PEACEFUL AND HAPPY MOMENTS

Leylah was in her late mother's room,packing her stuff to go back to her home with Suraj. Nabeela and mrs Najma were also there helping her.

The lease of the house still has a few years before it expires. Leylah didn't want to break the lease and give the house to someone else immediately.

She knows keeping the house empty for a long time isn't the right thing to do either. So she planned to call the landlord and talk to him about breaking the lease but not immediately though.

Mrs Najma and Nabeela helped Leylah pack. Leylah took some of her late mother's belongings with her in her bag. Mrs Najma and Nabeela helped her distribute the rest to the needy.

Back at her home with Suraj....

She was accompanied back home by Nabeela and she helped her move back her stuff into the house. Nabeela had wanted to stay longer but her boss called,and she had to leave Leylah alone.

Leylah wondered around in the house,she entered the room where her mum used to stay in whenever she visits them. Once she closed the door to the bedroom,tears started streaming down her face. Slouching against the door,she knelt down onto the floor and started to cry her heart out.

She was still crying and thinking about all the times she spent with her mother, when she heard footsteps coming from the hall way.

She knew Suraj was still at the hospital and Nabeela left already. She wasn't expecting any visitors,so who has the audacity to enter her house without her permission.

She went outside the room and she saw Suraj walking towards her. Her face brightened up immediately and she asked, "Babe why are you...."

"I missed you,I wanted to see you." he said cutting her words in between,which caught her off guard. She stared at him in surprise and a smile crept up on her lips after hearing his words.

His gaze was so strong that she could feel the pain and worry he must have felt when she was fighting with him.

With his words,she couldn't help but think about the incidents that happened when and after her mother died. The feelings and pain she felt, were still vivid in her memory.

She remembered his gaze the time she slapped him,when she woke up after fainting. That gaze....how can she forget?.

Unknowingly,tears formed in her eyes when she remembered all the hurtful words she said to him and how he just nodded and didn't take her words to heart. He always put up a mild smile on his face whenever she accused him which made her feel even more miserable.

Leylah sniffled as the memories were making her emotional and she couldn't help but turn her head away from Suraj.

Suraj was bewildered seeing her crying all of a sudden,she didn't look at him but looked away while sobbing which was making him uncomfortable and worried.

"Leylah,is something wrong? Why are you crying? Do you feel hurt anywhere? Look at me". He held her arms and brought her face to look at him.

He sighed seeing her teary face which looked worn out with the tears stain. " tell me my love,why are you crying? Do you want....."

Leylah interrupted his words by hugging his waist,she snuggled against his chest and rubbed her face against him and said "just let me hug you like this for some minutes" she said with her choked voice.

Suraj was speechless seeing her in such state. Since Mrs Karina died, she has always been crying and looking very sad. He wanted to comfort her then but she wouldn't let him and he felt helpless.

He reached out his hands to pat her back gently and let her cry while she was leaning on him. He was aware of the things going on in her head and the least he could do right now is to let her cry to her heart content.

He knows she was feeling helpless because of how her mother died,and it pained her that she couldn't change the outcome even with her effort. He knows crying wouldn't solve anything but it would at least calm her down. And she will be able to let out the emotions she has been pilling up inside her.

Leylah closed her eyes as the tears wouldn't stop coming out of her eyes and were wetting his chest. She whispered "I am glad you are by my side...thank you for keeping the promise you made to me and my mother" she said in a low and shaky voice which was inaudible to him.

"Hmm?" Suraj looked at her and wondered what she said but he didn't get a response. She just hugged him tighter and he couldn't do anything but let her stay in his embrace for as long as she wanted,comforting her.

Suraj and Leylah went back to living their normal life,spending most times in the hospital and coming back home late and exhausted,but together.

There was still no news about Zara and her grandma after her disappearance when Mrs Karina died. The police were still looking for them.

Nabeela was always busy in her new company going on trips and meetings. lunch and dinner dates with her boss so she seldom comes around to see Leylah and her brother but they talk a lot on phone.

Mrs Najma frequently comes around to check on the couple and made sure Leylah was eating and exercising properly. She knows she couldn't leave that to Suraj, because he could get swayed easily by Leylah and would just do everything she says.

Suraj has been ever so loving,caring and attentive to Leylah. he spoils her with gifts and takes her out whenever they had time even though their busy schedule everyday.

"Hey wifey"Suraj said entering into Leylah's office.

"Hey hubby,you look rather ravishing this evening. Wait! This isn't the shirt I picked for you this morning, the pants too" Leylah gave him a questioning look.

"I remember very well the clothes I picked out today for you. So why did you change it and wore this one?" Leylah interrogated him as soon as he came into her office.

She always picks out the cloth Suraj wears everyday and they leave the house and come to work together. So why was he wearing another cloth again.

Suraj just smiled and handed a bag to her ignoring her question " I got you something" Suraj said as he gave the bag to Leylah and bent down to leave a kiss on her baby bump.

"How are you doing there my cute little prince" he said as he caressed it with so much tenderness.

They did an ultra sound and found out the sex of their baby,so they started making plans to welcome their cute little prince into the world.

A spark brightened her eyes when she saw the dress Suraj had gotten for her. "Baby,it are so lovely. I love this dress. I wanted to buy it the last time I went out with Nabeela".

When Leylah went out with Nabeela she saw the dress online and went ahead to place an order for it.

But the store weren't delivering at that time.

She wanted to go get it with Nabeela but Leylah had to return back to the hospital because of an emergency case.

And now her husband bought her the same dress and also a beautiful shoe,purse and a jewelry to go with it. Leylah was overjoyed .

"I knew you would love it. Go change into it quickly so we can go have dinner together". Suraj said with a proud smile on his face.

Nabeela has tipped him off when he told her about wanting to take Leylah out and was wondering what to buy for her.

Nabeela told him about the dress Leylah had wanted to go shop for but couldn't because she was busy and the store were at that moment,not delivering.

Suraj quickly went off and got the dress and a matching purse,shoe and jewelry to go with it. He was super glad she loved it and a satisfactory smile crept its way to his face.

They hadn't gone out together for a while now because they were always working and had no time. So today he got a free time and he spoke to the chief and decided to surprise his wife and take her out for dinner.

"Really?" Leylah said surprised with her big eyes looking at him. A huge smile plastered on her face when he answered her question with a nod smiling himself.

Leylah is very easy to make happy. She gets happy over littlest things and that fact makes him feel like the luckiest husband on earth.

"Okay,I'll go change quickly and we'll leave.....love you baby. my husband is the best husband in the whole wide world" Leylah pecked Suraj on the cheek and quickly hurried to go change and get ready before they left for their dinner date.

Days went by quickly,days turned into weeks,and weeks into months and Leylah was already eight months gone in her pregnancy. She has added quite some weight and become quite lazy and feels overly tired most times.

The hospital offers a 6 weeks maternity leave and she had prayed hard and long for the day when she finally goes on leave. The director allowed her to go a week before her six weeks maternity leave.

Because he saw that she was having a hard time handling her pregnancy and her residency program.

"It feels so nice to have a step dad who can pull strings around for you" Leylah said laughing as she brought a friut juice for the director who was sitting in her sitting room. He brought her home from the hospital since Suraj was busy and he couldn't allow Leylah to drive with her pregnancy.

"Am glad I can be of help to my step daughter" the director replied sipping the juice.

"So now you have to rest and take good care of your self and my grand son too". he continued,putting the juice on the side table and standing up.

"I have to leave dear. Here,I got this for my grandson". He said as he gave Leylah a small box which contained a cute little pair of red socks for new borns. He has bought countless gifts for Leylah and the baby. He never cease a chance to gift and assist Leylah anytime he could.

" this is so cute,I love it. Baby,your step grand daddy got you this" Leylah said happily as she put the socks in front of her baby bump as if showing it to the unborn child.

"Thank you so much,you are the best step dad anyone could ever ask for"

"I know I am" he replied smiling sweetly at Leylah . He picked up his car keys,he paused when he suddenly remembered something.

"Oh I almost forgot. the children will be arriving tomorrow,and they want to meet you".

" Would you have time tomorrow? maybe we could have lunch together. I'll also tell Suraj about it when I go back to the hospital today" .

The director's children who were abroad were coming back to Nigeria. They had talked on the phone a few times with the late Mrs Karina. They loved Mrs Karina and were anticipating their meeting with her. But unfortunately, that wasn't possible anymore as Mrs Karina is already gone now.

Leylah had never talked or seen them before, but she knew her mother was in a good relationship with them. Her mum even promised to make them sumptuous meals whenever they arrived in Nigeria.

Her heart hurt a bit when she thought about her mother not been around to witness such a day. she suppressed her emotion and smiled at the director.

" That won't be a bad idea,but why don't we have dinner together here at home?. I want to welcome my step siblings with some home made food".

"Leylah I don't want you to go through....." the director was trying to say but Leylah interrupted him.

"No its actually an honor for me,am very sure they'll love it. Am glad Allah brought you into my life and now I have a step dad and step siblings. my baby will have plenty uncles and aunts". Leylah said and the director smiled.

The next day,The director's children arrived safely in Nigeria. Leylah together with Mrs Najma and the helper made all the preparation for the welcome dinner for them.

Mr Al-kaseem has also come back from work to spend a few days holiday before he returned back to work,so he joined them for dinner. Leylah also invited Nabeela and her boss. They looked like a big happy family together.

Leylah was feeling the absence of her mum this night and everyone noticed. She excused herself and went into the kitchen. She was in daze when she heard the director voice behind her.

" I think my wife was quite jealous and didn't want to see her husband with another woman. So she took your mum away from us " The director joked and Leylah laughed .

"that was funny but I don't agree with you on that" She said and the director gave her a questioning look.

"yes,I think my dad was missing my mum so bad,but he couldn't ask her to come to him. Because he knows she has to take care of me" Leylah explained trying to give a convincing reason.

"But he couldn't help it anymore,when he saw her getting really attached to another man. So he took my mum away,seeing as I have a wonderful husband and you to take care of me. so he needn't worry anymore" Leylah concluded her argument keeping a serious face as the director, trying hard not to laugh.

"I guess I'll have to agree with this version of yours. that must be the case because my wife was really not the jealous type". The director said and they both burst out of laugher again at their unbelievable thoughts.