This chapter is dedicated to for voting on every chapter, adding both my books to her reading lists, and her constant support. We don't know each other, but much love xD, thank you♡.

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I sat on the prayer mat after Fajr, Kainaat behind me, her hands raised in prayer. I averted my gaze as she opened her eyes, and glanced at the sleeping baby in the middle of our bed. Muskaan lay fast asleep, and we made sure to not make the slightest of sound as it could wake her up.

It'd been two week since the call from the adoption centre, and me and Kainaat wanted to get Muskaan ready for anoter addition in the family. Everyone back home had not been informed yet, it was to be a bizzare surprise.

We tried preparing Muskaan, and gave her small clues saying that she'll have a new friend to play with. So far, it seemed good.

Or so we thought.

Halfway through her breakfast, Kainaat asked,

"Muskaan," the toddler ooh-ed in response, "we have a lot of space on our bed right? We'll get another baby to fill the space? You can play with her."

Muskaan suddenly stopped making faces at Kainaat,

"No."

I leaned ahead, amused, as Kainaat frowned,

"No?"

She threw the spoon she was holding,

"I will throw her there!" She said, her speech for the first time clearer than ever, pointing towards the window.

I pursed my lips to stop myself from laughing out loud, and Kainaat shot me a glare, before turning to Muskaan and caressing her hair,

"My love-"

"No!"

Her lower lip then started to quiver, and Kainaat gave up her attempts as she, defeated, picked Muskaan up.

I had a feeling she would take a lot of time to adjust to a sibling.

We were to bring the baby home in a day or two, and I had taken it upon me to paint our room again. We weren't exactly settled when Muskaan was a baby, although she had her own nursery. We wanted to do it a bit different this time, even if that meant converting our room into a nursery.

Our home was big enough to have two separate rooms for Muskaan and the baby, but Kainaat had insisted on keeping the girls in the same room, closer to us.

She was extremely over-protective of Muskaan, and I was pretty sure she was already the same with the baby. Her shopping spree was endless the past week, and she had made sure that both the children got equal toys and clothes.

The way she handled everything, it was beyond my understanding.

That night, we received a phone call saying we can get the baby from the orphanage the next day, and Kainaat beamed at me. Muskaan was partly clueless, but still cheered with her mother when she realized that her parents were beyond happy.

That night, as I pulled my wife closer to me, she rested her head on my chest, tracing patterns on my shirt and said,

"We can't give a surname to the baby, right?"

It hadn't even occurred to me and I furrowed my eyebrows,

"Right."

She lifted her head to look at me,

"I don't want her to ask why doesn't she have a surname while Muskaan does."

I looked at her, into her eyes, and after a long time, I found myself drowning in them again. As per Islamic rules, an adopted child is not given the family surname and is not passed on with the wealth of family. However, since Muskaan happened to be Abaan's daughter, she could keep the surname as it was her father's.

"I don't want them to feel" Kainaat started, "anything less than our own children, or anything less than them being related by blood, even if they aren't."

Her voice dropped at the end, and I knew where this was heading. We had this conversation loads of times, with her being hesitant to approach the topic. I was satisfied with her and Muskaan, and this baby too, but she somehow had to drag in a baby that was our own. Neither of us saw Muskaan and the baby as anything less than our own blood, and I didn't want anything to harm the way we were bringing up our child.

"Kainaat." She sighed against me as I continued, "I will take the surname away from Muskaan too. It isn't compulsory for her to have one, no one around back home does that either, it's only our families. We can tell them that we didn't give them a family surname because we wanted them to have their own identity."

"Which we actually want them to have."

I played with her fingers, "We do."

She snuggled against me and was fast asleep in minutes, and finding no sleep, I gently placed a pillow under her head and walked out.

***

Kainaat stood behind me, Muskaan in her arms, as she gave me a reassuring smile. Just then a voice interrupted us,

"Mister Farooq?"

I looked up, and gave the woman a warm smile,

"Yes? Can we meet her?"

The lady shot me a smile, before nodding and glancing at Kainaat, a surprised look on her face as she then said,

"Oh, is that your daughter?"

She pursed her lips, "Yes, she is."

Kainaat adjusted Muskaan's hair and the toddler smiled, unaware of what was happening. The lady in-charge then led us through a narrow corridor, and I held Kainaat's hand as Muskaan rested her head on Kainaat's shoulder, sucking her thumb. The corridor was brightly lit with string lights decorating the corners, charts and pictures pasted on the walls, I smiled as a three year old peered at me curiously. The orphanages me and Kainaat contacted were also a school for children who never got adopted. They studied there, and after the age of eight, were given a room for themselves. Once they had graduated from high-school, the orphanage no longer claimed responsibility over them, although they could stay until they had found a place to sustain themselves.

We reached a room that was almost empty, save for a lady in her mid-forties sitting behind a desk, analyzing papers. Apart from her and us, there was just one small cot at the far end of the room.

I glanced behind at Kainaat, who met my eyes and looked away. I licked my lips and clasped my hands together, rubbing my thumb over the skin of hand as I took the lead. I cautiously glanced in, Kainaat beside me, with Muskaan who lightly coo-ed, as we gazed at the little princess fast asleep in the cot.

Her brown floral dress fit her just perfectly, her closed fists tightly clenched, as if she held the world in her tiny palms. Half her face was hidden as she refused to look our way in her sleep, but the pink flush on her milk-white cheeks was enough to have us fall in love with her. The hazel-brown hair on her head were softer than cotton, as I lightly touched her head. Her lips parted as I picked her up. She moved in my arms, and I was never so scared in my life.

I looked at Kainaat for confirmation, but she was still gazing at the beauty in my arms, and for once Muskaan wasn't demanding her mother's attention, for she too was engrossed in admiring her baby sister's tiny features.

"I'm leaving this form here. Please fill it up before you leave, I'll see you in a bit." she instructed us, before turning with a smile and walking away.

Me and Kainaat glanced at each other, still in awe, unable to form words. Muskaan on the other hand, finally made a move and reached out to me from her mother's arms, and Kainaat placed her down, before taking the baby from me and motioning me to pick Muskaan up. once with me, she fiercely shook her head,

"No"

I sighed, "No what, jaano?"

She pouted at me, her little nose disappearing in her chubby, protruding cheeks.

"Muskaan take baby!"

Kainaat suppressed her laugh as I raised my eyebrows. Though she wasn't so clear with her speech, and formed broken sentences, the way Muskaan took her own name so perfectly when she wants something done for herself was intimidatingly adorable.

Kainat caressed her cheeks, "You can hold her when we get home,"

The girl buried her face in my neck, and peeked at Kainaat and the baby. A low laughescaped me and I took the form in my hand, turning to my wife.

In that moment, as I held our first daughter in my arms and Kainaat rocked a one-month-old in hers, my eyes landed on her frail form. Her delicate shoulders gracefully bent in humble gratitude for the child in her arms, her sharp nose so close to the baby's head. The hijab on her head secure, beige complimenting her flawless skin. Her lips gently touched the hairline, and like everytime, she inhaled the baby scent.

I smiled to myself and looked away.

I stepped forward,

"Darling, her name?"

Kainaat looked up, and I knew she was thinking the same thing as me. She looked down at the child, who now held Kainaat's finger tightly in her fist, before looking up at me, a small reminiscing smile on her lips, her mind elsewhere,

"Mehek."

I bit my lip to stop myself from grinning as she continued,

"Mehek Lubaina."

Forty-five minutes later, we walked out with the new member of our family, as I called in my office to ask for all the official documents of Muskaan and Mehek, and my lawyer, to be ready

I dropped the three of them home and headed back to work, I had to get the kids' legal documents fixed before anything else.

When I returned home four hours later, after almost half the job done, the scene was far from what I was expecting.

Muskaan sat on the sofa with her hands pressed against her ears, a look of displesure on her face as Kainaat frantically paced with a wailing Mehek in her arms.

Not wanting to disappoint my dramatic two year old, I made my way to her, prying her arms off her ears as she gave me a sour look,

"What's wrong, jaano?"

She gave me a look that clearly said 'You better not call the other one jaano' which implied she was rightly jealous. i picked her up and placed her on my lap,

"She is your sister."

Muskaan heaved a sigh, much to my amusement, "Muskaan know."

I nodded seriously, "Then, why is daddy's jaano sad?"

She fought a smile, "Mamma not play with Muskaan."

I slumped my shoulders, "Well, why didn't Muskaan go and help mamma with the baby?"

She shrugged, getting comfortable in my arms, beforeleaping down and running towards Kainaat,

"Baby?"

Her eyes tried reminding Kainaat of the promise made a few hours ago, and as Kainaat finally managed to get Mehek to fall asleep, she gave a slight nod in my direction. I reached them, taking Muskaan in my arms gain, Kainaat beside me. Kainaat then carefully placed the baby in my arms, and Muskaan looked at a baby up this close for the first time in her life. Her eyes widened and lips formed a small 'o', and she looked at the two of us before trying to touch Mehek.

She carefully traced a finger across her cheek, almost scared to hurt her sister. Mehek whimpered, a slight movement from her side, and Muskaan retreated her hand away.

This 'game' went on for hours, and Muskaan found her new time-pass, which was staring at the baby until she got scared.

So far, she hadn't thrown a loud fit or thrown something at the baby, and that was a much more satisfying result than what we had expected. Muskaan was understanding, and currently very caring, and I couldn't be more grateful for not one, but two beautiful daughters.

***

A few hours later, as we sat down to introduce Mehek to our family, we were surprised to find everybody gathered together. By everybody, I meant mine and Kainaat's family, along with Sami's parents.

When her eyes fell on her mama and mami, Kainaat gripped my hand excitedly, and my heart raced against chest.

Was it finally happening?

"Thank Allah you've called," Fariyal said, "we were just about to call you guys."

I cleared my throat, "Why? Is there something special?"

At that, Husna tsked from the other side of the screen,

"Kainaat, samjhi?" Then in a whisper, she added, "mama mami bhi aaye hai."

Kainaat grinned, "Haan, samjhi. Ahem, Sami bhai."

I shook my head at them as Inaya turned crimson, and turning to tayajaan, I asked

"Well, have you guys talked? Did tayajaan agree?"

My Tayajaan only smiled, indicating his blessings to go on with the proposal.

Baba nodded in a matter of fact way, and reluctantly said,

"Me, Sami and Sami's dad have talked, we are just waiting for your and Inaya's consent."

Inaya's head dipped lower as Fariyal nudged her, and Husna faked a cough, as if to state what is there to ask.

I shrugged, "All of you know my answer, Alhamdulillah, I would never have trusted any other man with my sister."

Everyone now turned to Inaya, and Kainaat encouragingly said,

"Say it, Inaya!"

She let out a laugh at that, before tearfully uttering, "Yes."

Sami almost fell down the sofa he was seated on,

"Come again?"

Inaya glared at him, "Don't make me repeat things or I might change my decision."

Ammi playfully smacked her head, hurriedly saying, "She doesn't actually mean that. She said yes. Mubarak, beta, tumhe hamari Inaya milgayi."

Kainaat leaned her head on my shoulder as we watched our families get tied down in yet another matrimony, this time willfully.

Once everyone was done with their banter, Husna was the one who asked,

"Kainaat, you will be coming right? Sami bhai here can't wait any long."

Sami faked a smile at his cousin, "Yes, obviously. I can't wait because you are next in line, it's about time."

Kainaat smirked, and Husna pouted and leaned her head on Kainaat's mother's shoulder, who placed a loving hand on her niece's cheek,

"Mai kahi nahi jaa rahi."

Sami refrained from teasing her more, as I sent Inaya a picture of Mehek and said,

"Inaya, check your phone."

Inaya did as she was told before looking up at me, confused,

"Who is this?"

Husna walked up to her as Inaya showed her the picture,

"It's a baby?"

Me and Kainaat smiled, and Fariyal's eyes widened,

"Wait...what?"

Ammi and Kainaat's mom looked at each other with bewildered expressions, as Kainaat said,

"We brought our second daughter home today, and that is her. Mehek Lubaina."

The girls squealed, and everyone congratulated us, but it was only Tayajaan who had a proud, knowing smile on his face as he said,

"Zaidaan, shabash."

Everyone silenced at that, and I dipped my head, a lump in my throat as I uttered back my gratitude. Tayajaan was not just my father's brother, he meant more than that. And he rarely ever praised anyone, and in Tayajaan's dictionary, Shabash, was the highest rank praise and the last person to get that was Dad, he had never said that to his own daughter.

It was only my mothr's smile that had faltered for a bit second before coming back full blown, meanwhile Kainaat's parents were overjoyed as they showered us with blessings.

Muskaan placed her hand on the camera everytime we tried to show Muskaan, and Husna had to distract her so that everyone could see the baby.

I held her up, and Kainaat giggled,

"This looks like a scene from The Lion King, after Simba is born."

I rolled my eyes, "You really should stop watching Disney. Did Inaya recommend that?"

She feigned a glare, "We have a two year old daughter who loves Disney, what do you say now?"

I silently turned back, it's not like I could deny or dislike anything my most favourite girls in the world liked.

For the first time that day, we watched as Muskaan fell asleep by herself, without any of us having to lull her to sleep. I stood beside her sleeping form, Kainaat opposite to me with the baby on our bed, fast asleep.

She rubbed my arm as we stood silently, in a moonlit room, watching our children.

"We'll leave for the wedding in a month's time, InshaAllah."

She bobbed her head at me, yawning,

"Sure thing, just let me know the dates."

I sighed, "Are you forgetting that we-"

"-have a private jet, I remember, I know, it's been three years. Just let me know, still. The kids will need extras, we don't know how Muskaan will react to so many people around her. She isn't even used to Mehek around, I'm scared how she will handle everything, the lack and abundance of attention."

I pulled her towards me, "She will do just fine. Plus, I'm there. You just...take care of yourself. That's all that matters."

She looked up at me, her eyes moistened,

"JazakAllah."

I furrowed my eyebrows, "For?"

She shook her head, snaking her arms around my torso, a smile in her voice,

"Everything. And Nothing."