Winged Dreams

Chapter 20: Lost Battles and Buried Dreams

They had gone for a short walk after Salah, and Dina had enjoyed immensely as Bilal shared with her his love for early mornings when people were still asleep and the sun hadn't fully risen.

Her heart swelled in happiness when he had said,

"I've always found joy in spending such mornings all by myself, but it's not until now do I realize I was terribly wrong. Having you with me is what makes me happy."

Dina hadn't expected Bilal to be so verbal in his feelings. If she was being honest, she had always pictured him as someone who spoke only when necessary, and wanted things a certain way. Although he was still that way, a little formal yet polite with some people, he had a completely different side when they were together. And yes, Dina loved that he was willing to be charming and kind when he was with her. He made her feel special, and in her mind, she was totally fangirling over him.

And she was almost finding herself silly! Granted that she was still in the process of warming up to him on the outside, but a peek inside her heart and she just knew how much of an impact her new husband had on her.

She was looking at his face so intently, that she was taken aback when she noticed him smiling. At first she thought Bilal was probably dreaming, but when the smile widened and Bilal opened his eyes, Dina found herself staring at him, slightly bemused.

"Uh, hi?" She squeaked, hoping and praying that he wouldn't know she was staring.

"Hello," he said leaning in and kissing her nose, the wide grin still on his face when he pulled back.

"You don't look like you were sleeping," he teased, "Where you appreciating something?"

"You don't look like you were sleeping either," Dina replied, her cheeks going warm.

Slightly embarrassed, Dina got up from bed and hurried towards the washroom, just as Bilal caught her hand.

"You didn't answer my question," he said, looking at her suggestively.

"Perhaps I was admiring Allah's creation?" She mused and Bilal laughed, pulling her to him.

"You tricked me! You weren't asleep, when did you wake up?"

"A while back," he replied and Dina was about to ask what he was doing since then, but a sudden thought struck her.

"Bilal, are we late?" Dina asked and as both of them turned to look at the wall clock, there began the race and commotion. They had exactly ten minutes to leave home, and they were still in bed!

With Dina holding Bilal's tie in hand as he grabbed Dina's hand purse and his car keys, both dashed to the car. She was still chewing on the last piece of toasted bread as she fed Bilal the last bite of the pasta and they hit the road.

Dina had Bilal's tie around her neck as she was tying it for him, when Bilal said,

"Could you text Roshan from my contacts and tell him to set up the presentation in conference room till I come?" Bilal asked as he honked and grumbled.

Being stuck in traffic while running late for work was the worst combination!

"Sure," she mumbled and quickly removing the tie from around her neck and fixing it for Bilal, she took hold of Bilal's phone which was carelessly dumped on the dashboard in their hurry.

She put in his password, the one he hadn't minded telling her on the second day of their wedding when she wanted to call Tabasum, and her eyebrows shot up.

"You have ten missed calls from Omar and fifteen from Shahid."

"I haven't checked my phone since last night but wow, that's a huge number," he said and took the phone from Dina, dialing Omar's number just as Dina checked her phone and her heart beat accelerated to see more than a dozen missed calls from Simran.