When Stars are Hidden

Chapter 43

"You okay?" Naima heard Tawfiq say as he held her chin to turn her head to face him.

"I think so. But know this. If we die, I'm blaming you for it." Naima scowled.

Tawfiq chuckled at her and held unto her cheeks.

"Don't worry. We won't die, In shaa Allah. We have a soccer team to make." Tawfiq smirked.

Naima made a confused face
'What soccer team?'

Tawfiq smirked and winked at her innocence and everything clicked in Naima's brain.
Blood rushed to her face when she understood what he was trying to say.

"Your nose is as red as pepper." Tawfiq smirked and leaned in to kiss her nose.

"Just shut up." Naima mumbled and looked away from him.

Just then, the plane started to move and Naima's survival instincts pushed in, as she grabbed hold of Tawfiq's arm like it was her lifeline.

"Oh God, we are going to die, aren't we? Yes we are. Please don't let me die. I don't want to die 3000ft in the air." Naima cried as she snuggled deeper - if possible - into Tawfiq's arm.

"Calm down, Habiba. It's going to be fine." Tawfiq soothed, pulled her body closer to him and placed her head on his chest.

He used his free hand to rub circles at her back to comfort and reassure her. If Naima wasn't afraid of dying in the plane, she would have been thinking too much.

Naima didn't realize when she fell asleep and how she was on a bed in the plane.
The bed in the room looked fit to hold more than 2 people so where was Tawfiq?
Wait? What!
Naima was literally inviting Tawfiq to share a bed with her.

Marriage life was getting to her fast. Naima fixed up her hijab which had been removed and was lying on the bedside table. She was positive Tawfiq had removed it and was the same person who brought her to the room.

Naima walked out of the room to find Tawfiq, mostly because she didn't like being alone and because she was hungry.

She found him still in the seat he was on previously.
But this time, the seat had been stretched out and Tawfiq's eyes were closed. It looked a little uncomfortable sleeping that way. He seemed stressed out by the furrow lines on his forehead.

"Massaging the scalp and shoulders releases stress. When you grow up, make sure you relieve your spouse of stress."

Naima's mother's words echoed in her mind. Her mother used to massage her scalp once in a while and it worked magic for her.

Tawfiq seemed really stressed out for a 25 year old. Like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

'Maybe because he has been planning this trip for a while now? Stop being a burden and do something nice for him.'

Naima's mind taunted.
Well why not?
They were married and he was stressed. So being the good wife she always wanted to be, she went behind his seat and bent down a little to reach his head at the end of the seat.

Naima took in a deep breath. She had only done this for her mother and it was a long time ago. She didn't want to do anything wrong.
Like scratching his scalp with her nails. It had happened before with her mother.

She stretched her hand to touch his dark hair. His hair had brown roots but were black. Strange.

Tawfiq stirred a little and Naima withdrew her hands.

'Don't be a coward.' Naima chided herself.

She looked at his sleeping form and at his furrowed forehead and that was when it hit her hard.
He was a 25year old who clearly had a lot on his mind. And Naima was definitely one of the things on his mind.