'Hey! Fatso...'

I groan on hearing Arham's voice calling me from the kitchen. It's been five years since we are married and yet Arham hasn't learnt cooking. I wonder angrily why is he even bother cooking. I can smell burned toast.

'Fatso! Wake up...'he shouts.

I ignore him and place a pillow over my face.

'Mamma'

'Mamma'

I groan loudly into my pillow, if Arham isn't annoying enough now comes my two monkeys, my twin sons.

'Mamma isn't moving...is she?' one of my son say

'Papa...Mamma isn't moving...' other one screams. I hear them run from the room, they are going to probably go disturb Arham. I giggle, Arham must be frustrated and will take all his frustration out on the kids. I roll my eyes, after they get all the scolding they will come running back to me.

I sigh as I hear my phone ring. Gosh! My home is transformed into a zoo. I remove the pillow and try sitting up. It's really difficult to sit, walk, and even sleep with this six-month baby bump.

I pick up my phone and I see Nooren's name flash. I smile

'Hello, Zahra. I and Irum are coming today evening...Irum wants to sleepover at your place.' Nooren says

I am more than happy to have Irum come over. To my relief Irum has bonded well with me, we don't share step mother-daughter relationship, we are more of real mother-daughter. My boys, Farhan and Fahd also bond well with Irum and look up to her as their elder sister.

'Mamma, is awake' Fahd my youngest son says excitedly as he spots me sitting on the bed.

'Fahd beta, Nooren Ma is on phone want to talk?' I say extending my phone towards him. He nods his head excitedly.

'Bhai, Nooren Ma is one phone' he screams calling his brother, Farhan, as he climbs on the bed and takes the phone from me. Farhan soon comes and both begin to argue for talking to Nooren. I look at them feeling extreme maternal pride admiring them. The boys have inherited my jet black hair and my nose. Irum and the boys, all three have inherited Arham's best feature, his grey eyes.

'Boys stop fighting.'

They freeze when they hear their father's voice. We look at the door and find Arham standing there carrying tray of the breakfast he has made. The boys hand me the mobile and rush out of the room.

'Don't be naughty, I am watching' Arham says as they run.

Arham turns his attention towards, he changes his expressions and smiles at me. I smile back. Arham places the tray on the bedside table and looks at me. I gulp seeing that he has prepared an omelette which luckily hasn't burned and has got me a glass of milk.

'How is my fatso and baby doing?' he asks placing his hand on my belly. I glare at him, ever since I started gaining weight when I was pregnant with Farhan and Fahd, Arham has started calling me a fatso.

'Here...' he says tearing a small piece of the omelette

'Is it safe?' I say and giggle. He looks at me annoyed, I smile widely and pinch his cheeks. He then feeds me a piece of omelette and I am impressed, he has improved a little in cooking.

*

That evening around 6pm, Nooren comes along with Ibrahim and Irum.

'Zee, Papa' Irum chirps on seeing us. She goes and hugs Arham tightly, Arham hugs her back.

'How is my bacha?' he asks kissing Irum on her cheek. She smiles and kissed her father's cheek

'I am fine, Papa'

'Irum Didi...Nooren Ma'

'Irum Didi...Nooren Ma'

The boys come running, Nooren kneels down and engulfs them in a tight hug.

I smile proudly looking at my happy family, my complete family. As I look at Nooren I wonder why people say that two women with history like ours can't be good friends. I and Nooren prove them wrong.

Who would have thought ten years ago that this day would come in our lives, where I, Arham and Nooren will become good friends?

The children surround me and one by one press their ears against my belly trying to listen to the little soul inside me.

Nooren helped me prepare dinner, it was mostly me plating and Nooren preparing food. Ibrahim and Arham are chatting in the living room while the kids run around playing. Nooren looks at my belly and smiles

'Looks like it's a girl this time' she says.

'You sure...I so want a girl; this house is filled with men' I say rolling my eyes. Nooren and I then look at each other for few seconds and then burst out laughing.

Men can be really a handful and I feel really out of place being the only female here, I caress my belly lovingly, hopefully I get a girl this time.

I look at Arham from the kitchen and smile to myself. Every time I look at him and at our kids I feel like I am the fortunate woman on the planet. To have the love of your life as your husband and father of your kids, it's such a blessing. That first time I had met Arham I didn't know my life will be such a roller coaster ride after meeting him...with love, heartbreak, sadness, happiness, tension. Woah! It was an amazing journey. But the journey isn't over yet, more happiness is on its way, I place my hand on my belly and smile widely.

------THE END------