Written Among The Stars.

Chapter 37 - Wholesome days

"Begum Jaan! Thori si nazar e karam mujh ghareeb par bhi kar den." [My lovely wife, have some mercy on your poor husband as well.] Aaban spoke taking her off guard while she was cuddling with her nephew, Aahil. This little bunch of joy was literally happiness. A blush crept up her cheek as he addressed her like that. He had now picked up a habit of teasing her every now and then by calling her with different endearments in Urdu and Begum Jaan was his latest obsession. He was learning them just to tease her.

"Aaban!" She whined. He chuckled filling her ears with his contagious and melodious laughter.

"Jee, Begum Jaan?" [Yes?] He asked as he poked her cheeks. She felt her heart flutter at his touch. He still had the same effect on her as he had on the first day of their wedding.

"Don't call me that!"

"What, Begum Jaan?" He asked innocently and she nodded. 

"But you love it! See how you blush and shy away everytime I call you my Begum Jaan!" He beamed at her.

He was right after all. She really loved it when he called her that. It made her feel like she was really a part of his life. He did not trust people easily but he had trusted her with his life.

"Zoned out while dreaming of your handsome husband?" He nudged her shoulder playfully.

"Keep flattering yourself."

"I know it all, Darling!" He smiled playfully while taking Aahil from her lap.

"You should not take all the time of your, Aani. [Aunt] Let me have some fun too." He squinted his eyes at him as Aahil replied with an adorable giggle as if he understood his words.

"Hanie Bachay [kiddo] When are you coming to stay? It's been such a long time." Her father asked as he shifted his attention from the newspaper article towards them.

"Baba, I was here only last month." She chuckled.

"Leave it Baba, she gets bored here. We don't entertain her as much as Aaban does." Yousaf added faking hurt.

"Bhai!" [Brother] She whined. "Not you too!"

He chuckled "I am only stating the truth." He shrugged his shoulders.

"No, you're not."

"You can stay if you want to. It's okay!" Aaban whispered beside her. She shook her head at him. He never forced her for anything, the one thing she liked the most about him. And he didn't show it often but he cared. And he did much more than he pretended to.

"Hanie, What do you do all day?" Hana asked her. Great! now she was taking her brother's side too.

"Alot. We go to the office together. I come back earlier. I roam around the house, watch random stuff on TV, I cook ocassionally even if he tells me not to. I set up my room because he creates such a mess while getting ready. I read books and Quran and go with Ammi [mother] to the charity home every now and then. And by the way, it's not so long. Aaban is home at sharp 3 everyday."

Her mother gave her a proud look and her father smiled at her.

"Yousi, don't tease her. Okay?" Her mother scolded.

"That's what I am born for. Haven't you figured out yet?" He asked playfully as he took a seat next to her on the couch.

"I think we should go now, Haneen. It's getting late. Ammi  [mother] will be waiting. Although, the offer's still open." Aaban spoke after a while.