The trio, Moonbeam watched, glared at him as if he had suddenly sprouted horns.
“You re sorry?” Zayed was the first to respond, anger overshadowing the hurt in his voice.
“The fuck you mean by you are sorry?” Malik followed, his fingers clenched.
“Sorry?” Latifah’s voice was low but menacing.
“I’m sorry,” he raised his feeble hands and dropped them. “I’m sorry I did all those bad things to you. I’m sorry I never loved you three in the way that you wanted me to.”
Zayed wanted to jump to stand but Moonbeam held his hand tight, restraining him. She leaned her head on his shoulder, telling him that she was beside him- she was here.
“Sorry that you did not treat us the way we wanted? How about the way a father is supposed to treat his children?!”
“I t
Months later…Zayed stood, waiting for her. How many nights had he unconsciously wished for today? How many days had he hoped that this fantasy would one day be his?Even as he knew that today belonged to him, he still could not believe his luck. Somehow, somewhere fate had smiled on him and deemed him worthy enough to share his life with the most amazing woman he had ever met.If wishes were horses…he was a lucky rider.He pinched himself again, to be sure that this wasn’t a reoccurring dream. Reality couldn’t be this beautiful, could it?He looked to the congregation; his mother- even though she could not recognize him, his father- he had somehow over the past months learnt to put his hurt behind him and reach for the things that were beautiful and fulfilling. She had been beside him all the way, showing him that he could trust in her, that she was here to stay with him.
“You don’t get to demand a boy,” Moonbeam crossed her hands over her obvious bulge.“Your daughter is enough trouble. I need a boy to soothe her wild spirit,” Zayed protested.“She takes after you, don’t you see? So, it’s your headache to deal with. I’ve done my part,” Moonbeam retorted.“When he-“He? You don’t get to tell me what gender I’m pushing out of my stomach. Hmph!” Moonbeam stamped her foot on the ground.“Wait till you see how much havoc two children can wreck around the house,” Malik cut in.“A lot,” Genie added.They were all seated outside the house she and Zayed had gotten soon after they got married. Genie had given birth the day after the wedding to twins- a boy and a girl. Zayed joked that it should have been Moonbeam, since he was the twin not his brother.Star, on the other hand, had turned out to be a wild cat. Mischief gleamed