Chapter One.

It was my wedding night.

The night every girl waits for. 

The night which is special.

My bridesmaid left me in the hotel room, after covering my face with the veil.

I was feeling nervous.

Allah! Every girl would feel the same.

The door clicked open, and got closed again.

I was not able to see clearly through my veil, but I figured out that it's the groom, now my husband.

His presence made me more nervous.

My palms were all sweaty, my heart was beating very fast.

He came towards the bed i was sitting on, and sat on the left side as i was occupying the right side.

But according to what i was told he was supposed to sit on the side where i am, but he did opposite.

So I thought of coughing to gain his attention, hope that will be okay?

It won't sound that am despo,yeah?

Before I could do anything, he spoke "Umm... i guess today was very tiring day? So we can just change our clothes and sleep."

I looked at him through my veil and I could figure out that he was holding his head with both his hands, head lowered in his lap.

He looked tired.

I was always taught to respect parents before marriage and husband after marriage.

So I nodded and said," okay, b..but what about..th..this glass of milk?"

My bridesmaid had left a glass of milk saying it's a custom for the groom to drink.

He raised his head and looked at the glass on the bedside table.

"I don't like milk, so you can have it."

I nodded and stood up to head towards the washroom to change my wedding dress.

I collided with the sofa cause my face was still veiled.

"Ouch!" I hissed.

"What happened?" Came a voice.

I turned and said nothing.

I heard footstep coming towards me.

He then spoke while raising my veil," you can just remove this now."

I smiled seeing his face, although he did not smiled back.

"Now go change and don't make the noise again, am trying to sleep here." His voice cold.

I nodded and headed towards the washroom.

The only proper thing that happened after nikkah is that he opened my veil, according to the custom.

After changing into revealing night dress (which probably my elder sister Zeenat must have packed for me), i headed towards the dressing table to remove my make-up.

I could hear a light snoring from the bed.

And after doing all my stuff i headed to sleep too.

*****

I woke up to a beautiful sunlight peeping through the curtain.

I opened my eyes to see the handsome face of my husband.

I smiled at his cute way of sleeping; eye-brows furrowed, mouth open.

I passed my hand through his eye-brows and they relaxed a little.

He then moved a little closer to me, his breath now fanning my face.

I licked my lips, stopping the urge to kiss him.

Oh! What am i thinking?

I closed my eyes and took a deep breathe.

But then, he is my husband, we are married, so it's my right to think of him in any way.

I licked my lips again and turned away, my back now facing him.

He moved and sat up, rubbing his eyes.

I smiled and sat up too, I then greeted him," Assalam aleikum."

He muttered," Waleikum Salam." And then looked at me.

His eyes got widen and he spat," What are you wearing?"

I looked at the night dress I was wearing, it was sleeveless with deep front neck and it was translucent.

Yesterday I had no option but to wear this, I couldn't sleep in that heavy wedding dress of mine, yeah?

I brought the bed sheet to cover and muttered," am..i..i am sorry, but Zeenat Akka had packed only this."

He passed his hand through his hair, i wanted to pass my hand through them too.

His eyes then landed on the glass that was kept on the bed-side table.

"Why didn't you drink?"

I gulped my saliva and spoke," it was...fo...for you."

"Well you can have it." He simply replied and headed towards the washroom.

I took the glass and sipped a little.

It tasted weird.

I left it on the table and decided that before he comes out of the washroom I should change into my wedding dress.

So I did that.

I was combing my hair when he came out, towel wrapped around his waist, beads of water running down his six packs.

His soft hair wet.

I shifted my gaze away and continued what I was doing.

Suddenly the glass of milk was kept on the dressing table.

I flinched at the sudden sound of the impact of the glass and the wooden dressing table.

I looked at him through the mirror, "i thought I made it clear for you to finish it," He said.

I nodded and said," But it taste weird."

He took the glass and brought it towards his nose.

He then went inside the washroom together with the glass and came back with an empty glass.

He handed me the glass and said," dont tell anyone that we didn't do it."

"Okay."

He then took the bed sheet from the bed and took it to the washroom, then came out with a little wet bedsheet.

I questioned him and he answered," everyone should think that we did it, while we didn't. Infront of everyone we would act like normal couple."

"Normal couple? Are we not?"

"Nop we are not, because we haven't got intimate after the wedding."

"But we will be normal couple someday."

"No...we will never be."

I looked at him, how could he say that! I thought yesterday we didn't do it because he was tired.

But...

"You love someone else?" I asked. 

He gulped hard and sternly said," That's none of your business."

Tears brimmed in my eyes, i blinked them back and nodded.

I then asked," what about our walimah?"

"What about that? We will still have it." He answered.

"But walimah is organize after the couples get intimate, you know that yeah?"

He bit his lower lip and said," yes I know, but that's between us only, let walimah happen and the family thinks that we have done it. And now smile and let's go."

*****

After Two months.

Laughter filled the room.

I was with my friends at a party.

Since one of them was getting married in a day's time, she organised a party for the celebration among her friends.

"So, Aliya what do you think Aman will call you in bedroom?" Asked Mellisa to the bride to be.

The bride to be; Aliya blushed and said," bedroom name?"

Mellisa smirked and said," Yeah bedroom name. It's a name your husband give you after marriage, after you consulate your wedding."

Aliya replied," okaayyy, so hey Mellisa what did your husband named you?"

Mellisa blushed and replied," He calls me Honey." 

Chance by chance everyone mentioned their bedroom nickname and then came my chance,

I looked at everyone and shyly answered,"Coeur."

"Coeur? What does that means?" Asked khadijah.

"Its a French word, it means life." I replied.

"Wow! That's so romantic!"

I smiled only knowing the truth inside.

Tariq and I have still not consummated.

He is never home at night.

And i can't complain to anyone cause we live away from our parents and family.

Tariq got job in a place of four hour drive away from our parents.

So we lived alone.

Me and him, alone.

Yet nothing physical ever happened.

I always saw Tariq in the mornings and then after breakfast he would leave for his work till next morning.

*****

I woke up to find the other side of the bed empty as usual.

I refreshed and headed towards the kitchen to prepare the breakfast.

I always prepare tasty food at breakfast cause Tariq is always around to eat.

Although he never praises.

Today i decided to make Avocado and courgettes sandwhich with masala tea and all mixed vegetables soup.

Just as i finished setting the table, Tariq entered the house.

"Assalam aleikum Tariq," i said smiling.

He muttered," Waleikum salaam." Without smiling back at me.

He never smiled at me.

I don't even know how he looks when he smiles.

My smile faded while he sat on the table.

I sat too and served myself a plate.

As usual we both ate in silence, when suddenly Tariq's phone rang.

He wiped his hand on the napkin an answered his phone.

It seemed like a videocall.

I thought it might be his assistant who always calls him but then I heard the voice I was longing to hear.

Zeenat Akka!

I happily stood up from my seat and went towards where Tariq was.

I shouted excitedly,"Zeenat Akka! Oh I so missed you."

I felt Tariq get tensed, I looked at him and noticed my hand on his shoulder without much ado I removed and stood a little far from him.

I looked back at my sis and saw that she had her questioning eye-brow raised.

Through the phone screen I saw Tariq smile shaking his head and said,"its not what you are thinking Zeenat, she has not washed her hands that's why."

Zeenat nodded understanding, i joined his lie saying,"i wouldn't want his favourite shirt to be spoiled."

Akka smiled and said,"you two are the cutest couple I ever saw."

I blushed while Tariq stood up, handing me the phone he spoke,"you talk with Zeenat I gotta go."

I held his hand and replied,"she has called your phone so you have to wait till she finishes talking to me," he rolled his eyes," i know that...am just going to my room."

I nodded timidly.

I turned my attention to Zeenat Akka after Tariq had gone.

"Something's wrong yeah?" She asked.

I denied shaking my head and asked,"what was the reason of calling early in the morning?"

"Why?I can't call you?" Akka asked.

I simply replied,"you can but as long as i know you? You will never spoil your beauty sleep just because you wanted to talk."

We both then laughed and she confessed,"am coming tomorrow at your home."

"What!?" A voice came from behind me.

I couldn't even react when Tariq snatched his phone from my hand and headed towards his room while talking to Zeenat Akka.

I stood there in the kitchen trying to sink what my sister just said..

She is coming!

She is coming.

Zeenat Akka is coming here tomorrow... yay!!! I jumped in excitement and started doing the dishes n household chores.

I had finished washing the dishes and now I was just drying them when Tariq entered the kitchen. 

Standing beside me, he took the dry cloth and a wet plate and started drying.

I looked at him,"its okay, you are not supposed to help."

He looked at me back,"Why?"

I turned my gaze away from him, now looking at the plate i was holding,"am your wife, it's my duty to do the house chores."

"I agree but..."

"But?" I asked.

"Nothing just forget it! Zeenat is coming tomorrow, what will you cook for lunch?"Tariq asked.

"I dont know, I think I should prepare something that Zeenat Akka likes, what do you suggest?"

He nodded and said,"Yah she likes hyderabadi biryani, and make sure to add lots of cashew nuts in it okay?"

I nodded smiling.

This was the first time Tariq and I had a longer conversation otherwise it was always the greetings only.

He then left for his work while i continued on the house chores with a big smile.

Ihad to clean the guest room as well.