"Stop! Razia, I told you don't put two spoons of sugar in the coffee. Zaan doesn't like it too sweet. Leave it, I will do that. I have put in all the ingredients, just add 1/4th spoon of salt in the vegetables. Keep in mind, no more or less. Otherwise Zaan won't eat it with the tortilla."

"Oh my God! Bhabhi( sister in law), am I seeing things? Is that my own daughter standing in the kitchen working like a pro or some doppelganger? The same daughter that hated entering the kitchen", and that's my mother for you. Ever dramatic. I just shake my head.

"Come on Ruksana, get used to it now. She has been handling the kitchen for two days now", taima chimes from beside. Both of them are sitting on the chairs of tea table. It's been two days since we came back at the mansion, it feels good to be back home.

The coffee is ready, I put it on his favorite mug and ask Razia to take it to his, sorry our room.

"Noorie, you take it with you beta. You have been with us since the morning. Both of you didn't spend any time together since you came home. Don't worry, we oldies can handle the kitchen", taima tells me. I just smile and nod nervously.

I have no choice but to take the cup with me. He hasn't spoken anything to me in the last two weeks apart from asking me to keep my things in his room as we don't want our family to suspect anything. I was happy, I got to stay closer to him. Ramzan starts in a week, Zaan wanted to shift next week but taima insisted we shift earlier and he is too much of a Mama's boy to deny her. How cute.

I knock and then enter, to see his nose buried in some files. I never knew he is a workaholic. I keep the cup of coffee on the bedside table. He just nods and keeps reading. God, he and his big fat ego. Can't he just get over it? Why does he have to hold grudges over something I said when I wasn't in my senses?

I just pretend to go over to the closet to set something when in reality I just want to stay here and sneak as many glances as I can of him. He is purely handsome in his sweats and tee. I wish I could capture a picture of his like that. I take out some clothes, and the bottle of perfume still staring at him from the corner of my eyes, his stubble has grown slightly giving him a more matured look. The next thing I know the bottle of perfume drops from my hand breaking into pieces of glass. I hiss in pain, I think a few pieces pricked my skin.

"Damn it Noor. Can't you do one thing properly? Why do you have to be so careless?", he was quick to rush to me after the bottle fell.

"Don't come closer Zaan. The pieces have scattered. They might prick your leg too. I will manage"

"Shut it. I already saw how well you managed." Inspite of my warning he comes to me, noticing two to three pieces have gone into the flesh of my leg. His face hardens, he slowly tries removing the pieces but it pains like a bitch so I put one hand on his shoulder and the other over my mouth so I don't scream. I shake my head vigorously at him, tears coming out of my eyes slowly.

He gets up picking me in his arms and walks towards the washroom placing me near the sink. He pulls out the first aid from there. I stiffen the moment I see the antiseptic. I hate them. God, no no. I am not putting it on my skin. It burns too much.

I try to get off the sink but this bulky guy wouldn't let me budge.

"Zaan, no. I am not putting that on my skin. Just let me go. It looks be fine."

"I am not putting antiseptic on you, it's just cotton soaked in water. Here"

"Stop using the same trick you used when I was a kid. I am grown up now, I know you dipped it in the antiseptic."

He sighs in disappointment. He begins closing the lid of antiseptic. Before I can smile in victory, my lips come in contact with another, his to be specific.

His soft lips stay there for a while, for me to grasp the reality of it. His one hand goes to my neck, rubbing my skin there sensually. He then begins moving them slowly, his tongue running across my lower lip. I am tempted to moan, he knows just what to do to get a reaction out of me. I begin kissing him back, trying to follow his movements. I am but inexperienced after all. He slowly increases the pace, his tongue trying to invade my mouth. I give him easy access. Our tongues begin to clash, the fight for dominance on. Meanwhile I can feel something on my legs, as though my skin is being pulled but I ignore it, trying to savour the taste of his lips, the feeling of him being pressed to me.

It feels magical, whatever it is. As if I am floating on the cloud with highest rank. The feeling is addicted. I could get used to it without knowing. I tap him when the need for air strengthens and he slowly pulls away. I whimper at the loss of contact, refusing to open my eyes lest I die of shyness. He pulls my hair behind my ears, staring at my face as if memorising it.

When he puts the used cotton in the dustbin do I realise he used it on me. He removed the stuck pieces of glass and also applied that antiseptic on me all the while I was enjoying the bliss of the kiss. I look up into his eyes trying to reassure myself that he didn't kiss me to distract me but because he felt like doing it.

But his eyes are blank, just like always. I feel the similar pain coursing through my body. Did he just kiss me so he could distract me? He walks out after putting the first aid away. I can't seem to move after the heavy realisation.

I get down the counter numbly trying to walk through the pain I feel in my legs. He had also bandaged it so it was slightly more difficult to walk now.

I can hear him instructing the maids to clean the pieces off quickly. I adjust my stole on the shoulders and rech out to turn the knob of the washroom door. Before I can ask him about it, he goes out without a second glance back at me.

It's fine Noorie. He must have some work. He can't always stick to you. And what would you even ask? Did you kiss me because you felt like it or just to distract me?

Sounds pathetic even to my own ears. So I just decide to sleep it off for a while. I lay down on his pillow, his smell calming the chaos in my heart. I have to apologise to him, in my senses or not. I shouldn't have spoken so cruelly to him. I hope you can forgive me Zaan.

Main aapki muntazir hoon Zaan.

Before I completely fall asleep, I feel a pair of lips on my forehead. A faint whisper of words that I am sure I wasn't imagining.

You have my heart, zojah (wife).