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Then Dr. Hassan frowned and squinted at the screen, moving the probe to the other side of Isabella’s stomach. The doctor said something to the tech in rapid-fire Arabic and the tech typed in something on his keyboard. Feraz’s hip was pressed tight to Isabella’s arm as she was reclined back on the exam table and she felt his sharp intake of breath at the same moment she spotted a second set of arms and legs on the monitor. Soon, another tiny face looked back at them through the screen. Her mind stuttered to a halt, trying to take it all in.
Twins.
I’m having twins.
“Congratulations, Sheikh. Ms. Nazrani.” Dr. Hassan had the tech print out several pictures of both babies then handed them to Feraz while she cleaned the gel off Isabella’s stomach then sat her up. “Looks like you have a healthy set of twins on the way. A boy and a girl. From looking through your medical history, I see that you had IVF, Ms. Nazrani, which can make you more predisposed to having them. We’ll need to monitor you a bit more closely from here on out and…”
The doctor’s voice faded into the background as tears rose in Isabella’s eyes. She stared at the images of her unborn children, unable to believe this was really happening. Her first thought was to call Roxanne and tell her the happy news. But then she remembered that she couldn’t call her sister because Roxanne was gone.
“Thank you, Dr. Hassan,” Feraz said, shaking the doctor’s hand. “We’ll stop at the desk and schedule that appointment and a time for my wife to come back for the non-stress test. If we have any questions, we’ll call you.”
Isabella blinked as the door closed behind Dr. Hassan, still feeling dazed.
“This is amazing,” Feraz said, taking a seat on the wheeled stool beside Isabella that the doctor had vacated earlier. “Twins. One of each.” His deep voice brimmed with joy and reverence and Isabella couldn’t help crying harder. How she wished all this was real, that Feraz was her husband, that he loved her as Isabella not Roxanne, that they could celebrate the coming of two lives, not just one, as a real couple. A couple in love.
She stood and Feraz pushed to his feet as well, taking her into his arms and holding her like she was precious as gold while she sobbed into his chest.
“Please don’t cry, rohi.” He nuzzled his face into the top of her hair. “It will be fine. It will all be fine. I know this is hard because of what happened with your sister and her accident, but maybe this is Allah’s way of telling us that life goes on. Perhaps we can even call the baby Isabella, in her honor.”
And that just made Isabella cry all the more.
9
“Twins?” Jess exclaimed once Feraz had gotten Roxanne home and the whole family was settled in the palace movie theatre for a fun night in. “Allah be praised, that’s fantastic!”
She hugged his wife and Feraz couldn’t help feeling a deep sense of relief. Despite their past differences, it appeared that his family was gradually accepting Roxanne back into the fold. Even his mother seemed overjoyed by the news of not one, but two, impending grandchildren.
“Your father would have been so proud, my son,” Zuhra said, pulling Feraz in for a hug. “And I am so pleased for you.” She leaned back and glanced at Roxanne beside him before tugging her in for a hug as well. “Both of you. I trust all is well with mother and baby?”
Feraz took his wife’s hand and kissed it. “All is well. And getting better each day.”
He didn’t miss the shadows beneath Isabella’s eyes or the slight pallor to her complexion though. After the emotional rollercoaster ride they’d had, he imagined she had to be exhausted. He helped her into a cushy leather recliner then got them both drinks and popcorn before settling into the seat beside hers. Going out to regular venues wasn’t usually an option for the Nazrani family, given their status within the country, so his father had had this theatre built within the palace so his children could still see all the latest films. Of course, the rest of Djeva’s population had been less than thrilled to see their tax dollars go for one family’s private enjoyment, but now Feraz was infinitely grateful for his father’s thoughtfulness. Both he and his wife needed a break from all the stress of the day and watching the latest American superhero movie should be just the ticket.
To his own surprise, Feraz was actually liking this slower pace of life. Not that he still didn’t put in long hours, but since Roxanne had returned home with him, he found himself less inclined to sit all night behind his desk pushing endless papers around. Now, he wanted to spend time with her, hear about her day, wonder at all the changes taking place with her and their babies.
Twins. He couldn’t suppress his grin each time he thought of it.
Having a son had been wonderful.
Having a son and a daughter at the same time? Magnificent!
Feraz felt truly blessed and truly grateful for it all. He raised the armrest between their chairs and kicked his feet up, loving the way his wife automatically snuggled into his side now. It seemed he wasn’t the only one feeling more comfortable with their relationship these days. Perhaps all the problems of the past really had been caused by the distance between them. If only he’d brought his wife home sooner, maybe they could have prevented their marriage from turning rocky in the first place.
The film started and the lights dimmed, his family’s chatter dying away as the screen filled with action. Feraz couldn’t remember a time when he’d felt so relaxed and peaceful. He glanced down at Roxanne, only to find her fast asleep with her head on his shoulder. He couldn’t resist kissing the top of her head and tucking her tighter into his side, his heart swelling with affection.
He was tired too. Tired of fighting what he’d kept locked away for so long. Tired of denying the fact that in these few short days he’d come to remember the love he felt for his wife. It was different now than the fiery attraction they’d first shared at the beach all those years ago, but in many ways, it was better, deeper, stronger. Roxanne had proven her bravery and strength to him by agreeing to stay here and raise their children after they were born, at least for a while. And he owed her something in return. He owed her the honesty of his feelings.
He vowed to tell her tonight, after the movie.
The next few hours passed quickly, and the movie was over before he knew it.
“What are your plans after this, brother?” Raheem called to Feraz from a few rows back. “Rehaj and I were going to head to the basketball court and shoot some hoops to work off all this junk we’ve eaten. Care to join us?”
Roxanne stirred at his side and sat up, rubbing her eyes. “What’s going on? Did I miss the movie?”
“Afraid so, rohi.” Feraz cupped her cheek and smiled. “But you needed your rest. Feeling better?”
“Yes.” She smiled, some of her color returning. “Much. Thanks.”
