*Unedited *

r!

"She is so beautiful, Masha Allah"

"Masha Allah" I whispered.

"She has your eyes, her nose....." He played with the tiny hands.

"Shh.....you will wake her" I whispered again.

"No, I won't," he said aloud, caressing the little nose of our daughter.

"Rehan, you will surely wake her" I smacked his arm.

"Ow......what's that's for?" Rubbing the place where I hit.

"She just slept"

"Okay... Okay....let's go my princess, your moma has become a Hitler" he placed her in the crib next to the bed "Actually, she needs some attention. Jealousy" he whispered loud enough for me to hear.

I gave him a glare which only made him laugh.

"Thanks for giving me this precious" he kissed my forehead as he sat beside me. I smiled at him.

Rabiyah Anam, our precious was born just a few hours back. After months of craving, morning sickness, annoying Rehan, and getting very special treatment from everyone, I finally got her. Indeed, time flies fast.

"And what you have gone through..." Rehan started but I cut him off.

"Please don't remind me of that"

He smiled "was the bravest thing" he kissed my knuckles "And I love you even more for that."

I glanced at the clock "Half an hour to go, everyone will be here" I said which only caused Rehan to groan.

"No one will ever let me spend some time with you"

"Aww...I'm always yours" I patted his cheek.

"Yeah...yeah"

Both of our moms were here from last night. After a long time of convincing them, they finally left us only to come back with everyone during the visiting hours.

"Rehan, you should get some sleep," I said spreading my hands through his hair.

He has buried his face in his hands "Hmm...." He replied.

He didn't rest a bit. At least, I took a great nap. If it was not for him, I would have given up. Not only while giving birth, but also in every step of life.

He helped me every time, during my exams, my every low time, my problems and in everything. It's not like we never fought, we had it. Like every normal couple does and only those helped us to be where we are now.

I looked at Rehan who was fast asleep in the chair. I thought of asking him to sleep in the bed but did against it, afraid that it will wake him.

I then glanced at the sleeping figure of my daughter, who was peacefully asleep in her wonderland. Immediately, a smile crept on my face. I mentally thanked Allah for everything he gave me.

"Assalamu alaikum! Mubarak!!!!" A voice chimed. It was none other than Aisha, followed by mom, Sarim, and little Hammad with him.

Rehan jerked up, rubbing his eyes, he stood aside letting them to me. I felt sad for him, but there's no way out of this.

"Auntie...." Hammad ran towards me.

"Hammadu!" I leaned down to hug him. We have an amazing bond. Though this almost three years old kiddo likes Sarim a lot, he prefers me always.

"Have you seen your little sista?" I asked him kissing his cheeks.

He shook his head. "There she is" I pointed to him. He tiptoed by the crib "Mama, she is so small" he said in astonishment showing his cute dimples.

Everyone laughed at his innocence. When we told him, he gonna get a brother/sister, he thought a sibling of his age is coming? That's pretty cute.

"Shh!" Aisha silenced him and picked Rabiyah. "She is so like you" I smiled at her.

"Didi, please don't give her your intelligence. I don't want my niece to be dumb as you" Sarim said looking at her.

"Hey!" I tried to hit him but Rehan pulled him away from me.

"You got that, champ. Maybe she inherited her mother's look but her wit is all mine" Rehan winked at me and I rolled my eyes.

Minutes later Sidra and mom entered the room yelling congratulations.

*******

Chaos. That is how our is home for the past week. As per tradition, I'm at my mother's place. The whole house is packed with guests. Rabiyah is such a great child. Why won't she? She is my daughter.

She likes tossing around among everyone. She likes new faces, unlike Hammad who used to take the whole house in his head with all his wails.

But today being Sunday, everyone's here. My in-laws, Safa and Maryam with their husbands. Since Javid is here, Rehan invited his other friends. Trust me it has become a mini party or something.

Laughter erupted from the men, who were in the other room. As for us women, we are in our gossips. Hammad and Ihsaan(Maryam's son) connected the two rooms by running around.

"She will socialize a lot, believe me," Sidra said playing with the little fingers of Rabiyah. Everyone agreed without saying anything but Maryam being Maryam had to pass a comment.

"Yeah! She won't be a chicken like her mother" she said which earned her a scowl from me.

"Enough Maryam, Aimen is not that bad" Safa supported me and I grinned at her and also wiggling eyebrows at Maryam.

"Party pooper" she whispered.

"That's peacemaking, my friend" Safa defended herself.

How many years it may be, how settled we may be in our lives, our friendship is still intact. A big Alhamdulilah for that.

*******

"My baby!" I say with a smile as I saw her giggle and playing with her hands.

"Someone's in a good mood" Rehan joined us in the bed.

"Yeah! Seems like she is going to us a hard night" I brought a small toy before her which she eagerly took, then directly into the mouth.

Of course, she will give us hard time. Sleeping and playing on her will, unmindful of time is all she does. That's all she will do. Also being this small she has the capacity to spread happiness, which even the adults fail to.

"That's good. Finally, papa got time with these beauties" Rehan says, as he kissed Rabiyah then on my cheek.

I may have become a mother but his mere touch still brings the butterflies like the first time.

"Baby got a kiss, moma got a kiss, what about papa?" He pouted.

"Kiss yourself," I said with a smirk.

He frowned at first but later turned it into a sad face "Everyone's ignoring papa" he wiped his imaginary tears.

"Aww....that's sad," I said. He scowled at me and faced Rabiyah, he played with her chubby cheeks.

"What should we do now? Grant papa's wish?" I asked diverting my attention back to her, who was busy tasting her fingers.

I turned towards Rehan and gave a short peck on his cheek. But he caught me giving a real kiss this time.

"You're as beautiful as the first time I saw you" he caressed my cheek with the back of his hand.

"Oh! Stop it Rehan. I look like a mess" Definitely, a mess is a perfect word to describe me. In these nine months, I gained weight, dark circles formed, and much more.

"I don't agree with that. You're still my beautiful, pretty and lovely wife" he said with his blue eyes piercing into mine.

I always thought our child would get his eye colour, but nope, Rabiyah got my hazel brown ones.

"You will never stop your flirting and cheesy lines, huh?"

"Never" he shook his head grinning "You like those things, darling" he winked.

"Whatever" I can never be against it, cause I love them. Me admitting that to Rehan, never.

The cry of Rabiyah filled the room. Rehan took her in his hands and rocked her a little "What happened to you?"

A yawn escaped her mouth as the answer. "Nice way to tell you're sleepy" he gently rocked her till her tiny eyes closed in a blissful sleep.

A smile etched in Rehan's face as he watched her sleep in his hands. His smile was full of love, adoration, responsibility and happiness. "Aimen, I never thought I would have this great family with a girl who came before my car years ago"

I just smiled, cause neither do I. It's the will of Allah, which no one can change. But surely it changed my life. It brought happiness, bitterness, new things, new experience, but at the end of the day, it's still me, Aimen Sharif, who once struggled with life ignoring the blessings it gave.

Now, I can say not all the changes are good, it's up to us to make it great or worst.

I