For the very first time since they had gotten married, Yumnah Saeed had totally no idea on how to approach her husband. He had not been himself since that afternoon and to be honest, she felt scared.

Scared of her own husband.

Scared of Yasir Hosseini.

She wondered as to how he would react if she tried to talk to him. Would he snap? Would he push her away or would he open up to her like he always did?

She just didn't know...

And not knowing is what hurt her the most since it had never been like this between before.

Their relationship had always been one filled with a lot of love and affection and Yasir himself had proven to her time and again that he was one very honourable, respectful and caring man who loved her with all of his heart.

Therefore, deep down she knew that she needn't be scared of him but with the way he had snapped at her that afternoon, she couldn't help but be doubtful.

But then...

He was her husband.

Who needed her and she knew that she had to push aside her stupid fears and go to him and be there for him when he needed her the most.

She unconsciously placed her hand over her heart, took in a deep breathe and called out...

"Yasir?"

"Yumnah, my love," he whispered back almost immediately afterwich he held out his hand for her to take.

"Come," he whispered once again and Yumnah slowly but relucantly placed her warm hand in his cold one.

"Yasir?"

"Yes, Yumnah?"

"Are you okay?" she asked as she placed her hand over his hurting heart.

"Yes, I'm okay," he replied but Yumnah could clearly see that he was not.

Her husband was struggling. Struggling to hide his emotions and he was miserably failing at it as well.

She lovingly caressed his cheek as she looked into his hazel eyes. Hazel eyes that she loved looking deep into because despite Yasir being blind, his eyes were always just so vibrant. Always twinkling and always oh so, full of happiness.

But right now they were different.

Totally different.

His eyes had lost their characteristic spark, they had lost their glow and they were just so bland that sadness filled her heart just by looking at them.

This was definitely not her Yasir.

This was a different man. A man who was hurting. Hurting a lot and that too because of his Akhi...

Who had left him!

They sat in silence for a while, their hands entwined until he asked...

"Yumnah?"

"Yes my love?"

"Has he...did he...has he already left?" he asked and Yumnah didn't fail to notice the hopefull expression on his face.

"He..he... he was...," she began but he cut her off.

"What am I even asking you Habibty? Of course he left. We suffocate him right?"

"Yasir its not at all like that."

"It is like that and do you know what is hurting me the most right now?" he asked.

"What is it Habibi?"

"The fact that my Akhi was my everything."

"He was my everything Yumnah. He literally was my everything," he said and a pang of sadness filled Yumnah's heart just by listening to his voice.

She loved Yasir immensely and seeing him in such a state and that too for the very first time, broke her heart bit by bit.

"You know Yumnah, you might have been my very first school friend but as for my Akhi, he was my bestfriend."

"My bestfriend and my Hero. He was the one person I looked up to the most. He was the one and only person I always wanted to be around," he said as he quickly wiped away a tear from his face hoping that Yumnah had not seen it.

He had never cried before her and never had he ever thought he would but right now, he just couldn't help it. All this was just but too painful for him.

"You know Yumnah? When I was just but around three to four years old, I chose to move into my Akhi's room instead of my own and unlike other elder brothers, he did not complain about it but rather he had seemed very excited. I can still remember his happy voice and how he had run to Mama's room to get my pillow and blanky."

"And...and...you..you...," he stuttered and Yumnah quickly began to rub soothing circles on his back encouraging him to continue.

"And you might not believe this Habibty but every single time I would toss and turn at night, my Akhi would get up, pull my blanky over me and pat me to sleep exactly the same way Mama did. Exactly the same way Yumnah. Exactly the same way."

By now, Yumnah had tears continuously streaming down her face. She didn't know whether it was her pregnancy hormones or was it just these two brothers?

"For me, everything was always about my Akhi. I always wanted to be like him. Exactly like him. I always wanted the same hairstyle as his though I could not see it, same shoes as his and nothing gave me more joy Yumnah than to wear the clothes my Akhi had grown out of. Not because they were stylish or anything but just because they were his. My Hero's.

"And you know? Whenever I would get good grades in school, I would never show them to Mama or Baba but rather I would first show them Akhi. He would then always give me a chocolate or any other type of candy from his share. He would always encourage me to work harder and it is solely because of him that my blindness never got to me."

"Solely because of him Yumnah. Solely because of him.

"Oh Yasir," said Yumnah as she took his hand and brought it to her lips, tears still streaming down her face. He sadly smiled as be laid his head on her shoulder and she quickly pulled him to her chest in a bid to comfort him.

"You know, I always loved being around him and I thought that he loved being around me as well. But guess I was wrong.".

"No Yasir. Hisham also loves being around you...," she said but he once again did not let her finish.

"Do you think that I overwhelmed him with my prescence and in the end he just...he just...

"He just grew tired of me?"

"No Yasir. Please, don't think that way," she said as she vigorously shook her head in disagreement.

She just could not believe this was happening and neither could she believe that Yasir could be so insecure about Hisham's love for him.

Was Yasir really that hurt or was he just in denial?

"You know, he sat right here where you are right now and then, my bestfriend, my Hero, my Akh, told me that he feels suffocated by us. He feels suffocated by me. And then he told me that he wants to leave and the best part about it all was the fact that he told me not to look for him," he said, his voice now devoid of emotion.

"And trust me Yumnah, I will not look for him because I...I...

"I now hate him," he said as he stood up, a stony expression on his face.

Yumnah let out a gasp afterwhich she quickly rushed to him and engulfed him in a tight hug.

"No Yasir, that is a lie. You out of all people cannot hate anyone. Especially not your Akhi," she said as she tightly clung to his shirt.

"I hate him Yumnah," he said his eyes all stony.

She once again vigorously shook her head in disagreement not at all realising that he could not see her. She just could not believe it. Yasir was a man with a golden heart and he could never hate on anyone.

"Yasir, you can't. You cannot hate your Akhi. Please calm down, my love."

"I said, I hate him Yumnah," he shouted as he pulled her off him and forcefully pushed her away only for her to stumble backwards and hit her hand on the bedside table.

She immediately winced due to pain and it took Yasir just but a few mere seconds to realise what he had just done.

"Yumnah," he shouted, panic evident in his voice as he rushed in her direction, felt for her and immediately cupped her face.

"Where did you get hurt my love? Where?" he asked as he worriedly passed his hands over her face and stomach.

"Yasir?"

"Yes, Yumnah?"

"I hurt my hand Yasir. I hurt my hand," she said sadly not all believing that he had actually pushed her.

"I...I... I am sorry," he said guiltily as he took her hand, brought it to his lips and then...

He broke down.

Right in front of her.

"I would never hurt you Yumnah," he whispered.

"I know."

"I don't know what came over me."

"I know Yasir."

"Maybe you shouldn't have married me Yumnah. I am truly incapable."

"No Yasir, you are not," she said as she laid her head on his chest, her hurting hand still gently clasped in his.

"I am Yumnah. Your mother was right. I am indeed incapable of taking care of you. I couldn't even see where I hurt you," he said, a very guilty look on his face.

"Yasir..."

"I am not myself right now."

"Its okay Habibi."

"I might hurt you again Yumnah. I have done it twice already."

"No, you won't. I know you."

"I don't trust myself anymore. I need space. I need to recollect," he said as he stood up and then gently pulled her up as well.

"I understand my love. Trust me, I do and I will give you your space," she said as she once again lovingly cupped his cheek with hope that she could reassure him.

The guilt in his eyes was just too much and she could not bear to see him like that.

"In fact you know what Yasir? Its even for the best. I think its time we started moving to the guest room downstairs, don't you think?"

"I...I...," he stuttered not being able to finish.

"And yes, I know that its not even been a month yet but time for sure does fly and the next thing you will know is that our little bundle of joy will be right here in our arms," she said as she took his trembling hand and placed it over her stomach hoping that it would slightly cheer him up or maybe just move his mind off things even if it was for just but a few seconds.

"Maybe I can move in there for a while and when you feel better, you can move in as well."

"I....I....," he began but stopped and looked away guiltily and Yumnah confusedly looked at him, an ill feeling settled down in her stomach.

"I need a break Yumnah. I need space," he whispered.

"But I am giving you space, my love."

"No...I...want you to...," he struggled to say but couldnt.

He just couldnt.

"Yumnah, Habibty," he whispered once again as he gently pulled her to his chest, a fresh set of tears staining his eyes.

He then bent down and kissed her forehead, her cheeks, her nose and then placed the most light featherly kiss on her lips but for for the very first time, Yumnah did not blush and neither did her heart flutter because deep down she knew that whatever was to follow...

Was not going to be good.

"Yumnah?"

"Yes Yasir?" she asked as a sob escaped her lips.

"What I mean by space Yumnah is that I want you to...," he said as he cupped her cheeks, his face full of hurt as well.

"Want me to what?" she asked as she rested her head on his chest, her tears wetting his shirt.

******

PLEASE DO VOTE AND COMMENT :)

AN ADVANCE EIDI FOR ALL OF YOU :)

HOPE YOU LIKE IT...

AND I HOPE IT NOW MAKES SENSE TO ALL THOSE WHO FELT LIKE THIS BOOK HAD BECOME TOO HISHAM ORIENTED.

WHATEVER HISHAM DOES, IT WILL AFFECT YASIR AND IN RETURN IT WILL AFFECT YUMNAH

HOPE THAT IS CLEAR NOW.

HISHAM'S LAST CHAPTER COMING UP!

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

ASALAM ALEIKUM :)