Pov Esan
I woke up slowly, I wasn't a great sleeper but I was just so tired last night that I feel like I slept for a decade.
"Assalam Alaikkum" I heard a melodious voice echoing in my room.
It took me a moment to connect my neurons and finally understand what was happening. Samira was standing in front of me, with my son in her arms, her wet hair wrapped in her towel.
This vision of the beautiful morning made me smile.
"Walaikkum Salam Samira", I replied cheerfully.
Her smile widened and she handed Rizwan to me in my arms, and I took him, he didn't seem very happy to leave Samira's arms.
"It hasn't even been a day and you've already ejected your abu from your heart, Rizwan?" I asked her falsely in a dramatic tone.
His hands twitched, MashAllah, my son was always so lively. "He's already eaten, and I've changed him" warns Samira.
"Thank you" I said, I was really grateful, so that's what having a life partner is all about, who really cares about us?
"Esan, Rizwan is just as much my son, why thank me? Between husband and Wi...
she cut herself off, blushing like a tomato as she realized the end of her sentence.
"Husband and what? I didn't quite hear the end" I said teasingly, I liked to tease her, she didn't answer, just blushed even more as I held back my laughter.
"Mommy's embarrassed" I murmured softly to my son.
Samira questioned me with her eyes, not having heard what I said, and I shrugged just to annoy her more, she simply rolled her eyes in amusement, if she knew how childish I could be sometimes with her "And love her" my mind breathed.
I silenced my mind, and watched as Samira unwrapped the towel from her head, letting her wet hair fall to her back, I swallowed as I followed the water droplets from her front strands quietly down her neck. She wasn't wearing a dupatta either, her body was the first time I'd seen it so freely, I tried to control my gaze but I couldn't help devouring her with my eyes.
She was... she... She was... "SEXY" screamed my inner voice, making me look down at Rizwan.
Shame on me, what kind of thinking is this? She's your wife! my conscience reminded me
"Esan, can you come and show me how to turn this on?"
Raising my gaze to Samira, she held the hairdryer in her hands, searching for the ignition button, I deposited Rizwan in the center of our bed, surrounding him with pillows.
"Rizwan, don't fall off," I warned him earnestly, before rejoining Samira.
I took the hairdryer from her hands and switched it on. "Thank you", she said, retrieving it from her hands.
She turned to the mirror to dry her damp hair, and by the look of it, one of her strands was caressing my face, smelling of lavender.
"She smells good, our wife, lavender is our new favorite scent", my inner voice shouted with amusement.
To which, with a slight smile, I closed my eyes, savoring the touch of her hair on my face, it was sweet. For a moment, I didn't feel it, and opened my eyes to see what was happening.
Samira stood back towards me with a questioning look, and I looked around, standing behind all the way, letting her hair caress my face with my eyes closed. I smiled stupidly, hiding my embarrassment.
"Come up with an excuse buddy, before she thinks you're strange " teased my conscience.
"You should give me your shampoo reference, I love the smell, it makes your hair super soft" I said simply, at which point I wanted to bite my tongue, so absurd did my sentence sound.
"Er... Of course, it's dop" she said simply, with an amused look on her face.
I thought it was time to leave, but she caught me by the arm, took the towel and cleaned my face. "How come your face is all wet? "she asked, concentrating on wiping the moisture from my face.
"If I'm honest, you might think I'm a bizzare," I warned her, thinking I'd whispered, but she finally heard me.
She laughed, I always liked that sound, especially when I was the source of its beginning. "Esan, I promise to treat you like a normal person", she promised.
I thought for a moment, well, it's not like she was going to let go, and part of me wanted her to know that I loved her at that moment.
"The sensation of your hair caressing my face was pleasant, a part of you touching mine," I told her sincerely.
She took a moment to assimilate my words, her cheeks soon turning red, and she lowered her head with a slight smile.
"I'm... I'll... Take... Rizwan downstairs, join us" she tried to escape quickly, but I caught him at once and pressed him against me, his surprised gaze meeting mine, I myself was surprised at my confidence.
"Love either makes you blind or gives you wings" repeated my mind.
"I don't know if you understand, but I love your hair" I tell her stupidly, I really just wanted her to stay against me.
"I also like your almond-shaped eyes, your slightly pointed nose, your thin lips and your elfin ears.
Which earned me a pat on my chest from her with a dark look that made me laugh." I really like your ogre ears too, Mr.Perfect" she rants at me.
I smiled and hugged her closer to me,
"Thanks for the compliment, I really like them too, I inherited them from my great-grandmother" I said proudly.
She rolls her eyes again, hiding her amusement, we stare at each other for a long moment, and I feel a certain atmosphere settling between us, "Esan let go of me" she says softly but shyly.
I move closer to her ear, "You're beautiful, and even more so this morning, I love your presence in my room, I never thought I'd be entitled to this gift one day, but our Rabb has allowed me, I hope you'll be happy here, because I am, I'm sorry for all the horrors you've been through before because of your weight" I tell her sincerely, I could hear her breathing quicken, her head swiveling slightly towards me and our lips were really very close." I... don't know what.. Say.. Esan, I was still scared, I admit, this morning, but your words just now have taken away all my doubts" she said.
We stare at each other for a long moment, her luscious lips are what intrigue me most at the moment, she must have noticed my insistent gaze, and I was sure I saw a glimmer of desire in hers before she abruptly pushes me away, running to my son.
"MmMh... join us downstairs" she said before disappearing with Rizwan from the room.
I still stood there, incredulous, I know it was still early to kiss her, she needed time, her shyness always amused me.
"You'll be mine, Mrs Esan Farooqi", I promised myself.
With that, I grabbed my plate and headed for the bathroom, smiling.
"That love makes you euphoric" my mind mocked, to which I rolled my eyes, my mind should shut up once in a while.
**************************************
"It's been so long since I've been here, they've even added a swing," says Samira, looking at the park.
I nod, this is where I'd come to take refuge from all the problems I was having with Sonia, I take Rizwan and seeing him smile calms the worries in my heart, I'd never have thought that one day I'd come here not to run away from problems but to enjoy them. It's thanks to Samira, a thought of guilt suddenly takes hold of me, she was always there to help me, but what had I done besides that?
I felt a hand rest on mine, "Are you okay ? " Samira gently questioned me with her kind eyes, pushing Rizwan's stroller. "Everything's fine, I was just thinking" I said, reassuring her.
"You think that if that girl in there falls in the sandbox, the sand will explode?" a voice mocked sarcastically.
"You'll see how heavy she looks" replied another voice at the same time.
I turned at the same time as Samira towards a young couple sitting in a corner, pointing at Samira.
"Esan, don't respond to that kind of remark, I'm used to it" Samira reassured me gently, even though I could hear the pain in her voice.
I was just annoyed by their insulting behavior, but Samira's confession pissed me off, what do you mean she's used to it?
I took off without a word towards the couple still laughing and grabbed the young man fiercely by the collar of his T-shirt, pulling her closer to me.
"What are you doing? Leave my fiancé alone!" cried the girl beside him, while her fiancé tried to free himself from my grip.
I glared at her, silencing her. If I hadn't grabbed her by the collar too, it was because I was forbidden to touch her.
"The girl you're idiotically making fun of is my wife, she's the most incredible and beautiful girl I've ever met, if I don't blow your head off right now, it's thanks to her, so thank her and I don't want any more of this kind of offensive behavior towards anyone, especially my wife, and you two, looks aren't everything, if your character's crap, you're not going to last long" I said threateningly.
The young man looked at me, terrified, wondering if I was going to give him a hard time, but I released him gently, leaving him to crash miserably to the ground.
"I'd advise you to run away before marriage, he's already like that towards other women, what will become of him once married, what if you changed physically? Do you really trust him to stay by your side?" I asked ironically as she looked at me troubled.
I walked away, taking Samira to another corner of the park, we settled on the ground on the grass to have a picnic, I took out the sandwiches but I could still see that she was still affected by the incident earlier, I put the sandwiches down and drew her against me, letting her fall on top of me, she ended up on my chest with wide eyes.
"What are you doing? We're in a park, Esan, behave yourself!" she said, whispering worriedly in my face.
She looked in all directions, if passers-by stared at us, the least of my worries. She tried to pull away from me, but couldn't because I was holding her back. "What's the point of having extra kilos if you're going to have zero strength?" she complained to herself, making me laugh.
"Since when is hugging your wife a crime?" I asked, ignoring the look on her face as she tried to scare me.
"Not like that" she said, finally giving up trying to escape
"I wouldn't have to do this if you weren't concentrating on those two idiots earlier, they don't even deserve you to think about them, they're endless morons with an education the size of a walnut" I scold her gently.
She gave me a pained smile, "Esan, I don't want you to spend your life defending me because people make remarks about my looks, I ruin everything, even a simple walk in the park" she said, burying her face against my chest.
I hold him tightly, caressing his head "You're not ruining anything, Samira, I've already told you, but it's my duty and right to protect you. Tell me, if I were insulted and mocked by someone else, would you keep your arms crossed?
Of course not, I'd sew their mouths shut with a sharp needle," she said, rising defensively to her feet.
My heart skipped a beat at the mere thought of someone coming after me, she was already ready to defend me, my love for her only increasing.
"You see, we protect each other, I'm not as much of a burden as you are, listen, I don't want you to get used to idiots picking on you because of your weight, it's absurd and unfair, you're perfect and Allah created you that way, why should we stand idly by? "I asked her.
I took a moment to understand what was happening before responding to her kiss, savoring the sensation. She rose to her feet at full speed, hiding in Rizwan's stroller, while I caught my breath, amused, I approached her very red head, busy observing Rizwan and above all avoiding me with my eyes.
"I like the initiative Mrs Farooqi, if I get this reward every time I protect you, even though I'm doing it voluntarily with all my heart, I'm ready to catch the next target and receive my kiss, my lips are already warmed up" I whispered in her ear, mischievously.
She started coughing, and I hurried to give her the bottle of water." Stop talking nonsense and eat your sandwich" she said, stuffing a piece into my mouth.
I nearly choked, and she passed me the water so that I could drink in turn, I giving her a fake black look, while she scoffed.
"That's because your abu says kinky things without shame," she assured my son.
I was hallucinating, this is who kissed me five minutes ago without shame, "Get used to the situation, whether you're right or wrong, Samira will always be right now" my conscience told me.
Being married? It was funny in the end, I understood better why my father told me to enjoy my bachelorhood first, and say as many no's as possible.
I drew her against me and bit into Samira's sandwich before making her bite into the same spot, making her blush.
"It's sunnah", I reassured him, continuing to eat his sandwich while making him eat afterwards.
I was glad I'd come here, as it meant we could get to know each other even better and make memories. A little unpleasant feeling remained in me, though, as I thought about the moment when I'd have to tell her the truth about why I'd broken off our alliance. I hope she'll forgive me.
Preferring not to think about it, I refocused on Samira, and Rizwan.
"Soon you won't be able to live without her" breathed my inner voice.
And if that was already the case, I was already addicted to her, it's just a matter of time before the climax.
N/A : I hope you liked 💕