Episode one: Three Cries

“Sir, you have to wait outside.”

Mu'adh shook his head. “My wife is in there. I’m staying.”

“Sir, you cannot enter the theatre.”

“Please. Let me stand beside her.”

Maitha cried out from the bed.

“Mu'adh!”

He rushed to her, holding her hand.

“I’m here. I’m not leaving you.”

The doctor finally nodded. “Let him stay.”

Outside, Mama Agbako sat with her large rosary, whispering prayers.

“Ya Allah, protect my daughter and her babies.”

Inside, Maitha screamed as another contraction came.

“It hurts!”

Mu'adh wiped her face, tears filling his own eyes.

“You can do this. Just hold my hand.”

“Push!”

Maitha pushed with all her strength.

Then

A cry.

The nurse lifted the baby.

“A girl.”

Mu'adh smiled through his tears.

“Our daughter.”

Suddenly, the nurse frowned.

“Wait…”

The doctor looked up.

“What is it?”

“I can still see something.”

Maitha's eyes widened.

“What?”

The doctor checked again.

“There's another baby.”

Mu'adh stared.

“But the scan showed two.”

The nurse looked confused.

Another contraction hit Maitha.

She screamed.

“Push!”

Minutes later

Another cry.

The room erupted in relief.

“Another girl!”

Mu'adh laughed and cried at once.

“Twins…”

Then the monitor began beeping rapidly.

The doctor froze.

“Hold on.”

Everyone went silent.

He checked again.

“There’s still another heartbeat.”

Mu'adh's face changed.

“Another?”

The doctor nodded.

“Three babies.”

Outside, Mama Agbako heard the third cry.

Her rosary slipped through her fingers.

“Three?”

Inside the theatre, Mu'adh could only stare at Maitha.

Three babies.

Three daughters.

And somehow, none of their scans had shown the third baby.

“Ya Allah,” he whispered.

Then the third cry filled the room.

Mouza. Meznah. Ghaya.

Three cries.

Three blessings.

Three sisters. 

The story continues...