Two weeks there and it was a bliss. Fitting in to his home and his life perfectly. Nothing had changed, yet everything changed. Waking up every morning in his warm embrace. Eating breakfast together and then leaving for work and school in their cars a he'd leave a chaste kiss before saying goodbye.
She'd see her friends at school and Frosty being a little shit for never leaving her alone because she got married when he wasn't even there and that was the biggest tragedy in the history of this earth. She still reported to his office on designated days. The hours more prolonged and included more cups of sugary coffee and a lot more flirting.
And his home carried her essence. Her car parked in the garage. The shoe rack filled with her colorful shoes a long with his usual black ones. The hallway wall had the photo of their Nikah enlarged. And then everyday she'd come home with another printed photo of theirs and frame it on the fall. The living room had a pink throw on the couch. Her keys in the decorative plate. Her laptop charger plugged into the wall. Little things that became used to the house.
But it was the room that held the beauty of their relationship. The dressing table scattered with her cosmetics in organized fashion. A drawer full with metal bangles that he thought all looked the same but apparently she insisted they were different. He shrugged. Her books stacked against his books. The nee inclusion was numerous candles arounf the house that he didn't see the point of but apprentlu they were aesthetically pleasing as she had said and she loved so he just laughed.
Everytime she went shopping she brought a candle thinking she was sneaking it in and he wouldn't notice, but he knew when a new appeared, but he let her believe that she was sneaking it in because it made her happy.
She was folding the final bag of scarfs when he came in with a cup of noodles he had just cooked. Putting one on her desk and stuffing his mouth with his own. Staring intently at the rainbow of scarfs.
"You have that many hijabs?" He shook his head. "What're you even going to do with them?"
"Wear them!"
"Really? Because all I've seen you in is like the same black scarf."
"They're not the same!!!!" She was horrified at his lack of knowledge of how many different types and textures of black hijab existed.
"They look the same and I have come to a conclusion that you're a hoarder." He leaned against the closet watching her with softness in his eyes and she turned around, narrowing her eyes at him. He shrugged.
"I'm a hoarder? Have you seen the amount of books we have in this house. Every corner I turn there are books, manuscripts and what else. You probably killed more treess than anyone else. You're a tree murderer."
"Tsk tsk. You're calling your husband a murderer" He shook his head as he pulled the curtains, letting the light in. "I'm a professor who writes books on the side so it's different."
"I'm a hijabi so you never know when you need a perfect scarf. Case closed."
"Oh the manuscripts reminded me." His eyes lightening up. "What are you going to do for your final project?"
She picked up her cup of noodles and sat next to him on the floor cushion near the window to soak in the warm rays of winter's sun.
"I was thinking about making a blog where I collect people's stories. Specifically I want to ask people what was that one thing that they always wanted to do or an unrequited wish. They can stay anonymous if they choose to but I've always been invested in stories about people." She sighed as she picked out the mushroom from her noodles and put in his bowl. She never did like the mushrooms. "What do you think?" She nervously asked.
"Wonderful. Just remember there are going to be things that might rattle you so just treat it like it's job. Don't take it personal." She nodded as she fed him the mushrooms from her bowl and stealing the tomatoes from his.
"Zach's dinner is tonight." He looked up raising his eyebrow. "I'm nervous." She played with the wedding ring on her finger.
Putting the bowl away, he sat closer to her.
"Why?" He tucked the stray lock of hair behind her ear.
"It's people you have known and people from your past. What if they don't like me?"
"Who cannot like you? Have you seen that gorgeous face of yours. And thats stinky personality of yours is not bad either."
"Did you just call me stinky?"
"Oh Ayla told me all about that first message. What did you say... 'your brother is a professor with stinky attitude?'" He raised those perfectly arched eyebrows.
"Hawww.... She snitched on me?" He laughed at her pouty face. "But I still look like a potato face."
"Well who cares about others... you are my gorgeous potato and I very much like you so."
////
He fixed the jacket on his black shirt as they left the vicinity of his car.
"How do I look?"
He turned as she fixed the longe champagne colored dress. The top half was sparkling with beads until the waist and the rest of it made with simple fabric as it fell to her ankles in pleats. She had worn a simple matching hijab and her classic red lips.
"You look absolutely beautiful and stunning." He wounded his arm around her waist and pulled her closer as they walked to Zach's apartment in the coldness of the night.
"You said that about the last three dresses I tried." She exasperated.
"Well what do I do, my wife is sexy so I call it as its. But if you really want to ask my opinion. I prefer you bare face, messy bun and in my shirt in our bed."
"Astaghfirullah, Behave." She elbowed him in his stomach as they exited the elevator.
"What!! I can't talk to my wife." He laughed as she blushed
/////
"The pauper turned into a princess! Wallah I'm shocked." Zach greeted them as they entered his apartment
If Asfandyar's place was homey, sitting at the foot of mountain, Zach's home on the other hand was classic bachelor pad in on a seventh floor in Downtown Exeter.
"Shut up!" She laughed.
"The smile looks good on you, Noor."
He bumped his fist with Asfandyar and she just flashed another shy smile. But she looked at the living it was swarming with people and his living room was as huge.
"Did you invite the whole damn city?"
"Why are you even nervous?" Zach asked.
"I don't know ." She looked up to her husband who was smiling at her.
"Rabi, just be yourself. I know being married to me is a big honor but you got this."
She rolled her eyes and he bit his lip to contain his laughter.
"Come on let me introduce you guys as Mr. and Mrs. Khan." Zach pulled to the center of the living room.
/////
She was waiting for her friends to show up, but they were fashionably late as usual. She was getting herself something to drink. Asfandyar had gotten into a conversation with Zach and his colleagues and she excused herself.
She was standing in the terrace watching downtown traffic with her sparkling cider when she felt a presence. She turned to her left and of course it was her.
Earlier when she had seen Maheen, her anxiety had already shot up. Apparently her family was in town so Zach had to invite them and that included her too. The last time she had seen this woman, she didn't get good feelings.
"So you married him after all that?" Maheen seemed like she was literally in awe.
"I dont want to talk about it, Maheen." She glanced past her and her husband was still engrossed in a deep conversation and she sighed in relief
"I'm genuinely shocked. He tried to kill his fathers best friend. You really think he is not going to snap on you like that? Man got anger issues. The whole reason I left him."
"Then why'd you come back begging?" The woman's face turned pale as she was clearly caught in fire. Rabail folded her arms across her chest. She was done playing nice. "Mhmm he told me how you wanted a divorce to get together again. I mean if he was a caveman back then, pretty sure he's still the same. But let me clear this for you though. He's been absolutely wonderful and that was before I even married him. That man out there loved and respected me when my own family couldn't so whatever you can come with, come at me."
"You dont know his past."
"Oh trust me I know, very intimately. I didn't need a report to tell me what to do. And No I havent read it and I won't until it's him who puts that report in my hand and tells me his story. And he told me about that attack even before we felt something for each other. I developed a sense of trust and respect with him before I fell for him so all this bullshit cant do anything."
Oh she was on roll.
"And that's MY husband out there and whatever it is between us whether it's our past or our present or our future, it's OURS and I don't need an outsider telling me what it should be. And lastly how did you even get your hands on that. It's illegal to have a copy of a record that's redacted and sealed."
She raised her eyebrows at the woman who had gone paper white.
"Do not and I repeat Do not ever cross me. I'm very crass and unmannered and I know how to protect what's mine. If you ever even try to come at me again I will report you to the authorities, get your license suspended and get you thrown out of the medical board for illegal activity of accessing documents that were sealed. Now enjoy the dinner. Oh and tell your family stop fudging staring at me. Your mom and dad have been mad dogging me since I got here."
She took a long breath, fixing her smile and left the terrace, leaving behind a shocked woman.
/////
She was staring at the mountains covered in darkness as she leaned against the railing of their room's balcony.
The night was cold, but she was warm as she had been wearing her warm pajamas and his hoodie as it basically engulfed her. But the scent of him calmed her nerves as he took shower.
She was rattled by her confrontation earlier in the night. She mad big claims, but what if they turned empty. He didn't know that she had his report. Although she hadn't opened it but she had it. She didn't know how he was going to react.
And then Maheen's parents. They were clearly staring at her the whole night. Whispering something in each other's ears as Zach introduced her to them. And the way Maheen's father's gaze watched her. It creeped her out that someone was watching her each move.
"Something's clearly bothering you?"
She was so into her thoughts that she didn't even hear him coming behind her. He was running his hands through his wet hair. He looked so raw and still at peace in those soft black pajamas and the white t-shirt.
"Hmm?" She just hummed and turned back staring at the clouds moving over them.
"What is it?" He stood next to her. Placing fingers under her chin, he turned her face towards him. "What's bothering you?"
"It was something at the party. You know Maheen's dad," He nodded as he furrowed his eyebrows confused at where she was going. "He was staring at me all night. Her family creeped me out. He watched me like he was trying to figure something out. Totally creepy."
"Dr. Affan? He is a nice man. I know Maheen is bit cuckoo in the head and a little be of that proud person, but he is a good person. Very down to earth. You're probably just anxious or maybe he has seen you somewhere before."
"I dont know." She sighed.
He pulled her into his arms and put his lips against the top of her head. Her small frame perfectly fitting against his tall body. He wounded his arms around her as she put her head against his chest and closed her eyes.
"I was really scared." She whispered.
"I got you, Rabi. I'm here, babe, always."
__________
Kind of cute and kind of a filler episode but here it is. Let me know your thoughts