"Stop staring at his chest", Asfia scolded herself silently, but her eyes refused to obey. They remained fixated, much to her frustration. She had rehearsed countless scenarios in her mind regarding their wedding night, yet her heart raced in her chest. He had halted the unbuttoning of his shirt, drawing nearer to her.
"Inhale, Asfia, exhale", she reminded herself, attempting to regain composure. He now stood right in front of her. Keeping her head lowered, she peered up at him through her lashes, finding a mischievous grin gracing his face. That cheeky grin! He playfully twirled a loose strand of her hair around his finger. She exhaled a shaky breath and finally met his gaze.
To drop a subtle hint, she pouted her lips slightly. He burst into laughter. Was he mocking her? How rude! She tried to force a stern expression but instead found herself blushing beneath his penetrating gaze.
"Aren't you tired, Asfia?" He asked her. His thumb now gently caressing her cheek. Her lips looked irresistible and he hadn't miss that subtle pout. But he wanted to do this right. He wasn't going to just do it out of attraction. And he was definitely attracted to her. All of her. He had to figure out what she wanted. He didn't now how to navigate this without blatantly telling her he could never love her. He had made a commitment to be a devoted husband, ensuring she lacked for nothing in their marriage. She now possessed a rightful claim to all of him.
He had had 2 months to figure this out and he hadn't. It was that stupid apartment that had haunted him, trapping him in his past, he thought.
"Faisal?" Asfia's voice was a soft, barely audible murmur. His thumb lingered on her cheek, their proximity suffused with the now familiar scent of his cologne and the essence of him. They were so close that she could feel his slow breaths brushing her cheek. Just a two-inch movement of her face, and their lips would meet. Why wouldn't he bridge the gap and kiss her? The anticipation was becoming unbearable, her heart lodged in her throat, and she felt the urge to take the leap and initiate that first kiss, even if it meant ruining her first kiss.
"Darling, let's just get some rest. Tomorrow is a long day with the reception and more guests," he murmured, her quivering lips, her breath against his face, and something else about her, making it increasingly difficult for him to resist the urge to pull her into a deep, all-consuming kiss.
Asfia bit her lip, this time involuntarily. Her heart was heavy with disappointment. It had seemed like the ideal moment for their first kiss, on their wedding night. She blinked rapidly as she moved back, trying to conceal her disappointment. It was hard to fathom that just a few minutes ago, she had been concerned about him wanting more than just a kiss.
In that moment, she felt him draw near once more, and she heard him murmur, "Screw it." His hands gently lifted her chin, and his lips softly brushed against hers. It was enchanting, everything she had ever imagined. One of his hands cradled her jaw while the other rested behind her head, his lips moving on hers, swallowing her consciousness. After a few moments of staying still, just enjoying his touch, she realized she was supposed to be an active participant, so she lightly sucked on his lower lip.
Suddenly, he pulled away, both of them breathing heavily. She gazed at him, her husband, her 'dreamboat' as Shruthi had playfully called him. He was flawless, and she knew she was completely and utterly in love.
Faisal was consumed by panic. Why had he let his self-control slip away? They had only just gotten married earlier today. He knew she desired it, but would she still want it if she knew the whole truth? Wouldn't she have preferred him to love her before sharing their first kiss?
Memories of Fiza crept into his mind, how she allowed him to kiss her and hold her close, yet she had never kissed him back, leaving him feeling hollow afterward. But Asfia had kissed him back, and it had filled him with an unfamiliar sense of being wanted.
Once more, Fiza had invaded his thoughts on his wedding night. This was why he shouldn't have kissed Asfia.
Asfia couldn't help but wonder why Faisal seemed so distressed. Had it been that terrible? In those initial moments, or perhaps mere seconds (who could tell?), time had felt suspended, and she had simply allowed herself to immerse in the sensation of his kiss. And then she had instinctively sucked on his lower lip. Was that even a thing?
"Was it not..." she began, grappling with a storm of emotions. She swallowed hard, noticing he wasn't meeting her gaze. She reached out to tug at his shirt, the fully undone buttons momentarily diverting her attention.
Faisal finally raised his eyes to meet hers, berating himself for his overthinking. "No, it was perfect," he replied earnestly. She beamed at him and her smile drew the corners of his lips up as well.
"Would you like to shower first?" Faisal asked with a hint of a mischievous smile, then decided to playfully tease her, "or shall we conserve water and shower together?"
Asfia blushed at his remark. He certainly had a way of rendering her speechless, but she wasn't going to let him off the hook so easily. "Well, considering the water shortage and the lack of rain lately," she replied, forcing herself to maintain a straight face, though a mischievous glint danced in her eyes. She was playing with fire, but what was the worst that could happen?
Faisal, on the other hand, was taken aback. His eyes widened, and his eyebrows shot up to his hairline. "Oh!" he managed to utter, nothing else coming out. He wasn't prepared for this, and he wondered if she truly was.
As he stared at her in stunned silence, she burst into laughter.
"Look at your face!" She laughed heartily, clutching her stomach. Faisal grinned. She certainly kept him on his toes, but he wasn't about to let her win this round. Determined, he removed his shirt, and her laughter abruptly ceased. Her expression shifted to one of anticipation, mixed with a hint of fear.
Stepping closer, his body lightly brushing against hers, he gently lifted her face with both hands. Their eyes met, and he whispered, "Look at your face..." It had been intended as a playful remark, but he felt her tug at him once more. This was dangerous territory. He knew he had to kiss her; after all, he already had. His brain ceased to function, finding no reason to hold back. With a swift motion, he pressed his lips against hers, swallowing her gasp. The kiss grew more urgent, and she responded by kissing him back, alternating between sucking his upper and lower lips. He wasn't quite sure what she was doing, but he liked it.
He wanted to deepen their kiss, explore her mouth further, but his brain finally sounded a warning. Enough for today. With great effort, he pulled back, and they both stood there, breathless.
"Shall we head to the shower, then?" Faisal suggested playfully. Asfia responded with a playful punch. "Oh, please. You go first; it will take me forever to remove all of this. Plus, I need to take off my makeup."
"Why don't you just wash your face?" he inquired curiously, recalling how Fiza used to do it.
"Are you serious? You're a doctor, right? Don't you know that oil and water don't mix? Most makeup products are oil-based," she informed him before making her way to the dresser.
"Oh, damn!" she exclaimed as Faisal headed towards the bathroom. "Can you please help me?" she called out in frustration. Her hair was tangled with bobby pins, and she struggled to undo her hairstyle. "My hair is a mess, and I can't get this chain off." Muslim wives didn't wear mangalsutras, rings or any visible symbols of their husbands.
"Of course!" Faisal said with a grin. "Does my wife need help with her zip too?" he teased. She rolled her eyes. "I thought you didn't read romance novels. I have a side zip, so no assistance required."
As he gently started removing her bobby pins, she closed her eyes, allowing her thoughts to drift back to that unforgettable kiss. Her teeth found her lower lip, and an inadvertent moan escaped her lips. Her eyes shot open, and she immediately covered her mouth, cheeks flushing.
"All that kissing, and this is what gets you...," Faisal began, chuckling. "Don't you dare finish that sentence," she interjected, giving his reflection in the mirror a stern look.
"Oh, I won't, wifey," he replied with a teasing smile. "I'm so scared of you," he added playfully.
"Ouch!" she exclaimed as he accidentally pulled her hair in distraction. "Pay attention."
"Sorry," Faisal said genuinely, refocusing on the task at hand. Together, they spent the next 30 minutes removing all the pins.
"There were 158 pins in your hair!" Faisal exclaimed when he was done. "Why?" he asked her.
"I don't know. That hair and makeup artist was crazy," she explained, then pointed at the clasp of her chain.
"I'd like you to wear it," he told her.
"I'm afraid I'll lose it," she confessed. "I know it's really expensive."
"And I know you love it," he assured her.
"Yeah, I do," she replied, a smile tugging at her lips as she gently touched her solitaire pendant.
There was a knock on the door. Faisal opened it and found his mother standing on the other side. She glanced past him to Asfia, who promptly stood up and approached her.
"Here," his mother said, handing Asfia a cup. "You're supposed to give him half and drink the rest." Asfia peered into the cup and sighed inwardly. It was milk again. She took a deep breath.
"She's lactose intolerant, umma," Faisal informed his mother.
"Yes, that's not an allergy. She can have half a cup. Nothing will happen," his mother replied, her irritation evident.
"She'll feel bloated and uncomfortable, umma, and she's already exhausted. Let her be comfortable," Faisal urged his mother.
"Lactose intolerance wasn't mentioned in her biodata," his mother pointed out.
Asfia was taken aback. Faisal's mother had always appeared warm and loving towards her. What had changed? Had she done something to upset her?
She observed Faisal's equally shocked expression as mother and son exchanged lingering glances, there developed subtle changes in their faces that left Asfia puzzled. In silence, Faisal retrieved the milk cup from his mother, and she turned away, retreating down the hallway.
"I'm sorry, I didn't think to ask my parents to include it in my biodata," Asfia admitted quietly, her brows furrowed with concern.
"It wouldn't have made a difference," Faisal reassured her. "It's not about the milk; it's about the necklace. Many relatives commented on it, asking my parents why they had given their only daughter-in-law such a small necklace."
Asfia's eyes widened. So it was her fault. She wondered if she should have gone with the traditional chunky gold chains and exchanged them later at the shop after the wedding. She hadn't anticipated it would be such a significant issue.
"They'll get over it, don't worry," Faisal added, trying to reassure her.
Asfia nodded, her thoughts now filled with doubts about her relationship with her in-laws. She had never considered whether they liked her or not. She hadn't considered the implications of her actions when she had insisted on the pendant over the other options presented to her. As someone who had never blindly obeyed, her parents had always been open to her questions, gently explaining their reasoning. But now, she belonged to a different family, and she would have to relearn everything. She had only thought about, rather dreamt about being a wife. That she would become a daughter in law had fled her mind. There was so much she hadn't thought through! Why hadn't she mentioned her lactose intolerance in her biodata? Panic started to creep in. Maybe marriage wasn't just about romance.
As she was in the brink of tears, two strong arms enveloped her, and she leaned her head against Faisal's bare chest, letting out a sigh. She decided she would make an effort with her mother in law. She didn't want to create conflict between Faisal and his mother. Yet her heart fluttered as she thought about how he had stood up for her. She smiled.
Her mind then wandered to why milk seemed to be a recurring theme in the few rituals they did have.
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Authors note
Why do Indian MILs feel so insecure when their sons side with their wives?
Is the son really betraying their mothers by doing this?
Please comment so I know your thoughts. And don't forget to vote and share!
💜Faiza