U N E D I T E D
If Allah helps you, none can overcome you: If He forsakes you, who is there, after that, that can help you? in Allah, then, Let believers put their trust. (Surah Al-Imran)
__
It was a new journey.
Rihab and Safina had no idea what the future held for them.
Rihab was feeling content and sad at the same time whilst Safina had all the emotions jumbled.
Thoughts unsaid.
Emotions unknown.
Feelings unravelled.
Safina mehek felt numb as the car stopped in front of her new destination.
Her home; now.
Fiza who had got down from the another car, rushed towards Safina and helped her with the heavy dress as safina got out of the car.
Rafiya, Iram, Ayaan's mom and other relatives had arrived home before them and they were all waiting for them.
As safina mehek took heavy steps toward the door, All of Rihab's cousin came and started teasing Rihab to enter the house taking Safina in his arms.
Safina looked at Rashiya'a helplessly and Rihab had a smile on his lips.
"Okay!" He said silencing the chorus of all the cousin's and taking few steps, he bridged the gap between him and his bride.
"For now, we shall hold hands!" He declared extending his hand toward her and Safina looked at him blankly.
"Guys, let the bride and the groom come in, you will have all the fun here itself kya?" Iram said as she made her way out and came toward safina.
"Dekhiye(see) bhabi, they are tiring my wife by making her stand for so long." Rihab teased, Still intertwining Safina's hands.
He silently marvelled at the touch of his wife and how perfectly both their fingers had interwined; made for each other.
"Come in safi!" Iram, the eldest daughter-in-law of Yunus family said and all of them made their way in.
Safina pulled her hand out of Rihab's as soon as she crossed the threshold of the door and gave him a fierce glare before saying salaam to everyone.
"Are you comfortable beta," Rafiya asked and Safina nodded as she sat comfortably on the plush velvet sofa, and took glance of the crowd, because saying guests would be an understatement with all of Rihab's maternal and paternal aunts and uncle's and including their kids, the whole living room was fully packed as the elders introduced themselves to the new bride and all the teenagers chortles could be heard as they planned games to be played with the new bride and groom.
"Moma.." Iram's son Hussain came toward them and sat on Iram's lap and looked at safina in awe.
"Safi aani" Hussain said playing with safina's mehendi and for the first time since she entered the home, she had a genuine smile on her lips.
"Hussaino, She is your chachi now!" Iram said and Hussain looked confused before nodding..
"Aani.." Hussain extended his arms toward safina and She smiled before taking the kid on her lap and placed a soft kiss on his chubby cheeks.
"He only met you a few times safi, and still he remembers you!"
"That's the charm of my wife bhabi!" Rihab who had just came and sat beside safina said as he ruffled hussain's hair.
"Ah, the romeo in you is more than the romeo in romeo himself!"
Ayaan who had just neared them said he stood beside Iram.
Rihab made a face at that. "Iam not Romeo. I prefer Rihab. Me and Mehek will create our own love story unlike Romeo and juliet."
Safina felt colours rising to her cheeks as she bent down so that nobody can notice as all the cousins had neared them while the elders too were looking at them keenly.
"Toh lets begin the 'who finds the ring' game?" Fiza said with a teasing tone as she kept the big bowl on the soft carpet and asked all of them to sit down, around it.
Within a few seconds everyone were gathered in the living room; kids, teenagers, elders, ofcourse the bride and the groom, all excited except the bride.
Rafiya asked for one of Safina's ring from her and put it in the mixture of rose petals and milk stirring it so that it won't be easy for them to find it.
Rihab at once got in the task of searching the ring but Safina was hesitating..
"Come on safi, just do it thinking it as a dare!" Rashiya'a who was sitting beside her, whispered in her ear as she knew Safina had this thing in her to complete all that task given to her.
All other Rihab's cousins were encouraging Safina to do it as few of them supported her whilst few suppored their brother Rihab.
Inhaling deeply Safina started searching for the ring as her palms got inside the cool liquid but just in few seconds Rihab Yunus had found the ring and cheerful laughter with claps and chortles filled the home.
___
"Bhaiya is so eager to spend time his bride that he didn't let us play another game,huh.." Teased, ayesha, one of Rihab's cousin as they lead Safina to his room.
"Yeah, very much eager that he got married all of a sudden, ni?" Said the other.
"Hmm, But what can he do either, if our bhabi is so beautiful!"
That comment made Safina blush but she knew it was not love for which Rihab married her..
It was guilt.
Safina didn't know what they thought of her, as they got married all of a sudden.
Did they also think that something was wrong in her that she got married to him, out of the blue?
She had heard some cruel whispers of the gossip mongers in the wedding hall but she didnt let her happy facade slip away.
Rashiya'a squeezed her arms in a friendly manner and safina gave her a tight lipped smile.
"So, how's the decoration di, I mean bhabi?" Fiza asked, as safina and others entered the room and was welcomed by the whiff of roses and lillies.
"Beautiful!" Safina couldn't help but compliment even though that was the last place she dreamt to be now.
"Haye, this beautiful room and our gorgeous bhabi, bhai toh fida hojayenge!" Ayesha teased saying Rihab would be smitten by safina.
"Girls, let the bride and groom rest," Iram said as she came in the room with hussain in her arms.
"Yeah, it's almost 1 A.m, come on girls, enough of your teasing, now leave them alone!" Ayaan's mother who was Rihab's chachi (aunt) said in a teasing tone as all the girls burst into fits of laughter and safinq didn't know what to do, so she just kept her eyes glued to the gold and black fur carpet that shined with its intricate patterns.
"Okay, we shall leave now!" Said Iram as all the girls walked out of the room except Rafiya and Rashiya'a.
"Come here!" Rafiya said as she took hold of safina's hand and made her sit on the bed as she sat beside her and said, " I know, you didn't dream of a wedding like this, but everything happens by the will of Allah, my child."
She stopped to see Safina's reaction and Safina smiled a bit to avoid the awkwardness.
"I know, Rihab will take care of you and love you with all his being, just give him a chance!" Rafiya said as she dabbed at her unshed tears and after placing a kiss on her forehead, she walked out of the room.
Safina looked at Rashiya'a who was in deep thoughts and shrugged asking where she is lost, "how come you are so calm, safi?"
"What do you want me to do, rashi!" Safina asked as removed her heavy dupatta and rubbed her neck to ease the pain.
"Iam sorry!"
"Why are you being sorry?"
"I don't know," Rashiya'a shrugged nodding her head, " just felt like saying!" Rashiya'a smiled before hugging her and walked out of the room for if she stayed a moment more, she would reveal everything that had been gnawing her out of guilt, but she jad promised her brother, that she would keep it a secret.
Until, she can.
____
Safina mehek was startled when the door clicked open and she stopped in the process of removing her gold jewelries, as she sat in front of the vanity.
She hurriedly rushed towards bed for her dupatta and adjusted it on her head and shoulder.
"Assalam alaikum!" Rihab said as she stood still and he walked toward her, after locking the door.
"Wa alaikum assalam!" She murmured the reply as it was compulsory to answer for the salaam (greeting).
"You okay?" Rihab asked as he lazily slumped on the bed, his head resting on his hand.
Safina retreated toward the vanity and took of her mang-tika.
"Need any help?" Rihab was standing behind her all of a sudden. And the only piece of jewelry that needed to be taken off was her choker.
"This is not some kind of romantic wattpad novel.." safina started as she unlocked her necklace. "Where you are trying to be a romantic hero!" With that she stood up brusquely and her purple dupatta fell off her shoulder.
She turned and looked at the dupatta laying on the floor and then at Rihab who was gazing at her intently with a expression which she wasn't able to decipher inspite being a psychology student.
"Tell me safina mehek, what does a romantic hero does?" Rihab smirked as he bent down and picked up her dupatta and ambled towards her.
Safina gulped but she stood her ground, as she mentally pacified herself saying he won't do anything.
Rihab kept the dupatta on the bed and stood in front of her, folding his arms and raising his eyebrows, he clicked his fingers in front of her.
"Huh?" Safina was startled as she was lost in her thoughts. "Erm.. nothing, where is my bag?"
Rihab pointed his finger toward the bag, which was kept beside the sofa.
Safina quickly walked over to her bag, as she just wanted to walk away from there, because she wasn't used to be without dupatta in front of na mahram.
But; he is your mehram, your husband!
Safina who was taking her night suit from her bag, stopped short as realisation sink in and she sat on the cold floor with a loud thud.
"Are you okay, Safina?" Rihab asked, coming toward her, but Safina ignored him and walked over to the washroom with her clothes.
After getting her work done, Safina let out the breathe she had been holding and tears started to prick her eyes but she dabbed at them as she had promised herself that she won't shed more tears.
If this is what it had been destined for her, then she would face it. Safina mehek got out of washroom after making ablution.
"Where is the musallah(prayer mat)?" Safina asked after neatly folding her wedding dress and kept it on the bed.
Rihab had changed his clothes and was packing his bag but Safina didn't bother asking him why he was packing.
Rihab was so engrossed that he didn't hear safina asking him about prayer mat.
"Ri.. Rihab?" Safina called out after hesitating and it sounded so anew for her to say his name.
______
Rihab was surprised as he heard his name being called and his lips curved up in a smile.
"Yeah?"
"Musallah?"
Rihab pointed towards the second drawer of the vanity and resumed his work with a soft smile playing in his lips.
Rihab sighed after he was done packing and looked at his wife who was looking absolutely beautiful as she prayed.
It was only then he remembered that he too hadn't prayed isha and went to make wudu.
When Rihab returned, Safina was staring at the bed, lost in her thoughts.
"Iam not sharing blanket with you!" Safina said as she walked over to the right side of the bed and touched the pillow to see if it was fluffy as she preferred it to be.
"And stay on your side, thankgod the bed is big enough. You will face my wrath if you come an inch closer towards these pillows!" Safina insisted after she had arranged the pillows in the middle of the bed and Rihab smirked as he took few long steps bridging the gap between them.
"Anything else?" He raised his brows as he questioned with a lopsided grin and safina took a step back, nodding her head.
Rihab gazed at her for a few more moment as he debated whether to say it or not but Safina said, "I am feeling sleepy!"
Rihab nodded and walked over to the prayer mat.
____
Safina climbed the bed, relaxing herself as she got in the comfort of her duvet but her mind wasn't in peace.
She missed her room, dearly.
Her home and her parents and her brother.
She missed chatting with her friends when she was upset.
It was only a day before that her friends Naushin and Zikra had visited her, but it seemed long back.
Before she could give in to her cries, safina closed her eyes and tried to sleep.
She heard Rihab switching off the light and the room was totally dark as she blinked open her eyes. She felt the bed dip on the other side and closed her eyes shut as she pretended to sleep.
After a few seconds, She felt the blanket being pulled and was adjusted on her. She stiffened at his closeness and also got angry that he didn't listen to her when she said she won't share the blanket.
But she didn't want to make it awkward and so she continued to pretend that she was asleep until she finally fell into a deep Slumber.
____
The next morning when Rihab woke up, he was literally freezing from the cold without the blanket whilst his wife slept peacefully, looking ever so beautiful.
"Your simplicity is your beauty, my dear!" Rihab whispered, gazing at her lovingly and was about to get down from bed when he had this desire all of a sudden.
He looked at her before bending slowly and dropped a feather kiss on her forehead before walking off to the washroom, with one of the most beautiful feeling, he had ever felt.
He was happy even though theirs wasn't like a romantic wedding.
He was content, and he knew deep down, she would love him the way he loved her..
It was only a matter of time..
But how much time?
That, only fate knew!
___
Assalam alaikum.
How are you all?
Alhamdulillah, iam doing good, but i need your prayers!
Do make dua for me. It means so much more to me then the votes.
So, how was the chapter?
I hope you all liked the wedding night?
Do you want more scenes from Rihab's p.o.v?
Why was Rihab's packing his bag, what do u think?
Okay, which is your fav RiSaf scene?
Also, their battle and nok jhok has just begun.
Enjoy the ride!
Allah hafiz
Ciao!
#staycurious&excited