Chapter 48

Saad's pov:

I didn't know what was wrong with these ladies around me. They all loved sweets like their life depended on it. Okay, I know, I get it that they might like sweets. But there was a limit. Having cookies, cakes and chocolates all day wasn't healthy and definitely not recommended.

I had a sudden realisation that my wife too liked sweets. I mean, I kind of knew that since yesterday when it was our nikkah. But the realisation that I would now have to take care of two people who were crazy for sweets was a bit too sudden. Make it three if we added Amira too.

In the end I had to buy the chocolate cake for her. I actually didn't mind buying it but the fact that she was considering ordering something sweet with cold coffee after buying the cake - and having cookies at home already - was unbelievable. If aunty would have gotten to know about it, then surely it wouldn't have been a pretty sight.

But this girl was so stubborn! Who would make her realise that her one mistake could have landed us in much more trouble? I was kind of glad that I ordered something else instead of her sweet before anyone could notice it.

And believe me, she could be really violent if she wanted to. My foot was still paining from the time she stomped at it. But I wouldn't disagree that it was amusing to watch her getting angry and annoyed over my action. I think if this worked out - this nikkah and everything - then my favourite work would be to annoy her. I smiled thinking about it. She looked kind of cute when she was annoyed and angry.

Okay, I was definitely becoming an over thinker. I needed to stop thinking about her and our future. I didn't know what the future held for us, nor did I know what was written in our fates.

Shaking myself out of my thoughts, I glanced at the sleeping beauty beside me. Her hair - now out of the bun - was sprawled behind her carelessly. The comforter covered her till her chin as she snuggled more into it and sighed.

As soon as we reached home, she kept her cake in the fridge and after bidding Emaan farewell - a rather emotional one at that, I didn't even know why - she retired to her room. And even before I reached there - which was almost ten minutes later - she was already asleep, clutching a pillow close to her heart.

Her abaya and hijab were thrown on her dressing chair carelessly. And it feels like she didn't even take out her mobile from her purse because I couldn't see it anywhere around her. The azaan for Isha went off in the nearby masjid and I stood up to go and freshen up. I could think about her later. Actually, why would I even think about her in the first place?

._._._.

"Beta can you please go and call Atifa for dinner? It's ready." Aunty requested while entering the living room. "And everyone else, come for dinner." She added, giving a pointed look to Alayna and Amira. They pouted before standing up reluctantly.

(Son/dear)

"Jee aunty." I smiled while standing up.

(Yes)

"Also beta, don't call me aunty. Call me ammi now, just like Atifa and Amira." She told me with a warm smile. My insides crunched when I heard the word ammi. It reminded me of my parents back home who were waiting for us, unknown of the fact that I even got married here and might be coming back with-

"Theek hai?" Aunty, I mean ammi asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

(Okay?)

Looking at her, I gave her a small smile. "Jee theek hai... Ammi." I replied hesitantly, highly aware of the fact that bhai was sitting just beside me and might be listening to our conversation.

(Okay... mom.)

"Ab accha lag raha hai na sunne me. Now go and call Atifa quickly." She beamed at me happily before making her way back to the dining room.

(It sounds good to hear.)

"Aunty se ammi. Good luck chotu." Bhai chuckled before ruffling my hair and making his way out of the room.

(From aunty to ammi. Good luck little one.)

Sighing, I headed upstairs. Opening the door, I realised she was still sleeping in the same position. I slowly made my way towards her. Watching her peaceful face left me confused and made me contemplate if I should actually wake her up or not. She looked too peaceful and deep in her slumber for me to disturb her sleep.

Realising she might not have prayed Isha yet, I decided to wake her up. She could eat, pray and then go to sleep, no harm in that, right?

"Atifa." I whispered slowly before realising this was the first time I was taking her name. Feeling weird and uncomfortable, I decided not to do that again.

Turning on the bedside lamp, I shook her shoulders lightly, "Wake up?" My words came out more like a question, making me internally groan. She just stirred in her sleep. Clearing my throat, I tried again. "Begum, wake up. Dinner is ready."

(Wifey)

My hand was still on her shoulder when she squinted her eyes at me before groaning and squeezing them shut. I quickly removed my hand. "I don't want to eat." She mumbled sleepily before turning around and snuggling more into her comforter with a content sigh.

"But ammi is calling you downstairs." Frowning, I tried to argue but it was in vain, because she was already half asleep by then.

"Tell her that I'm full. I ate croissant with you, right?" She mumbled back. "And she is my ammi." She added, making me chuckle silently. This girl would argue even in her sleep.

"That doesn't count as food, nor does it make us full. And you still have to pray." I reminded her sternly, ignoring her latter statement.

"I will pray later. You can go." I heard her faint reply before she again went into deep slumber.

Shaking my head, I turned off the lights before making my way back downstairs and towards the dining room.

._._._.

"What happened? Where is Atifa?" Bhabi asked me with a frown.

"Yeah, she didn't come?" Ammi questioned, worry clearly visible on her face.

"She is sleeping. I tried to wake her up but she said that she was full before going back to sleep." I replied, shifting uncomfortably in my seat feeling their gazes on me.

"Oh, okay." Ammi mumbled, I glanced at them to see them nodding in understanding. My gaze flickered to Alayna and Amira just to see them pouting with a cute glare on their faces.

"Ammi you won't ask api to join us again?" Amira asked with a frown.

"Beta she is sleeping na. Warna I would have surely asked her to join us." Ammi replied with a small smile.

(She is sleeping dear. Or else I would have surely asked her to join us.)

"Then even we are going to sleep." Alayna exclaimed happily while looking at Amira.

"Yes ammi, we are full too." Amira added as they started to climb down from their seats.

"Alayna! This isn't done. Finish your food now." Bhabi scolded sternly, making her pout.

"You both aren't going anywhere before finishing your food." Ammi added strictly, making them both sit back on their seats.

"This isn't fair." Amira mumbled slowly, making me smile.

"You guys aren't being fair now." Alayna added quietly, making a sad face. Just one stern look from ammi and they both shut their mouth before continuing to eat slowly. Bhai was shaking, and when I glanced at him, I saw him trying to suppress his laughter.

Shaking my head at their antics, I continued with my food.

._._._.

I woke up due to the continuous ringing of alarm with a backache waiting to welcome me. Groaning, I shifted in my position before trying to find my mobile, my eyes still closed. The ringing stopped, making me sigh in relief as I snuggled back in my comforter, just about to go back to sleep.

My idea was short lived because just a moment later, I felt something feathery touch my face. Frowning, I tried to shake it off but it was still there. Getting irritated by it, I was about to swipe the irritation out of my way when I opened my eyes just to see a certain chocolate brown eyed girl's hair touching my face as she leaned forward, standing behind the couch with a frown on her face. As soon as our gazes met, she quickly stood back straight with a sheepish smile on her face.

"It's fajr time." I heard her remind me as she made her way back to the bed. The bedside lamps were turned on.

Yawning, I rubbed my eyes before sitting up on the couch. I had definitely gotten a bad backache. Nodding my head, I covered my face with my hands, still feeling sleepy.

"Why were you sleeping on the couch?" I glanced at her from my hands to see her looking at me curiously with a frown.

"I didn't want a repeat of yesterday." I mumbled, watching her intently.

She seemed offended as she narrowed her eyes at me. "I wouldn't have done that. It was just a one time thing and that was because I forgot that I was married." Defending herself, she pouted while grabbing a pillow from beside her and keeping it on her lap.

"It wasn't just a one time thing, but two times thing. And I don't trust you." I replied while squeezing my eyes shut. "And since when have you been up?" I inquired while stretching my arms, not giving her the time to retort. I hated arguments early in the morning. And it was clear from her face that she was awake from quite a while.

"Since three?" Her reply came out more like a question, making me raise my eyebrows.

"And why did you wake up this early?" I asked her, now confused. I know she might have gotten up to pray tahajjud, but three was still early. I mean the azaan for fajr goes off around five, so if someone wanted to wake up, they would wake up around four or four thirty?

"I couldn't sleep." She mumbled, now looking down and playing with the pillow. I could sense the sudden change in her mood after my question.

"So what were you doing?" I honestly didn't even know why I was asking her this many questions.

"Just reading stories." This time, she looked up at me with a cheeky grin. Wasn't she kind of off right now? Shaking myself out of my thoughts, I nodded my head at her before standing up and heading towards the washroom.

._._._.