•Hamza

We had just prayed the Fajr salat and completed saying our Azkar.

Aaliyah had gone back to sleep but I didn't so I'd be able to quench my thirst of curiosity.

After two days of arrival, I noticed Aaliyah had been scribbling down things in a journal and whenever I asked her what she was writing she'd say 'It's a secret boo, with time you'll find out.'

I wasn't particularly angered but her words made me fastidious.

After folding the prayer mat I'd used, and dropped it in the wardrobe, I tip-toed to her side of the bed where it was hidden in her bed-side drawer.

I pulled the shiny brown knob of the wooden box and picked it up noiselessly before closing it shut.

She shuffled and turned in her sleep, making me think she was on the verge of waking up.

I quickly rose up from the floor and dashed into the bathroom, pulled up the toilet sit and sat down to dive into the world of mystery my beautiful wife has refused to grant me entrance.

Behind her eyes, you'll see a river. Mysterious, a horror, it'll make you quiver.

Her actions bold, speaking louder than words. Greedy and great like a tsunami.

The world knows she's running like she's chasing a Grammy but the fire in her past will keep her burning.

She has no sister's, brother's or a loyal friend but there's a mister that's willing to die for her.

Hamza fari. Her prince charming. He taught her the true meaning of 'till death do us part'.

They never uttered such vows but they held it closely to their dainty hearts, unspoken like the several other promises they silently made to each other.

"Honey!"

She's awake! Crap.

"H-h-here! In the bathroom." I stuttered.

Thank God I locked it from the inside so I had time to hide it somewhere.

"You've been in there for a while. Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. Ciki na ne ya murɗe. I blame it on the dishes we had yesterday." I laughed nervously and groaned for effect.

"I'm sorry. Let me call the receptionists table to see if they'd have anything for you."

"Yes! Thank you." I sighed in relief.

As soon as I heard the sound of her shutting the door of our bedroom I quickly rushed out to return it back to it's former space.

I layed on the bed and pretended to be asleep before she came back.

"Fari wake up. There's breakfast waiting for you in the living room. As for the meds, they only had aspirins so I told them to still bring it."

"Thanks babe. Have you eaten?"

"No. I'm waiting for you silly!"

We brushed our teeth together since there were twin sinks in the bathroom before heading to the living room.

"Aaliyah."

"Hmm." She responded with a full mouth.

"Are you ok?" I inquired, concerned about her wellbeing.

"I'm healthy." She smiled, melancholy.

"I know that. How about your mental health?"

"What do you mean?" She munched on a piece of toast.

"After..." I trailed, not wanting to mention Junaid, "The great loss. I thought I lost my wife."

"I'm fi-better. At least I've found a way to push it to the back of my mind though I still remember him everyday."

"That's good to hear. Please try to be happy. You have me and that's all that matters."

"You need to take a break. Forget that there's anything bothering in this life. You're a million miles away from home. Enjoy it."

I picked the last piece of toasted bread just as she swallows the last bite of the one in her hand and feed her.

We sip from our mugs of coffee in a bland silence, thinking of whatever crossed our minds.

****

Like a Disney princess, he said to her, Cinderella, Cinderella, give me your heart, it's only at every milestone that I fall in love with you all over again.

It felt like a movie scene but it was just an inside joke they shared as lovers shared.

'Do you remember the time?' she'd constantly ask.

And they'd reminisce for hours till they both fell asleep, his hands wound around her waist and her head lying above his broad chest.

Hours later, they'd wake up to pray the Fajr salat together and after, they'd say the Azkar.

Later on, she would sit at the beach writing and he would stay beside her playing with her black, curly, shoulder length locks that pocked out from underneath her veil.

Time would go by as they lazied around in flip flops and sun hats with sunglasses perched above their sweaty noses.

He would want to kiss her cheek and whisper a few dirty words just to see her cheeks turn a shade darker but would refrain, knowing that she'd die of sheer embarrassment.

She'd envision herself doing the same but would end up hiding her face in her book as she layed on his chest, their feet touching just above the slightly wet sand.

"I love you." He'd say and she'd blink twice before replying, only because she couldn't believe it even after hearing it escape his lips countless times even in his sleep.

"I love you more." She'd scream and hold his face as she stared into his eyes.

Hamza would try to kiss her but she'd get up and run straight to their cabin and wait until he bursted into the room then would slowly take off her garments, piece by piece, torturing him till he couldn't take it anymore. Forget the way his eyes hungrily watched her sly movements, she'd make a beeline to the bathroom and he'd follow without a thought.

I'm guessing you already knew what happened.

They came out after a long, blissful shower and went for another round that lasted a while on the too soft bed before they went for another shower and slept off after.

I stayed up going through my emails so that I could continue reading from her journal.

I came to a realization.

She was writing about us. She had a way with words and it was beautiful. I read till three in the morning.

With nothing better to do, I performed my wudu and prayed a two raka'at nafilah. I prayed to Allah to sustain me and Aaliyah and bless us with another beautiful child.

"Wake up." Aaliyah tapped on my arm.

"What time is it?"

"Time to pray! Now get on your feet."

I waited for her to perform the ablution before me so I'd sleep for an extra three to five minutes before she came back.

She came back later and sprinkled water on my face till I woke up.

After praying, I said the Azkar for about twenty minutes then left her to continue without me as I was too tired from the previous nights snooping.

Before I dozed off, I opened my eyes a bit to see her writing peacefully in the book and she had never looked more beautiful in her red hijab.

"Sleep Fari!" She taunted.

Embarrassed, I turned to the other side, blushing until I slept off.

I woke up on the floor. And it was my brute of a wife that threw me off the bed.

"What was that for?"

"You were taking up too much space." She laughed.

"You could've just told me move." I said, angrily sitting on the bed.

"I'm sorry ." She sat beside me, engulfing me in a hug.

"You're squeezing me." I took her hands off my neck and dropped them on her laps.

"I said I'm sorry!" She cried.

I thought she was just screaming till I saw tears in her eyes.

"It's fine, really." I hugged her back and she relaxed.

"Ok." She grinned.

"Go and take a shower so that we can head out early today. We won't be able to go on the tour if we're late."

She rushes to the bathroom and locks the door, singing Him and I by Halsey.

Wondering how I know?

She plays a lot of sentimental songs regularly.

I blame it on the loss of our child. It broke her to pieces. Some are gone forever but I know I can find most.

Time and distance used to be my enemy but they'll be the reason my Aaliyah mai idon zinare finds herself.

I'll help her.

By the time we were both ready, the tour bus had left so we decided to go to the beach to enjoy some of the fresh air by the bay.

"Your silvery, ivory, caramel skin is a torch fueling my insatiable desire for you." I whispered in her ears as I let my tongue caress her ear lobe.

"Not here baby!" She squealed, palming her face, causing her journal to fly to the sandy floor with her fountain pen.

"Show me some love babe."

I dropped wet kisses on her neck and bit lightly for effect.

I was crazy! And it was for her.

I slyly slipped a hand underneath her shirt and let it roam.

"Let's go inside."

I was currently hungry for my zinariya.

We skipped to the room, like a movie scene, hand in hand as the wind blew lightly in our direction and the rest was a blurry, too sacred moment to be spoken about.
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What do y'all think?

~Aisha Safiyanu🥀