Mina dropped her phone, and Trisha woke up sleepily, with a disturbed look on her face. "Mimi, how are you?" Mina asked Trisha.
Trisha yawned and replied, "I'm hungry, Mom."
Mina said, "Come over and have some milk."
Trisha responded, "Okay."
Mina went to the fridge, took out some milk, poured it into a cup, and handed it to Trisha. "Your dad is in the other room; go and see him," she encouraged.
Adams had just finished bathing and was sitting on the laptop doing some work. Mina took Trisha to the room where Adams was, and he excitedly picked her up and kissed her. "I guess you need some chocolates. 'Ba, help me with the confectionery bag so I can give her some chocolates," Adams said.
Mina brought the shopping bags to Adams. "Oh, you can have it all for your daughter," she said matter-of-factly.
He looked deeply into her eyes, vaguely hoping to understand why she brought in the whole shopping bag, not just the confectionery. However, he steadfastly ignored her underlying drama and dug into the plastic bag, bringing out chocolates to share with Trisha and Mina. Trisha said to Adams, "Thank you, Daddy." Mina echoed, "Thank you, Daddy," to Adams.
Adams said, "You're troublesome tonight, and I need to see you before I sleep. When I'm done here, I'll come over."
Mina replied playfully, "No... Don't come to see me. The door will be locked when I go to sleep. Don't worry about coming over to the room. Just stay here; we'll see each other tomorrow."
Adams replied ironically, "Okay then, I shall remember your face even in the darkest night."
Mina quipped, "I'll wear the darkest cloak and dress in black."
Adams smiled, "I will still remember your footsteps and your scent."
Mina responded, "I'll change my walking style and wear no scent."
Adams teased, "My spirit will feel your presence."
Mina said, "Okay, good night!"
She left for her room, locked the door, and went to the restroom to shower. Adams tried to snoop into the room but found the door locked. He returned to the other room and lay down.
Mariyam called Adams, "Good evening, sir. Mr. Sharon called after you left the office. He wanted to know when you'd be closing the contract, and he asked us to reschedule a meeting for the signing. I told him we would get back to him."
Adams replied, "I haven't closed my eyes since I returned home. I was on the contract documents and just finished them. Tomorrow, when I come in, we'll get back to him. How are you? How was your day?"
Mariyam answered, "The day was going well. How about your wife and the kids? You were rushing to get home to see them. I hope you've managed to see them."
Adams asked, "What do you think I was rushing for?"
Mariyam said, "I can't explain it from a professional point of view, but I caught you."
Adams replied, "Caught me? How?"
Mariyam whispered, "Is your wife there with you?"
Adams said, "No, she's in the other room."
Mariyam leaned in closer to the phone, "When you were in my office, I caught you staring at my butt when I turned around."
Adams laughed, "Really? You must be joking."
Mariyam continued to laugh, "Good night, darling. Have a peaceful sleep. See you tomorrow."
Adams said, "Thank you. Same to you."
Suddenly, Mina recklessly opened the door to where Adams was, wearing her transparent nightgown. "I couldn't sleep without you by my side," she admitted.
Adams said, "So what am I supposed to do after you locked me out? Go back to your room; we're not sleeping in the same bed tonight."
Mina laughed, "You don't get a choice. You have to pull yourself together and speak to me kindly."
She locked the door again, dropped her nightgown, and went straight to bed, lying down under the duvet. Adams shook his head and settled onto the couch.
Mina, filled with determination, arose from the bed. "You better come to bed so I can enjoy my sleep."
Adams replied playfully, "With sleep or no sleep, I won't lie down with you in that bed. You should go to your room."
Mina said, "Well, I guess you don't need me here."
She got out of bed, picked up her nightgown, and Adams immediately stood up from the couch, sitting next to her. "Where do you think you're going?" he asked.
Mina replied frantically, "To my room, as you asked."
Adams pulled her close to his chest, kissed her, and they both returned to bed.
The next morning, as Mina was dressing Adams for work, she asked, "Who were you talking to last night? I heard your voice while I was in the room."
Adams explained, "It was Mariyam, my coworker. She called to fill me in on her discussion with the client when I was out, and she answered the call. You are my love, and I would not want to live this life in my right mind without you by my side. I appreciate everything you have done for me, and until my last hour on Earth, I will remember every moment we've shared. You are always angelic at heart."
Mina: "Thank you for the recognition. This is the starting point for treating you with even more care if everything goes well on my end. I will be there for you, whether it's with food or without, in sleep or in wakefulness, in good times and sober moments. You are my present and future husband; please take care of yourself while at work."
Adams was ready to leave for work, and Mina helped him with his bags as they walked to the car. She hugged him and gave him a kiss as he got in. Overwhelmed with emotion and love as he drove away, she trembled and sighed, her mind filled with dreams of their future together.
When she turned back inside, she looked pale but thoughtful, reflecting on the love that filled her heart. "Come on, dear, let's finish getting ready for school before the bus arrives," Mina said to Trisha.
Trisha replied, "You may not believe this, but I want to dress for school like Dad, even if it's just twice a week."
Mina responded, "Really? Okay, I will tell your dad to buy you some of his clothes so you can wear them to school."
Trisha asked, "Mom, what's 'ambitious'?"
Mina replied, "Where did you hear that?"
Trisha explained, "My school teacher said that 'In life, we all need to be ambitious to reach our goals.'"
Mina clarified, "Ambitious is an adjective derived from the word ambition. It describes an eagerness or a strong desire for something that brings distinction, whether it's a success, honour or whatever you want to achieve in life."
Trisha said, "That sounds like too much for me. I'll learn it gradually."
Mina smiled, "Here you are—looking beautiful. Now, go outside and wait for the bus. I just hope your brother is still asleep when I get back."
Trisha asked, "Who is the dude?"
Mina replied, "I'm referring to your brother."
Trisha laughed, "Is that his new name?"
Mina said, "Yes, it is. Now, the bus is here. Get inside."
The bus driver greeted Mina, "Good morning, ma'am. How is your family?"
Mina responded calmly, "Good morning, sir. We are doing great, Masha Allah. How about you?"
The bus driver replied, "We are doing well, ma'am. Thank you."
Mina smiled, "Great! You're welcome. Have a wonderful day ahead."
The bus driver responded, "Okay, thank you. You too."
Mina turned to Trisha, "Take your lunchbox and be careful. Don't rub yourself on the floor, and stay clean while focusing on what they will teach you in school. Goodbye."
Trisha replied, "Okay, ma. Bye!"
Mina waved at the bus as it drove away. She then turned back inside and found that Chosen had woken up.