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

Chapter 35

"Houssam! Oh my god put a shirt on!" Yusra exclaimed as her brother came down the stairs the next morning dressed only in sweat pants.

Houssam glared at her, and reached for a box of cereal.

"Leave me alone." He grumbled, and she glanced anxiously at the stairs.

"Seriously, Hana could come down any minute put something on!"

"She's still here!?" he asked in astonishment, his fingers perched just in front of a box of Cocoa Puffs.

"Yes and so help me if she sees you like that I will kill you!"

"Hey she's seen me shirtless before!" he mumbled, reaching over for his sweatshirt that was hanging on the clothes tree, and pulling it on.

Yusra raised an eyebrow.

"Uh excuse me? When was this?"

"That one time the kids and I went swimming and she came."

"Well that was different. Still shouldn't have happened, but it was different." She said with a wave of her hand, and he glared at her before looking around the kitchen. "What's wrong?" she asked after he had just stood there for a minute or so.

"I feel the sudden urge to make cinnamon rolls."

"Oh I see. Hana gets cinnamon rolls but your pregnant sister has to eat half burnt toast!" she exclaimed, and he grinned sheepishly.

"You can have some! And hey it's not my fault Amir burned your toast again! Maybe he should stick to pouring cereal into bowls." He said with a laugh, and Yusra shook her head, a smile twitching at the corners of her mouth. Her poor husband tried so hard to help with the cooking but he could barely tell a teaspoon from a tablespoon!

Yusra watched as Houssam began to take out the flour and sugar and eggs, wondering why he wanted to impress Hana so badly.

"So what's up little brother?"

Houssam looked up from where he was beating the mix.

"What do you mean?"

"You haven't cooked since your dinner. Why all of a sudden do you have to make breakfast?"

He shrugged.

"I just wanted to."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Because why?"

"Because! Back off Yusra." He grumbled.

"Hey watch your tone with my wife!" Amir exclaimed as he came into the room holding Kareem.

"Moo Sam!" The baby shrieked extending his arms towards his Uncle, and Houssam laughed.

"Oh now he wants me. When it's three in the morning and all I want to do is sleep he hates the very sight of me!" he exclaimed grabbing the baby and starting to kiss him all over his face, causing Kareem to laugh.

At the sound of an upstairs bedroom opening, they all froze, and as Hana's footsteps sounded on the staircase, Yusra kicked her brother and took the baby, motioning him away from the kitchen doorway so they wouldn't make Hana feel awkward.

"Salaam everyone." She said as she came into the room, and the three of them looked up with a smile.

"Salaam Hana habibti! Did you sleep well?" Yusra asked, and Hana nodded.

"Oh very well. Thank you again for letting me stay." She said and Amir smiled, motioning towards the dining room table.

"Our pleasure! Please sit, Houssam is making breakfast!"