11th Nov, 2020

•EPILOGUE•

Writer.

Carefully placing his one hand below her knees and another on her waist, he took her baby weighted body on his arms.

Due to unconsciousness, her head fell on his shoulder giving it's full force there.

He managed to slowly walk out of the jet and walk somewhere close.

The fragrance, attitude, beauty and history of the place where now they landed, snatched Isaa's each and every fear, pain and struggle of life away replacing that with peace and pleasure.

His eyes moved down on his wrist as he looked at his watch realizing the time.

He made his way to someone standing near a building as he waited for Isaa.

"Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu Akhi, atamanna 'an takun alrihlat aminatan wamarihatan lizujatik. Kayf halataha alsihiyat alan?"

"Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu brother, hope the journey was safe and comfortable for your wife. How is her health now?"]

The man, seemed to be in his late 40 questioned realizing Mayrah deadly sleeping on Isaa's arms as for a second he looked at her.

"Walaikum Assalam Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu, Alhamdulillah kana. Alhamdulillahi aydana bikhayr, watatawaqae 'an tataefaa tmamana baed hadhih alrihlat in sha Allah. Ana asif jdana liltaakhir."

["Walaikum Assalam Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu, Alhamdulillah it was. Alhamdulillah she's getting fine too. Expecting her to be recovered after this trip In Sha Allah. I'm so sorry for being late."]

"La la, ladayk ma yakfi min alwaqt ikn.....Ukhtiha nayimat ealaa ma 'aetaqid."

["No no, you've enough time. But...sister is sleeping I guess."]

"Aahh nem, sawf tastayqiz fi ghdwn daqayiq."

["Aaah yeah, she will be up within minutes."]

"Allah yahfazuha taht zulih alrahim ya 'akhi bihadhih. Sa 'ursil lak mafatih ghurfat alfunudiq"

["May Allah keep her below His merciful shade. Brother, that way. Being done, do call me, I'll send you the keys of hotel room."]

"Shukran. 'Ahtaj 'iila daqiqat ki 'iiqaziha ghuma easib eayniha, lidha 'aetaqid 'anani bihajat lildhahab 'iilaa alghurfat awlaan."

["Thank you. I need a minute to wake her up then blindfold her, so I guess I need to go to the room first of all."]

"Bialtaakid, min fadlik bihadhih altariqa"

["Sure then, please that way."]

With a warm and fresh smile, he looked at the gap of her Niqaab that revealed her closed eyes as she's still lost in the world of her dreams.

He followed the man who lead him to a nearby hotel room though his soul was desperate to go to it's real destination.

•••

"I just woke up na, we could rest and come here. Which place is this?" Mayrah questioned as she stood long steps away from the main view of the place.

Isaa is so lost in the beauty and magnificence which made him forget the whole Universe and every other beauty it holds.

He warmly smiled and held Mayrah's hand glancing up at her.

"Guess, which place it can be."

"ISAA! Don't play with me. Remove this cloth."

She tried to untie it but immediately he pushed her hands down. Huffing, she rested her head on his shoulder as he securely caught her by her waist keeping his eyes fixed in front.

"Guess soon."

"Mmm it's night..so I guess any hilly area....uhh... Antarctica?"

She guessed inhaling the purest air blowing around.

"Nope!"

"Then...Paris! Eiffel tower! Oh myyy! Really?" Excitingly she jumped, he sighed wanting to just push her away from him and enjoy the loneliness being in this place.

"Istanbul then....right?"

"Come on, choose wisely."

"Wise word doesn't exist in my head."

She pouted making him smile too.

The fragrance around made them find peace in their hearts which grew more and more with time.

"This is....maybe....most probably... Jannah? You might forget me after I open your eyes free for the love of this place."

He dreamingly said taking a step back to untie the cloth revealing the heaven to her.

"Am I that selfish to forget my husband just for any beautiful place?"

She pouted as he started removing it for her.

Just after the second, he moved few steps away from her while she rubbed her eyes before opening them.

Due to being unconscious for hours and now being blindfolded, she hardly could manage to digest the surroundings.

To not interfere in between Mayrah and the gift that he is about to give her, Isaa moved many steps back as he sat down on the ground with love shining in his eyes.

"My eyes...."

She rubbed them again and slowly opened to finally have a view of that place.

As they got their clearness back, the pair of orbs rolled around to really believe what they really are seeing now.

There was nothing like she expected, she could see many and many tall buildings very far from them but the main point is just few steps away from her.

She stood numb on her foot as she finally got her ability to realize things back.

A minute passed, she said nothing but just looked around. With time, she felt her body shivering, out of sudden shock and unwanted happiness.

A thought slipped her mind asking her that generally the place stays filled with souls, why is it only her today?

There's nothing around, no noise, no human, just millions of stars staring at her from above the black sky.

And she stood on middle of the heaven, still being unsure of where she is standing right now.

As minutes passed, tears filled her eyes to roll down freely, she moved her hand to her face covering it as she let a muffled sob out.

With a peaceful sigh, she took a step back and turned her body around, finding Isaa sitting away from her being lost, as if nothing existed for him.

She never ever expected to be here, at least not now.

She couldn't just define her feelings to herself.

Only the owner of her soul could know so.

Turning back, she looked at the square sized house which is covered with a black cloth, having something written on them in golden color.

She fell down on her knees letting tears rain as much as they can.

A whisper left her mouth as she sobbed covering her mouth with both her hands.

She totally wasn't fine before, it's just been months that she started recovering. She still takes her medicine to cover her weakness.

But coming here, facing the heaven on the earth healed her every ache as if that never even was alive in her.

The burning sensation, unbearable struggles, hopeless days, everything slipped out from her memory as she could only now think of the present.

Long minutes later, she stood up from the floor and walked to the Kaba.

She realized it to be unlike the pictures could ever define,

Walking to the side of the stone that sat peacefully on a corner end of the Kaba, she attached her lips to it closing her eyes in pleasure.

Like this, hours passed as they stayed lost within themselves forgetting each other, as the love now only exists between them and their creature, individually.

••••••

"Mummaaaaaaaa! Daaaadaaaaa! You are back!" Mahdi came running towards them as happiness and peace ran on his veins seeing his parents standing out of his school's gate waving their hands at him.

"Yeshh! My baby." Mayrah giggled as Mahdi climbed up on her. Taking him on her lap, she kissed his face though her lips are covered for the Niqaab.

"Mummaaa! I missed you." He wrapped his hands around her neck giving a tight hug as she laughed looking at Isaa.

Breaking the hug, he extended his hands to go to Isaa's lap at which he immediately snatched him and placed a peck on his forehead.

"Your days are over right? Mumma is ours now."

He demanded making both of them laugh. Isaa happily nodded his head remembering his promise that he gave before taking Mayrah to Umrah immediately after her surgery's succession.

"Where is Mahdia?"

"She's on the playground."

"Shall I go?" Mayrah questioned looking at Isaa, who allowed nodding his head while messing his son's hair.

She advanced towards the playground finding little children of Mahdia's age running here and there.

Mayrah walked more searching for her daughter but failed to notice her running around.

She saw few ladies standing together seeing their children play, so she made her way there taking their attention.

She was about to say something to a lady when someone pushed her from behind making her scared though she managed to maintain her balance.

"Sorry sorry aunty so sorry." The little girl apologized as she stood with 2 of her friends beside her.

Mayrah turned around finding Mahdia still with a sorry face.

She bowed down and hold Mahdia closer to her.

"Mumma is back!"

"M U M M A!"

Minutes passed as Mahdia showered her love on her mother and then suddenly looked for someone around her with a tensed expression on her face.

"Aunty."

She grabbed Mayrah's hand and walked to a lady of Mayrah's age.

"She's my Mumma. Look, Daadaa didn't take another Mumma for us, he brought our Mumma back."

•••••

As they finished the topic, Mayrah excused herself going to the way of the staircase.

Isaa moved Mahdia down on the couch from his lap and followed Mayrah.

They reached to the second floor then Isaa ran to Mayrah and pulled her from behind.

"Ouchhh!"

"Me there sweetheart." He locked her in his arms as she turned back and gave him an angry glare.

"What's the need to go to London now? We are fine here right." She complained at his decision which he took all on a sudden making their family surprised.

Isaa sighed removing the strands of hair from her cheek as she rested her hands on his chest.

"I came here to marry you. Not to stay here forever. Situations made me hold on."

"Isaa! Our parents are here, why should we leave them? It's not right to do this."

"We'll keep visiting them yah? And anyways now I just want you, me and our kids together."

He justified drawing sweet nothings on her cheek at which she grinned and slapped on his arm.

"Please don't. They're getting old, Isaa. Let's not leave."

"Aahh Mayrah! We'll convince them to shift there few years later."

"Fine. When are we going?"

"Next week."

She hummed flying to the world of thoughts while Isaa continued running his fingers on her face.

"So you sold me to my babies? I'm just theirs hmm?"

She raised her eyebrows at which he shook his head and leaned forward to kiss her nose.

"I've whole life to spend with you. They'll once grow up and get busy with their lives. So....you're theirs for few years."

He justified watching her change of beauty, she doesn't look like before at all. Even though she looked beautiful, her sickness still ruined it back then.

But now seeing her real nature, he finds nothing else any more appealing than her beauty.

Mayrah was about to say something but a soft voice coming towards them made her force Isaa back as he frowned looking back at Mahdi and Mahdia.

"No, you're mistaken. It's haram for husbands to touch their wives. Only every Daadaa can touch every Mumma."

Making Mayrah and Isaa shocked as they opened their mouths with widened eyes, they both walked away still discussing about the same topic.

"Who taught them all these?"

Mayrah raised her eyebrows at which he grinned pulling her back to him.

"Search me!"

•••••

"I'm sure that's not Baitullah! Will you say something?"

"Come on, I'm not saying it to be Baitullah. Just shut up and keep walking.

Why are you so tall? Aarghhh I need to get up on a driving chair then walk behind holding your eyes."

Getting annoyed, she spoke tiptoeing as she hold his eyes from behind and walked inside the big door.

"Your naughty mind couldn't give any better idea? You could have tied any cloth on my eyes instead of this."

He said maintaining his balance as they walked further. His words made Mayrah giggle as she decided to take his idea.

"My dear married husband and the father of my 2 childs, if that truly you are, do not open your eyes as I'll be shutting your eyes with my Niqaab."

"W H A T?"

"Yeah so ready! If you open then You Must Give My Mahr Right Now or else I'll complain to Rasulullah ﷺ after going to Jannah."

She spoke removing her hands and coming in front of him. He agreed with her madness keeping eyes fully shut while she untied her Niqaab and covered his eyes with it.

"I just hope this isn't Jahannam, as it's hot." He mumbled as she grabbed his hand and walked further.

"Ouchhhhh...not again.."

"Mayrahhh.." Immediately he pulled her to his chest as she was about to slip down.

She hold his shoulders protectively cursing her heels.

"I'm okay doctor. Calm down."

"Please now unfold this."

"Oh hello? Just shut up and do what I say."

"But where are we?"

"Don't worry not in Jahannam Astagfirullah!"

"Mayrah please can we...."

"So now! Stand here without moving even a step back or further. Give me 5 minutes, I'll remove this Abaya and free your eyes."

"Okay! Soon." As he mumbled counting time, she moved few steps away and unbuttoned her Abaya after removing the Hijab.

Revealing the simplest Sari of pure white color, she styled her straight and open brown hair that reached on her waist.

Her one colored white long earrings made sounds as she put her hair on the left shoulder.

He also heard the dancing of her bangles which are too, white along with every other thing used on her body.

"Done?"

"Hmm just a second." She again grabbed his hand and went deeper inside the hall.

"Aarghhh now that's too much."

"There you go!" Excitingly she jumped turning back colliding with his chest. Immediately his hand landed on her bare waist as he realized that within seconds.

"Are you naked?"

"What? Che che! Shameless. Shut up. Okay now keep your eyes closed for a minute more, let me keep the Niqaab in my bag."

"Wallahi I better marry another girl than doing this to you."

"Shut up and do what I say."

"As if I have any other option." Pouting, he kept his eyes closed while she placed her Niqaab on her white vanity bag and kept it down on a corner.

"Come on! Open them now!"

"Shukr Alhamdulillah!"

Sighing he opened his eyes only to not see anything clearly. Due to keeping his eyes closed for a long time, he found everything to be dizzy though with every passing second his vision cleared.

All that he could see is white, thin, silk and long sheets hanging on every side of the hall. The walls has almost every type of white flowers attached there which filled the room with their pure scent.

The hall seemed quite big from every part which he couldn't correctly guess because of the hanging sheets. They again and again danced due to the white fans running above.

Peaceful, relaxing and calm sun rays made the hall more charming that came out from the windows, though they are covered with white sheets.

When he was done checking out the surroundings, he lowered his gaze to find himself dressed in white attire that Mayrah forced his to wear today.

"Mayrah....where are you?"

"Find me." A voice cheered up from the left as he moved his eyes but found only the sheets dancing as they collided with each other.

"Come out Mayrah."

"Don't spoil the moment. Walk after me."

"But from wh...." He stopped seeing her walking away as her heels sounded. Without her skin and hair, everything else belonging to her also matched with the flowers and sheets.

"Mayrah." He immediately walked after her but she ran away hiding herself by the sheets.

"Hmm Isaa? Come."

"Coming." He chuckled and again followed her but she vanished among the sheets.

"Aahh these...." He removed one of them as it covered his face making him lose her spot.

"Thanks to your brown hair. No wonder if they were white also."

He looked around in search of her but failed for the third time as she stayed silent making no sound.

"Mayrah?"

"There hubby." Finally she turned around showing her front part.

As he looked at his left, her appearing body made his eyes widened as a soft smile cheered on his lips.

Among the white sheets, the edge of her Sari also danced while she stood on the mid staring at him.

"If everything is white, why these lips are bloodred." Walking towards her, he asked while she also took few steps back still staring at him.

"Now if I had used white lipstick, maybe you would have fainted." She giggled turned around and again vanishing away from his gaze.

"Aahh Mayrah! Come to me."

"Catch me if you can."

He ran faster but couldn't go near her as she walked away to the other side.

"Is the hall so big? How did you find it? And what truly the place is?"

"Can you for once only think of your wife?"

"As if she ever leaves my mind?" He asked back moving the sheets away in search of her but failed miserably.

"No wonder why I'm only romantic, not my husband!"

"Caught you!" He was just about to get a hold of her hand but she managed to again run away and hide herself within the sheets.

"Try me hubby!"

"Don't mess with me okay? Once I catch, I'll bite you."

"Oh I'm messing with you? Come catch me, waiting for the English cat's teeth."

"Come out Mayrah."

"Get me."

"Fine!" Recognizing her by seeing her hair, he ran to that direction while she made her way towards the special spot and fortunately also reached there.

"There you go!" Again he was about to catch her but she got scared hearing his voice as she tried to move away but her heel broke and her ankle twisted making her slip down on the floor.

"Aaahhh ..."

"M a y r a h! Careful!" He bowed down while she started massaging her ankle gasping painfully.

"Aaahhh... ufff...hurting me..." She moaned before he pulled her up on his arms in the bridal style seeing a couch and a bed placed near them.

This area has no sheets hanging on the walls but only around the bed. Still it looks simply gorgeous due to the white flower decorations everywhere around.

"Uuhh...hhmm.."

"Just a minute." Making her sit on the couch, he sat down on his knees and pulled her Sari little above her ankle.

"Why do you wear these heels?" Annoyingly questioning, he removed the shoe and massaged her ankle.