Conflate

Chapter 36

                                 (Unedited)

Days went by, followed by months. He could smell the scent of her perfume which was driving him into the woods of heavens.

She smiled sheepishly and walked faster to meet up with him.

"Hello there, saviour." Aret said cheerfully. He looked up at the sky as it was about to rain.

"Hello there, beautiful." He held her hands. "Missed me?"

She nodded her head shyly and handed him the envelope she was clutching.

Abdullah collected it, unfolding the paper, he read it out and jumped excitedly. "I knew it! Wallah i knew it babe." He hugged her. "Thank you babe. I love you."

"I have another news." She stated, the smile never leaving her face. "I want to be a muslimah."

It started drizzling and Abdullah didn't care about the people going in and out of the hospital. He picked her up and swirled them around.

"So choose a name for me." Aret said immediately he dropped her in the car.

"Aisha." He replied, igniting the car. "It means 'alive'." He turned and smiled at her as he swerved the car. "Nana Aisha, she's the most beloved wife of prophet Muhammad."

Aret could only nod as she munched on the carrot they bought earlier. They walked hand in hand to Ummi's room. They both crouched down to greet her.

Ummi couldn't hide her excitement when she heard the news. In less than a minute, they were all settled in Baba's parlour.

"Ma shaa Allah, Ma shaa Allah." Baba kept chanting. "What are we waiting for? Abdullah tell her the shahada and she should repeat after you."

"La'illaha Allah, Muhammad rasoolu Allah. (There's no true God but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of God)."

She repeated after him with a smile. "Assalamu Alaikum Aysha." They chorused.

Baba cleared his throat. "Abdullah, guide her. May Allah bless y'all."

"Ameen."

7 months later.

Aysha licked on her whipped cream as Abdullah stared at her intensely.

By Allah, the day he got to know he was going to be a father was the happiest day of his life, and his Aysha accepted islam that same day.

What more should he ask for?

He bent over to her protruding belly and a placed a kiss. "Baby girl, you're wasting time. Weren't you supposed to be here last two weeks. Come soon." He whispered to the stomach.

Aysha could only smile. Raising up his head, he swiped up some whipped cream beside her lower lip using his tongue.

"Aysha?" He called and she looked up at him. "I love you." He mouthed.

She smiled and fondled her huge belly. "Abdullah?"

"Yes darling." He answered.

"You have a very big head."

Abdullah laughed wholeheartedly. "Like seriously? Babe!." He tickled her.

    "Okay, okay. I love you Abdullah."

She placed her head on his broad shoulder and they watched sheik Omar Suleiman's videos on YouTube, quietly.

***
Abdullah watched the doctors and nurses going in and out of the labour room.