"People will not sit remembering God without the angels surrounding them, mercy covering them, peace descending on them."
(Muslim).
Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu
✨ Bismillah ✨
If you haven't offered your salah and it's salah time then please pray and then return, do not delay your prayers.
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ADAM
I shut the car off and climb out of it, impatient to meet my wife. It's been two weeks since Usman's reception and we've been getting a little to no time at all to spend with each other.
Baba let's me in, telling me that Maira is in her room upstairs. I greet mama on my way and hurry up to her room.
A distant "Yes" comes in from inside the room as I knock. A frown comes up on my face seeing Maira sprawled on the bed with her face pressed into the pillow.
She is never gloomy, let alone in the middle of the day.
I walk in slowly towards her and remove the hair out of her face. "Salam" I whisper from behind her in her ear.
She jerks her head in surprise towards me and sits up abruptly "Hey, Walaikum assalam."
She doesn't smile immediately on seeing me as she usually does instead, she lets out a shaky breath making me deepen my frown.
"What's wrong?"
She shakes her head and smiles, a hesitant and an almost forced smile "I just didn't know you were coming"
"I was thinking, we could go out somewhere today?" I ask a little uncertainly. Something was obviously not right and she was not telling me what it really is.
"Ofcourse, I'll get ready then" she says getting up from the bed and going inside the bathroom without another word.
An ill feeling settles in my gut, thinking of what might be going inside Maira's mind and what might have caused her to draw back from me.
(◍•ᴗ•◍)
The ride goes by silent- utterly silent, not even Maira asking me where we are going and this makes my stomach twist in the ugliest ways.
She just sits there beside me in the passenger seat, giving me small smiles occasionally, which I'm sure are not genuine.
I exhale audibly and grab her hand from across the console and entwine our fingers. She squeezes them, assuring herself or me- I'm not too sure.
I make a turn towards her favourite restaurant which is unsurprisingly a small, warm and cosy place, and nothing too fancy or prodigal. It's a place on the far end of this town so there are mostly very less people around.
We had been here in the first week of our marriage, Maira had liked it instantly, not just because of the food but also for the homey atmosphere here.
We had always turned out here when Maira was too nervous for her exams or just to live the peaceful feeling this place provided.
Now was a true time to really test how much better this place could make her feel. She is adamant on not telling me anything and I wouldn't force her to let it all out, but that would be just till the evening.
Seeing how troublesome it is making her-whatever that is that she is thinking, I'm determined to take it away.
My Maira is better off of any of the cryptic things that there are.
(◍•ᴗ•◍)
"I don't have an appetite" Maira mumbles swirling the straw in her milkshake.
She is never not hungry.
"Okay then let's go somewhere else. Tell me what do you want to do?"
She exhales loudly and slumps back on the chair "I don't know. Nothing?"
I raise my brows I question "Maira, this monotonous person isn't you, it's me."
"I like the way you pull me out of my zone and make me have fun, the way you persuade me out is what has always fascinated me, not the other way round."
A slow, sweet smile forms on her lips- a genuine one this time and my heart fills with a hint of releif.
"Maybe I like it this way sometimes" she says, the smile still intact.
"You can have me coaxing you all the time, if that's what you like, but do not try to recede from me, because that is something I'm incapable of letting you do" I say with solemnity.
"Adam, why do you think that I'm drawing back from you?" she asks rhetorically before leaning forward and placing a reassuring hand on mine.
"It's just that---" she falters.
"What is it that you are so agitated about, darling?" I accentuate my words.
"Is it something really serious which you are stressed about?" I ask, hoping to be helpful with whatever it is that she is feeling.
A flicker of the wit passes her eyes, which she usually has "You think I would be this distraught over something which is not even serious "
"Well, you do get a little worked up on little things" I try to reason, completely relieved by getting her to speak her thoughts.
She narrows her eyes at me and I stifle my chuckle looking at her annoyed face.
"Well, this is actually really serious" she mocks me, anxiety lacing her voice.
"Then tell me what it is"
She sighs and looks around our cubicle, opening her mouth to say something but closing it again.
"Not here" she says in the softest whispers, locking eyes with me.
I nod and check out of the diner, paying for the food and walking out with Maira's hand in mine.
I shut the door after Maira is seated in her side and gets inside the car.
She slowly removes her niqab and rubs her face with her palms, hesitantly.
I wait anxiously, my heartbeat kicking up a notch.
"I don't know how to say it" she says looking at me with pleading eyes- for what I don't know.
"Is it about you or me?" I ask apprehensively.
"It is about us Adam" she exclaims and beads of sweat form on my forehead.
"You are scaring me Maira" I say truthfully.
A flash of sympathy passes her eyes before she lets her head fall down whispering the words which stilled my heart for a brief moment.
(◍•ᴗ•◍)
MAIRA
I watch his face expectantly, trying to gauge any emotion but there is nothing there and it worries me even more. I had been delaying this conversation for almost a week now.
Last week when I had gotten to know about my pregnancy, I was oblivious to what I was supposed to do.
I had told mama about this and she was ecstatic, she had announced it to everyone in our house, I also had informed Adam's parents and Aisha but requested them to not tell it to Adam.
I wanted to do it myself, but the uncertainty of what Adam would feel about this was eating me up from day one.
"You're serious?" He asks with an astonished expression.
"Are you okay with it?" I ask unsurely. He face changes from the astonished expression to something good then he shakes his head with disbelief.
"Okay?!!!! Sweetheart, you were worried about this out of all the things?" He asks pushing himself a bit towards me, taking my hand.
"I'm sorry that I don't have an experience with all this Adam" I snap back unintentionally and immediately feel guilty for doing so.
His smile widens as he says "I'm actually starting like this witty Maira"
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to" I say voicing my guilt.
"God Maira, I cannot wait to meet this little person" he says oozing out enthusiasm, a delightful emotion fills my own heart seeing him like this, and now I regret not telling him any sooner.
"I have something to apologise to you for"
"You should know that, I'm so high on happiness that I could forgive you for anything and I could give you anything which you ask, which I'm capable of." he says cupping my cheeks and placing his forehead on mine.
I lower my eyes, refusing to meet his gaze. "I already have informed everyone else and I've known it for almost a week now." I say in such a faint whisper that I'm not sure if even heard it.
He pulls back a little and my heart races in fear "Look at me Maira" he whispers firmly, tilting my chin up.
"I first told mama because I had no idea what to do, then mama became too overwhelmed and informed everybody present in the house which were baba, Usman and Maryam, and then one time when I visited home, I couldn't keep it from mama and she too told Aisha and baba. Trust me Adam, I just wanted both of our mothers to know but it just happened and I couldn't stop them, seeing how happy they were, I wanted to tell you myself and that is why I asked all of them to keep it from you but I couldn't figure out how, and that is why I couldn't tell you for so long." I heave a sigh and look at him.
The next thing I know is a pair of lips softly on my own one's. He pulls back gently and smirks at my flushed face "I love how you talk so much without a damm break" He says brushing his thumb on my lips.
I say nothing as I wait for him to register my apology, he rolls his eyes with a small smile on his face.
"There is nothing you should feel sorry for, it saves me from the awkward conversation" he says grinning sheepishly.
I narrow my eyes at him "And you tell that I was overreacting"
"I never said that you were overreacting, and even if you were, everything just looks extra nice when it's you who is doing it" he says, stroking his nose with mine.
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Alhamdulillah!!💕
JazakAllahu Khairan Kaseera🤍
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Assalamualaikum until next time inshaAllah💖
~~ Safiya❣️