Marriage is a thousand little things. It's giving up your right in the heat of an argument. It's forgiving another when they let you down. It's loving someone enough to step down so they can shine.

It's friendship. It's being a cheerleader and trusted confident. It's a place of forgiveness that welcomes one home, and arms they can run to in the midst of a storm. It's grace. It's giving of yourself tirelessly down paths you'd never imagine to travel. Through sickness and pain, poverty and loss, it's carrying the weight of another. It's being the smile they see in the morning and the body they hold close at night.

It's riding alongside each other in a battle that threatens to tear down your marriage and seeks to grab hold of your faith.

But nothing like this was happening with Arzoo. She always had a tough life but she wanted to work on this marriage and make it work. But to her disappointment all her hopes crashed down in front of her eyes. But she still was thinking that maybe he will change, of better to say maybe she can make him a man of relations for his family rather than for herself.

Arzoo got ready in that clothes which Amaan gave her or better to say throw on her face.

She put her hair on a clip and wore her black color veil loosely on her head and adjust it properly on her shoulders too. she was not a hijab or abaya person. She never wore them. Her modest clothes and her veil on her head was more than enough for her.

Arzoo was not a makeup person, so she applied some moisturizer and kohl in her eyes, for her lips she went with her baby pink lip gloss. But she noticed some bruises on her jaw, so she applied foundation to hide it from every one's eyes.

'' hey lazy bird, you are awake''

Anabia's voice startled her, she gave her a small smile and walk to her.

'' asalamualikum, I am awake from a very long time''

Anabia looked at her intently which made Arzoo nervous under her eyes, she averted her eyes and looked down.

'' so my guess was right?

Amaan was sleeping in guest room'' Anabia asked her, she sighed but was lost of words to tell to Arzoo.

What should she tell him when her own brother was hurting an innocent girl.

Arzoo kept quite. Anabia hugged her but broke the hug fast since she didn't want to break Arzoo in tears.

'' come mom wants to talk to you''

With that they both left the room, a while ago when Arzoo was awake, this house was so calm and quite. But now it was in chaos. All the relatives were wide awake. Children running here and there making noises. Arzoo was shy to see the guests. She knew some of them but still she felt shy in front of their calculative eyes.

From the corner of her eyes she saw Amaan coming out of guest room, while busy on his phone talking to someone. dressed in dark blue denim with white shirt, his all muscles were on full display, his fore arms were budging from his shirt, his broad shoulders were making the shirt tight on him although she could assume that , the shirt must be the the large one. Little she knew that he really was a strong man. His chest was 45 inches, his waist was 31 inches, his biceps were 17,5 inches and his thighs were 31 inches.

If he was not a businessman, then he would be a body builder.

Gym was his passion. It looked like he sensed her eyes on him, he looked up and saw her looking at him

She immediately looked down while standing with some guest who were teasing her. He looked at her from head to toe. He knew that she is to slim and pitied in front of his huge masculine body. But she had right curves in right places. She was beautiful he knew that, and he also knew that she has a weak personality, he sensed her nervousness in front of the people. She was a shy girl.

I don't have to work hard to break you, you are too fragile which is fun for me to break you.

He smirked but didn't avert his eyes from her, making her more nervous and melting under his heated gaze.

She really was slim and pitied in front of other afghan girls, who are usually healthy and taller than her.

She was 5,5, her body measurements were 34-26-34 inches. She was 51 kg.

'' take your eyes of her, these people will not understand your staring. They will call you a besharam''

Ali nudge him while Amaan rolled his eyes.

'' fuck off.

I have an important skype meeting in coming few minutes. So make sure nobody comes my way. I can't control myself more. I can't be more nice to them.

Handle them. I don't have time for this melodrama. And just look at this noise!

It looks like I am in a fucking zoo!'' he said in his usual range voice which Ali knew very well. He knew that Amaan is tolerating all this just for his mother, otherwise he would throw all of them out of his house this instant. Ali nodded to him. He knew that Amaan is not a man of patience.

He gets what he wants and when he wants and how he wants.

Just when Amaan was leaving the hall to the make his skype call, his maternal aunt Mrs. Najeeba stopped him by holding his hand.

'' where are you going my son?'' she asked in her usual teasing voice which made Amaan more angry.

He gave her a blank look but didn't bother to reply. He put her hand away from his hand.

'' what I am seeing is that you haven't consummate your marriage, which means you guys still keep it to your real house, but then I wonder that why Arzoo is blushing?''

Amaan's thin thread of his patience broke, his nostrils were flaring.

His all features were dark, claiming anger, vexation, indignation. He so wanted to throw this lady out of his house this instant, but for his mother's sake he couldn't.

He closed his eyes, but control is something which is hard for him.

And he was not a man of words, he was a man of actions.

Amaan didn't say anything to her, but give her a deadly look and left from there, leaving his aunt utter shocked. Ali saw this whole scenario, he knew Amaan would react this way, but he was sure that he might react as his usual way, rude. But Amaan managed to control himself somehow just for his mother.

Arzoo was sitting in her mother in laws room waiting for her to come. But her heart and mind was with him. His words and actions were not leaving her mind for a bit. Right now she wanted to be alone, and cry her heart out. But alas that she can't.

Then pain in his back, her arms and jaw, were reminding her of his actions. Now she was afraid of him even more.

He is behaving with me like this in here, how will I manage to live with him alone in US?

What will he do to me there?

Anabia said he doesn't live with his parents in same house, cause of his traveling and business meetings, he lives alone. But his mother is sick and going to be operated I guess he won't leave his mother in that situation. It means we can live together.

I can't live with him alone.

But her mind was telling her the real story of her life which was breaking her heart in to countless pieces.

Do you have any choice Arzoo?

Did you have any?

You are his wife, you will be where he will be.

She closed her eyes, she knew her mind is showing her mirror of her life. And it was true.

'' Arzoo my child''

Mrs. Zarina's voice startled her, she jumped from her place and looked terrified.

Mrs. Zarina noticed her change of demeanor, she got scared.

With slow steps she approached Arzoo and hugged her. Arzoo needed this hug, she wanted to break down and cry, but she couldn't show her how sad and broken she is.

Her back was paining and she could feel it hard to move either but she ignored it.

'' come sit I need to talk to you about something''

Arzoo sat by her side and took her hands in her hands.

'' your family might come any moment, as per rituals they will bring lunch here. But you will go with them to stay the night there because as you know tomorrow afternoon we will leave for US. Don't worry about Amaan I will talk to him'' she said this all in her usual kind and caring voice.

Arzoo took a sharp breath, and looked down to not show her that she has tears in her eyes. But Mrs. Zarina hugged her and soothed her back.

'' you can cry my child, nobody will judge you. I know how it feels to leave your love once behind and decamp to a whole new life. But this is life my jaan.

You have to be prepare for it mentally and physically'' she broke the hug and kissed Arzoo forehead and wiped her tears.

'' A strong marriage requires two people who choose to love each other even on those days when they struggle to like each other. Great marriages don't happen by luck or by accident. They are the result of a constituent investment of time, thoughtfulness, forgiveness, affection, prayer, mutual respect and a rock solid commitment between a husband and wife. I know Amaan is away from family affection. He is so engross in his business that we rarely see him, but now he has you.

It will take time for you two to accept each other, but remember nothing happens in a click of a magic wand is it?''

Arzoo give her a small smile and nodded her head. She put her head on Mrs. Zarina's lap. She felt some kind of comfort in her lap. It felt warm and full of love. She wanted to cry in her lap.

What do you know about my life now?

How kind are you, but how cruel is your son. I am his concubine not wife as he said.

You are my concubine not my wife,

You don't deserve to be my concubine too, but you are luck that now you are.

She closed her eyes and tears role down from the corner of her eyes and absorbed in Mrs. Zarina's skirt.

........................................

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