After 45 minutes

I left the study room quietly, hoping that I can slip out of the house undetected, especially by my parents. I was still reeling from the whole encounter; I wished Wahaj would come to my house under different circumstances.

I'd imagined introducing her to my family on numerous occasions, but that she'd show up at my house with her criminally insane cousin and her grandmother was absolutely beyond my imagination.

I was surprised to see the look in her eyes before; it was as if she couldn't stand the sight of me. In fact, except for a total number of two times, she had avoided looking at me the entire time she was in my presence. What changed?

I finally spotted her some distance away, walking down the long driveway away from the house. I broke into a jog and a few seconds later, caught her off guard as she saw me beside her.

"Professor, just leave it alone, okay? I don't want to talk about it!" she muttered, walking faster and intended to leave me behind.

"No, Wahaj, stop! Listen to me; we have to talk about this!" I insisted as I kept up to her pace with my long strides.

"What is going on ?" I asked her seriously.

"I told you to get a divorce! It would have been best if we did that before I knew what I know now," She replied, still walking in that swift pace of hers

"What do you know ?" I asked, confused by her sudden swift of pace.

"I am pregnant, okay?" She said so swiftly.

"What?" I said as I tried to hide my smile from her serious frown.

"There's nothing to talk about! This is my problem; I will handle it! I don't need you or my grandmother telling me what to do. I'm sorry Ayaaz forced his way into your home and ruined your evening. So, just go back to your party, and we'll get a divorce, okay?" she said stubbornly.

"Damnit Wahaj, just stop! You're pregnant, and you shouldn't be exerting yourself!" I cursed softly, my hand shot out to grab her arm to spin her around to face me, her chests heaving from the brisk walk.

"Come on, let's sit down in that gazebo over there. I will not take no for an answer," I warned as I pulled Wahaj hand towards a small structure about fifteen feet from the driveway.

She had no choice but to follow me as I was still holding onto her arm, afraid that she'd disappear if I let her go completely. I dropped her side when we reached the gazebo, and she sat down on a marble bench, her arms folded defensively as she waited for me to speak.

For a moment, I didn't know what to say to her, and I grasped at straws to find something to say that wouldn't set her off.

"Under the circumstances, I thought I'd go ahead and use your given name, Wahaj, then the more formal Ms Muhammad, is that all right with you?" I asked politely, seeing no harm in that innocent question since the last time I called her, I didn't ask.

"Really? We are married and about to have a kid. And you are asking this question," She smiled, "but by all means, use a girl's name for all I care," her lips unwillingly curled upwards at the end at her own joke.

My eyes widened all of a sudden and my face broke into a massive grin as I gave a hearty laugh at her quip, feeling relieved for the unexpected light-hearted moment. "God, you have such a quick wit!" he complimented sincerely as we smiled at each other, breaking the tension.

"This is why I wanted you to move in before, so we could avoid this kind of a mess," I said. Pointing toward our house; contained both of our families that by now are at each other throat, I presumed.

"So what are you going to do about this ?" She seemed frustrated by this whole situation that she put her face into her hands.

"That baby is mine. I have a responsibility to it as much as I have a responsibility to you. I can't just let you handle this by yourself; I won't!" I said with anguish evident in my eyes.

She just smiled weakly at me without saying a word.

Two hours later

As we walked in through the front doors of the mansion, her arm linked through mine, an enthusiastic kid strode away from the group to intercept the couple's path back to the study room.

"Wahaj, I knew you would come to take us," She smiled widely. "I knew it, I knew it, I told Layan and Deniz you would, you wouldn't leave us," Leyla, my sister's youngest daughter of 7 years old spoke as she held into Wahaj's arm tearing her away from mine.

"No, Leyla, Don't-"

Wahaj seemed to be moved by her as she sat in the ground and hugged the little girl. "I would never leave you guys," Wahaj spoke.

"I knew it," Leyla spoke passionately as she held into Wahaj's hand and guided her away from me and into the study room.

My mother thought it was me who entered, so she began complaning, "Ibrahim! Where have you been? You disappeared and left; we had to kick Ayaaz out of the house. But she wouldn't move before her granddaughter arrives," My mother said indicating that Mama Ghada won't move before Wahaj is here.

I followed from behind as I saw that they were all sitting there, and the only missing person was Ayaaz. "See grandma, I told you we would leave," She said, beaming.

I looked toward my parents who wanted nothing more than to strangle the life out of my wife. "Leyla, Sweetie," Wahaj began, "You are with your mother now, I will come to visit you often, I promise," My niece out of nowhere began to cry loudly.

"This is all because of you Ibrahim," My mother spoke before she took the hand of the little girl who refused to move, "No, I will go WITH WAHAJ," She screamed as loud as she could. "Anne (Mother), Wahaj is staying here," I demanded.

Her grandmother grinned looking at my mother teasingly, "Of course she will, she is your wife, we will leave for now," Her grandmother left as Ayaaz was already out of the room.

My mother cast a disgusted look at Wahaj, but she didn't seem fazed by it as all her attention was directed at the little girl.