The past few weeks had been filled with mostly laughs, giggles and happy faces.

Umaymah insisted that they stop at Samar's to get few pieces of naan which eventually turned to nine pieces each time they drove from her university.

She preferred eating it plain without any sauce or dip, so Samar always made special ones down for her.

Some part of the past weeks was filled with Umaymah abruptly refusing to eat or locking herself in her room for hours, and when she eventually opened it, it was to fill the empty jug that now had a consistent spot on her nightstand with water.

Haider tried calling Umaymah again after many unsuccessful attempts on one of the days she had locked herself up and she eventually picked up.
He kept apologizing for keeping such a thing from her and asking if she could forgive him.

She just kept giving him short answers till their call ended because she knew that deep down at the bottom of her now shattered heart trying its very best to heal, she was still extremely mad at him but more annoyed at herself.

Annoyed at herself for not always being there for her mother.

She had planned on going on without talking to Haider for as long as who knew, until Salman talked to her about giving her older brother a cold shoulder.

"You know it's not permissible to keep a grudge for more than three days." His voice kept playing in her head each time she was close to terminating Haider's call.

"You also know you can't ignore him forever, right?" He added when he noticed the device vibrating under her palm with Haider's number on display on their way back home one afternoon.

Some days, she would try getting back to reading but it only brought memories she didn't want to recall because all they did was hurt her.

Some days were bad days for her while some were good ones.

This day was surely a good one because she was curled up on the chair with her laptop on her knee and a packet of hazelnuts by her feet after a really long time.

She was nearly done with her first draft, few more chapters were left.

She made a plan to write at least 2 chapters a day and if she did it consistently for the whole week, she treated herself with a matcha latte from Starbucks plus Samar's popular garlic and butter naan.

But she sure did have few cheat days because, who could resist the flavourful and slithering feel of Samar's naan along with Starbucks well brewed matcha latte?

"Let's go out." Salman's firm voice came from the stairs. "I want to show you something." It sounded like he was putting something on from the way his voice was muffed.

Umaymah's fingers glided effortlessly across the letters on the keyboard.

She was typing something.

When Umaymah didn't give a response, he found his way downstairs.

All dressed in something casual.

She was typing a bit faster now.

Salman was right by her side trying to get a peek at what she was typing with so much focus and determination.

She immediately shut the screen of her laptop when she noticed what he was doing.

"One of your stories, huh?" His eyes moved from the closed screen to her face.

Umaymah simply rolled her eyes and opened the laptop again to resume what she had been doing.

"I know you've never rode on a horse before." A smirk sneaked up to his face.

Umaymah's fingers stopped moving.

She raised her head to look at her husband who was now standing in front of her.

"So? Does it say that you have to ride a horse to be alive or survive?" She tilted her head up a bit.

"Just admit you're afraid." His smirk transformed into a smile that reached his eyes.

Umaymah's eyes didn't leave Salman's.

The way she stared at him with narrowed eyes appeared to be like someone planning or coming up with different ways to get rid of a person.

She got on her feet some seconds later without uttering any other thing, grabbed her laptop and headed for her room.

After about ten minutes, Umaymah returned to the living room, dressed in a simple black abaya with a matching veil wrapped into a hijab over her head.

She had her phone in her hands.

"You could have as well just said you were taking me out on a date, so are we going or not?" She said at once with a straight face on.

A sheepish smile crept up Salman's face.

"You took up the challenge, nice, and I never said it was a date, but you could call it that if you want,"  he got up from the couch. "You also look so pretty in those." He nodded his head at her figure.

"Are we going to go now or are we just going to keep admiring me?"

"I choose the latter."

"Okay enough joking, let's go now before I change my mind."she pointed at the front door.

"At your service Mrs Tariq." Salman took her hand and placed it on his arm.

"Ummi." she muttered beneath her breath for only her ears to hear but Salman's sensitive ears had already caught hold of the simple word that softly rolled off her tongue.

A satisfied smile overtook his features.

Once they were settled in his car, Salman drove for his stable few kilometers from their house.

His dad had gifted the Arabian horse to him when he turned eighteen.

It was like a dream come true for him because he had always ranted about how he would love to own a horse and how he would take go care of it and all.

"Out you go ummi." Salman opened the passenger side door and held out his hand for Umaymah to take.

Much better.

The bright afternoon sun shone down, leaving its rays to diverge and bless the little twigs that danced to the gust of the afternoon breeze.

The sun rays wrapped the couple in warmth as they walked down to the stable in the distance hand in hand.

"You really ride the horse? Like ride?" Her brown eyes fixated on his dark orbs.

He nodded slowly not taking his gaze off her.

She seemed pleased and astonished all at once.

"And you've never rode on one right?" His smirk appeared again.

"Oh please," she rolled her eyes.

"It's not fair that I answered your question and my question doesn't get an answer."

She threw her head backwards and groaned.

"No Salman, I have never rode on a horse before, now can you give me a break?" She didn't face him while talking.

Within few seconds, they were standing in the riding arena by a horse; an almond coloured Arabian breed.

"I've missed you too." Salman soothed the long mane on the brown horse as it touched its face against its owner's.

Umaymah was a step behind Salman and simply observed the courtly behaviour between the horse and her husband.

"Come Ummi," he called her. "Don't worry she doesn't bite." He winked.

Umaymah hesitated before moving her feet towards the brown creature and Salman.

What was she thinking when she agreed to come here? What if the horse used its hind leg to knock her down? She wasn't behind it, but still.

What if it yanked off her veil and chewed it like some camel in some video she saw a couple of days back did?

Or what if the horse didn't like her then gets mad and starts trumping all over the place wanting to bring her down?

"Hey," Salman snapped his fingers in front of her eyes. "Try touching her." His hand was already holding onto hers.

Umaymah drew in a reasonable amount of air to steady her breathing.

"Don't worry, she won't stump or kick you." He assured like he had just read her entire mind.

Slowly and slowly, Salman raised her hands until they were on the horse's face.

Her eyes were shut closed.

"You can open your eyes now Ummi," A laugh escaped him. "We've not even started riding yet."

"Riding?" Her eyes instantly snapped open and her eyes enlarged to the size of a saucer.

"Yup!" Salman wiggled his eyebrows in a teasing manner.

Her hand was still on the horse.

She slowly stroked the horse with the help of Salman's hand.

"Ruhh, her name is Ruhh." He smiled, admiring the alluring physical trait of his Ruhh.

Umaymah was now stroking Ruhh's face by herself now.

Her fur was soft and tender.

"How long have you had her for now?" Umaymah couldn't help but ask.

Ruhh looked as good as new.

From her well-groomed hair, to the shiny horseshoes beneath her hooves.

"Ten years," he replied with a grin. "Baba gifted her to me on my eighteenth birthday." He added.

As soon as he spoke, a young man emerged from one of the stables with a halter on the head of a deep black stallion in his hands.

"Eugene!" Salman pointed at the black figure that elegantly walked towards their direction from a distance.

"Why did you name her Ruhh? It sounds-" she paused.

Salman turned around and looked at Umaymah.

She was now gently running her hands through the horse's soft mane.

"Before baba gifted her to me, the first time I saw her, the way she moved gracefully enticed me-"

"Is that why you named her that?" Umaymah had a brow up as she looked at Salman.

"No, not yet," he looked over his shoulder at the stallion. "I didn't name her immediately, She got the name the first time I rode on her." He returned his face with a broad smile to Umaymah's.

"Her speed is wholesome. She's as swift as the wind,"his eyes shifted to Ruhh. "Mind to ride to find out?" He smirked.

She instantly withdrew her hand from the horse and took a couple of steps backwards.

"Look who we have here." Salman turned to admired the already tacked and well groomed beauty before him.

"Umaymah this is Eugene," he pointed at the stallion. "And this is its wonderful owner." He gave the man beside Eugene a mutual handshake.

Umaymah simply nodded as the man greeted her.

"Shall we start riding?" Salman rub his large palms together as he moved to where his wife was standing.

Silence.

What did you want to prove by coming here Umaymah?

"You'll ride on Ruhh." His hands on her shoulders brought her back to reality.

"B-but I don't know how to ride a horse." She was stirring up numerous excuses to use.

If this excuse didn't work, she had another one lined up.

"That's why I'll be the one leading the horse." His smile held a hint of satisfaction.

"My- my dress, I can't ride in these."

"Yes you can hazelnut." He patted her head, the smile still on his face.

Salman took a hold of her hand and walked her to where Ruhh was.

Breath in. It's just a horse. It can't bite.

Once he was sure Ruhh's tack fit properly and was in good condition, he spoke.

"Hold onto here," Salman held the reins in his hand. " I'll put one of your feet here and you'll climb onto my hand to mount her, okay?"

Umaymah's nod was a hesitant one.

Urm... What if you tip over?

Salman will catch me.

What if he also tips over?

Then-

" Are you ready?" His voice interrupted her thoughts again.

Salman went down on one knee and interlocked his hands for Umaymah's foot.

"3... 2.. 1," He released her leg once she had swung her leg over Ruhh's back and settled into the saddle. "You're as light as a feather." He let out a heavy exhale as he placed her other foot in the second stirrup.

Umaymah shot him a glare which he shrugged off.

"Now hold onto the reins loosely but firmly," He instructed and walked to grab the halter on Ruhh. "Hold it firmly." He repeated.

"Are we set to go?" Eugene's owner who was already on his horse asked.

"We sure are captain." Salman responded before Eugene galloped pass them leaving them to kiss the dust.