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*

Haya

"I don't feel right about this either, my dear, but this is important too." Rebecca Khalla adjusted the drape of my sari, pinning it firmly.

Yes. I, Haya Rehan Tariq, was wearing a sari. This sari was from my wedding collection, purchased by Dado from one of the top designers of Pakistan. It was a beautiful ice blue colour, seeming created with delicate lace. The full-length blouse had sheer arms with hand-stitched floral patterns, which matched the design of the blouse. The end of my skirt, as well as the border of the drape had beautiful silver embroidery, not too heavy, but enough to categorise this outfit into formal/party wear.

My hair was brushed back and pinned with long silver clips above my ears. With a light pastel shade of lipstick, and darker smokey-eyed make up, I was ready to attend my first dawat after my wedding.

We were going to the house of one of my father-in-law's cousins, the man he referred simply to as Shah Ji. 

Slipping my feet into silver high-heel sandals, I winced at my reflection in the mirror. Hoodies should become a thing for dawats!

Right now, I could very easily be mistaken for Hoor.

"Beautiful. May the Lord bless you, my dear." Rebecca Khalla whispered softly. "Now, let's go. I'm sure Aariz will be waiting very impatiently." She gave me a teasing smile.

When I came out, Aariz was in the foyer in his dark-grey suit and navy blue tie. He turned and looked at me, eyeing me from head to toe, then back. "Ma Sha Allah." A soft smile appeared on his face.

"I think that you're very cute, Ma Sha Allah. I think I have a crush on you."  The memory of his words made my cheeks warm up.

Aariz held out his hand for me and I took it.

"You two go ahead. I'll come with Abdullah Bhai." Rebecca Khalla told us.

"So," I said to Aariz once we were in his car alone. "Mentally prepare me. Should I be chilled, worried or nervous?" 

"They are nice people." He smiled at me. "Nothing to worry about." 

"Cool." 

We picked up some bakery items along the way, before driving to a different part of London.

Aariz parked outside a modest semi-detached house, with an immaculate front garden. A small brick wall lined the border and one of those classic English small gate opened up onto the stone-paved front path. 

Placing a hand on the small of my back, Aariz led me up the path. I walked very slowly as I wore high heels, and was not in the mood to fall onto my face. 

Aariz rang the doorbell.

"Should we not wait for Uncle and Khalla?" I whispered.

Before Aariz could answer, the door opened. A petite, rotund middle-aged woman greeted us with a warm smile.

"Assalam Alaikum, Sahiba Aunty." Aariz returned her smile.

"Assalam Alaikum." I also greeted her.

"Walaikum Assalam! Ma Sha Allah, our Aariz and his lovely new bride." She turned to me. "We briefly met at the wedding, but I can imagine that for a bride those days are like a blur of unfamiliar faces." 

I smiled back, politely. She was right. I didn't remember meeting her. 

"Come inside." She stepped aside to let us through.

The house was all carpeted, it seemed, and Aariz and I took our shoes off and placed them by the shoe rack placed in the foyer.

Shah Uncle came out and greeted us, hugging Aariz warmly before running a hand over my head.

*

The couple had two daughters, one in her mid twenties Maha, and the other a teenager, Huda. They were both present in the room, but both were constantly scrolling on their phones, even after Abdullah Uncle and Rebecca Khalla had arrived. 

"How is your mother now, Haya?" Sahiba Aunty asked, to my surprise. "Rebecca told me that she had an accident at work. I'd called to invite you to a dawat earlier, and Rebecca said you couldn't come because of that."

"Mama's better, Alhumdulillah." I replied.

"She's going to be going to one of those medical rehabilitation facilities." Rebecca Khalla explained to everyone in the room...unnecessarily. "Aariz often goes there to help patients with physiotherapy."

"Oh, I wish her a quick recovery." Sahiba Aunty turned to Aariz. "I hope you ensure that she gets a discount on her treatment." She laughed at her own joke.

I bit my lower lip, and my cheeks now burned with supressed anger. 

"Discount isn't necessary for her family." Rebecca Khalla didn't seem like she spoke those words with any ill intention, but I was still bewildered about how openly she was discussing my family matters. "You know Nina Tariq, the philanthropist? She's a good friend of mine for years, and Haya is her granddaughter. Her son's daughter." 

Sahiba Aunty looked at me with a renewed interest. "She's Nina Tariq's granddaughter?"

"Yes." Rebecca Khalla looked at me as well, almost with pride. "Rehan Tariq's daughter." 

"Wow, Ma Sha Allah. She comes from a powerful family." Sahiba Aunty nodded, impressed.

The men were having their own conversation by now, so I couldn't even look at Aariz for help. I wanted them to stop talking about my family. It was making me very uncomfortable.

"So, what do you do, my dear?" Sahiba Aunty asked me.

"She is very talented in art." Rebecca Khalla is the one who replied. 

"So, I know where the Tariq family home is." Maha finally spoke up, putting her phone away. "Does your grandmother happen to help herself to some of the donations?" She smirked.

"Maha!" Her mother looked at her, eyes wide.

"Alhumdulillah, my grandparents have worked hard and honestly to create their home. They don't need to ruin the barakah of their honest earning by stealing from charity, God forbid." I spoke calmly and politely.

"Rich people always claim to be such saints." Maha rolled her eyes.

"That's your opinion." I shrugged. "But ultimately, Allah knows the intentions of all people, and that's sufficient. My grandparents don't need the opinions of humans to validate their integrity and honesty." 

"Indeed." Sahiba Aunty pursed her lips. "I suggest that we move onto a less...tense subject." She glanced at me, almost seeming displeased.

Right, don't stop your daughter from being a bitter brat. Instead, indirectly imply that I am the one being too sensitive. 

*

"You said they are nice people." I whispered to Aariz as we went to wash our hands before dinner. "I feel like I've been constantly judged for my family background." 

"I'm sorry, Haya, I had no idea this was going to happen. I don't know what's wrong with them." He said, washing his hands.

"That brat basically implied that my grandmother steals from charity!"

"And your response was perfect, and very mature." He placed a hand on my shoulder. "As you said, her opinion doesn't validate their honesty or integrity."

"I don't react well to my family being insulted, Aariz."

"And you have every right to defend them the way you had. You were not rude, you were not disrespectful. You were admirably perfect." 

I smiled. "Thank you. I appreciate your support." 

As we walked back downstairs, I paused in the stairs when I heard something.

"...her tongue seems razor-sharp." Sahiba Aunty was saying. 

"It's not like that, Sahiba. Nina raised her children as modern thinkers, and I guess her sons and daughters-in-law raised their children similarly. Modern kids these days just say whatever is on their mind. They don't mean to be disrespectful, but I don't think that they are aware of the fine line between standing up for what's right and being rude. It's just how the new generations are."

I looked up at Aariz, stunned. Really?

"True. Respecting the elders is so rare these days, isn't it? She could have just let it go with Maha, considering that Maha is like her Nand." Aunty added.

Sighing, Aariz continued downstairs, and I followed him. I didn't expect him to speak up though, which he did. "With all due respect, but if anyone had wrongfully accused my loved one of stealing from charity, I would have reacted in a much worse way than Haya. She was kind, she was polite, but I would have been the definition of rude."

I looked up at him, awed at the fierceness on his face as he stood up for me.

"And she really doesn't have to tolerate any nonsense from anyone, in-laws or not." My husband added. "And Khalla, what has gotten into you? Nina Dado is such a good friend of yours. She trusts you so much that she readily agreed to have her granddaughter married off to me! And you can't even stand up for her? I don't know why you change around certain people..." He glanced pointedly at Sahiba Aunty.

Nina Dado. This is the moment that my heart melted. 

Khalla looked embarrassed. "Aariz, it's not like that. Nina is my very good friend..." She sighed, glancing at me. "And I'm not being fair with her granddaughter right now. You're right, Aariz." She turned to Sahiba Aunty. "Sahiba, Haya is a lovely, well-mannered girl, and she did not say anything rude or disrespectful. That's her upbringing. Modern thinking or not, her parents raised her right. And Maha, my dear, the rich might not be saintly, but Haya proved that good upbringing is not dependent on financial background." 

Now that her daughter was being lectured, Sahiba Aunty stood up with a smile. "Shall we go and have dinner?" 

As the others headed towards the dining area, I reached out to lace my fingers through Aariz's, stopping him in my tracks. "Modern thinkers would say that a woman doesn't need anyone to defend her. Desi thinkers would know that not a lot of people appreciate a girl standing up for herself. In this twisted, double-thinking dilemma, I want to thank you for standing up for me. I don't think it makes a girl less empowered if her husband stands up for her, especially in front of her in-laws."

He gave me a small smile. "You are my wife. Islamically, I have a duty to take care of you and stand up for you when you are being wronged. And overall, I don't like this family political behaviour."

At this point, I wanted to shed away the strength, the expectations of modern feminists, and I just wanted to be protected and taken care of by my husband. I wanted to be vulnerable, and I wanted to let Aariz take charge. Showing vulnerability in front of my husband, my life partner, didn't make me weak. It just made it easier for me to be myself around him, without considering the expectations of the world around me.

"I need you to trust me, Haya. I need you to know that I'll always have your back, as long as you're in the right, okay?" He squeezed my hand.

I nodded. "Sounds like a fair deal. And I make the same promise to you." 

We smiled at each other.

*

After surviving the dawat last night, Aariz and I went straight to bed after we went home. We woke up at Fajr, prayed, and then went back to bed again.

It barely felt like a few minutes later when I felt a tapping on my shoulder. "Haya?" 

"Hmm?" I asked.

"Wake up." 

"Why?" 

"We need to go." 

I sat up. "Go? Where?" I sleepily rubbed my eyes.

He sat down on the bed facing me. "We couldn't go earlier, and we can't go anywhere further because I know that you'd be worried about your mother...so I have planned an impulsive itinerary for us for a stay at a beautiful resort in Scotland."

"What?" 

"Get packed. It will be cold, so keep warm clothes." 

"Seriously?" My eyes widened as I felt a hint of excitement brewing within me. I was a little worried that this was a dream and that this bubble would pop.

"Seriously." He nodded. "Come on. We need to leave for the airport in a couple of hours. But even before the airport, we'll drop by and quickly see your mother first." 

"Now this is an impulsiveness that I can get used to." I grinned.

*

I normally didn't like packing in a rush, because it had a higher chance of me forgetting something mandatory. But today I was feeling excited. 

Soon, we were loading our bags into the car boot.

"Wait, we are flying out. How are you driving us to the airport?" I asked.

"I'm going to park in the long-stay parking. Our flight back home arrives late, so it would be more convenient for us." He explained.

As we drove in silence for a while, I began to doze off. It was still a little too early for me.

"Confession time." He broke the silence, making me open my eyes.

I turned to look at him.

"I asked your father if it was appropriate for me to take you away right now.." He looked sheepishly at me.

"You asked my father?" I widened my eyes.

"I wasn't sure if the timing was right." A smile tugged at his lips.

"So, he approved?" 

"Here we are, aren't we?" He gestured with one arm.

I received a message from Arsal. 

<Arsal: Aariz Bhai asked if you guys can visit Mama, but she fell asleep just now. The pain had made her restless all night. 😔>

"Arsal is saying that Mama fell asleep just now. She had been restless due to the pain." I looked at him.

"Yeah." He nodded. "The pain would have eased temporarily, thanks to all the medication, but it's going to last a while during the recovery and healing process." He glanced at me. "Still okay to go with me?" 

I looked at him, thinking about how understanding and supportive he had been so far. "Yes. At least we're going domestic." I turned to look out of the window, my heart aching a little at the thought of going away from my mother when she was in such a condition. But had I not been assured that she had the most caring people with her, I would never have left.

*

The flight to Inverness was an hour and a half, but it turned out to be a pretty turbulent ride. The winds were strong, especially when we approached Scotland, and there was a hush across the cabin as the plane shook as it passed through particularly thick clouds.

But I wasn't afraid. I was too busy peering out of the window. As the clouds parted way, the beauty of the Scottish mountains began to display their full magnificence. 

After an even bumpier touchdown, I excitedly looked at Aariz. "You know, more than any exotic beach holiday, this is more of my thing. Cool weather, mountains, fog..."

He smiled. "Well, then I hope that you truly enjoy this honeymoon, Haya." 

We disembarked the aircraft. As we came to the aircraft door though, my eyes widened as I saw the steps that led down to the ramp. I swallowed hard as I thought about Mama's accident.

Aariz seemed to realise this, because he held out his hand. I slipped my hand into his, and he slowly walked down the stairs.

A sudden gust of cold breeze pinched at my cheeks, making me wince. I felt lucky that we had kept our winter jackets, and I tucked it tightly around myself. 

Heading through to the terminal, we headed straight for the baggage hall. After we collected our bags, we exited the airport. Before I could question him, Aariz was following the signs for the car rental company. 

"This was all impulsive planning?" I asked, awed.

"It was domestic, so it wasn't too difficult to plan." 

*

My gaze had the awe of a child in a toy store as I stared at the mountains that flanked the road that we were driving on. The peaks of the mountains were shrouded by fog, almost like a bridal veil resting on her head. 

Suddenly, he stopped the car in a small area probably built for view-spotting and photography, pointing ahead. "Look." 

I got out of the car, feeling breathless . We were a little high up, and from here I could see a loch at the foot of the highest mountain. From here, my gaze could capture everything: mountains, a loch, fog, the absolute perfection that was the natural beauty of the Scottish Highlands.

Aariz stepped up beside me, wrapping an arm around me.

"No worldly art can ever convey such perfection." I whispered. "Allah truly is the Best Artist. Subhan Allah!" I turned to him. "Come on. Our first selfie together." I handed him my phone, and he raised it to such an angle that the gorgeous, breath-taking views were visible behind us.

"Come on." He stepped backwards, holding up my phone. "Pose for the camera." 

I laughed. "I'm not exactly good with poses." 

His expressions turned serious as he looked at the camera. "Truly, no worldly art can ever convey such perfection, be at a landscape or a person." 

*

Aariz

Haya's beauty had literally taken my breath away. Pink cheeked, with wind-ruffled hair, she looked perfectly befitting to the view behind her. She wore black jeans, a cream turtle-neck sweater, with black calf-length boots and her long winter coat. 

After taking a couple of photos of her, I stepped towards her, handing her the phone. I stared at her, in complete awe of the beauty in front of me, paying no heed to the view behind us. I ran my fingers over her cheek, as her brown eyes stared up at me full of a variety of emotions. Her soft hair lightly blew in the wind, and my gaze went down to just below her left ear, where I spotted a beauty mark. My hands ran from her shoulders, down her arms, until our fingers laced together. That's when I realised how cold her hands were. I pulled her gently, close against myself, wrapping my arms around her. I myself wore black jeans, a dark blue turtle-neck sweater and my winter coat. "Are you cold, Haya?" 

"My hands are a little cold...my gloves are packed somewhere in the bags."

I led her back to the car, my arm around her. Once we were inside, I turned the heater on so that she could warm up her hands.

"Shall we just move here?" She sighed, dreamily. 

"Let's leave the final verdict till the end of the trip." I winked at her.

She looked curiously at the GPS. "Still half an hour to go till our destination?" 

"Yep. Trust me, it'll be worth the wait."

"Worth more than this?" She pointed towards the stunning views. "I really can't wait then!"

*

I drove down the tree-lined path that led to the main resort. The main building of the lodge itself was like a manor, surrounded by vast open lands, and more views of the Highlands. We entered the building, through a door over which hung a large board saying 'Reception' in gold letters. It was like stepping into a manor of a period drama. Polished dark wood floors and stairs, a red runner carpet on the stairs, and vintage, yet classy furniture in the sitting area nearby. I presented our passports to the receptionist as we checked in, as Haya looked around.

"This way, sir." The bellboy nodded at me as he loaded our luggage into the baggage cart and led us outside. 

A golf-cart was parked outside. Haya and I were asked to sit in the second row, while our bags were placed at the back. The driver then drove away from the main building, through a smooth path that led towards a shallow forest, it seemed. But as we passed under the trees, we entered a clearing. 

"Whoa." Haya said, grasping my hand.

We could see the lodges from here, all lined up and overlooking a beautiful loch. The lodges were built all around the loch in regular intervals, therefore requiring a cart to take the guests through. Ours seemed to be on the other from the main entrance, and the driver chatted away in his heavy Scottish accent as he drove us, wishing me and Haya a wonderful stay.

"The swimming pool, the dining area, the gym are all located in the main building. You could either walk there, or there's a number inside which you can call to request this cart." The driver explained as he paused outside our lodge. 

I looked at the single-floor lodge, with modern wooded walls and large windows. A few steps led up to the front door, and the driver and I carried our luggage up there, despite his insistence that I didn't have to help. I unlocked the door using the key card and pushed it open. I looked at Haya. "After you."

We entered into an open-plan kitchen/living area. The kitchen had modern lights hanging over, with light grey cabinets and a built-in microwave. Just past it, the living room had cream leather sofas, with fluffy orange and black throw cushions on them. Opposite the sofas was a large TV,  but Haya immediately rushed towards the large window right beside the living area. From here we could see the loch, with the mountains in the background. Sighing, she sat at the edge of a sofa, as she continued gazing outside. 

Meanwhile, I thanked the driver and sent him on his way.

Just beside the TV was a door that led out to a patio deck that had a picnic table on it. It was perfect for a morning or evening coffee. And just past it was a hot tub. 

Haya made her way on the other side of the house, and I followed. She entered our bedroom, and gasped in excitement. "Ya Allah..." 

It wasn't the largest of rooms, but it was stunning. A large double bed was placed at one end, directly opposite which was a desk over which hung a plasma TV. But these weren't the attention-grabbing factors of the room. The sliding glass doors that stepped out directly onto the patio deck was mesmerising Haya. And just past the deck was the soft grass, and eventually the loch.

She whirled around to face me. "This cannot be impulsive planning."

"It is, believe it or not. I had been recommended this place by people I know, and because it's not the ideal season, I was able to book a place here." 

"How long are we here for?" 

"A week, with potential for extension." I shrugged.

"I'm going to freshen up." I took my jacket off and hung it up in the fitted wardrobe. "We'll head out to get something to eat in a bit." 

"I want to explore so much!" She turned back to the sliding door again, making me smile. 

By the time I came out of the bathroom, I could see Haya through the sliding doors, taking photos of the view. I pushed open the doors. "Amazing, isn't it?" 

She nodded. "It is. Thank you for this surprise."

"I'm just glad that you like it." And indeed, it was a relief for me. Not everyone enjoyed nature, but Haya seemed to adore the mountains and lakes. It was a good idea to come here, rather than go to a cliché honeymoon destination like Bali or Mauritius. 

*

After Haya had also freshened up, we walked hand-in-hand to the resort. 

"You okay with the walk?" I asked.

She scoffed. "We're athletic. Walks shouldn't scare us." 

"How about a race?" I asked, smiling.

"Are you serious?" She asked.

"I mean, we're already halfway there..." 

She smiled as well. "Let's do this." She took a deep breath. "On the count of three. One. Two. Three..."

We both dashed across the ground, closing the distance between us and the main area of the resort. Haya was certainly a strong competition, with my height being the only possible advantage that made me win...still, only by three seconds.

"Wow, that was refreshing!" Her cheeks were pink again, as she slipped her hand through mine again. 

"Competition with you will be tough, Haya." I squeezed her hand.

"It's a partnership, not a competition." She grinned up at me.

We entered the dining area, where aromas of a variety of food made me realise how hungry I was. We hadn't eaten in a while. A soft bagpipe music played in the background. 

"This reminds me of the Rose Luxe B&B dining area." Haya looked around at the large conservatory-style room. The glass fully and proudly displayed the beautiful natural views outside.

We ordered some fish and chips, along with salad. 

"Come. I want to go outside on the terrace to have a look." Haya grabbed my hand as we awaited our order, and rushed me outside.

The cold ensured that the patio was empty, but there were still speakers outside that played the beautiful music. A haunting voice started singing through the speakers. "Sing me a song of a lass that is gone; say, could that lass be I? Merry of soul, she sailed on a day, over the sea to Skye."

Haya tapped her feet to the music, and spun around to face me, laughing. She took my hand and dipped back dramatically, smiling widely. Straightening up, she stepped back, and twirled around, straight into my arms. Her hands pressed against my chest, she stared straight up at me.

"Billow and breeze, islands and seas,
Mountains of rain and sun.
All that was good, all that was fair, 
All that was me was gone..."

The beautiful environment created such a strong sense of peace within me, and seeing Haya happy and cheerful after days of stress was a relief to my heart.

I pressed my forehead against hers. "I wish we could live in these moments forever."

"We can. Whenever times are tough, we need to just remember these moments, to remind ourselves that hardships are as temporary as ease." 

"So, basically, we live in these moments...in our memories?" 

"Our memories make us who we are. Our memories remind us the importance of how we felt in that moment, of people that we love and care about." She wrapped her arms around her neck. "We'll forever have these moments, Aariz, In Sha Allah." 

"In Sha Allah." 

*

That night, I came into our room after checking that all the doors and windows were locked. I stopped in the doorway, a small smile on my face.

Haya was stretched out on our bed in a dark blue flannel night-suit, trousers matching with a button-down shirt, with white stars printed over it. Her hair was pushed back by a thin hairband, with a lock falling over her forehead. She was leaning against the headboard, scrolling through her phone.

Wearing my black comfortable trousers and a long-sleeved loose grey shirt, I got into bed beside her. 

She locked her phone and set it aside, laying on her side, propping up on her elbow. "So...?" 

"So?" I reached out and brushed back that stray lock of her hair. 

"How cool is this place?" Her eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Temperature wise...too cool..." 

"I meant awesomeness wise, mister."

I shrugged. "Eh."

"Eh? That's it? Eh?" She looked horrified, as if I had personally insulted her.

I resisted the urge to chuckle. "And what are your thoughts on this place?" 

She lay on her back, her hair spreading out around her head. "There's something thrilling about being in the mountains when it's cold and/or foggy. It's exciting. Beaches and the sun are all overrated."

I also lay on my back, reaching out to turn out the bedside lamps. The calmness, the silence was really and truly something else...especially compared to the dramatic chaos of London. "How do you feel about hiking?" 

"Can we go?!" Her excited voice made me smile. To my surprise, I felt her snuggle up against me.

"Of course." I paused. "I also read something about a zipline around here..."

"Yes!" 

I chuckled now. "You really are an epically perfect partner, Haya." I wrapped my arm around her, holding her close against myself.

"As are you, Aariz." She mumbled sleepily. 

I kissed her forehead as her breathing evened.

*

Haya

The next morning, I had just stepped out of the shower, and had just about managed to put on my underwear. Putting on a bra after a shower is a huge task, I'm telling you. My foot slipped a little on the water that had dripped on the floor when I had come out, and I struggled to regain my balance. Since the bathroom was a little tight-spaced, I ended up banging my elbow really hard against the counter, and an elbow/knee pain is one that can easily bring tears to your eyes. "Ah, Mama!" 

"Haya?!" The door opened, and Aariz rushed in, his face etched with worry. He was wearing just his trousers...no shirt.

And I suddenly remembered that we were alone here...on our honeymoon.

"You okay?" He glanced down at where I was rubbing my aching elbow. He stepped towards me, taking my bare arm in his hand, while rubbing my elbow with the other hand.

"I banged my elbow." I dropped my gaze.

He glanced at my face now, and used his thumb to rub away a tear drop that had slipped out and landed on my cheekbone. I now glanced up and met his gaze. 

Suddenly he blinked, as if he was a sleepwalker who had woken up. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have just barged in like this..." He turned to go.

I grabbed his wrist, before reaching up with my other hand to place my hand on his cheek, turning his face to look at me. "It's not a sin for you to look at me in this state. In fact, you are the only one who has the right."

His gaze burned with an emotion so strong that it made me weak in the knees. "Haya..." He groaned out my name, closing his eyes as if controlling himself.

"I just showered. I'm not that repulsive, am I?" I smiled.

He opened his eyes and stepped closer. "Repulsive is not a word that I'd ever use to describe you." He put a hand almost hesitatingly at the back of my neck. "You have no idea what you do to me."

I traced my fingers down his bare chest and onto his stomach. "I think I have some idea, Aariz. I feel..." 

"You feel what?" Placing his hands on my hips, he lifted me up to sit on the counter. His dark, intense gaze didn't leave mine.

"I don't know. I am not great with interpreting emotions." 

His hands were still on my bare waist as he stepped closer until our lips were inches apart. I closed my eyes, but instead I felt his lips against my neck. I tangled my fingers through his hair. "Haya." He softly muttered against the skin of my shoulder, before placing a kiss there as well. He straightened up, placing his hands on my cheeks. "I feel so protective of you. I felt such a rage when you were made to feel bad at the dawat, and I couldn't hold myself back. I had to speak up. But then, you are also the girl who makes me laugh uncontrollably, who makes me want to share anything and everything with you. When you, your family were in pain, I wanted to do everything to erase it and to bring happiness and peace back into your lives." 

I took one of his hands between both of mine and leaned down to kiss his knuckles. "You've been so supportive, so patience, Aariz. I'm so grateful to you, so...in awe of you." I just realised that his words sounded like the beginning of love, while my words sounded like I owed him a favour or something. "You are already proving yourself to be a wonderful husband, Aariz." 

"Do you feel anything for me, Haya?" He whispered. "I mean, no pressure. And I won't be offended if you don't..." 

"Honestly? I feel like I'd do anything for you. I just don't understand yet whether that is out of romantic feelings, or out of gratitude." I placed a hand on his cheek and rubbed a thumb over his lips. "But... I cannot picture anyone but you in my present and in my future, as my husband, if that helps..."

"So, I still have some hope?" He smiled weakly.

"Let me be brutally honesty. If I'm ever going to be in love with anyone, it will be you, Aariz. All my instincts strongly say that."

His smile widened and he leaned down to press his lips against mine. We kissed softly and slowly for a while.

"Regardless of our present feeling, I'm convinced that we are made for each other. The biggest evidence of this is that Allah has bound us together in Nikah." I whispered again, before our lips met again.

*

A surprise chapter for Haya & Aariz fans! 

I hope you enjoyed this! It was about time they got their moments...

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