I have been here at his place for more than a week and now slowly and gradually it did start feeling like home. The awkward mornings and silent nights were a part of our life.
"You both don't spend much time together." Aunty Laila finally added me into her good books but nowadays she has started doubting that Sohail and I weren't a happy couple. Off course we wouldn't be, it was too soon for us to get married and now living like a normal couple was even harder. We both weren't comfortable in each other's company and spending time would always make things even more awkward and weird.
"Yes Sohail, why don't you guys go out spend time together. Why don't you both think of a place for you honeymoon?" Uncle Ghana insisted, I was flabbergasted and Sohail looked at me, cause I almost choked on the water I drank.
"Dad, I have a lot of meetings ahead." Sohail said, his eyes boring into mine. I nodded gesturing I was fine, then he turned to face his Dad.
"Work, work, work." Aunty Laila whinned. "You have always kept yourself busy with work, even Raina would get upset at times." Aunty Laila immediately bit her lip, as Uncle Ghana shot her a sharp look.
"We can go out for dinner sometime." Sohail suggested and turned to face me. I forced a smile and nodded, so basically it has to be a dinner date with my stranger husband.
"Why don't you go tonight?" She suggested. My eyes lifted up to wall clock, it was 3pm in the afternoon and since it was Sunday we all had our lunch together.
Her eyes turned to me, and raised in questioning manner. I turned to Sohail, "Sure." I muttered. Aunty Laila smiled, this one reaching up to her eyes.
"Great then," she clasped her hands together. "Take her to a nice expensive restaurant." She said to Sohail, Sohail nodded his fork stirring in the plate as he took a bite from his pasta.
"Yes, Mom." He was an obedient son, I must say. I have never seen him scowling at his mom even for the stupid things she had said.
Soon the lunch was over and the servants cleaned up the table. I just walked in our room, and thankfully Sohail wasn't here. I opened my closet to see what I could wear to Dinner tonight. I didn't even know what was his favourite colour, most of the guys find red attractive but I just don't want to signal anything that would come back at me. I stared at my closet for a while and for another half an hour I couldn't think of anything.
Finally a dress that I hadn't worn anywhere caught my eyes, I just needed to iron it. After unwrapping it, I remembered it was purple with silver thread work and had a nice bluish grey dupatta with it. I took out my silver heels and kept them aside until it was time to leave.
At around 7pm I started getting ready and by 7:45, I was. All I took was a shower, changed clothes, blow dried my hairs and did a little make up. In the meantime Sohail took his shower and changed into grey shalwar kameez, with a simple elegant embroidery on the collar. "You're ready?" He asked as he brushed his hair behind me while, I applied lipstick on my lips and pouted at the mirror. I nodded and picked up my artificial silver locket and tied it. "Let's leave then," he said and walked out of the room. I knelt down, slipped my feet in my heels and carefully walked out of the room.
This was the only silver heel I had that looked great with dress but firstly it was a pencil heel, second it was too high. I couldn't keep balance. I managed my way to get inside the car and heaved a sigh, at least I didn't fall in front of him. "This dress looks good on you,"
Sohail finally noticed when I got inside the car and shut the door. I grinned, "Thank you, you don't look bad yourself." I added.
"Not bad? I look handsome you just don't love me enough." Sohail chuckled and finally started the car and drove to the restaurant where he had made reservations.
"I don't dislike you." I said.
He watched me from the corner of his eye and focused on the road. "I never said that, I said you don't love me." He said.
"It's not like you're madly in love me." I retorted back. "It's not like I don't reciprocate your feelings."
"At least I find you beautiful." He muttered, I chuckled and tried not to reply. This was again an awkward conversation, the sooner it ends the better. At last but not the least, we arrived at the restaurant, Sohail didn't find a close parking place to we had to talk till the hotel for half a kilometer. I glanced down at my pair of heels and looked back at Sohail. Sohail came around opened the door for me, it's not like I couldn't open it myself, It's just that I didnt want to. Sohail opened the door and stared at me. "What happened, are you upset over what I said?" He asked.
"No, it's the heels. I can't walk in them it's too far."
"Then why did you wear them?"
"They matched." I reasoned, that's how we girls are. When it comes to matching it's all about matching.
"Oh my Allah! Now what?" Sohail sounded confused. I did have a solution in mind but it would be awkward to tell him to do so. I was waiting for him to suggest it. "If you'd told me before I would have dropped you at the gate." Sohail said. I stepped outside the car and stood up. Actually he should've offered to drop me back at the gate but he didn't have the brains.
"It's okay, I'll manage." I stood up, carefully walked and cautiously stepped, every time I stepped on the floor.
"Here," my eyes turned to Sohail who stretched out his hand for me to take, I couldn't help but think of the day when I stumbled after trying out heels for Amna and Adam held me.
I hesitantly slipped my hand into his, the warmth of his hand was comforting but than again, for me it was always Adam. After reaching the gates, we walked up the stairs and were welcomed in by two formally dressed waiters. We walked to the reception and were guided to the table Sohail had reserved for us, walking past people at the corner was a beautiful small table with a small vase of rose, the view outside was breathtaking.
The waiter gave a curt nod and left us, I walked over pulled out a chair for myself and sat down, Sohail did the same after I was done. "This place is beautiful," I spoke.
Sohail nodded, pain flashed through his eyes but he immediately blinked away. Something about Rania must've bothered him and I couldn't help but ask about her. "Tell me something about her?" I insisted.
He was taken aback, may be it was a little too soon to talk about her.