Shunned

Chapter 6

Asad was taken aback by this blunt admission. "Serves him right", Zoya thought in her head. "What about it?", Asad sat down in their bed and gave her a interested look.

Zoya sat down next to him, with a considerable distance between them. Zoya took a tired breath, "To be honest, I am not sure how to discuss this with you". "Try", Asad told her.

"We have never, from the day we met, to now had a conversation about the physical aspect of our marriage. I know we both have felt comfortable around each other during the earlier part of our engagement".

Asad gave a nod at that and waited for her to continue, "God! Is he going to make me say it. Can't he understand what I am getting at. Is he just going to sit there like a rock", Zoya was silently chiding him in her brain.

"Well..", Asad looked at her expectantly. Zoya thought she saw a little lopsided smile on his face, but then it was gone before she was sure. "Stop dreaming Zoya", she lectured herself. There was no way he would smile at her after all that.

"I was waiting to ask you about it on our wedding night ...", she trailed off. Zoya huffed to herself, "maybe he really doesn't know, maybe he had made a promise to God at a young age and decided not to even think about it", Zoya started making up amusing stories for this mystery in her head.

Asad noticing Zoya had gone silent and was looking lost with a cheeky smile playing around her lips interrupted her musings. "I am not comfortable or ready to have a physical relationship with you", Asad told her bluntly.

"I thought that was what brides told the grooms, not the other way around", Zoya thought slightly offended. "If you are looking for a physical relationship, you might have to wait for a very long time".

Zoya said irritated. "I am not some animal waiting to jump you  Asad. I just wanted to clear something up. I am not suggesting that we just jump into bed.", Zoya sighed. "What about children?". "What about them?".

"You do want them, right?", Zoya asked him crossing her fingers behind her back. "Maybe someday", Zoya could feel him shutting off from her. She wasn't sure how to go on from here. It had been a long night. Both were silent for some time.

They went about their usual night time routine. When Zoya came out of the bathroom she saw Asad had settled on the bed with his book."It's late already Asad", she told him looking at the clock as it struck two.

"Don't feel sleepy", Asad told her without taking his eyes off his book. Zoya had a sudden idea. She went to the kitchen and got out the milk from the fridge and warmed it up.

"Fingers crossed he will drink it without dumping it on my head", Zoya thought to herself. Oliver gave her a confused look when he saw her standing outside her room, hesitating. She patted his head and took his lopsided doggy grin as encouragement and went inside.

She went up to his side and extended the glass. "Hey, I was warming this up for me and thought it might help you fall asleep as well.", after an awkward pass she added, "It's warm", she added lamely. Asad looked at her like she had grown horns.

"Well, I will keep it here, you can drink it later", Zoya told him placing the milk on his bed side table. She had a sudden thought and turned around to ask him and found him looking at her oddly.

"Can I sleep on the bed?. The couch is not a comfortable spot to sleep for someone my height", she tried to joke, not entirely succeeding, when he gave her a blank look. "And also, we did establish some ground rules", Zoya gave him a hopeful expression.

Asad just looked at her for some time and grunted out something that sounded like, "Whatever". Zoya collected her pillows and blankets from the couch and settled on the bed next to him.

It was a little awkward at first, as she had never shared herbed with anyone. But she had a long day and soon she slept off, listening to the sound of papers rustling.

Zoya woke up in the morning and took in her surroundings. She had a brief flashback  of what happened last night. She turned her head to see Asad sleeping on his side. An object suddenly caught her attention. It was the milk glass. It was empty. Zoya smiled. Baby steps.