His secrets

Chapter 14 (Rewritten)

I was offering my fajar salat in the balcony. I could see the moon shining in the darkness of sky. The moon being my only source of light to offer salat. It was very serene and peaceful. My hands were raised before Allah praying for the future. The day itself was tiring. I didn't know how to feel.
I was confused. I knew I was in love but it didn't magically solve everything. Tears streamed from my eyes. He didn't say that he loved me. He just put a ring on my finger. I didn't know how to explain it to my parents. How would they react?

"Allah please guide me Ameen." I prayed at last.

I folded the prayer mat and stood up with tears still trailing their path on my face. I turned around  and found Hudayfah standing there. He was in plain black shirt and PJ's.

My hands moved to my face to wipe away the tears but he took large and step and stood in front of me and took gripped my both hands.

"I am sorry love." His voice was sincere and more tears started to leave my eyes.

His hands came up to my face to wipe them but his touch increased their flow.

"I am sorry." He kept whispering over and over again.

"You looked so beautiful." He told me when my tears stopped.

" Crying?" I asked in a whisper.

"No, Praying." He answered back with adoration in his eyes.

"Why?" He took my left hand in his and tapped the engagement ring that I still wore.

"I couldn't." I told him.

The answer was enough. I just couldn't take it off. My love for him always stopped me.

His eyes came back to me. He started to slowly take my headscarf off me layer after layer. It fell off in the ground. He smothered my hairs.

I took a step back from him. "You shouldn't have done that Hudayfah." I was referring to both.

"I know." He whispered.

"I didn't even talk to my parents about you. I don't know what to do." I told him honestly.

"So you do want to marry me." He made a statement with his eyes piercing mine.

"Isn't it obvious?" I told him weakly declaring my love indirectly.

He smiled like he knew. "Then we will talk to your parents."

"What If they didn't agree? I won't marry you without their blessing." My voice came out stronger at last part.

"I didn't expect anything less. So we will get their blessing." He made a promise and I believed in him so I smiled.
              
               🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

We already decided to leave after breakfast so that's what we did.
Auntie and me talked a lot. She already started planning for marriage. I tried to warn her subtly to not get ahead but she was sure that It would happen so I remained quite and let her have it.

We said our goodbyes and I invited her to live with me for some days. She accepted the offer and said that when we get married. She will visit.

We were in car on our way to London. The drive was going usual with me and Arish talking and Hudhayfah remaining silent.

"Are you going to marry my uncle?" He suddenly asked me with his eyes wide open.

"Umm..." I was hesitant to answer him.

"Yes, She will marry me." Hudayfah said in absolute firmness. I knew it was directed toward me. He was answering Arish while actually he was telling me.

"Cool,that means She wil be with us." Arish excitement was dripping from his voice.

"Yes, She will." Hudayfah again answered while drumming his left hand fingers on steering wheel.

Our ride back home passed in silence other than me and Arish talking.

We reached my apartment first. I said goodbyes to Arish and Hudhayfah.
       
First thing that I did when I got home was sleep. I woke up with my phone ringing.

It was my sister calling. She was twelve years older then me. She had her own family and lived in Pakistan. We were only two siblings.

"Salam. How are my niece and nephews." She had two sons and on daughter. I always asked about them first.

"We are fine." She knew I meant all of them.

"So why did you call me?" I asked her to the point.

It wasn't like we had bad relationship. We were great but with her having busy in her family and me in my own.We only called when it was important.

"Mr's Khan called me. She was asking for your hand for her nephew." All tiredness left from my body.

"Did you talk to Amma and Abba?" I always used different titles for my parents depending on my mood.

"Not yet. Why you didn't say anything to me about him? Are you interested in him." She asked me.

"Yes I want to marry him and I love him." My voice came out vulnerable at last part.

"Does he treat you right?" She asked me.

"Yes." My voice came out without any hesitation.

"I will take your word on it and will talk to Ammi and Abu. Be happy my little sister." We talked a bit more then she ended the call. I had a smile on my face.

Some days passed everything was going right. My sister already talked to my parents. After some convincing and getting information about Hudayfah. My parents agreed. Our families did some live online meeting. At the end of month which I may add is a week later.We were going to have small nikah before a actually marriage ceremony which was decided for two months later. I already had asked for leave for there months because I am going to Pakistan and I would stay there for these months.

I was working in my office wearing the engagement ring. Zechariah knocked and came in.

"Congratulations." Zechariah passed a jewellery box to me.

"What is this?" I looked at the box and asked him.

"Your marriage gift." He told me.

"You will give it to me on the day of the ceremony." I passed it back to him.

"No, Noor I won't be there. My father has assigned me law firm that he opened recently." He gave it back to me.

"So you won't be coming." I made a statement to confirm what I already knew.

"No." I will be busy. I knew why he wasn't coming so I didn't pressure him.

"Alright." I told him and then he stood up started walking toward the door.

He stopped just before opening the door. "Be happy Noor."

I didn't know why but it felt like a goodbye. And Then he was out. Just like that gone.

I opened the box and there was bracelet in there.I picked it up.
It was of platinum with one coffee cup hanging and some diamonds embedded on it.

"Thank you my heart" was written on the coffee cup. I remember those days when we always had coffee together in office and he always drew a heart on my coffee.

A lone tear spilled from my right eye. I touched the writing on the coffee cup. What was he thankful for? A heartache. I placed the bracelet back in box and wiped that lone tear and sent a silent prayer for him to Allah.