I was too tired that I've missed subh prayer and only prayed when the sun was already up and people are bustling about, making arrangements for the walimah .

The men had their Reception after the nikkah yesterday and today's event is solely for the women ,the XX's as Simran said .

I took a warm relaxing shower , taking my time to scrub every nook and cranny before finally coming out .Simran passed me my phone saying that the groom is shameless and he couldn't wait to talk to me later and had been calling over 5 times .

" Hey ! That's my husband you're talking about ,mind what you say or I swear you will get a slap " I glared at her while I shooed them out of the room,both of them muttering that I've started taking sides already and I no longer need them in my life .

" Assalamu Alaikum " I greeted

"Wa'alaikissalam Hayatee ,where have you been ? I was freaking out thinking you've eloped " he said

" With whom if I may ask ?"

" who knows ? Considering the fact that you didn't even wish your poor husband goodnight yesterday and you switched off your phone before he can call and perform your duty for you " that made me smiled and hug a small throw pillow to my chest.

" My poor husband I am sorry ,but in my defence I was tired and it's all your fault ,it's too much to take in that you're my hubby " I pouted

" You don't like me then ?" He sounded scared as if he don't actually want to hear my answer .

" Will I call you my husband if I don't like you ?" It came out before I knew what I was saying .Yahsalam now I've sold myself out ,am too eager and stupid sometimes .What if he don't feel the same way about me ? From the other side I heard him inhaled and exhaled,taking a deep breath

" I couldn't sleep last night Manal,I was just thinking about you , please give us a chance " he pleaded .

" Haba Taseer, I wasn't forced into this marriage please stop saying such things ,you're my brother remember? We will figure this out in shaa Allah don't fret please ,we are in this together" I consoled him

" Okay Habibaty ,I am not happy I can't see you till after the walimah ,do take care of my wife for me " He said while I smiled and bade him goodbye promising to call him as soon as we are back.

My friends came back a while later with a platter of goodies forcing me to eat a lot more than I intended while they keep fussing about how I've become a bad friend after getting married ,that they will undo what has been done and make me single again, Simran said both me and Taseer are behaving like lovestruck puppies and we are head over heels for each other.

" I don't think he loves me ,maybe he's just trying to be kind " I blurted out what I was thinking .

" No , he has something for you Manalie ,it might not be as much as you love him or it might be more than you do love him ,but it's there ,only a blind person will deny the fact that he loves you " Simran said while applying powder on her face.

" I hope so " I whispered scrolling through Jiddah's gallery looking at the pictures from yesterday .

" You know Manal is a novice in all this love thingy ,I don't know what good reading all those huge novels have done to her " Jiddah teased drawing out Sydney Sheldon's if tomorrow comes from the shelf .

" There is a difference between imaginations and reality ,besides I've never had a boyfriend before so my husband is my first in all the strata of relationship ,first guy I considered as a brother and a friend ,now my husband and the book you're holding is not a love story " I snatched the book away from her which earned me a smack while Simran Chuckled .

" Now she's acting all wise and witty ,as if we don't know that already " she muttered tying her scarf.

" I heard you " I said

" I know you do ,it was meant for you to hear it wasn't it ?" she rolled her eyes and I looked at the wall clock .

" I am tired of waiting ,I will do my make up myself " I said walking towards the vanity table while Jiddah hurriedly grabbed my shoulder

" What do you think you are doing ? Is this a casual outing or are you going to school? I doubt if you even know how to apply mascara talk less of eye liner ,sit and wait madam we have a lot of time " she chided while I sulked

" Hahahha that was an insult in form of the truth ,we should hire someone to teach her how to apply all those make up abubuwa ,aswear you suck " Simran doubled over with laughter and soon Jiddah joined her .

" It's not your fault , keep laughing at me there will come a day when I will laugh to my heart's content while you guys are begging me to do your make up for you " I huffed in annoyance .They high -fived each other .

Are you ready wifey ?send me a picture of the most beautiful woman on earth who happens to be mine - M

Not yet and you have to pay before you see me - M

Name your price and it's done mi lady - M

I wanted to type just love me ,the whole me including my flaws and all but I held back and typed .

Don't mind me ,I will send it right away ,I'm sure my plain face will suffice .-M

You're more beautiful without make up babe - M

He didn't just call me babe did he ?

I am not sending again since you called me babe #pouts - M

I'm sorry Hayatee I won't call you babe again now send the pic or I am coming to your room right now babe - M

No you're not and you can't and I forbid it ,aren't you ashamed that all the people outside will see you ? - M

I am not afraid and yes I can and let me see the person who dare to call me a shameless guy for coming to see my wife - M

I snapped the picture and send it to him only then did I realise that Jiddah and Simran were all looking at me ,stifling a laugh. I raised a brow asking them what's wrong and why they are looking at me like that .

" Nothing Mrs ,continue what you were doing and snap another one that one looks not too good ,pose with a smile and open your teeth so that he will know you've brushed them this morning " Simran said rolling her eyes while Jiddah burst into a fit of laughter .

I will get back to you later,I thought while turning my attention to my phone.

Mashaa Allah, I am truly blessed,there is no need for you to wear any make up Hayatee you look perfect, even a poet can't do justice to your beauty .-M

Enough ,you are making me feel beautiful while am not -M

My wife is beautiful ,even those who envy her can testify to that and tell my wife if she dare utter any word in line of not being beautiful I will deal with her - M

Now you're being bossy aren't you ? - M

I can be anything for you love, even an errand boy ,I will always be at your service Madame - M

I kept smiling and texting him until the artiste arrived and I had to say goodbye ,hoping she had been a little more late . She took her sweet time before dolling me up and since I am happy today ,I decided to take a look at myself and the person I saw staring back at me is a totally transformed Manal .I smiled and posed for a pic ,they mocked me a yodelled but I didn't care as far as the picture will get to my husband ,then so be it, let them mock all they want .

At the walimah ,the woman that came discussed about the duties of a wife to her husband and her rights and that of the husband to his wife and his rights .Duties of a mother to her children and the perks of being a married woman , it was an interesting gathering and lecture and I was glad I didn't add anything to the list of events apart from the walimah because no matter how badly people want to go to a dinner function this is way better and will bring barakah to my marriage in shaa Allah.

After taking lots of gifts and congratulations from the people that graced the occasion ,I spotted a lady staring at me with contempt and a woman who is an older version of her dragged her to come and meet me .

" Congrats Manal I hope it lasts a month " she sneered while her mother gave her a warning stare .I smiled and thanked her while Simran shot daggers her way .

" Allah sanya alheri " the older woman said and just as they turned Hajia came to us ,

" Manal this is Hanifah and her mother my friend ,they came here to grace this occasion " she said pointing at the women ,I smiled at the older witch and glared at the much younger one ,they started walking out when I blurted

" it will last a lifetime because that's what it is meant to do " while Simmy high -fived me , Hajia gave me a look saying this Is so not bride like and I snickered as she left while Jiddah hugged me by the side .

" Bravo alaiki defensive wife ,so that is Hanifa , she's not even pretty "

" Muntaseer would have been so unlucky and live a miserable life with her ,she screams bad luck from a hundred miles " Said simran glaring at space ,looking as If she's ready to murder someone .I just smiled at the way my friends are defending me .

After most of the guests have dispersed, there was music and a lot of drinks and fun ,a cake was brought compliments of Muntaseer and that he is waiting to take his wife back home .

" I was tasked with the duty of giving you a slice of the cake and cutting it with you my dear " Simran mocked bowed and I glared at her .

" I am not taking this cake ,if he won't come in then take it back to him " I stomped my feet like a child throwing a tantrum because of candy .

" Jiddah go and tell that man outside that his beloved wife is On the verge of tears and he should come rescue those precious drops " and off Jiddah went ,coming back with my Taseer and his friends trailing behind her like a typical bride and bridesmaids just that in this scenario ,it is the bridesmaid with the grooms men.

I suddenly felt shy , wishing the ground to open up and swallow me whole, now he will think I want him to feed me ,and in front of all his friends ,pfft am done and it is solely my fault no one else's . He came and sat beside me giving off a very sweet and intoxicating scent I wanted to snuggled into his babban Riga and never come out till the end of time .

" I know am hot wifey no need to stare " he whispered so that only me heard him .

" I wasn't staring was I ? And you don't look good at all "

" Thank you my dear, you seem to forget that you are a very terrible liar "

" Mmm" I hummed

" Ameer can you guys please give us some privacy ?" He politely ask his Besty and just like that they disappeared to God knows where .

" I don't wanna feed my wife in the presence of those perverts ,it won't be good and they will torture me for the rest of my sorry life " I know that he is playful and all ,but never in my wildest dreams have I ever imagined him to be this care free and easy going with me .

"let's cut the cake wifey " and we did cut the cake and he cut a large slice on a plate ,sat me down and fed me, I did the Same while we looked into each others eyes ,smiling mildly .He grazed his thumbs over my lips wiping away the icing that was there which made me blush while he held my hands

" You look very beautiful Hayatee I really am lucky to wake up to this sight every morning " he whispered .

" I am glad you like your wife and she is luckier to have you " I said looking down suddenly feeling shy of him .Then come the whooping sounds and cheers and claps .

" I almost died right where I was hiding " Simran said while the rest kept laughing at us .

I was uncomfortable and Taseer draw me closer to him saying it's alright ,I shouldn't be shy ,am his wife and at least they now have seen how cute we are together .

The drive back home was fun, just me and him while the others followed us In a convoy .

" Now your driver has turned to your husband, how do you like it " he teased but I felt a pang of pain in my chest .

" I know I was rude and I don't deserve your kindness ,will you please forgive and forget " my voice was wavering and he abruptly stopped the car and engulfed me In a hug

" shhh Hayatee ,I was just joking you know that, but I won't repeat it ever again in shaa Allah" I sniffed while he pats my back ever so gently ,it was the horn coming from the other cars that broke us apart and he went out to tell them everything is alright before be proceeded home .

The girls squealed so loud they almost damage my ear drums the moment I went into the room

" What were you guys doing in the car ?" They asked in unison and I gave them the are you kidding me look .

" Eating each other obviously " I rolled my eyes, unzipping my dress.

" Subhanallahi, lallai yarinyah kin girma ,and you are telling us this ?" Jiddah said

" you asked and I gave you an answer, what else do you want me to say ,isn't that what you wanted to hear ?" I replied with a duh tone and they attacked me with pillows laughing till we ran out of breath and just lay down face up looking at the ceiling .

" Am happy you're happy Manal,that's all I ever wanted for you ,to be happy " Simran says holding my hands while I clutched it tightly.

" I am happy indeed Simmy,he is the best and I hope this happiness will last forever" I said with a lone happy tear cascading down my cheeks .

He is too good to be true ,if only they have an idea of the things he told me in the car ,he didn't say ' I love you 'the eight magical words but from the things he said I know he loves me more than I can ever imagine and that gives me respite that I have given my whole heart to someone who is willing to give his heart to me ,someone who will draw me closer to my Rabb and make me a better person .

when he told me he will be leaving and going back to Amsterdam in 3 days I almost begged him to take me with him .I know that Abby told me about it and no one was making any arrangement for the conveyance of bride but I was too absorbed in the moment to think of the reality .

I was deep in thoughts not knowing that my friends had already slept off in our position .I woke them up to pray ishaa while I did so offering the shaf'i and witr before going to Ammy's room .I met her rubbing ointment on her legs and I offered to help which he succumbed to without saying anything.

" I thought I've lost my daughter ai ,I haven't seen you in almost 24hrs Manalie have you by any chance forsaken us ?"

" Haba Ammy ni na isa? You're in my heart that's why I can't sleep without seeing the person I love most " I said smiling at her still rubbing the ointment massaging her legs .

" who knows maybe your husband have beaten me to the number one and I'm now number two " she said

" Never! You will always be the number one for me .Ammy thank you for choosing Muntaseer for me ,there will not be any better choice apart from him " I stated seriously while Ammy pats my head Saying that they always want the best for me and she is happy I am happy with their choice .We talked about the walimah and the people that came before I tucked her in while she mildly warned me not to sneak up on her again .

I went back to my room ,changed into PJ's and unplugged my phone from the socket before dialling Taseer's number .

" I was sulking and eating dates when you call,I thought you've forgotten me " he whined like a child .

" We need to do something about your faculty of thinking ,it is filled with negative thoughts "

"Aye ma'am your wish is my command" he faked a posh accent and I laughed .

The conversation flowed as if we've been together for a long time him never making it boring ,making me laugh or snicker while he complained of how I am letting him do the talking and entertaining, that I should choose one or else he will punish me .

" Will you go on a date with me day after tomorrow ?" He asked and I swooned over my husband .

" Maybe ,maybe not " I teased

" please wifey, help your poor hubby ,you will break his heart if you don't "

" Yes I will love to go on a date with you Mr Muntaseer Muhammad "