you call it madness,
I call it love
~
Looking in the mirror, Muntaha couldn't believe how the two weeks flew away and now she is standing here in bridal attire after the nikah function had finally ended. She was dressed in an ivory gharara with a completely embroided full-sleeved shirt and a net duppata with a heavy border pinned to her head. Her look was completed with traditional bridal jewellery passed down to her by her mother. She had a nude makeup look on which only she could pull with her shimmering green eyes and her hair were tied back in a bun without any tendrils escaping it.
The only thing which wasn't looking good was the hint of disappointment in her eyes. After the ceremony when the bride and groom were made to sit beside each other and throughout the rest of the function, Faris didn't talk to her, not even a single tiny compliment. She asked her mother and then Hadiya that if she was looking fine or any thing was out of place but they both assured her that everything was fine and she looked like a pari. Then why didn't Faris tell her so? Maybe he was angry at her for denying his calls yesterday. But she was really busy as it was her dholki and she was sitting with everyone almost all day so she couldn't take his calls.
They both had developed a habit of calling each other at evening to talk about everything and anything and drop a few texts throughout the day. Maybe he was offended, thinking that Muntaha didn't want to talk to him. She would have called him back but her phone fell from her hand and the screen cracked. And during the function, she couldn't gather enough courage to initiate a conversation when he seemed completely uninterested.
They were staying in the Khan mansion for the night as the family insisted. She was staying in the same guestroom she stayed in last time. His cousins including Abdullah, Safi and Aiman teased them about the sleeping arrangements that they should already let her sleep in her husband's room and it will be torture to Faris if they make him stay away from his beautiful wife. Their teasings didn't even make her blush as her mood was down and she rolled her eyes at the 'beautiful' comment. He didn't even look at her properly, much less finding her beautiful.
She angrily started to take the pins out of her hair making the dupatta fall on the floor. She picked it up and put it on the cusioned seat near the dressing table. She started taking out the reamaing pins from her bun making it loose. She was about to take out the last pins when the door abruptly opened and closed. She looked up in the mirror to see Faris with his back turned to her as he locked the door. She was startled by this unexpected visit and was about to question him but then decided to stay quite. She was naraz and after all she had all the rights to show him nakhray.
Faris was in white shalwar kameez as he had taken off the white and gold waist coat and folded the sleeves upto his elbows. He went towards his wife who was standing in front of the dresser with her eyes downwards. He noticed the lack of blush on her cheeks which were usually crimson in his presence. Maybe she was not that shy anymore with him, he thought.
He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and placed his head on her shoulder, gazing at her from head to toe in the mirror. He could finally see the blush rising from her neck to ears and then blooming on her cheeks making him smirk. But instead of looking up to meet his eyes, she unwrapped his arms from around her and tried to step away. He was caught off-guard by her sudden action that he let her go but before she could step away from him he grabbed her by her waist and pulled her back to him again.
"What happened?" He questioned, confused with her actions.
When she didn't reply he tightened his grip on her a little and said in stern voice, "Muntaha."
"Why are you here?" She asked him in an annoyed tone and tried to get out of his vice like grip as he only tightened his embrace more.
"To meet my wife ofcourse." He replied in an obvious tone making Muntaha roll her eyes.
"Right. The same wife you didn't want to even look at a few hours back." She taunted and looked away from him avoiding eye contact.
Faris couldn't help but smirk at his wife's antics. He understood why his wife was behaving like this. He tried to avoid looking at her throughout the function because she was too beautiful for her own good and Faris had to control his urge to ravish her as they were surrounded with people. He didn't really mind taking a claim on his wife in front of others but his wife would surely do. He turned her around and made her face him as she kept avoiding looking at him.
"So you wanted me to look at you?" He said in a teasing tone, tilting her chin up with his thumb and index finger.
"I-I...." She stuttered as she didn't know what to say. Ofcourse, she wanted him to look at her as she had gotten all ready as his bride but saying that out loud sounded so desparate to her.
"You what?" He whispered bending a little to her eye level.
"You know what I mean!" She exclaimed turning her face away from him as she felt embarrassed that she was feeling so low for such a ridiculous reason.
Faris again held her chin and made him face her, making her hold eye contact with him.
"I was trying not to look at you, my dear begum, because if I did look at you dressed so heavenly as my bride, I would have lost control-."
He carressed her bottom lip with his thumb making shivers run down her spine.
"-and done something you would not have appereciated me doing in front of everyone."
He didn't think her cheeks could turn anymore red but he was proven wrong. Her cheeks put the roses lying on the dresser which she took out of her hair to shame.
He leaned forward, his eyes moving to her lips for a second then back to the deep green eyes silently asking permission. Muntaha understood the question in his eyes and closed her eyes in response giving him all the assurance he needed.
Their lips met in soft carress but when Faris tried to move his lips over hers, her nose ring came in the way making him groan in annoyance. Muntaha lightly giggled at the way her husband was eyeing the nose ring, like it was his greatest enemy.
"This thing looks lovely on you but lets take it off." He murmurred, gently taking the nose ring off and again kissed his wife in a slow pace, putting all his feelings in the kiss.
Muntaha tried to follow his movements and placed her hands on his shoulders when he bit her bottom lip lightly and her knees buckled. Faris had one arm wrapped around her waist and the other one moved up to her hair taking out the last pins making them fall down her back. He winded his fingers in her hairlocks and angled her face to deepen the kiss.
They stood there lost in each other for what felt like eternity. Muntaha finally tried to pull back due to lack of air and Faris let her go slightly. He placed his forehead on hers and they stood in each others embrace with serenity surrounding them, the wind saying blessings over them.
●~●
Muntaha was constantly getting calls from Aiman, Abdullah and her mother-in-law. She was running late because her flight got delayed this morning. She had went to Karachi with her parents to meet her maternal relatives as her uncle's health fell suddenly and he was admitted in hospital. She flew back home this morning to attend her husband's graduation ceremony. It has been one year since the announcement of their nikah and Muntaha was greatful for it had been the best year of her almosy twenty years of life. She wasn't expecting Faris to arrange a romantic dinner for her on their one year anniversary. She actually forgot-more like didn't expect to celebrate the anniversary on the real date instead of the date when they had the function- so it was a surprise for her.
She declined another call from Aiman and texted her that she'll be there in fifteen. Everyone was in a frenzy as Faris decided that he won't be going to the ceremony without his wife even if they run late. She checked her appearance in the mirror one last time. She was dressed in a peach lace embroided shirt with straight peach pants and a peach colour duppata. She had the gold earings Faris gifted her on their anniversary with the gold pendant around her neck and the emerald ring. Her feet were clad in golden strappy heels and she had nude makeup on with a dark lip tint.
She placed the gift she had bought for Faris in her bag which were silver cufflings with his initials on them and a designer watch with today's date engraved at the back. She learned that Faris was obssessed with watches and had a large collection of classy designer watches which was one of his most priced possession.
She hurried out of the house and sat in the car sent by her husband thanking the driver when he opened the door for her and they left for the Khan mansion.
The ceremony went smoothly and Faris recieved a gold medal for his academic achievements. He not only covered the semesters in half time creating a record but also topped his batch with the highest GPA in the history of their university. He received a standing ovation from the audience, the loudest cheering coming from his family and friends. The family decided to go out for lunch. Faris had taken off his gown and cap and his degree along with his medal was carried by his mother. He met all his friends and mates to bid them farewell as Muntaha waited patiently for him by the car. His father had gifted him a range rover which he had his eyes on since forever but couldn't save enough money to buy it yet. He tried to decline it but shut his mouth when his father gave him a look. Muntaha was lost in her own thoughts when Faris came and pinched her nose, a weird habit he had taken up on. She came out of her daze and finally hugged him whispering her congratulations in his ear as they were finally alone because she felt too shy to hug him in front of everyone. Faris wrapped one of his arm around her waist with the other hand placed in her hair. She also learned quite early in the year that Faris was infatuated with her hair. He didn't leave any chance of touching her hair or playing with them and threw a fit when Muntaha decided to cut her hair. He actually didn't talk to her for whole two days. Thankfully, she didn't cut her hair too short -only to her middle back- and they grew back quite fast. Faris kissed her forehead muttering a 'thankyou' when she pulled back from the hug and opened the car door for her. Muntaha could see the excited gleam in his eyes when started the car and the engine roared to life. His eyes shone like a kid who got his favourite toy on his birthday. Muntaha had already given her gift to him when she went to his house and he took off the watch he was wearing and put on the one Muntaha gifted him making her blush lightly as his action didn't go unnoticed by their family.
They both conversed throughout the ride with Faris only leaving her hand to change the gears. It had become normal to her as the first time when she pulled her hand back feeling a little shy Faris gave her a heartbroken look and apologised to her as he thought he made her uncomfortable. Muntaha never tried to pull her hand back from him again. They had a wonderful lunch and Muntaha stayed over as Aqsa Zayyad completely rejected the idea of sending her back home to an empty house.
●~●
Muntaha entered the Khan mansion in a hurry and went into the living room where Abdullah was standing typing something on his phone clad in a suit. Zayyad Khan was out of country with his wife to attend some wedding. Faris had a burning fever of hundred and three degree fahrenheit. Abdullah had to attend an important meeting in place of Faris and he didn't want to leave his brother all alone in such a condition. He couldn't ask Aiman to come over since she was heavily pregnant with her first baby and was advised to take complete bed rest. He called Muntaha over as his last resort and she came as soon as possible leaving all the classes for the day.
"Thanks Bhabhi. Ap ke shohar ne subha se tang kiya hua hai mujhe, ab ap hi samnbhalay unko." He side-hugged Muntaha who was clad in white printed short shirt and white straight pants with a colourful dupatta and off white ballet flats.
She just gave him a smile and told him to go since he was getting late. Abdullah asked Nausheen Khala who was their baby-sitter when they were young and now worked as a helper around the house to take Muntaha to Faris. He thanked her once again and left for the meeting.
Muntaha followed the lady to his room and entered without knocking. She found Faris sprawled on the bed face first with his arms extended on either side of him but what made Muntaha blush was that he didn't have any shirt on. The old lady smiled at the blushing girl and answered her unasked question.
"He doesn't like to wear much clothes when he's not feeling well since childhood. Aqsa saaray ghar mai iske peechay peechay bhagti thi kapray le kar or yeh sahab agay agay. Dant kha lete the par kapray nahi pehnte the." Both of them chuckled lightly making Faris move around a bit. The lady told her that he had already taken medicines and sleeping under the effect of the pills and will wake up soon and left to prepare something for lunch. The doctor had given him sleep inducing medicines as he needed to rest but they never really worked on him and only made him drowsy. He had a resistance to drugs since childhood and always had to take high potency medicines so they'd actually affect. Muntaha sat by his side near the bed and ran her fingers on his scalp.
Authors Note
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