Twice Upon Qadr - A Shot At Love **EDITING**

Chapter 4

Yusra Shaykh climbed up on top of one of the dining room chairs, and stretched her hand as far as it would go, trying to reach her large silver pot from the top shelf of the cupboard. She was preparing a giant pot of grape leaves for her brother Houssam’s arrival, and that was the only vessel she had that was deep enough to hold all of it.

She gave a frustrated sigh as her fingers just barely missed the handle, and just as she was going to try again, she gave a startled squeal as she felt large hands close around her waist. She glanced down at her husband Amir, and he looked up at her with a smile.

“Hello gorgeous.” He said with a mischievous smile, and as she bent to kiss him, she stifled a laugh at how on the chair, for once she was face to face with him. With her husband being six feet two inches tall, and her only being five feet three inches, he often had to bend low and she had to stand on her tiptoes for them to kiss. Once he had pulled away, she ran a hand through his black curls and he smiled up at her.

“Salaam habibi! I didn’t hear you come in!” she said, and he brought her hand to his lips.

“I figured the baby was sleeping so I was very quiet. What are you doing love?” he asked and she gave a sheepish grin.

“I was trying to reach my grape leaves pot.”

Amir’s eyes lit up.

“Are we having grape leaves!?” he asked hopefully and she laughed.

“When Houssam comes tomorrow InshaAllah we are!”

“Oh,” he said his face falling slightly, “I was hoping I could have some you know, today.”

Yusra gave a laugh as her husband pouted, and she pulled his face up to kiss him again.

“You can have some today.” She said fondly, and when his dimple surfaced at the size of his smile, she traced it, resisting the urge to kiss him a third time.

“Here let me get the pot.” He said, and before she could descend from the chair herself, he swept her into his arms, and placed her gently on the ground, keeping his arms around her waist.

“I missed you.” He murmured softly, and she laughed.

“I missed you more!”

“Not possible.” He bent low to kiss her again, and when they resurfaced a few seconds later, she gave him a push.

“Stop, the baby could wake up any minute!”

“So?” he asked, “all he would see is that his father loves his mother more than life itself, and is not afraid to show it!”

Yusra shook her head in amusement.

“I have a lot of work to do before Houssam gets here, stop distracting me.”

Amir handed her the giant pot before grinning and pulling one of her curls.

“I like distracting you.”

“Well stop it! Amir!” she protested as he snagged her in another embrace, and when she pushed against his chest, he gave a chuckle.

“Fine. But after you are done cooking I want some attention!”

“Fine.” She said with a slight blush, and his smile widened. He and his wife had been married for eight years, had a child together, and she still blushed when he was romantic with her.

Just then the sound of crying was heard from the baby monitor, and Amir laughed.

“I’ll get him.”

“You sure? That would help me a lot.”

“Yup no problem!” he brushed another kiss across her cheek before going up the stairs, whistling a happy tune. Yusra watched him go with a smile on her face. She loved that man more than she thought was possible, and though she would never admit it to him because it would just cause him to get all smug, she longed for his embrace and for him to be near her. It was like he was a part of her and when he wasn’t near her, she felt the emptiness.

She placed the pot on the dining room table where all of the ingredients for grape leaves were spread out, and after washing her hands, she began to roll them. She had done about ten when Amir reappeared in the room, a grumpy looking Kareem perched on his hip.

“Here he is! Mr. cranky!” Amir said with a smile, and Yusra laughed as her son reached out his hands for her.

“Sorry habibi, Mama’s hands are dirty.” She said to him, and when his face crumpled and he let out a wail, she hurriedly washed her hands, and took the little boy in her arms. Immediately his crying stopped and he snuggled into her shoulder.

“What a faker!” Amir exclaimed in amusement, and Yusra laughed.

“He just wanted his Mama.” She said kissing his head, and after a few seconds, Kareem looked up at his mother with a large grin.

“Moo Sam!” he ordered, and Yusra groaned.

“He has watched that tape of Houssam’s interview twelve times today! I mean I love my brother and all but I am SO tired of hearing it!”

Amir laughed.

“I wonder if he will realize who Houssam is tomorrow.”

“I think he will.” Yusra said and when she tickled her son, he gave a shriek of laughter, causing his parents to laugh.

“MOO SAM!” Kareem bellowed, and Yusra gave a sigh of resignation.

“Fine, Baba will you put on the tape for Kareem?” she asked and the little boy turned towards his father expectantly.

“Sure!” Amir exclaimed, and Yusra passed Kareem over to her husband before resuming her preparations. A few seconds later, Houssam’s voice filled the house and she had to smile.

She was so looking forward to seeing Houssam. She hadn’t seen him in a long time and missed him greatly. She owed a lot to her little brother, though he wouldn’t hear of it. He had bought the house they were living in now, and it was a nice house. It had five bedrooms, three bathrooms, a living room, dining room, family room, a large kitchen, and a huge backyard with a pool. While at first it had caused some problems, Amir’s pride had been hurt that his brother was just giving them a house, but eventually they came to an agreement that it was Houssam’s house, and Amir would pay the same amount of rent per month that he had been paying in their apartment. And while everyone seemed happy with this arrangement, what Amir and Yusra didn’t know, was that each rent check Houssam received, he put in an account for Kareem’s college fund.

“My love can I ask you something?”

Yusra looked up with a smile as Amir sat down next to her.

“What is it habibi?”

“Has Houssam mentioned anything about getting married?”

Yusra looked at her husband thoughtfully.

“No he hasn’t. Why?”

Amir shrugged.

“Just wondering. He is almost twenty seven after all. And with him being famous and having girls fawning over him, it is probably best he gets married.”

“Do you have anyone in mind?”

“Not really, I just thought we could maybe fine someone for him while he is here.”

“That is a great idea.” Yusra said with a smile. “Let’s start thinking of choices!”

“How about Mina Bashir?” Amir said with a mischevious grin and Yusra glowered at him. There was a brief period before they had gotten married that Amir had been talking to Mina for marriage. It hadn’t worked out, they were as different as night and day.

“Don’t ever say that woman’s name in my house again!” she exclaimed, and he laughed.

“Don’t be jealous my love.”

“Why would I be jealous of her? I got you in the end. I win!”

Amir smiled and leaned forward to kiss her.

“I’m the real winner.”

“How so?”

“I have you.”