Yumnah pushed open the door to their honeymoon suite with one hand while with the other she gently held on to Yasir to guide him.

"Yumnah, i am really sorry," he said after she had made him sit on the bed.

"Sorry for what?"

"I know that usually its the groom who brings his newly wed bride into the room but in our case its clearly different.I know that every girl has dreams of a perfect marriage and im sorry if im already ruining yours."

Yumnah sighed afterwhich she knelt down infront of him and took his hands in hers.

"Yasir, i respect you alot.Just because you can't do certain things does not mean that the love and respect i have for you will diminish."

"I love and respect you for who you truly are and i accepted this marriage knowing very well that it will be different.A good different," she added.

"Really Yumnah?"

"Of course my love and as far as dreams are concerned," she said as she entwined her fingers with his.

"You have always been my dream, Yasir Hosseini."

Yasir smiled his doubts once again clearing up.

"Then im really glad that Allah sent you to me Yumnah."

"Alhamdullilah," she whispered.

"Would you like to pray with me?" he asked her.

"I would love to."

"But i think il go change first.Praying in this heavy dress is extremeley difficult."

"Of course.Il just wait for you out here."

Yumnah quickly rummaged through her suitcase and pulled out her pajamas.No way was she going to wear any of those silky nightdresses that Saadia had insisted on packing for her.

"Il be right back," she said as she headed towards the bathroom.

She quickly unwrapped her hijab letting her long locks of hair fall freely to her back.She wondered what Yasir would think of her hair.Would he like it?

She then felt for the end of the strings on her blouse inorder to open it but unfortunately for her she could not get her hands on any end.

Yumnah gasped as ran towards the only mirror in the bathroom.

Saadia.

That witch.

She had expertly tied the knots so tightly and to top it off she had hidden the end way beneath all the knots.

There was no way she could reach for that particular end of the string by herself.She definitely need help but there was no one around well except for...Yasir.

No, she could never ask him to undo her blouse for her.That would be so weird.And what would he even think?Maybe she would just stay in her blouse until the next day but it was so tight and uncomfortable.

Yumnah let out a sigh as she reluctantly opened the bathroom's door.

"Yasir?"

"Yes?"

"I kind of need your help."

"Oh, what kind of help," he asked immediately standing up.

Yumnah palmed her face, which was now red from embarassment.She quickly made a mental note to literally stitch Saadia's blouse on to her skin when she got married In Sha Allah.

"I need help with my blouse.I cant undo the knots on my own."

"Oh!"

"Yeah," she said as she made her way towards him and then turned so that her back was facing him.

Yasir placed his hand on her shoulder and immediately they both inhaled deeply when his hand grazed the exposed skin on her neck by mistake.

He placed his hand on her back but instead of touching fabric, his hand made contact with her soft hair.

"Is this your hair, Yumnah?" he whispered as he passed his hand through the soft long locks.

"Yes."

"MashAllah they are so long and soft," he said afterwhich he felt for all her hair, held them together and pushed them to the front.

"Il have to pass my hand over it to understand what im dealing with.Is it okay?" he asked his voice extremely rugged.

"I guess so."

He gently passed his hand over her blouse trying to capture every single detail.Indeed the person who had tied the knots was an expert.Did she weave baskets or something?Every single time his fingers would touch an exposed part of her skin, both their breaths would hitch.

"Yumnah, i am sorry i dont think i can do this," he said giving up.He couldnt even concentrate on finding the end.

"Yasir please."

"Okay, Bismillah," he said in a bid to try ease out the tension in the room and he smiled when he heard her laugh.

He made his way through the knots with more concentration this time until he found something like an end.He gently gave it a tug and all the knots magically opened.

"Its done Yasir, thank you," said Yumnah after which she ran to the bathroom her hand over her heart.

"You're welcome," he said, his face too totally flushed.

Yumnah came out a few minutes later only to find Yasir sitting on the bed.

"We can pray now," she said shyly.She didnt even want to face him after what happened.

"Sure,would you mind removing the mats from the bag?"

"Of course."

Yumnah reached out into the bag and pulled out two prayer mats.

"One is yours and one is mine.You can choose the one you want," he said.

"Wow,my first gift from you after marriage and that too a prayer mat.Alhamdullilah," she said as she laid them on the floor.

Yasir smiled and stood up to stand on his mat.Yumnah stood in silence behind him waiting for him to begin.

"Umm Yumnah, where are you?" he asked after a few seconds.

"Right behind you."

"Ive been waiting for this moment right from the moment we met," he whispered.

Yumnah let out a girly shriek upon hearing what he said and Yasir couldnt help but smile.Did she just shriek because of what he told her?But why?

"I am ready, lets pray," she said.

As soon as Yasir began to recite Yumnah held on to her breath.MashAllah he recited beautifully.Her heart found the calmness it needed as they both went down for sujood.

"MashAllah Yasir, you have a beautiful voice," she said as soon as they were done.

"JazakAllah habibty.Mind if i make a special dua for both of us?"

"Go ahead," she said cupping her hands.

"Bismillah."

"Ya Allah, please bless our marriage and let it be a means for us to come closer to You in love and devotion.Let it be a source of untold blessings,happiness and joy.Ameen."

"Ameen.Can i also say a dua," she asked.

"Yes."

"Bismillah.Ya Rabb please bless our marriage abundantly," began Yumnah, followed by a pause.

"Ameen," said Yasir.Wait,that was it?

"And may You make him love me as much as i love him."

"Ameen," Yasir said a smile playing on his lips.Seems it was going to be one quite long dua.

"May i be the coolness of his eyes."

"Ameen," he said trying not to laugh.Why was she saying it in bits?

"May You grant us twelve children."

"Ame...what?" he asked after which he broke off into laughter.Yumnah watched as her husband almost died laughing, a confused expression on her face.

"Yasir you did not finish saying Ameen and whats funny?"

"I am not saying Ameen to that," he said still shaking with laughter.

"And why not?"

"Yumnah habibty, we cannot have twelve children.Thats too many," he said trying his best to control his laughter.

"I want a big family Yasir and who are you to say that thats too many?"

"Fine we can negotiate, ten kids last price."

"Are you selling me my own kids now?" he asked, breaking again into another fit of laughter.

"Fine,May Allah bless us with pious children though in abundance," she said though whispering the last part.

"Ameen."

They both sat in silence for a while as Yasir tried to compose himself.

"Wait il be right back," said Yumnah.

She then grabbed her clutch and removed a bar of chocolate.She once again joined him on the floor and as was their norm, she broke the bar into two and gave him one half.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome though this is the chocolate you brought for me that day," she said as she took a bite.

"Really,you still have it?I thought you would have eaten it by now."

"No, i saved it for both of us."

"What if you had married someone else?" asked Yasir.

"Ah, then i would have just shared it with my other husband.We would have made dua for you as a sign of our gratitude," she replied teasingly.

"Psssssht.Another husband.As if."

"You're jealous."

"What's jealous even?" he asked.

"Jealous is what you are now,Yasir Hosseini."

"Drop it Yumnah.How do you even know that im jealous?"

"Because you are all red," she replied laughing.Yasir jealous? Wow.

"Pssssht,can we go to sleep now?We won't be able to wake up for fajr at this rate," said Yasir trying to change the subject.

"Good idea.I am kind of sleepy," said Yumnah as she let out a yawn.

"I just need to change."

"Il get out your clothes for you," said Yumnah as she hurriedly stood and rushed to his bag.

"Okay."

That had not been necessary.He knew on which side his clothes were but just the thought of her getting out his clothes for him did weird things to his heart.

"Here you go," she said as she handed him his tshirt and trouser.

"JazakAllah."

"Do you want me to help you change?"she asked, a wave of confidence surging through her.He had been teasing her at the Walima right?Well, it was now her turn.

"That's absolutely not necessary Yumnah."

"Seriously its okay.I am your wife now Yasir," she said as she pulled him towards the bathroom.

"Yumnaaaah."

"Yassiiiiir."

He felt for the door handle and in a flash opened the door and slammed it on her face.

Yumnah stood laughing her hands on her hips.His shyness was totally cute and that made her love him more.

She went back and began to dust the beds.They might be sleeping in one of the most luxurious hotels but she trusted no one and anyway dusting beds before sleeping was a forgotten sunnah.

She quietly watched her husband come out the bathroom.His tshirt was tight enough to show off his muscular body.He may not be going to the gym but Allah had granted him an amazing body for sure.

Yasir felt for the bed and immediately got in.He felt too shy to talk to her.Had she been joking a while back?

Immediately he felt the bed dip and he knew that she had joined him.They both remained on their sides of the bed a large gap between them.

Yumnah stared at the gap between them.As much as she knew that they both werent ready to take the second step in their marriage, she still didnt want any gaps.

She slowly rolled off to his side and almost immediately felt his warm hands circle around her waist.She placed her head on his chest while his chin rested on her head.

"Goodnight Yumnah," he whispered.

"Goodnight my love."

And just like that, the two drifted off to sleep.

*****