crying as I held her tightly. 

"Mama, I'm telling you because I really, really need you." Now, Hani was in tears. "I am fortunate enough to have you, Alhumdulillah, and I need all your support." 

"Always, Hani." I kissed her cheek. "I'm here for you, whenever you need me." An excited smile appeared on my face. "I can't believe that I'm going to be a Nano! Ma Sha Allah!" I frowned as I realised something. "Hamza knows, right?"

"Of course." She nodded. "He has the first right to know, doesn't he?"

"Absolutely." I slid my arm through hers. "Allah! I can't wait to go shopping!"

Hani rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I expected that, Mama."

We headed out together, feeling an intense amount of happiness that made both of us glow, I believe.

"Are we telling your father?" I asked Hania, almost hopefully.

She narrowed her eyes at me. "You'll get a stomach ache if you keep a secret from him, right?"

"You know me." I shrugged sheepishly.

"Only Papa, but not in front of me." Hania's cheeks turned pink. "It feels awkward."

"Aww, mera bacha." I pinched Hani's cheek. "Mama banay ja rahi ho, In Sha Allah, aur phir bhi bachon ki tarhan sharmati ho."

*"You're about to be a mother, and you're still as shy as a child."

"And you're about to be a Nano, and you're still acting like I'm six." She shot back.

I laughed. "You'll soon learn that kids will always be babies to their mothers, meri jaan. Aww, that reminds me of my baby Hani. Papa se hi chipki rehti thi hamesha. Mama sare kaam karein, aur madam ko Papa hi ache lagte thay sirf."

*"Always attached to Papa. Mama did all the work, but madam only liked Papa."

I grabbed her hands. "Before we get further overexcited, you need to make an appointment with a doctor to confirm this. Although a positive result on a home pregnancy test is reliable, it's better to have a medical professional examine you." 

"This is where I really need your guidance, Mama." She squeezed my hands. "I have no idea what to do next." 

"I'm always here for you, as long as I'm alive." I kissed her cheek again.

We both continued talking and laughing about my babyhood until we met up with our respective husbands.

****

Iman

Guess what?

I am an idiot.

I decided to be nice. I don't know why I was suddenly behaving like Hani Appi, but I decided to help Taif out. I had found him wandering around like a lost chicken and had decided to show him to Papa's office, claiming I knew him because someone I knew had been treated by him. It wasn't completely a lie. I knew Daniyal Uncle, who had been treated by him.

And as we were going up in the lift, it broke down.

I'm not kidding, and no, you're not witnessing a moment from a cliché rom-com. The bloody lift broke down.

"Why?" I stomped my feet angrily. "Why do circumstances like to come between me and my sleep?!"

The dim emergency light was on and I could see that Taif looked so chilled out that it p***ed me off.

"Yo! Hello? Lift has broken down?" I waved a hand in front of his face, as he just stood there looking like he was standing in a queue in a bank.

"I can see that, Iman. I'm here as well." He smiled.

"Oh, ok! Good to know!" I said. "Weren't you ranting about time being wasted when I first met you? And now you're standing here like you have nothing else to do in your life!"

He reached forward and pressed the alarm button. Suddenly, I heard the phone ringing through the speaker. "This is what we do in an emergency, not freak out like a toddler." 

"Hello?" A voice came through the speaker.

"Hi, lift number 52105 has broken down." Taif spoke calmly. "There are two of us in here, and my companion is not handling the situation well."

I opened my mouth to speak, but decided to wait until he had spoken to the engineers.

"Somebody will be there to fix it shortly." The bored voice at the other end said, before there was a click.

"Did he just hang up on us?" I was so annoyed.

"Okay, stay calm." He spoke to me like I was an out of control animal.

"Stay calm?!" I repeated. "I was just trying to get home to get some sleep, and instead I got trapped in a lift with an inconsiderate dork."

"Thanks." 

The truth was that I was panicking. I don't even know why. I wasn't claustrophobic, nor did I fear the dark- not that it was very dark in here. My hands were freezing, and I was shaking a little. No, what's going on with me? Why am I about to get a panic attack?

My breathing became so loud and rapid, that Taif looked alarmed. "Okay, seriously, Iman. It's okay. We'll be out of here in no time." He reached out for me, but I backed away.

"Don't." I shook my head at him, turning my back towards him.

"I'm claustrophobic." He admitted.

I turned to face him, taken aback. "No way! How are you so calm then?"

"I used to be terrified of lifts. I would never have stepped in one without freaking out." He shrugged. "I got help, got treated, and it was greatly reduced, but even now I have that small fear inside me while being in a lift or in tight spaces." 

"But, I'm not even claustrophobic." I sighed. "I'm just sleep deprived."

"Right, and we know how our minds work with a lack of sleep." He reminded me. "It affects our behaviour, or mood, everything."

"True." 

He looked thoughtful. "So, what got you into medicine?"

"My father." I replied. "He said that I'm brilliant in science, especially Biology, and maybe I should consider medicine. That got me thinking."

Flashback: Six-years-old Mani sitting on her Papa's lap as he typed on his laptop in his study. Her eyes were wide as she saw various diagrams of the human heart, and she started asking him questions about it.

"What about you?" I asked, knowing fully well that he had started this topic to distract me from the problem at hand.

"I don't actually remember." He tapped his finger against his textbook. "I know that I've always loved Science. I've gotten bullied for always loving science." He chuckled humourlessly. He looked at me. "Can I be honest with you?"

"Well, we're never going to see each other again, probably, so go ahead."

He smiled. "I like your straightforwardness." He paused. "You know I was ranting about Dr Fawad earlier?"

"Yes, I remember that very well." I tried to keep my voice casual.

"The truth is that I'm kind of a fan of his." He cleared his throat. "He's kind of an idol, and I was disappointed that I didn't get to meet him."

"You're a fan?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"A renowned, successful Pakistani cardiothoracic surgeon, yes." He nodded. "I'm a huge fan. It's kind of awesome to see someone of our ethnic background be so successful in this field, especially in a Western country. Yeah, I'm definitely a fan." 

Well, that changes things. I no longer strongly dislike this dude. I'm surprised that a guy who was such a fan of Papa didn't see my resemblance to him. I guess it just never occurred to him.

"It's silly, right?" He looked embarrassed, as he bowed his head and ran a hand through his hair.

I couldn't help smiling. "No, it isn't actually. It's sweet." I paused. "So, is it a coincident that you ended up here or...?"

He laughed. "Not really. I lived close by anyway, but I sort of chose to apply here because I knew he worked here, and got I sound like a stalker!"

"No, it's cool." I took a deep breath. "Taif, the truth is..." 

The lift moved slightly, causing me to shriek. "I'm too young to die!" 

A second or two later, we started to move.

"Alhumdulillah." I sighed in relief, before turning to glare at him. "If we ever do see each other again, do not dare mention my behaviour in this lift to anyone. I have a reputation to maintain."

"What happened in the lift, stays in the lift." He put a hand over his heart and bowed slightly.

I couldn't help smiling.

We exited the lift, and he turned to face me. "Well, it's been nice, Iman."

"I wish I could say the same." I joked.

He laughed. "You're convinced we won't meet again. But I'm convinced that we will. Meetings like these are almost fateful." 

"We're not in a Bollywood movie, dude."

"But we do believe in destiny." He said. "We believe that everything happens for a reason, and I'm convinced that I met you for a reason." 

Yeah, so that you can meet your idol. "Are you sure you're not a poet, or a romantic novel writer as well?"

"Romantic? I never said anything about romance. You just made it romantic." With a wink, he turned and headed towards the exit, leaving me staring after him with my jaw dropped open.

Did he just leave me speechless?

I found myself blushing and biting my lip. I guess this was a rare romantic side of me. I had to inherit something considering who my parents were.

****

That evening, I sat on an armchair in the living room with my parents, Appi and Hamza Bhai. We were just talking and having our after-dinner hot drinks. Well, they were talking, while I was lost in my thoughts.

"...Iman?"

I heard my name, but I didn't pay attention. I stared into my cup of coffee, reliving our time in the lift in my head over and over again.

"Iman Fawad!" Appi repeated loudly.

"Don't say my full name!" I said, absent-mindedly.

Everyone stared at me like I had lost my mind.

"What's wrong with your full name?" Papa raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing." I was confused. What was wrong with me? It's not like Taif was here and he would hear my full name and he'll realise who I was. But then again, if he was here, he would realise who I was anyway, considering that I present in Dr Fawad Ali's house, and then he'll realise how much I looked like him and then...

"Iman!" Appi called out my name again.

"What?"

"Where are you?" She asked. "You're certainly not here with us. Who are you daydreaming about?" She grinned.

"Nobody!" I said, way too quickly.

"Mani, you're not thinking about Ibrahim again, are you?" Mama sighed. "Babe, let that go." 

"Ibrahim?!" Papa looked at her, sharply. "Why would she be thinking about him?"

*I don't remember if he already knew this in this edited version yet or not. Forgive me. I forget things when I take long breaks lol.

I groaned. "Mama!"

Papa looked at me. "What's going on? What's this about you and Ibrahim?"

"It's a closed chapter, jaan." Mama told him. "Let's not talk about it. It's nothing to worry about anyway."

"Actually, Papa." I said. "I met a medical student who's a fan of yours today. He's a Pakistani as well, and he plans on becoming a cardiothoracic surgeon as well one day."

My mother and sister hate me, I'm convinced. 

"He? A medical student?" Appi's eyes widened in excitement.

"And a Pakistani?" Mama added. "Muslim?"

"Yes, but..."

"Now I get why she's so lost in her thoughts." Hania Appi giggled.

I glared at her. "I'm not like you and Mama. Not everything becomes automatically romantic for me." I paused. "We just got talking when the lift broke down."  

"The lift broke down? You both were in there together?" Appi continued to tease me. "That's definitely a cliché rom-com moment."

"No. The hospital just needs better engineers." I rolled my eyes. "It's nothing like that."

"Was he good looking?" Mama asked, biting back a smile.

"Mina." Papa said in a warning tone.

"He had a meeting with Papa a few days ago and he was disappointed that he couldn't meet him." I said. "So, if you do end up meeting him, don't mention my name because he doesn't know who I am." 

"Wait, are you talking about that boy, what was his name?" Papa looked thoughtful. "Taif Bukhari?" 

"Ooh, Taif and Iman." Appi giggled.

"Hania, baap ka lehaz karlo beta. " Papa looked irritated. As usual, his overprotective streak was showing through when it came to his daughters.

Appi briefly looked embarrassed before something occurred to her. "So, a fan of Papa's didn't see the resemblance?"

"Maybe it's good that he's a fan of yours, jaan." Mama told Papa. "Now you can make sure that he's a good guy."

"You mean for his career's sake right?" He asked her, knowing fully well what she meant.

"Oh, come on! What's the harm?" Mama smiled. "It's clear that Iman's thinking about him."

"Mina, you know how relieved I was when Iman told me that she wants to focus on her education and career first?" He said. "Let's just stick to that, okay?"

Mama looked disappointed, but she didn't argue. She rarely argued with him, especially when it came to me or Appi. It's not because he was a controlling husband or anything, but Mama's just that way. She respects him and obeys him like a traditional wife, all for the sake of her love for him, even though she is actually a very liberal minded woman, as regularly witnessed. 

"Thank you." I told Papa. "At least you and Hamza Bhai are thinking logically. Mama and Appi are too romantic minded." 

Appi turned to Hamza Bhai. "Google him. Taif Bukhari." 

"Appi, are you for real?!" My cheeks warmed up hearing his name. Good God, why am I behaving like such a sappy-brained weirdo? And what the heck is a sappy-brained weirdo anyway? Why am I always inventing my own phrases?

"B-U-K-H-A-R-I, I think." Appi leaned over, glancing at her husband's phone as he typed. "We're going to find out about him."

"Appi, step away from all modern day technology and go to sleep." I told her.

"Come on." She insisted. "I'm curious now. He can be your imaginary future husband doctor!"

"Her what?" Papa and Hamza Bhai asked in unison.

"Okay, I'm going to make history here." I stood up. "I'm going to sleep before all of you. Good night." I headed out of the room.

Why is family so annoying sometimes?

Mama followed me out of the room and grabbed my hand just before I got to the bottom of the staircase.

"Mama, please don't." I said, wearily.

But she wasn't in a teasing mood now. Her tone was soft as she spoke. "You can't stop thinking about him, can you?"

"It's not like that..." I immediately denied, as per habit.

"I'm your mother." She said, holding my hand between both of hers. "I know how you're feeling. And I wasn't kidding around when I asked your Papa to make sure that he's a good guy. I'm going to speak to him, privately this time. Your father is not just a good judge of character, but, being your father, he's the best possible person to make sure that Taif is not going to be just another troublesome person in your life." 

"You're thinking too much about this, Mama." I shrugged casually. "It's just a crush." I couldn't believe that those words had actually slipped out of my mouth. I was mortified.

"It may be just a crush to you, but I know very well how this could end up." She looked almost sad as she said that. "And you're our daughter, which means that if there's even a possibility that this will develop into something further, I want to be sure that he is not going to end up breaking your heart. As a mother, I now realise that seeing your child's heartbreak is beyond bearable."

I gave her a hug. "I love you, Mama, meri jaan. But it's going to take a hell of a lot to break the heart of this kid of yours. I have toughened myself up after Ibrahim." 

"But, you wouldn't mind if your Papa makes sure, right?" She asked.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm your kid. Whether I mind or not, you're going to make him do it anyway, so it's not like I have a choice."

"That's my girl, knowing her Mama so well." She said. "And for the record, I'm not going against what your father has said. Ultimately the decision is his. But because you clearly have a crush, at the very least, it's better to be safe than sorry."

"Mama?" I called her as she turned to return to the living room.

She looked over her shoulder as I sat down on the stairs. "What's up?" She came and sat down beside me.

"How can you develop a crush after just one meeting?" I was genuinely confused. 

"Babe, sometimes it just takes one sentence, one smile, or just one simple thing that you find attractive about someone." She replied. "That's the difference between a crush and love, I guess." She wrapped her arm around my shoulders. "It seems that my Mani liked something about him that has her thinking about him so much." 

"He has no filter, he makes inappropriate Iman-ish jokes." I smiled. "He's basically me, a male version."

"Allah khair karey." She laughed.

*The only way I can translate this properly is that it basically has the same meaning as 'God help us'. If anyone can come up with a better translation, please write here. :D

"I would want to make a video of Fawad's reaction if we ever end up with a Damad like that." She added after a few seconds of silence.

"He doesn't even know my last name, and he's already your Damad?" I shook my head. 

"I know I'm a cool mother, but I'm still a desi mother, meri jaan." She said. "Get used to it."

Papa came out into the hallway. "I was wondering where you disappeared off to, Mina. Here you are, sitting in the stairs like Hania and Iman always do."

"Prepare for a Nikah, jaan. Doosra damad aanay wala hai." Mama teased him.

*"Our second son-in-law is coming."

"What?" Papa frowned, causing me and Mama to burst out laughing.

"Allah! Fawad! Abhi tak aap apni biwi ke jokes ko nahin samjhay!" Mama got up and slid her arm through his and looked up at him.

*"You still don't get your wife's jokes."

"This isn't anything serious, is it?" Papa looked at me. "With this Taif kid?"

I got up as well, and slid my arm through his other arm. "I've gone against your rules too many times, Papa. But I promise, I'll not marry anyone without your approval. The decision of my marriage is completely up to you and Mama."

He looked satisfied with that, exchanging a proud smile with Mama.

And it was true. I meant it genuinely. I didn't believe (especially after all my silliness) that a good relationship can start without my parents' approval.

And, Taif Bukhari, you have no idea that when you meet your idol, you'll be judged for a lot more than your medical knowledge.

****

How will Taif react when he finds out who Iman really is?

How will Fawad react at the news that he is about to be a Nana Jaan? 

Thoughts and comments?

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