Bonus Chapter #1

                                    

                                          
I was about to update when I noticed CTBB is ranked #3 in Spiritual! That's craaazy! Legit just yesterday I was celebrating about it reaching #5, and Wattpad surprises me with being in the TOP THREE! So to all my readers, Jazakallhu khair, I wouldn't have made it without you guys, ❤❤❤😚😚😚 Gosh this is getting cheesy, isn't it?
                          
Anyway, this BONUS CHAPTER is a flash forward into the future, so I hope you enjoy! 😍
                          
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6 years later...[May 2024]
                          
(Mariam's POV)
                          
"They're here! Mama, they're here!"
                          
I smiled at the little boy who bounced about like a sugar-high bunny. "Yes, habibi, I heard the doorbell too."
                          
Imran beat me to the door, about to turn the knob but I took over. As soon as I opened the door I was hit with the force of a short little girl with big brown eyes and pigtails.
                          
"'Ama Mariam!" she cried happily. "I missed you so much!"
                          
"I missed you too, Dunia," I chuckled, before looking up to greet her parents. "Salamu Alaykum."
                          
"Wa Alaykum musalam," Yasmine went in for a hug, but my stomach got in the way. "Ooh, it's getting bigger." 
                          
"So's yours," I gestured to hers, only four months along, but I could see a small bulge through her abaya.
                          
"Come here, Mims, give your bro some love," Nasr bent down to embrace me, and I sneaked a kiss on his stubbly cheek. "Ew, gross," he wiped it off dramatically, and I rolled my eyes.
                          
"He only likes it when I do that," Yasmine joked, and I held up my hands. 
                          
"Say no more, please," I said.
                          
Imran and Dunia were already in the lounge, and we caught them jumping on the sofas like kangaroos. "Dunia, get down, now!" Yasmine commanded, and Dunia sheepishly obeyed her mother, followed by Imran, who could tell by the look on my face that I did not approve.
                          
"Those two are so cheeky when they're together," I muttered.
                          
"Dunia is just as cheeky by herself. You don't even want to know what she gets up to," Nasr raised his eyebrows. "I'm still recovering from the talcum powder incident."
                          
Dunia was two and a half years old when she decided to go into her parent's room and shake talcum powder everywhere, and when they caught her, she said proudly, "Look, I made snow!" Yasmine sent me a picture of what Dunia had done and I still laughed whenever I thought of it.
                          
"I guess that's not as bad as that time Imran found my makeup bag and drew on the walls with my eyeliner and lipstick," I chuckled at the memory, even though I was pretty furious at the time.
                          
"He's an artist in the making," Yasmine said. "So...where's the father?"
                          
"Oh, he'll be home soon. He's at work," I replied as I sat down. Dunia and Imran sat together and shared the iPad, playing a game. It was so cute how they got along, as they were similar age, with Imran just six months older than Dunia. Imran had Damian's blue eyes and my thick dark locks, and every time I looked at him I'd see a bit of Damian's mischievousness in his smile, but I could also see a bit of me too. He was the product of both of us, and it was the most beautiful thing.
                          
"Shouldn't he be at home, taking care of you?" Nasr questioned.
                          
"I don't need to be taken care of," I insisted. "His job is more important."
                          
"You're probably one of the few wives who think that," Nasr chuckled. 
                          
"Yeah, well, he needs to work for the both of us now, so it's fine," I shrugged. "At least he takes Imran to preschool for me before he goes to work."