"Come on, Fiza, we're running late!" Alan knocked on the bathroom door.

"Five more minutes," Fiza called out.

Alan glanced at his 5-year-old son, who was undeniably adorable. "Your mom is taking quite a while to get ready, don't you think?"

Anand nodded, then flashed a smile at his father.

"But your mom is the most beautiful woman in the world, isn't she?" Alan asked his son.

"Mom and Dad are both beautiful," Anand diplomatically replied.

Anand had experienced a slight speech delay compared to his peers. His early childhood had been challenging; Alan and Fiza had adopted him when he was two and a half years old, rescuing him from an abusive home.

Alan and Anand decided to have some fun with their remote control cars while waiting for Fiza.

"Ready, set, go!" declared Alan. They had set up an obstacle course using books and household items. To win the race, they had to skillfully navigate around these obstacles and reach the opposite end of the room.

Anand marveled at his father's abilities as Alan deftly maneuvered through the course. "You have to stay focused on your car, Anand, or I'll beat you," Alan advised his son.

Anand laughed as he accelerated, causing his car to crash into obstacles before eventually reaching the other side. "You cheated!" exclaimed Alan.

"No, I made it to the other side," Anand retorted with a mischievous smile.

"But you knocked everything down along the way," Alan tried to explain.

Anand simply grinned, shaking his head in playful innocence.

Saturdays held a special place in Alan's heart. They were the days he could cherish with his beloved wife and their son. Alan and Fiza had celebrated nearly three years of marriage. The adoption process, fulfilled Fiza's dream of becoming a parent. However, it was Alan who seemed to have formed a deeper bond with Anand, possibly because he had entered their lives at the age of 2.5, already a walking, little explorer.

Alan gazed around their apartment, appreciating its beauty.

Farzana had lent her expertise to the interior design, skillfully bringing to life the vision he and Fiza had imagined.

Farzana was now married to Fahad, and they too had relocated to Bangalore. Surprisingly, the four of them had grown incredibly close, making Saturday evenings a regular game night tradition. Farzana and Fahad had a 2-year-old daughter named Sophie.

"You guys are such party poopers!" Farzana had exclaimed when she first moved to Bangalore. "You spend the whole week working, and when we finally meet up, it's all hospital talk?" She playfully rolled her eyes.

"No more of that. We're having a game night every weekend, and absolutely no medical discussions!" she declared. And so, their weekly ritual of playing games like dumb charades, Pictionary, Poker, Taboo, and more began.

Typically, the kids would be put to bed early, allowing the adults to indulge in their games late into the night, often ending with sleepovers.

Alan glanced at the time on his smartwatch and realized they were running late for game night.

It was Farzana's turn to host, and he didn't want to keep their tradition waiting. The scars on his wrist from the wounds inflicted by the rubber band used in the past, for aversion therapy had faded to the point of being barely visible. It had taken years, but with Fiza by his side and his unwavering determination to prevent his past from controlling his present, he was now in a much better place.

"Alan," Fiza's voice called out from the bathroom, interrupting his thoughts. He walked over, assuming she needed assistance with her zipper or a hook.

But to his surprise, Fiza was already fully dressed. She looked deeply into the eyes of the man she loved and handed him a plastic object.

Alan's gaze shifted to the object, and he saw two plus signs. His eyes widened, and he pulled his wife close.

"Fiza..." he whispered, planting a tender kiss on her ear.

She smiled at his affectionate touch, and he gently cupped her chin, tilting her face up.

"Are we having a baby?" he asked, seeking her confirmation.

She nodded slowly, and he sealed the moment with a kiss on her lips.

Fiza cherished her bond with Anand, but the prospect of carrying Alan's child in her womb promised a unique and profound experience. She held no worries about her ability to love both her children equally, drawing inspiration from her own mother's ability to love her and Farzana without bias.

She reveled in her husband's affectionate kisses, feeling incredibly blessed to have him. Like any couple, they had their fair share of arguments and disagreements, but Alan's constant outpouring of love and affection had been a cornerstone of their relationship. She counted herself fortunate to be his wife, and now, they were on the brink of welcoming a child born from their love, their very own bundle of joy.

Alan continued to trail his kisses down her neck, his hands caressing her waist.

"Alan," Fiza softly protested, "you're going to make us late."

Alan chuckled heartily. "You did take quite a while in the bathroom!"

"I had to be sure before telling you, didn't I?" she replied with a smile. "I had to pee twice so it took time tests!"

"Of course," Alan said, rolling his eyes in mock exasperation before drawing his wife in for another passionate kiss. Each day, she seemed to grow more beautiful in his eyes.

Alan felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude every single day for the fact that Fiza had chosen him. He recognized that she had unwaveringly believed in him, standing by his side through thick and thin. In every sense, she had been his savior, rescuing him from his inner demons and turmoil. Alan was determined to spend the rest of his life happily repaying the debt of love and support that Fiza had selflessly given him.

"Mamma! Dada!" Anand's little voice piped up, his hands firmly planted on his hips. "What are you doing in the bathroom?"

Fiza gently pulled away from Alan and walked over to her son. "Anand, are you ready to be a big brother?" she asked with a warm smile.

Anand shook his head vigorously, burying his face between her legs.

"Sweetheart, my dear," Fiza whispered as she knelt to be at eye level with him, "I love you so much."

He hugged her tightly. "If I have a little brother, will you still love me so much?" he asked with concern.

"Of course! Our love only grows. The more people you love, the more your love grows," she lovingly explained.

Alan joined in the hug, kneeling down beside them. "We'll always, always love you, Anand. You are our first child," he assured his son, planting a kiss on his cheek.

Fiza gazed at her husband and son with affection, feeling like the luckiest woman on Earth.

Just as they were sharing this tender family moment, Alan's phone buzzed loudly.

"You idiot!" came a voice through the phone, and Alan quickly moved it away from his ear. "You're 30 minutes late!" It was Farzana. Fiza couldn't help but roll her eyes at her sister's impatience.

"Farzana, we'll be there in about 15 minutes," Fiza reassured, taking the phone from Alan.

"I want to play with Sophie!" Anand shouted with excitement.

"Alright, buddy, let's go!" Fiza exclaimed, and they all prepared to head to Farzana's for their eagerly anticipated game night.

"We're pregnant!" Fiza announced without any preamble as she entered Farzana's house.

With Alan, Fiza, and Fahad all working at the same hospital, the two families had opted to live in the same high-rise building.

After Fahad had completed his PG in Cardiothoracic surgery, Farzana pursued her master's degree in Interior Design.

"Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!" Farzana exclaimed in sheer excitement at the news. "We are too! Our babies are going to be like twins!"

The two sisters locked eyes and started jumping up and down while holding hands. Alan and Fahad exchanged a knowing look of exasperation at their wives' childlike behavior, fully aware that this was just the beginning of a new and exciting journey for both families.

"Idiot! When were you going to tell me?" Fiza playfully scolded her sister.

"Tonight! We only found out a few days ago!" Farzana explained enthusiastically. Then, she suddenly declared, "I call dibs on mamma!"

"You can't do that!" Fiza argued with a grin.

Alan put his arm around Fiza and chimed in, "Amma can help us too." His mother would be excited too. They were fortunate to have the support of their families during this exciting time, and they knew their loved ones would be there for them every step of the way.

Fiza absently fiddled with her pendant, lost in thought as she considered the practicalities of having both her mother and mother-in-law help with the baby. The pendant, an old gold necklace with the letter 'F' on it, held deep significance. She had started wearing it again a few months after she and Alan had reconciled, and he didn't mind.

To Alan, the pendant symbolized the journey they had undertaken to be together, a reminder of what he might have lost, and the unshakable faith she had always had in him.

For Fiza, it represented an alternate reality, the weight of her past choices, the debt she felt toward Faisal, and the unwavering strength of her love for Alan.

Faisal had ultimately granted her the most significant gift of all by letting her go, allowing her to embrace the future she had chosen with Alan.

As their eyes met, Alan and Fiza shared a profound understanding. They were the true constants in each other's lives, the anchor amidst the chaos of the world around them. Everything else was just noise.

********************************************

Authors note!

I hope you like the Epilogue - a little glimpse into the future.

Let me know your thoughts!
I am in no way condoning abusive relationships - your instinct should be self preservation.

If you find yourself in an abusive relationship, get out. If you can't, you still need to form an exit plan - not just hypothetically, but one that can be executed the moment your decide to leave.

Fiza was lucky that she had been right about Alan, that he had been capable of personal growth. But a lot of times, we are blinded by our love for the abuser, the hope that things will get better, and the belief that the remorse they exhibit after the act is genuine.

In majority of the cases, violence escalates. This is a story about a relationship where it did not, where Alan had throughout the first and second book, been fighting his personal trauma and had been seeking to improve.

If you are being hurt, allow people who love you, to get you to a safe space.

Sometimes distance and some time away can help you get a better understanding and perspective.

I hope you all are safe. Don't forget to get your flu shots!

💜Faiza