Book I: My Muslim Man | COMPLETED

Chapter 9: مودّة(Love) and رحمة (Mercy) PART 2

Afaaf's POV

I had washed the stained part of his shirt and now I was ironing it. Our backs were towards each other. This was so awkward. I didn't dare to lift my gaze.

I turned around barely looking at him form the corner of my eye. He was still facing the other side. I held out his shirt for him.

"Here", I said looking away.

"Thanks", he instantly wore it and started buttoning it.

Then we both left the room together. I looked back at my room before stepping out. The same perfect life that I had before marriage reflected from every thing in here. Only if I hadn't been so submissive to mum's decision, I could've continued this perfect life with my little family.

When we returned to mum's bedroom everyone was going to sit in the living room because mum had fallen asleep due to the meds she had taken. We joined them there. I brought along the first aid box for bandaging Imran's burned arm. His arm was definitely hurting more than I could see because he wasn't letting it down rather he kept it lifted closer to his chest. It was turning red.

"Come, let me bandage your arm", I said sitting beside him.

"Uff Mariam! Look what you've done. He has work tomorrow! how possibly do you think he'll able to get through work with an arm like that!", Aunty Sabeeha kept scolding poor Mariam.

"I'm sorry bhai", she said with her head down, "I don't know how to repay the damage I've done"

"Don't worry, your chocolates are all I ask for", he winked at her and everybody started laughing while poor Mariam frowned.

Aunty and Ayesha started to chit chat and Mariam went to our back yard with Ali while I sat bandaging Imran's arm. The only thing running through my mind the whole time was that Imran was supposed to be that villain in my life who wouldn't let me live neither die but how did he turn out to be the hero? He saved mum! He let himself burn with the hot tea but he saved my mum! An act that simple but the power it had to change my mind about him was incredible. Keeping aside our differences, I really should thank him, I thought.

"I-I didn't expect you to be like this", that came out really wrong. I was suppose to thank him.

"Expect what?"

"That you'll help my mum... Thankyou", I whispered.

"She's my mother in law and she's sick. It's my duty to ask of her. You don't need to thank me for that"

"You didn't have to do all this", I started to tie the bandage neatly.

"Don't think I'm doing any of this for you. I'm just following my faith. After what you've done, I have no reason to remain tied to you. If it wasn't for your mother, I wouldn't stand you a single minute in my life", he pulled back his arm clearly annoyed by me.

For the first time I was realising that his stern and rude behaviour was a result of all my doings. I was the reason that he was changing for the worst.

His words had hurt me. So it was clear that soon we would be getting divorced. Mum would be so disappointed in me. She had hope for this marriage to work out. She thought that Imran was compatible and she had faith in us but now everything was ruined.

Soon it was time to leave. I went into mum's room to kiss her goodnight.

"I'll never hurt you", I whispered to her as she slept peacefully.

Then it was time to leave. I hugged Ayesha very tight this time. I wished I could tell her everything but she didn't need to bear my sorrows as well. Her own life had turned so black and white that it scared me. Now I was alone in this and only Allah had the power to change things.