**Ahem** Reader discretion advised. Steamy moments ahead.
June 2020
Omar
Life is nothing but a series of moments.
I may never be a perfect man, or have the perfect life, but with Madi, I knew I would always have the perfect moments.
Moments like the one where she stood on the opposite side of the road as my soulmate and guiding light. Her beauty and grace captivated me, lifting my spirits and igniting a cascade of emotions that reverberated through every fiber of my being, setting ablaze every nerve ending in my heart and brain.
I saw her, in her black work pants and turquoise silk shirt, waiting for the pedestrian signal to turn green. Then I watched her hurry across the road. Beautiful black curls bouncing on her shoulders, mesmerizing eyes focused on mine. She wasn't smiling. Smiling would have been too simple a gesture. Instead, she was an amalgamation of relief and longing, desires and dreams, holding me hostage as I stood, unmoving, waiting - for her.
Now and forever, my wife.
A second later, I found myself enveloped in the tender embrace of her softness. Her arms wrapped around me. Exotic notes of her scent tingled my senses, pulling me from the depths of my trance and grounding me once more in the palpable reality of the moment.
The perfect moment, amidst a bustling crowd of travelers, where we stood intertwined, our embrace unhindered by any reservations. It was a union that felt destined, a realization of God's intention for us.
I tightened my arms around her form, pulling her closer. She nestled her face deeper into my chest. I was lost in the softness of her thick curls, inhaling the floral fragrance of her shampoo.
We stayed in that silent embrace, because words can never be enough to capture the essence of a perfect moment. Those moments transcend language, settling deep within our souls. So, we chose the stillness, our unspoken connection resonating through the rhythmic beats of our hearts and the synchronized cadence of our breaths. We existed in harmony, two parts seamlessly forming a complete whole, defiantly achieving it the midst of the tumultuous world around us.
Eventually, she pulled back, looking up at me, her gaze shimmering with tears. A subtle smile graced her pretty face.
"Omar..."
My name tumbled off her lips so serenely, it made me want to cover hers with mine, but that was not the time nor place for it. Resisting the urge, I tore my gaze from her lips to the captivating depths of her dark brown eyes.
She gently placed a hand on my cheek and whispered, "I missed you so much."
"Come closer," I drew her back, reluctant to release that perfect moment just yet. My voice was thick with emotions when I whispered in her ear, "I missed you even more, Madi."
Once more, her arms tightened around me, her form seamlessly melding with mine. I closed my eyes. A silent prayer escaped my heart, beseeching Him to shield our love from the world and protect my wife from all of life's adversities.
I could have stayed like that with her forever, except her pager went off, forcing us to pull apart again. "Its Kylie, she's covering my service. I need to call her back. But I can do it from my car," Madi said, her lips finally molding into a full blown smile.
She grabbed my carry on, and let out a small laugh, "How much stuff did you bring back? I thought guys didn't travel with much."
I pulled the two larger suitcases behind me and carried my backpack to the car, as I replied, "All my things fit into that carry on. These bigger bags have your things in them, that Ami sent. And my back pack has the jewelry she wanted you to wear today."
"All for me? Oh my God she is so sweet..." Madi exclaimed before gushing over how much she had enjoyed having Sehr in Chicago and talking with my mom on the phone. Things that seemed impossible two weeks ago when I had left for Pakistan.
Life can be so fragile, yet so magnificently unpredictable at the same time.
I drove Madi's car while she called Kylie back. Soon, she was chatting about how smoothly everything had gone off at the Nikah, then switched to the plans for our Reception and Rukhsati later that evening, before saying something about the weather and downtown traffic.
"I think I'll just drop you off and head home to Abu's quickly. We only have a couple of hours till the Reception starts," I heard her say, or at least that's what it sounded like.
Honestly, I tried real hard to pay attention, but it was difficult to think about anything other than the way her luscious lips moved when she spoke and smiled, making me wonder what it would feel like to kiss her mid-sentence.
Maybe it will stop her nervous random chatter, I smiled to myself, and she'll tell me how much she loves me. Or she would turn bright red and stop talking altogether. Bold or shy, you could never tell which of her personalities would come out.
She was talking about the patient that kept her back in the hospital and something about mosquitoes and a viral infection when I finally started absorbing what she was saying.
"The mosquitoes reminded me of you..." she glanced at me, her cheeks starting to get a hint of crimson.
I had to laugh at the absurdity of that analogy. "How big were those mosquitoes that they reminded you of 6 ft me?"
Her laughter, a genuine heartwarming melody, never failed to bring warmth to my heart. At a red light, I succumbed to the irresistible urge to reach out, placing my hand on her cheek and tenderly stroking its smoothness with my thumb. Her lips parted and cheeks glowed a deeper shade of pink.
"I love the sound of your laughter," I confessed.
Her eyes fluttered, she leaned ever so slightly into me. My breath hitched as I closed the distance. Those lips...
"HONK!" The blaring sound of a car's horn destroyed that intimate moment in an instant.
"Kameena insaan, what is his damn problem?" I swung around to glare at the driver behind us. If it hadn't been for Madi's hand gently gripping mine, I had many more curse words come to mind.
"Uh Omar. The light's green," she said.
"Oh." I looked ahead at the empty lane in front of us, as the honking from behind became more persistent. That guy was still a kameena, but we were also still blocking a lane.
I released the brake, pushed on the accelerator and started driving. Waiting seemed to be ingrained into my kismet anyway. Fitte mun. My shoulders slumped.
A profoundly awkward silence lingered in the car after that, clogging the thick air around us. I suppose, I got my answer too - if I kissed her mid-sentence she would simply go quiet.
With hands clasped between her knees, she sat gazing out the window, twirling her curls every now and then. She was nervous, and it occurred to me that for all the 'waiting' we had done, this was new territory. This might still make her uncomfortable.
Control yourself, I told myself repeatedly, her comfort could never be compromised upon. When she finally spoke, we had just turned onto my street.
"The mosquito wasn't meant to be on the 40th floor, yet somehow it found its way there. There are 14 apartments on that woman's floor, it could have gone into any other one, but went into hers. Just like you weren't even supposed to be doing an Internal Medicine residency, and you could have gone to any program in the country, yet you ended up in mine."
We had reached my building by now and I parked her car in the visitor's spot before turning to her, "Its almost like I was destined to be yours."
Her lips molded into a soft smile. Patience, my inner voice repeated, and I took a deep breath. "You should probably get going. There isn't much time left till the Reception."
I started to get out when I heard her hushed voice, "Or I could help you take your bags upstairs."
"Don't you think you'll get late?"
Her sultry lips parted slightly. Her eyes framed by those long dense eyelashes lowered to focus on my mouth briefly before she looked up to meet my gaze again.
"Don't you want me to finish my sentence?" she breathed out.
Her sentence? A text message came to mind, realization dawned - she wasn't nervous, she exercising restraint. Restraint that didn't need to be exercised now that there were no barriers between her and I.
'I could use the help," I muttered, literally jumping out of the car. I grabbed the two larger suitcases, she the carry on, and we headed in as fast as we gracefully could, through the front revolving doors and the busy foyer where James, the security guard greeted me.
"Dr Khan, you're back! Someone is..."
"Yes James. Talk to you later," I heard myself say, rushing past him towards the elevator.
A large family, complete with three little kids and a crying baby were already standing at the elevators when we got there. The doors opened and we let them get into the elevator, fully intending to catch the next one.
I needed to feel her, caress her, touch her, now.
I needed a freaking empty elevator.
"We'll catch the next one," I heard Madi tell the family. Her breathless voice was hard to ignore, yet that is exactly what the jolly looking father did.
"No, no. We have enough room in here. Come on in!" he said warmly and ushered his kids into a corner. Madi looked at me for a second, then walked in too, and I had no choice but to follow.
We were getting off on the 25th floor, the family was getting off on the 11th. That meant 14 floors of us being alone.
14 floors should be plenty of time for a brief kiss on the lips, right? My inner voice debated. Though, how was I supposed to answer that question? Its not like I had ever kissed anyone before.
Yet, all that was a moot point when the doors first opened on the 3rd floor, and in walked Mrs. Kumar, my 70 year old next door neighbor who recognized me immediately and proceeded to position herself between Madi and I.
Oh come on, Aunty.
"Omar, you are back from visiting your family!" she exclaimed. "How is your father?"
"Good, Mrs. Kumar," I replied to her, not even sorry how impatient I sounded, which was not something that impressed my good-hearted, kind-natured wife, who proceeded to give her a more complete answer.
"Thank you for asking. He had a rough time with COVID, but Uncle is finally recovering quite well."
Though, Madi clearly had never met Mrs. Kumar before. She was the text book definition of a desi, nosey Aunty, who made it her business to know everyone else's business. And right now there was an unknown woman answering a question she wasn't asked.
"Who are you?" she asked my wife suspiciously.
"Omar's wife," Madi replied sweetly.
"No, you're not." Mrs. Kumar instantly frowned and looked back at me. "See Omar, what did I tell you. Find yourself a nice girl, and settle down. Otherwise random girls will start throwing themselves at you."
Over her mask, Madi's eyes widened, "But I..."
The elevator doors opened on the 11th floor, and out went the family with kids. They hadn't even closed when Mrs. Kumar was wagging a finger at Madi, "Look young woman. Omar is very decent man, he doesn't bring women to his apartment, he doesn't drink, he doesn't even date. So whoever you are, leave him alone."
Madi should have been indignant at that, but she was surely high on something, because instead of being furious she chuckled. "Ok, Mrs. Kumar. Omar doesn't seem like my type anyway," she looked up at me, eyes filled with mischief. "I probably should leave him."
Isn't my type? What the heck?
That was it. I had no idea what was going through my neighbor or my wife's mind. But I was shutting it down.
"Don't you dare talk about leaving," I reached out to grab Madi's hand and scowled at her, before facing Mrs. Kumar again. "And Mrs. Kumar, she is my wife. I got married to her two days ago."
The elevator came to a halt and the doors flung open. I was so desperate to get into my apartment, I barely registered Mrs. Kumar's disbelief as I grabbed my bags and started walking down the hall.
"How is this the first I am hearing of it?" she asked.
"Sorry, we're in a hurry," my voice trailed behind me.
"Hurry to do what?" she called out.
"I dare you to answer her," Madi chuckled softly, her dark brown eyes teasing me again.
"Tempt me again and I'll show her, right here in the hallway," I told her, but didn't slow down.
When we reached the apartment, of course, my stupid keys were buried somewhere deep inside my backpack but I finally found them. Fumbling, I opened the door and pulled my luggage. Madi followed. I tore my mask off and shoved the heavy luggage in a corner.
She, on the other hand, almost seemed frozen. The mischievous sparkle from a minute ago was conspicuously absent. With her back pressed against the closed front door, her unwavering gaze fixed on me, she stood still. Only moving to take her mask off, revealing those seductive lips which moved subtly with each hastened breath.
"I didn't tell you this earlier, but I really like your apartment," she said softly. Her eyes shifted away from mine, drifting towards the expansive windows in the living room that offered a captivating view of the city and the lake. Ordinarily, the orange and purple hues painting the evening sky would have been cause enough for me to stand at the window, taking in nature's beauty.
Yet, right now another form of nature's beauty had my undivided attention.
"Our apartment, Madi," I reminded her.
She gave me a shy smile, "I like our apartment."
Her innocence, the sweet melody of her voice, the way her gaze captivated mine, were all stirring emotions within me that I couldn't articulate in that moment. Yet, they all drew me to her, closer and closer till her intoxicating smell enveloped me again. Till I found myself immersed in the love and adoration radiating from her enchanting eyes, and the warmth of her proximity lit a fire inside me that I could barely contain.
"Finish your sentence, Madi A. Omar," I murmured, tucking her curls away, letting my thumb glide over the smooth softness of her ruby cheeks once again. Her arms snaked around my waist, closing the final few inches of gap between us till not a hair's breath was left.
"I really want to..." she whispered, looking up at me.
"Kiss you."
That was the permission I needed, before my mouth crashed onto hers, and my palms cupped her face as I felt my body pushing hers against the door. My lips, coarse and rough over hers, so soft and plump, found home in an instant. Neither of us may have experienced a kiss before, yet in that moment, enveloped in the sweet surrender of the present, our bodies fused seamlessly, and our lips engaged in a symphony so harmonious it felt like a timeless dance.
The world around us blurred into a soft backdrop as her lips caressed mine, and mine devoured hers. In that suspended moment, every worry of the past, every doubt of the future, melted away, leaving only the exhilaration of being with her.
Life is made up of moments and that was yet another perfect moment, only to be savored with my Madi.
We pulled apart, to catch our breath. She spoke in a tantalizingly hoarse voice, "I love you, Omar. So much."
I tried to string some words together, but all my senses were completely and utterly overwhelmed by the emotions this unbelievable woman was invoking within me. Instead, I pulled her close, placing my lips on the crook of her neck, reveling in the feeling of her silky, smooth skin and her warm, rapid breaths on me. The top two buttons of her blouse came undone quickly, my mouth trailed down to her collar bone, making her moan my name this time.
Her hands dipped under my shirt, gliding over my abdomen. My muscles twitched with pleasure before she pulled my shirt off completely. I too had hurriedly reached out to open the rest of her buttons, when I noticed the wild and lustful look in her eyes.
A sudden realization hit me, forcing to break contact with her skin, almost stumbling back.
She looked perplexed, even if unbelievably sensual with her bright, pink lips and wide brown eyes, her bosom rising and falling as she tried to catch her breath. I averted my gaze from the white lace bra that peaked through her open shirt.
What the hell are you doing? A voice within me asked. This is not the time, it chided me.
"Madi...wait...we have to stop."
"What? Why?" she asked, a distraught look coming over her gorgeous face. "Do...do you not find me attractive?"
"Oh my God, Madi. How could she possibly think that?" I pulled her back into my arms, "You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. It's just that we need to be at the reception soon, and we haven't even had a Rukhsati yet."
"I don't care. Rukhsati is just a cultural event, we are already married," she looked at the clock in my kitchen. "If I can leave in 15 minutes - "
It would be an utter lie if I said I wasn't thinking the same as her, or that it didn't take every ounce of restraint in me to interrupt her.
"You have rights over me, if you want to go all the way right now, I will go with you. But I want to savor our first time, I want to feel all of you, every curve of your body, every inch of your skin. I want to make you feel things you have never felt before, and that will take more than just 15 minutes."
She was blushing a deep crimson color which made her adorable freckles stand out. I could feel my own cheeks burn after what I had just admitted. Never did I imagine having the courage to speak so freely about being intimate with her. Yet, Madi had always brought out parts of me I didn't even know existed. This was no different.
Not to mention, I didn't want to go completely rogue on cultural traditions.
"Fine," she pulled back rolling her eyes, "but for the record, I hate it when you are right." I caught a glimpse of a smile just before she turned her back towards me. "For God's sake, put a shirt on."
"You know," I couldn't help whispering in her ear from behind, "I am your husband. You're welcome to check me out."
She didn't flinch, just giggled. "If I do that, I can't promise we'll make it to our Rukhsati."
Unveiling this side of her, where she surrendered herself to me so entirely and expressed her desires unabashedly, was surprising yet captivating. This was the Madi I was familiar with—a woman with multifaceted personalities, each one more thrilling than the last.
"You really need a cold shower," I teased.
"Want to join me?" she turned around and blurted out, before her hands flew to her face covering it completely.
"Oh God, what is happening? Make me stop, Omar." I heard her muffled voice and resisted the urge to double over with laughter. She was so freaking cute.
"Mera damagh nahi kharaab hai. Why would I stop my wife from being the incredibly sexy woman she is." She hesitantly allowed me to lower her hands, exposing her flushed face, brimming with embarrassment. "How about we simply have some cold water for now?"
"Yes, please," she mumbled, still refusing to look at me.
We headed to the kitchen, fully clothed, with every intention of keeping a distance and reigning in our desires. But intentions don't matter when hearts refuse to abide by the rules, and a simple coffee machine triggers a magnetic pull so strong its impossible to keep apart.
"When did you purchase this espresso machine?" she inquired, taking a sip of her water.
Although she was aware that I had bought it for her a while ago, I was certain she would find it amusing if I revealed the exact day I placed the order. "You'll probably laugh if I tell you the truth."
"No, I won't," she assured.
"The night I visited your house with a stethoscope," I confessed.
Brows slightly furrowed, she asked, "The night before I was supposed to have a Nikah with Jawad?"
Even the thought of another man being with her repulsed me, but I answered her question anyway. "Yes."
She paused, "That was the night you bought a coffee machine, hoping that one day I would live with you in this apartment?"
"Yes."
I could see her mentally revisiting each moment, assembling the words and actions like a puzzle, until she drew in a sharp breath and arrived at a conclusion. "You didn't come to return my stethoscope; you came that night to propose to me. But I told you I had sworn off men and marriage."
"Yes, and yes."
Somewhere in between the epiphany she had and my desperate need to feel her again, we had moved closer. I had lifted her onto the kitchen counter, and stood between her legs with her arms resting on my shoulders.
"That was back in September," her deep brown eyes searched mine. "You kept asking me if I was ready for marriage. I kept thinking you were just being a friend, but you were trying to propose to me."
"We were never just friends," I whispered. Succumbing to temptation, I planted tender kisses along her flawless jawline.
"And you waited and waited till I realized that." Her arms slid around my neck, and fingers weaved through my messy hair, bringing pleasures I never thought possible.
"You are worth it, Madi. Every second spent with you makes up for those months a thousand times over," I breathed against the delicate skin of her slender neck, reveling in her brisk and steady carotid pulse which mirrored my own and picked up pace when she moved forward, till her torso was flushed against mine, and her lips hovered just above my ear.
"Every second I spend with you makes me want you more." With her ragged breath against my heated skin, I was at the verge of losing any semblance of self-control when she suddenly pushed me back.
"But, if you don't want me to drag you to bed, stop making me feel things."
"Then stop being so fucking irresistible," I heard myself say. Clearly, she wasn't the only one who needed a cold shower or a filter on their mouth.
She looked at me for a couple of seconds, biting the side of her lower lip, as if trying to fight her impulse. Much to my delight, she gave in, pulling me closer again.
"One more kiss, then I need to tell you something about this morning, before I leave."
"Tell me -?"
I didn't get to finish my question before her lips were already on mine, lightly caressing them, delicately tasting them, like she was relishing the long overdue union of her moist and heavenly lips with my hungry and desperate ones. Once again, I found myself lost in her. Her warmth, her sensuality, even her boldness, taking me to heights of ecstasy I could never have imagined. All while I knew, the best of that feeling was yet to come - tonight.
When she pulled away from me, her lips were swollen and pink, but her eyes bright and mischievous.
"I can't wait for this reception to be over," she grinned.
A sharp knock on the front door prevented either of us from saying anything further. I realized just then that my phone was vibrating too in my pocket, and I had 5 missed calls. All from the security guard at the entrance of my building.
"Yes, James. Everything ok?" I picked up the phone first.
"Uh yes, sir. Your friends have been waiting for some time. I told them I am not allowed to let them up till I contact you, but the guy just barged past me."
There was knock on the door again, this time a lot louder, and accompanied by a voice I had completely forgotten about.
"Open up. We know you're in there," the man at the front door yelled.
"It's ok, James. I was expecting them." I hung up and ran past a confused Madi to open the door, dreading the words that would come out of that man's mouth.
"Done?" was the first thing he said through his N95.
Oh, great! He knew.
Done, a simple word, but the smirk written all over the rest of his face, and his eyes darting between Madi and I were a dead giveaway. He had seen us rush through the foyer and drawn every embarrassing conclusion he possibly could.
"Salman, you promised to behave," his wife chuckled and squeezed his arm, which he quickly withdrew, surprising me. It was an odd sequence of event but were quickly forgotten when he replied to her, still jokingly, without missing a beat.
"I literally said a word. He's the one turning all shades of tomatoes."
Thankfully, Madi jumped right in and asked what they were doing there in the first place.
The original plan had been for Salman and Noor to come with Sehr's family and I as part of the 'baraat' (groom's side of the family). That had been a good plan, and I had meant to update Madi, but as Salman so succinctly pointed out, I was a bit busy with other things.
"I am so sorry, guys. I didn't mean to keep you waiting," I apologized again, glad that the mask I had donned as soon as Salman and Noor entered was hiding my embarrassed expression.
"That's ok, no worries at all," Noor said quickly before her husband's not-so-subtle attempts to hide his amusement gave way to more mortifying moments.
Madi grabbed her car keys. "I really should get going," she was saying when Noor headed towards the door after her.
"Actually, Madi, I'll have to come with you too. Your father kept calling me to find out where you were because you weren't picking your phone up. So I told him, your phone was dead, but I was with you, and we were stuck in bad traffic." She glanced at me, then Madi, "Sorry, that's the only excuse I could come up with."
Could this get any more embarrassing? I seriously just wanted to disappear into the ground. If it hadn't been for poor Madi, looking even more uncomfortable than me, I would have ducked into my room for sure.
"Of course, Noor," Madi finally broke the awkward silence. "I could use some help getting ready, anyway."
Getting ready, that suddenly reminded me of something.
"Hey Madi, Ami sent a jewelry set for you. She thought you might want to wear it today," I told her hurriedly taking out a velvet cloth covered rectangular box from my backpack.
When I opened it, a piece of paper fell out. But it was the contents of box that seemed to have garnered everyone's attention. In it lay a white gold choker with diamonds and rose quartz crystals laid out in an intricate pattern. I never really paid any attention to jewelry, but even I could tell that this piece was exquisite, and it would look incredible on Madi.
"Wow! Madi, this is absolutely gorgeous," Noor squealed, running her fingers over it.
"Not bad," even her husband admitted.
Yet, it was Madi who didn't say a word. I glanced at her, expecting to see her dumbstruck, instead she was frowning as she stared at the piece of paper that had fallen out of the box.
"When did Aunty buy this set?" she asked, her voice cracking, like she was trying to hold back tears.
"She said two years ago. Why?" I took the piece of paper from her and it took only a moment for me to realize why Madi had reacted the way she did.
"Listen, I had no idea Ami wrote this. I don't even know why she did, but I know it will look amazing on you." I rushed through the words coming to mind. "Please look at me," I grabbed her arm.
Yet, no amount of words, or excuses from me could have made up for the note that my mother wrote, addressed to my wife.
"Man, what is wrong with your mother?" Salman's disgruntled voice barely registered when Madi yanked her arm out and ran out of the door, wiping her eyes.
I started to go after her when Noor stopped me.
"Omar, wait. Let me talk to her." She didn't wait for me to reply. Instead, she grabbed the necklace and earrings, stuffing them in her bag, and disappeared out the door as well.
While, all I could do was to stand there, bewildered, and appalled. Did my mother not realize what she was writing? I grabbed the note lying on the table and read it again.
Dear Madiha
I bought this set for Noor. She is much fairer than you and is used to wearing such expensive jewelry, so this set might not be suitable for you. But why don't you try it on and see anyway.
Take care of it.
Mrs. Khan.
There was no way she didn't know. was the only conclusion I could reach.
"Good thing you've already had your Nikah, but next time please ask you mom to leave my wife out of her schemes." Salman had never been one to mince his words, or hide his inner thoughts. Which is why I usually felt the need to apologize to others on his behalf.
Today, I felt the need to apologize to him.
"I am really sorry, Salman. I had no idea she had even bought this for Noor."
"I know, and I am not going to pretend that the past doesn't make our current friendship messy," he looked at me over his mask. "But you better reign in your mother, otherwise, I am not sure how many times Madi will accept your apology."
Truer words were never spoken. I just hoped my childhood friend was able to appease my wife, this time.
*******
Hope you liked Madi and Omar's meeting, minus that passive aggressive note from Omar's mom that spoilt it all.
l know I implied this would be last chapter, but I thought Madi and Omar deserved a real reunion as husband and wife, not a rushed one. So, there will be another chapter after this followed by the epilogue.
Incase you missed my earlier notices, there is another book in the series after this one. Its called 'After the Honeymoon' and deals with the married life of both Noor/Salman and Madi/Omar. That one needs a whole lot less editing than this one did, so I might just publish it as is and edit on the go.
Until next time. Thanks for reading! Don't forget to vote and let me know your thoughts about this chapter 🙂