Hamza and Amy's Romantic Journey

Chapter 3

"Yeah."

"Let me guess. She's telling you how worried she is and such. She doesn't believe me when I tell her I'm happy as we are. Can you speak to her, please?"

"Okay, in'sha'Allah."

I took the remote and changed the channel on TV. Safia looked her phone every few seconds, her attention half on the TV. 

"Do I have to treat you like a guest and offer you beverages now?" She asked and I looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Me? Guest? Me? Don't make me laugh." I responded, a little offended. Safia smiled, looked down at her phone and then grinned. "That said, can you make me a cup of tea please?" Safia got up in a stroppy manner and I smiled as wide as I could as I said "Thanks!"

Safia left her phone on the sofa and went to the kitchen. Suddenly, it felt like the phone was staring at me. My fingers twitched and before I could stop myself, the phone was in my hands. The last message was to Yusuf, perfect. I didn't read what the messages were, snooping wasn't my mission. Instead, I sent a message.

I tried not to laugh too loud, in case it made Safia suspicious as I got a response and sent another message. When I heard Safia's footsteps, I put the phone back where it was and sat back in my seat with a poker face.

"Thank you very much," I said as she put the tea down in front of me. Safia picked up her phone again and soon I heard a gasp. I looked up to see Safia typing frantically. Then she got a cushion and threw it at me.

"Hey, watch the tea!" I warned.

"How could you say that?" She looked back at her phone and I could see a hint of a smile.

"But aren't you flattered at his response?" I asked Safia and then she really smiled as she turned her phone to show me the message she sent.

"Of all things to say though. Ear hair? Really?"

"Come on, you know it's funny."

"Why do all your stupid prank messages have to be to Yusuf?"

"Because he has the best reactions. Amy and Hafsa would figure out it's me and the rest have boring reactions like, pluck it yourself. Yusuf really gets thrown off by the odd comments though."

"Stop picking on my poor, innocent husband."

"He's not that innocent. You haven't seen him play football."

"Did you secretly take him football again?" Safia asked sternly.

"Not after the last time you threw a tantrum over it." Yusuf loved playing football when his ankle was okay. He'd given up on it since he found out about his arthritis but every now and then, it gets a little better and he asks to play football again. So I've taken him with me, secretly, to play football. His ankle sometimes aches he next day but he claims it's worth it.

But Safia has strictly banned him from playing. She hates to see him in pain and the last time she found out I'd taken him to play football, she lectured us for ages. I then found out what Adam and Maria probably felt like being her kids, poor things.

"I didn't throw a tantrum. I just said you should know better. I mean, his ankle-"

"Yeah yeah, save the speech, I've heard it before. I won't take him with me again."

"Good." 

We went back to watching Judge Judy  and a guy who looked like Amaan came on TV. I made Safia pause it and took a picture to send it to him.

"That reminds me, have you seen how huge Amaan is now? He told me he's six foot one. When did he get two inches taller than me? Wan't he like five feet just yesterday?"

"He's been taller than you for about two years now," Safia said, looking at me with confusion. "Why else do we call him friendly giant?"

"I thought that was because he's bulky. I didn't realise he was taller than me until I was standing next to him for some reason and I realised I have to look up a little."

"Yeah, our little Amaan is all grown up."

"Soon, it might be Adam towering above me."

"In'sha'Allah. Pray for him. He's kind of short in comparison to other kids his age. His diet is so restricted, how can he grow as well as them?"

"He'll be fine, in'sha'Allah. Don't worry. Even with his allergies, he seems to be eating well."

"Yeah, I guess." 

We turned our attention back to Judge Judy until Amy called, asking me to pick her up.

I said my goodbyes to Adam and Maria before leaving to get to Amy's dad's house. One I got there, I briefly went in to say hello to him. Then, Amy got into the car with me.

"What were you talking about?" I asked almost right away. The curiosity was killing me.

"My sister's really not in a good state right now. I spoke to her after so long. Gave her our address and such if she ever needs it. She needs help but she's not willing to accept it."

"Things are that bad? Is it her husband?"

"Yeah. I don't want to talk about it right now." Amy wiped away a tear. I wanted to ask more but refrained. I didn't expect this situation with her sister to be so bad. I squeezed Amy's hand when we got to a red light.

"Tell me about your day. How are Adam and Maria?"

I told Amy about my visit to Safia and the kids and was grateful it made her smile a few times. 

When we got home, I closed the door behind me and then pulled Amy towards me, holding her. She slumped herself against me. I could tell she was exhausted.

"I'm worried about her," Amy said, referring to her sister. "And her baby." She has a baby? Where did that come from?

"They'll be fine, in'sha'Allah. Don't worry. I can see you're doing everything you can for her and one day, she'll appreciate that." I hoped what I was saying was comforting considering that I didn't really know what was going on. 

"I don't want appreciation. I want them to be okay."

"I want you to be okay." I lifted Amy's chin with my finger. "It seems like you're doing all you can to help them and I'll help you help them. But I don't want to see you so torn up over this." Amy managed to give a weak smile.

"Yeah, I guess we have enough issues of our own to think so deeply about other's issues."

"I don't know what you're talking about. We don't have any issues," I said, staring challengingly into her eyes. She didn't respond and then looked around before looking back into my eyes. It was her way of referring to the silence around us. The lack of children.

"We don't have any issues," I repeated. "Don't make any." I let go of Amy and walked past her before running up to our room.

This conversation of having kids was getting tiring and irritating. I prayed regularly to have children but I wasn't so desperate. Perhaps it was because Amy was and I needed to balance us out. That evening, I prayed to have a baby just so this conversation would end. 

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A/N: SO SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE!

I started working officially. Like, I have an actual career now. How cool, right? That's what caused the delay. But I'm going to try and be more regular now, in'sha'Allah.