The Shades of Spring

The Chest of Memories

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The hotel wasn't a seven star big affair, but with Ayaan, even a Toyota Camry would be a romantic location.

"There's something I want to give you," he said unzipping his bag. "I kept this hidden from everyone, you see. Because I wanted you to be the first one to see it. Here--" he passed her a small package "--open it."

Sidra sat forward on the bed and worked at the twine of the brown paper parcel. "I love brown paper packages," she said.
"This way," he turned the package over so the front was visible to her. A single daisy was taped to the front, with To My Wife written neatly in black ink.
"Your handwriting?" she asked. He nodded.
"This packing is so cute. I used to save this kind of images on Pinterest."
The brown packing fell away to reveal a wooden book cover inscribed with Our Story on it. Her eyes sparkled and her husband encouraged her to open the book.
On the first page written in Ayaan's neat handwriting was a note
June 2nd 20--
I saw you for the first time. I know because that's the day I borrowed The Icarus Deception. And I had no idea Qadr would build me a home in your memory.

She couldn't hold back the tears. She read the next entry.
August 1st 20--
I saw you lead your team in the library archive refurbishing. I admired your authority and how you led them through the mess of the trashing.

The next read
September 17th 20--
The day I got off a moving bus and ran at least a mile to pick you up for the carnival. I had to calm my horses before I announced my presence to you. I didn't like the idea of you standing lost in the road.

She read several more entries until the last one, written the night before their Nikah.
It was lengthy and full of love. It carried such a beautiful breeze through her heart. She could feel her heart growing in his love.
"How do you know each date?"

"Some of them, like the first day I came to the library and the carnival date, I remember because I have marked my to-do lists. Others, I had to recall from memory. Then some, I wrote as somehere in winter I had only a rough idea."

"I always thought I'd be the romantic one," she laughed 'cutely' according to him and 'like a dying bird' to her ears. "But you have beaten me. Husband." She emphasised the last word.

"Husband," he repeated happily, "yours."

She hugged his upper arm, leaning her face on his shoulder. It felt so right and safe by his side. She remembered her family with a twinge of sadness.
He rested his head on hers and stayed that way whispering to eachother softly.

"Time to go to bed, wifey," he lightly pinched her ear. "Let me go have a wash."

"Sarah told you're a bathroom queen," she teased him, "please come fast."

"Oh my God. She's the bathroom hugger."

Sidra laughed.

He went, washed himself and returned to their room. When she saw her husband, Sidra made a small Dua against all evil eyes for him and watched Ayaan rummage about for his cologne. The reflected light shone of his bare torso, highlighting a scatter of scars.
"Hayati turn around," said she leaving her comfortable position on the bed to join him in front of the mirror.
"Yeah?"
She made him do a slow three sixty turn.
"Subhan Allah. All these from that fight?" she gaped.
"No. Most of them are from that. But not all."
He turned to the mirror and pointed at a few of them narrating when he'd acquired them.
"This was the first rib I broke in the academy. Courtesy of a distracted senior. Then this is my own clumsiness I fell on a pile of stones when we were in...where? Pakistan to meet one of Papa's friends. Then this....oh funny story, I had recently learned about The Iron Lady and thought she had impenetrable skin, so I was jealous. And  tried to check if mine was impenetrable. I took this sharp tool and tried to scratch my belly just to see. And then it went deeper when I panicked. So yeah. Papa was livid. Mama was exasperated but wouldn't stop laughing for days afterward." He smiled at the memory.
"And this--" he traced the scar he couldn't remember getting "--I got this in the fight. But I can't remember how. I don't think Mehcad had a knife."

Sidra shivered because she remembered it. "He had a beer bottle. The one you took from his car. I saw him tear you with it."

"Oh."

She hated to think what would have happened if they couldn't stop his bleeding. "I was trying to help. Kevin was trying to improvise a chest seal and all that but then the medics came."
Now she could talk about it to the one person who would understand the silences. But not tonight. She had to spend it with him. Not some ugly memories.

They spoke most of the night. Laughed. Played. Joked and eventually fell asleep, waking up for Tahajjud. It was like a fairytale; to stand behind your husband when the world slept, to thank The One Who brought you together.