An inexplicable rush of emotion flooded Afrah's entire body at the sight of her. She was beautiful, exactly as she'd imagined she would turn out. Her breath came in short bursts as tears came to her eyes. 
                          
"Do you want to hold her?" he asked, already reaching for the baby. Afrah took her gently from his hands, her smile widening when the little girl stirred in her arms. 
                          
"She's as beautiful as her mother," Adnan said, sitting beside her. "I still can't believe it's real, Afrah. We have a child. A child. When did this even happen?"
                          
"I cannot explain how I feel right now," she said, cradling the baby close to her chest. 
                          
"You don't need to," he said. "I feel the exact same way."
                          
He couldn't bring himself to tell her. Not when she was so happy. To think that Yusuf had been in the exact same room as her made him want to scream in agony. If something had happened to her or his daughter, he'd never be able to forgive himself. 
                          
His daughter. 
                          
Less than twenty four hours after meeting her, Adnan knew he would lay down his life for her. It didn't matter what she wanted; he would go to the ends of the world to get it just to make her happy. Such was the feeling that consumed his heart at the sight of her little fingers flexing, her mouth slightly open. He loved her, almost as much as he loved his wife. 
                          
"What did you name her?" Afrah asked. 
                          
"Hafsah," he replied. "It's the name you wanted, isn't it?"
                          
"Of course," she replied. "Little Hafsah. We'll be good to her, won't we?"
                          
"You say that like it was in dispute in the first place."
                          
A knock came on the door then, and before they could even look up, Halima burst into the room, followed closely by her husband and Afrah's siblings. Surprisingly, Adnan's mother was with them. 
                          
"My baby," Halima said with her eyes moist with tears. She hurried over to Afrah's side, holding her tightly. "Did he touch you? Did he do anything to you?"
                          
"What are you talking about, Umma?" Afrah asked, knitting her brows in confusion. She heard Adnan's sharp intake of breath, and knew immediately that he was hiding something from her. 
                          
Halima pulled back slowly, suddenly realizing her mistake. 
                          
"It's nothing," she said quickly, avoiding Afrah's gaze. "Don't mind me. I'm just so emotional from seeing my grandchild."
                          
Afrah's gaze slowly shifted to her husband. He alone could read the question in her eyes, and he only owed her the answer. 
                          
"Abba was here," he said slowly, his gaze fixed on a particular spot on the wall behind her. He couldn't look at her. Not when he knew what was going through her mind. He'd failed her. He'd promised to protect her, and yet he'd let her down at her most vulnerable. He couldn't bear to look at her. 
                          
Afrah meanwhile felt like a cold knife had sliced clean through her. She felt someone pull the baby out of her hands, but she didn't realize who. Her ears were muffled, and the faces staring back at her seemed far away now. Even Adnan's. 
                          
Slowly, her voice came back to her. "He... he was here?"
                          
The silence told her everything she needed to know. 
                          
"It's my fault," Adnan said. "I should have been here watching you. But I left to get some food and look what happened. It's my fault, Afrah, and you shouldn't blame anyone but me."
                          
Her eyes returned to her daughter, examining her as though she would suddenly notice a mark on her; something to show that indeed Yusuf had been here.