Passion Reflamed

Chapter 3

Maha

I wanted to get to know him, the man with whom I was going to share this life with. It had been two days since our Nikkah and I had requested Baba to meet Asfandyaar. I wanted us to be on good terms with eachother, to know eachother and understand eachother. I didn't want to be a damsel in distress or a woman desperate for her husband's attention. I truly wanted to make this marriage work out because now that it was done, there was no other option.

When I reached the restaurant we agreed to meet in, Asfandyaar was already seated in a table for two. I went to join him and he got up to pull out a chair for me. We both sat down, smiling. He was dressed in a plain navy blue shirt with black pants. We ordered food and I stared around, unsure how to initiate a conversation.

"I've heard you're quite of a rebel." Asfandyaar said, dragging me out of the trance. He had all his attention on me and I flushed before replying.

"If doing what you want is being rebellious, then that is me."

"So miss rebellious, what's your biggest rebellion?"

"My career. My parents wanted me to be a doctor but here I am." I grinned matching Asfandyaar's never ending smile.

"How did you do it?"

"It's hectic work but at the end of the day, Jatt don't care." Asfandyaar laughed as my skin heated again.

"Are you not like that?"

"I am but there is a lot of family pressure that causes me to give in."

"I can give tips." I winked and Asfandyaar laughed, showing dimples. He had dimples. My heart threatened to break out as I kept staring till they disappeared. This was a lost case.

"What's your idea of love?"

"Being cherished and supported every moment." I replied without thought. "They say it's easy to love but difficult to keep loving and I believe it's true. It's easy to be there with people in their good times but hard to stick around when they truly need you."

"That was deep, Maha." Asfandyaar said. Then our conversation continued with him throwing random questions at me like "What's your favourite food?"

"Why are you interviewing me?" I asked eyeing him. He laughed again, sitting upright in his chair. His hand brushed against mine and electricity zapped through me. He ignored the scene and continued talking.

It was quiet fun, talking to him after so many years. He was still the shadow of the innocent boy he used to be. I was at ease now, every moment making me realise that I had made the right decision. Asfandyaar was supportive of my career, paying attention as I narrated my struggles. He genuinely made my day. I was glad that after all these years, he remained the same soul my body yearned for. I was going to loose myself to him if he kept being the perfect version of himself.

I heard a 'I told you so' from Zahra when I told her about our meeting. Despite all my concerns, Asfandyaar was proving this decision to be right every moment we spent together, bit by bit. I just hoped he always stayed like this.

The next few days Asfandyaar and I spent shopping for the wedding. We would go in the evenings when we both were done with work. After shopping we would have a little snack and go our own ways.

"I'm not sure which colour to go for the dholki." I had told him.

"How about purple? It's your favourite after all." He said looking at a purple dress in the shop we were standing outside.

"How do you know?" I asked and all I got was a wink. He remembered. After all these years, he remembered. My lips curled up. He took my hand and we went in the shop. He asked for the purple dress he had chosen to be shown. His choice was perfect. It was a long dress with golden work and pink and sea green highlights. "You really have a good choice." I told him and he smiled, giving me his dimples. He bought a matching purple shalwar kameez for the event.

"Ice-cream?" He asked after we were done shopping for the day. I nodded and we got going.

"I'm going to pay this time. You paid yesterday." I told him.

"It's no big deal if I pay."

"It's no big deal if I pay either." I said and he nodded at me, his eyes beaming.

"What?" I asked as he tried to suppress his laugh.

"Nothing." He said and I rolled my eyes at him.

"I didn't let you not pay because you're a woman." He added. Well, that was exactly what I was assuming as people normally did that.

"Then?"

"I definitely didn't let you not pay because you're my wife." I raised my eyebrows at him as he paused for my reaction.

"I didn't let you pay beacuse I'm your husband and I like spending on you. And naturally you do too, so go ahead you pay." I was giggling for absolutely no reason as we walked hand in hand towards an ice-cream parlour.

After we were done, Asfandyaar asked me where my car was.

"Oh, it's gone for repair."

"So how did you come here?"

"Taxi."

"And how do you plan to go back?"

"Same way." I shrugged.

"Oh no, I'm dropping you firstly. And secondly, you could have just told me, I would have picked you up. Your office comes in my way."

"I didn't want to bother you for no reason and I can go back on my own."

"Of course you can, but I'll like to drop you. And you wouldn't have bothered me. You're my wife, don't forget that." He said taking me towards his car. His wife. I was internally smiling and outwardly trying to control it. Asfandyaar looked at me curiously as I sat in his car. We soon reached outside my house and stopped.

"Thank you, Asfandyaar." I said.

"No problem and call me Asfi. Asfandyaar is too formal."

I looked at him smiling. "Ok, Asfandyaar." He gave me an eye roll as I said good bye and got out of his car.

Time was running down to our wedding.