´óÏó´«Ã½

Shabnam sits alone in the playground, holding her stomach. In No.29B, Carmel looks round the finished nursery, fighting back tears. At the Masoods’, Kush, Tamwar and Masood are worried by Shabnam’s absence; she returns and calmly sets about booking a taxi to the hospital. Masood offers to drive but Shabnam doesn’t want anyone to come. Tamwar claims Zainab’s had ‘problems’ in Pakistan and isn’t coming.

Kush insists Shabnam shouldn’t go through labour alone - it’s his baby too. Masood gently tells her she doesn’t need to be strong for everyone. Shabnam eyes Kush – is he sure? Kush claims he is but Shabnam asks Masood to come too. She struggles as she packs a hospital bag with a single Babygro. Tamwar gives her a hot water bottle and a teddy from Kamil. Carmel arrives with flowers. Kush’s grateful she told Umar the news. Carmel offers to go to the hospital but Kush tells her to stay to help Tamwar cancel the wedding arrangements. As they leave for hospital, Masood gives Shabnam a baby blanket used for all of her siblings.

Tamwar phones Syed to deliver the sad news. In hospital, having had the pessary, Shabnam waits to go into labour. The midwife wonders if she’d like to hold the baby once it’s born. Shabnam looks to Kush but he’s unresponsive. Masood thinks Shabnam should say goodbye. Struggling, Kush bolts on the pretext of fetching water. At the Masoods’, Nancy was looking forward to meeting Zainab but Tamwar’s disgusted she’s not going to be there for own child. Carmel assumes they’re talking about her. Meanwhile, Masood finds distraught Kush outside the hospital. Ashamed, Kush admits when Shabnam wanted to come alone he was momentarily relieved - and he can see that she knows it. Masood thinks marriage is about the bad times as well as the good and tries to convince Kush he’ll get through this.

At the Masoods’, Nancy and Tamwar assure Carmel they weren’t talking about her. Carmel knows she should be at the hospital and feels guilty that she was relieved when Kush told her to stay. In hospital, Masood returns to find Shabnam’s gone into labour. Panicking, Shabnam fears she’s being punished for abandoning Jade and thinks Kush isn’t coming back. Masood does his best to reassure her and grips her hand tight. Meanwhile, Carmel distracts herself cleaning the Masoods’ kitchen. Tamwar remarks it’s what Zainab would do and knows Carmel’s better than that.

Carmel thinks Tamwar’s lucky Masood is being so strong. Tamwar knows Masood’s falling apart inside and suggests Carmel go to the hospital. In hospital, Masood breathes with Shabnam and guides her through labour. Shabnam’s despairing she can’t do it when Kush appears by her side. With a final push, she gives birth to a baby boy. Shabnam agrees to hold him; she whispers the Shahada in his ear and names him Zaair – ‘the visitor’. Kush can’t bring himself to hold the baby. Sobbing, Shabnam kisses Zaair and hands him to the midwife with the teddy so he’s not alone. Masood finds Carmel waiting outside. Carmel thanks Masood for all he’s done; her well-meant sympathy’s too much for Shabnam and she finally breaks down.

Carmel flees. Masood holds sobbing Shabnam while Kush pursues his mum. In the corridor, Carmel cries she wants to take Kush’s pain away. Kush’s devastated he couldn’t hold his son. Carmel knows not saying goodbye to Safira ripped Kush apart and doesn’t want him to go through it again. Later back home, washing up after dinner, Masood’s strong front crumbles and he begins to sob for his little girl. Carmel holds him close; there’s a moment between the two but Masood pulls away and Carmel leaves, embarrassed.

In hospital, while Shabnam sleeps, Kush asks to see his son; he holds Zaair and tells him all the things they would’ve done together. In tears, Kush kisses his son goodbye and hands him back to the nurse, who gives him a card containing Zaair’s feet and handprints. Kush returns to Shabnam and lies down next to her. They stare at their son’s handprints, grieving but together.