IQRA

I would be damned if i did not notice Shumayll's foul mood when he returned home from work

ammi and abba tried to question him but it was to no avail

"Shumayll what happened?" i asked him as he set on the bed, taking off his shirt

"Nothing" he replied, his eyes trained to the ground

"Shumayll what happened?" i pressed the issue and this time, i got a reaction that i did not expect

"IQRA! leave me alone please!!!!" he yelled at me and i flinched, a sudden fear of him settling within me

I stepped back

"I-I was ju- i will be back" with that i walked away, leaving him to his solitude

i did not want Shumayll to be on his own

but i also understood the need to be left alone to gather your thoughts

even though his words brought tears into my eyes and i gasped to hold them back as i set on the couch, switching on the TV to the cartoon, i knew he did not mean it and it was all fury talking

the cartoon played but i was not paying attention, my mind kept going back to my husband

was he alright?

should i go check up on him?

Or not?

My brain said no

but my heart said yes

I stood up and walked quietly into the room

I peered from the curtains and saw his dark shadow on the bed, still in that form

go to him or don't go to him?

"Iqra, i know you are there" he said, his voice hoarse and i knew he was crying

i had never seen Shumayll cry

never

I walked slowly towards him, waiting for his reaction

when i got nothing, i let out a breath of relief and set beside him

we set beside each other, the silence between us wrapping us around like a thick comfortable blanket

it was a good feeling

"Reality crushed me once again" he whispered and i turned my face slightly to face him

"It made me realize that society will never change, not until we all do" he whispered again and this time, his voice broke

an unfamiliar feeling set in my stomach, like i was out of breaths and someone was holding my throat, not letting me breathe

"My-My mother su- suffered" he whispered, his head in his hands and i knew he was crying

Immediately, i put my hand on his, to seek refuge from my pain or to give refugee to his, i don't know

I knelt down infront of him and removed his face from his hands

the sight infront of me made me whimper, a soft gasp leaving my lips

My Shumayll had bloodshot red eyes from all the crying and his cheeks were flushed and pink from all the tears he had shed

I did not know i was crying until i felt my tears on my own hand. I reached up and wiped them away with the back of my hand before using the same hand and wiping away his tears

"What?" i asked him and he looked away

My fingers went under his chin and i turned his face towards me

"What happened?" i questioned and he closed his eyes

"I met, i met my biological mother today" he said, his voice barely a whisper

"And?" i asked

"She is my dad's wife" he replied

i was taken back

what?

It took me a moment or so to take in that fact

But i refuse to accept it

"Dad as in?" i asked him

"Abba, Iqra, Abba!" he snapped, his voice full of venom

"What?" i asked him incredulously

"His second wife" he replied, clenching his teeth

"Shumayll......." i said and then he launched into his story

"I met Edreena Raymound today, my biological mother, my dads second wife who was divorced after me coz she left me with the orphanage to die! She was the reason why there was so many fights in my house, my family is broken Iqra, its broken and i am afraid that it will break again if she enters" his voice broke at the end and tears fell freely from his eyes

"Shhh, nothing of it will happen" i whispered, wiping away his tears

who know?

There was my family which was now complete and there was his, which was now at the verge of breaking

"Shumayll!" i said as i hugged him

his head on my chest and his arms around me as he cried

i rubbed his back and whispered soothings to him

my Shumayll was no hero, my Shumayll was broken and i will do anything to fix him

Finally he quieted down and we stayed in an embrace for a long time

finally, his breaths evened out and i smiled slightly

"Shower?" i asked him and he sighed against me, his hot breath hitting my chest, sending tingles all over my body

Placing a kiss there, Shumayll got up

he was oblivious of what he was doing to me, my body heated up, my heart picked up its pace and there was a settling feeling in my stomach that i tried to ignore

"Hmm" he muttered before walking into the closet

i let out a shaky breath and set on the bed trying to process my emotions

I need a shower

thats it

i need a shower!

I knocked on the door of the bathroom and Shumayll replied with a 'yes'

"Hurry up, i wanna shower" i replied and he laughed slightly

"K" he said

i took my clothes and got ready to shower after him

He went into the linked closet and i got into the bathroom (there was two doors of the bathroom, one from the bedroom and the other into the closet)

I put my things on the counter and locked both the doors before stripping down and standing under the shower

after showering, i got dressed in one of the t-shirts and leggings before heading out of the bathroom to Shumayll

He was on the bed, going through his phone

"Hey" i muttered as i set beside him

"Hello, Isha?" he asked me and i nodded

we stood up and then changed to go pray

we prayed in the prayer hall downstairs before we had dinner

no one spoke about Edreena and no one asked about her

her topic was long forgotten

or so we thought

"Shumayll, i heard you met Reena today" said Daadi mah and instinctively, i held his hand under the table, the touch sending my body into a pool of muddle, only hoping he got my message

"reena?" questioned Shumayll instead and i felt proud of myself for calming him

"Edreena" said Daadi mah and everyone literally stopped eating

"Yes" was Shumayll's cold answer

"Pretty woman, is she not?' smiled Daadi mah and i looked at ammi

she was pale as she tried to eat her food but i knew better

she can't eat at a time like this

what is wrong with daadi mah!?!

All this while i thought she was a nice lady! what happened!?!

"Ammi, please excuse us" said abba to daadi mah and daadi mah simply shrugged, before continuing to eat her food

Abba and ammi stood up and walked away

I saw Shumayll, Shumar, Shaheer and bhabhi (Huma didi) exchange a similar look

"Huma, i remembered that Shumar and i needed to get packing for the trip to Capetown tomorrow, please help?" said bhai and bhabhi nodded, getting up

the two brothers stood up and giving Shumayll one last look, left

"Daadi, more rice?" i asked her and she smiled at me

"No dear, have you met his mother yet?" she asked me and Shumayll's grip on my hand tightened

i did not know he had flipped our hand

"Uhh no" i muttered

"You should, very nice lady, i had asked her to come home sometime......." he voice trailed on and Shumayll stood up with his dished

"Well then, night Daadi mah, Allah Hafiz" he said before heading to the kitchen leaving me alone with her

On the way he called me and i was every so happy to leave

giving one last smile to daadi, i followed Shumayll into the kitchen

he told the maids to clean up the dining hall and the kitchen

"Come on" he said, tugging my hand and walking towards his room, upstairs

he was literally sprinting!

He locked the door behind him and before i could even say a word, his lips were on mine

he kissed me, like i was some precious vase, if he pressed harder, i could break. His touch send sparks and tingles all over my body and if it had not been his hands on the wall pinning me against it, i would be on the floor!

My hands raked his hair and finally settled on his neck as i kissed him back with full passion

it was an outrageous feeling of satisfaction, i really have no idea why

Finally, he detached his lips from mine and we both gasped for air

"Wh-what was that?" i panted and he gave me a lopsided grin

"Never do that!" he said and i furrowed my brows

"Do what?" i asked him

"Don't draw or rub circles with your thumbs on my body! You have no idea where it will lead you!" he said and i shivered

something about him did not make sense

"Shumayll....." i asked him and he snapped out of his trance

"Uh yeah, i need air" with that he sprinted out of the room

I did not know what was wrong with him but nevertheless, i let him be

taking my recent book, i hit the bed after changing into some shorts and tees

"Time for bed, Fluffy" said Shumayll when he entered the room several minutes later

"Just another minute, i am about to finish the chapter" i replied and he chuckled before taking the book away from me and placing it on the bedside table

he took off my glasses and placed them on the book and got into bed

dimming the lights behind him, he lay on the bed, smiling at me and then pulled me into an embrace

HIs arms around me and his legs tangled with mine, the normal sleeping position

"I love you Fluffy" he whispered, closing his eyes and i smiled widely at him

"I love you till infinity" i replied, meaning what i said

Slowly, we drifted off to sleep

The next morning, after shower and Fajr, we both again collapsed on the bed

"You alright?" he asked me and i nodded

there was an unsettling feeling in my stomach since yesterday

Everytime Shumayll touched me, it just came back

even at times of the night when he shifted, i would be wide awake due to all the sensations that i felt

it was unusual

"You are not well, whats wrong?" he asked me, concerned, cradling my head in his hands

"Its alright, just an unsettling feeling within me, thats it" i muttered and he chuckled, holding me close

he kissed my lips and i smiled into the kiss

i love this man, right here because of all he is!

Oh Allah what did i ever do to deserve such an amazing husband?

He detached his lips from mine and pushed the lose bangs of my hair back as he smiled at my face

"You are the most amazing person i know" he whispered, kissing my forehead this time

I chuckled

"Uhuh" i replied

'Yes but i also need work, so get up!" he said laughing as he stood up

He got off the bed and i took my time to stare at my husbands beauty

wearing only short pants, his half body was on full display for me to ogle on! Tanned skin, hard muscles and chest, toned down body and an amazing jawline, what more would a girl want!?!

thats when it hit me

thats it!!

"Shumayll......" i muttered, shakily as realization donned to me

"Yeah?" he turned to me

I gave him a pleading look and he stared at me

"You sure?" he asked me and i nodded, rather shakily

"You sure, sure?" he asked me and i growled

Laughing, he tackled me on the bed into a long passionate kiss

i knew he was not going anywhere for hours and may be late for work but meh!

I am important!