A House Beyond Horizon

Chapter 11

This morning he left for Delhi and since then she couldn't concentrate on anything let alone sleep. Their meeting just before his departure was formal like every moment of theirs. He nodded at her with that small smile. That smile that looked too breathtaking on him.

He reached Delhi after two hours, as he was messaging her about everything. When he got to his room, got ready and went into the meeting. After that there was no message. Raaya didn't reply to any message, she wanted to show him she was not missing him.

Failing miserably.

She picked up her needle and hoop. Maybe her work could help. Why was it so hard to not think about him? It was half past twelve when her phone rang with his video call.

Raaya quickly ran towards the dresser mirror. She looked fine in her purple nightgown, it was decent and modest though she never wore it in front of Idris.

"AsSalamuAlaikum."

She greeted, trying hard to avoid the chirp that seeped in her voice seeing his name.

"WalaikumAsSalam."

In his black vest and resting his head on his palm, looking at her with a dazed smile, he looked an epitome of handsomeness. She surely missed many heartbeats.

"You surely had a busy day, Raaya. No reply to my messages."

Her whole day went in missing him. "Yes. I wanted to finish the orders by tonight but it didn't happen." She played with tassels in her gown, "Are you okay? Had your dinner?"

"Yes." She felt his gaze stuck on her, "Purple suits you, Raaya."

He laughed at her lack of response, shifting his phone in front of him, as he lied on his back. "Say something."

"You always leave me speechless." She found her lost courage, maybe because they weren't face to face.

"I'm just honest with you, unlike you."

"What did I do?"

Raaya smiled, lying on her side, making sure her open hair was covering her front.

"Not accepting that you were missing me. I can literally feel your happiness as you greeted me, Raaya."

"You imagine a lot, Mr. Idris."

He chuckled and after a long time Raaya felt light, her being that was surrounded by awkwardness vanished as they conversed as nothing happened between them. Maybe that distance was necessary for their relationship, to mend their ways, to make them realize what they meant for each other, especially for Raaya Sultan.

***

Hamida bit her upper lip, eyeing that boiled milk and those two cups. Should she or shouldn't? She had an idea it was Zahir's study time. She made coffee and that too little extra. Now she wanted to give one to him, but her ego was not allowing her.

Because that good for nothing idiot would smile at her. That damn smile which would burn her soul and would force her to scratch his face with her bare hands.

The sky again filled with ash gray clouds as the surroundings began filling with distant petrichor. Huffing, she poured the milk in two coffee powder filled cups and made way to his room. As she knocked, Hamida could sense, he was on a call with someone.

"Yes, ma. Everyone is good here. Nothing to worry about."

Looking at her, Zahir gave a bright smile and gestured to her to take a seat. Bitterness covered the taste in her mouth on the mention of his mother. How could she forget them? Zahir's actions were blurring her past but they would not erase it.