ZOYA
It was late by the time all the functions were over and I couldn't have been more glad to be back at my own home. Oh thats right, for us, the first night after wedding, the groom usually stays at the bride's home and was by far one of the most blessing, since I could at least have a good nights sleep before all the changes that I would be facing.
My bedroom was decorated marvelously by my very loving family with flowers and soft hues, creating an atmosphere of warmth and romance. The scent of fresh flowers wafted through the air, and the gentle glow of fairy lights added a touch of magic to the room. It felt like a haven of tranquility amidst the whirlwind of wedding celebrations.
As I entered the room, Farhan followed, his eyes reflecting a mix of nervousness and anticipation.
'Are you feeling nervous husband?' I asked him with amusement.
'Nervous? me? I am just waiting for the process to start' He said with a smirk.
'Process? What do you mean?' I asked when the realization hit me, it was my turn to be embarrassed now.
'I dont know about you but I am just planning to sleep today and if you are waiting for any other process, maybe you will have to wait more.' I said to him without looking in his direction.
Farhan laughed after hearing my reply, 'I was just joking dear, I wont ask you to do anything that makes you uncomfortable and also if you feel weird sharing the same bed, we can even change that' He said softly.
'I mean I do feel uncomfortable, since I have always prefer to sleep alone but I am too nice to be making you sleep on the floor also mom would kill me if she found out, So that saves you from sleeping anywhere other than the bed.' I said, making him chuckle.
'Let me just get changed, you can also use the washroom on the next floor, dont wait for me just go to sleep since I dont know how long it would take me to be devoid of all this.' I said while pointing out to my work of art costume.
'All right Zoya, I will be waiting' he said as he left to wash up probably.
I started my hectic work of removing all the accessories on my hair. Why do we get help only to be dolled up but not get out of this? I thought as I scuffled to remove everything.
After struggling for a long time, I finished washing up and checked the time to see it already past midnight. I just wanted to sleep so badly at this point now since I have been up from 4am for the preparations.
'Feeling more comfortable now?' Farhan inquired, he was laying on the right side of bed with large distance from the other side.
I let out a sigh of relief. "Much better. These dresses may look beautiful, but to survive in them is a challenge of its own' I said, yawning.
Farhan laughed in agreement. 'I can only imagine. Well, you look stunning either way.'
I rolled my eyes playfully. 'Flattery will get you everywhere but it doesnt always works with me, Mr. Husband.'
'Why will it not work on you though?' He asked suddenly, sitting up from the bed and moving closer to me, my breath got caught in my throat as he gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear.
He looked deeply into my eyes, his gaze both intense and tender.
'Should I learn any more tricks that would work on you?' He said as he moved closer to me.
His proximity sent a shiver down my spine, and I felt the same feeling of weirdness I had felt before, something like subtle flutter of butterflies in my stomach. The playful banter had taken on a new, intimate tone, and I couldn't help but be captivated by the depth in his gaze, his light brown eyes.
'Tricks?' I echoed, feigning innocence. 'I am not sure if I'm that easy to figure out, Mr. Husband.'
Farhan leaned in, his warm breath grazing my cheek. 'Challenge accepted, Mrs. Wife.'
His words were accompanied by a soft laughter that resonated in the quiet room.
Farhan leaned in, placing a gentle kiss on my forehead. 'Now, let's get some rest. Tomorrow is a new beginning for both of us.'
I found myself lying on the other side, trying to calm down my rapid heartbeat. How does he expect me to get sleep after that? Perhaps I should have been the one challenging him. After a series of such thoughts, I found myself drifting to sleep which was deprived from me for that day.
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The ringing of my alarm forced me to get up for my prayer. I was surprised to find Farhan's side of bed empty.
After washing myself and preparing to pray, I went to get the prayer mat and was surprised to find Farhan already sitting there.
'Do you want to pray fajr(morning prayer for Muslims) together?' He asked and I nodded.
He became the imam(person leading the prayer) and we both did our prayers.
Praying together felt surreal and I felt a sense of peace washing over me as the prayer finished.
'Are you going back to sleep?' He asked me as he saw me jumping back into the bed.
'Duh, I am not staying awake from 5' I said as a matter of fact, I couldn't function normally if I cant sleep after fajr.
'Alright, I am going to workout, see you later when you finally decide to stay awake' He said energetically.
'This early? Please go secretly so that my parents won't see you, I don't want to get any lectures from morning' I said with a groan as he laughed at my request.
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It was almost evening and today was surprisingly too boring for me. Farhan was busy since he suddenly had a business deal to take care of and he just left like that. The house was still quite noisy since a lot of my family was still here every now and then.I decided to hangout with my cousins since there was nothing better to do.
'So how was your first night?' Nida asked me with a wink.
'Yeah, tell us about it too' Amal joined.
Maybe this was a bad idea, maybe I should have just gone for a walk in the beach or something, I thought to myself while giving them a stare and not letting them have the upper hand, I started.
'You know it was really fun, We did everything and by the end of the night we were too tired to even....finish a puzzle,' I said with a mischievous grin, deliberately choosing a boring activity to throw them off.
Nida and Amal exchanged puzzled glances before bursting into laughter. 'You're such a tease!' Amal exclaimed between giggles.
'Come on, spill the real details,'Nida insisted, playfully nudging me.
I chuckled, enjoying the banter, and was suddenly saved from spilling the details as I was called by mom at that right moment.
'Will spill all the details, so just wait' I said to the girls with a mischievous wink as I descended the stairs to find mom busy packing a few eatables into different bags.
'Why are you packing food?' I asked.
'This is for you and Farhan when you leave for his house today' she said.
'But I dont want to carry any food items there, I am sure his family would have made some arrangements' I said and stopped when I saw the look on my moms face which showed the "I have already decided and you will do just that" look.
'Also I will start preparing pickles for you, to take them to London' She said and I suddenly felt a pang of hurt realizing that she wouldn't be there with me for the next phase of the journey.
I nodded as I left the kitchen and was bumped into Farhan as he came from the opposite direction. Our eyes met, and for a moment, it felt like the world around us stood still.
'Sorry, didn't mean to bump into you,'Farhan said with a warm smile, breaking the silence.
'No problem,' I replied, my voice carrying a mixture of emotions.
He raised his eyebrows with concern in his voice asked, 'Whats wrong Zoya?'
I hesitated for a moment, contemplating whether to share this feeling with him. Eventually, I decided to be honest. 'It's just... leaving home, you know? It feels like I am leaving a piece of myself behind.'
Farhan's expression softened with understanding evident in his eyes. 'I know it maybe hard for you, but that is life. With time, everything changes and either you be the change or let the change define you. It's a part of growing up, of moving forward.'
His words resonated, and I appreciated the wisdom in them. Yet, the sentimental side of me couldn't help but feel a twinge of nostalgia for the home I was leaving behind.
'Also its not like you are getting banished from here, you can return to India whenever you wish and I am not like one of those husbands who would restrict you to visit your own home' Farhan said with a gentle smile.
Farhan's attempt at humor brought a light chuckle to my lips, momentarily easing the weight of nostalgia. 'I appreciate the offer, but I don't think you have the power to banish me even if you wanted to.'
He grinned, his eyes playful. 'You might be surprised.'
A/N:
Hey all, Finally they are married and on their way to building a new life. Initially I thought I could do 30 chapters but I cut it up to 20 and for now I am unsure. Let's see where the story takes us next. Take care and bye.