Convergence

Haaris smiled as Ghazal jerked his hand away from his eye.

" Poke your eye instead of rubbing it so harshly."

He threw his head back and laughed at her angry remark. Tomorrow Adam would go at his trip so they were just packing his stuffs which he would need. He put his head on her shoulder taking a long yawn of tiredness. Haaris never thought the task of packing could be so much hectic and he could never if Ghazal wasn't in his life because she stubbornly rejected servants help stating;

It's not good to bug them for every petty task.

" Have you ever gone on a trip?"

He enquired, his hand mindlessly playing with her fingers.

" Nope. My first trip was with you to Burhanpur."

" No! Means seriously you never went anywhere, even in your school time."

Haaris dumbfoundedly looked at his wife who was so casually sharing this, perhaps she didn't had the idea what she missed.

" Uh-huh. My father's job was just enough to provide expenses for me and my brother. So I didn't like to bother him for more money."

He looked away from Ghazal, Haaris felt somewhat shameful though it was not his fault that he took birth in a rich family and his wife didn't but he was regretting opening that topic. Maybe she sensed his silence as Ghazal gently took his hand in hers, intertwining their fingers.

" So tell me about you. Where did you go?"

" Leave that. Just talk about something else."

" No. I want to know this and only this."

Haaris chuckled seeing this stubborn side of his wife as she furrowed her brows, that cute little adorable pout present on her face which made her more beautiful than ever.

" Mrs. Haaris, I can see living with me is showing some adverse effects on you."

" Mr. Haaris don't you try to change the topic."

" Ok I am telling. "

Haaris put his hands up in defence and pulled his legs up, sitting cross-legged in front of Ghazal.

" So let me see, I was in Hyderabad then I came here in Bhopal. In my childhood I have seen Paris, London and Canada with my father."

Ghazal nodded giddily, her eyes shining with bright glint of excitement as he shared his travelogues with her. Haaris felt he was falling for his wife again, how selfless she was! It didn't matter to her that God hadn't bestowed her what Haaris had for so long but she was just happy with what she had.

" That's kind of great. You know one of my friend, Sarah had told me she had gone to Disneyla-"

Her words mingled with his secretive breaths as Haaris gently cut off her speech putting his lips on hers. He just wanted to kiss her maybe because to show her that he adored her, her way of living and mostly to show his gratefulness that she was in his life. Haaris cupped her cheek while his other hand tugged the loose tendrils behind her ear, he smiled in the kiss as Ghazal's fingers shyly touched his neck. He moved back a little still not ready to let go his wife away from his embrace.

" What were you saying? "

Haaris asked amusedly looking at Ghazal's flushed face who was doing her best to show herself angry. In response she hit his shoulder with her shivering hand resulting a chortle from him.

" You made me forget. "

" Ma, put thish shirt too in my bag."

Haaris pursed his lips to hide his smile which quickly crept upto him as he saw Ghazal's attempt to move away from him but he snaked his arm around her waist pulling her a little more closer to him stopping her every move and in return he got to see her shocked face painted with faint red color. Ghazal narrowed her eyes at him when he winked at her though Haaris could see she was blushing profusely, her voice wavering at the edge.

" Where were you, Adi?"

" I wash in laundry room."

Ghazal slapped her forehead in annoyance, " Baby, you are not going to live there forever. Me and dad have packed all the stuffs you will need."

" But, thish ish my favourite shirt."

" And what about those five shirts which we have packed?"

" Thosh are alsho my favsh."

Haaris pressed her hands as he sensed his wife getting more annoyed by Adam's adamant behaviour. Coming towards Adam he sat on his knees, holding his shoulders.

" Champ, I know these are your fav shirts. But you are going to have fun there so leave that topic of clothes and all and just focus what games will you be playing there."

Adam thought for a minute and then hugged the life out of him kissing his cheek, " Okay Dad."

Haaris hi-fived with him, ruffling his hair and they both happily came towards Ghazal who was staring at them with a pure smile on her face.

******

Her eyes opened slowly sensing a little too much silence around her. Adam was gone to his trip just today morning and she could feel the whole house empty,also the place beside her on the bed. Turning on the bedside lamp, Ghazal found the whole room empty without any trace of Haaris. It was midnight and if she remembered correctly they had laid down for sleep only half an hour ago. Where did he went?

Carefully getting up from the bed, Ghazal grabbed her stick and left her room to find her husband. Haaris would never leave his mystery though he would listen her scoldings for the whole life. Firstly she thought he would meet her in the kitchen with his midnight snacks but it was all dark. Only one room at the corner was slightly opened as a sleek beam of light was peeking out from it.

Ghazal nervously made her way towards it and gently knocked. Not getting any response from inside she hesitantly entered the room to find Haaris standing by the large floor-length glass window, staring at the sky. Ghazal cleared her throat and felt as if she broke some kind of mesmerism around him. He mechanically turned his head to look at the door and Haaris's face seemed to be brighten up with a smile.

" Hey."

His voice echoed in the large room as Haaris extended his hand smilingly for her to take.
Ghazal gingerly placed her hand and stood beside him looking outside at the starry sky.

" What are you doing here?"

" I was unable to sleep so I came here."

Ghazal poked his ribs resulting a chuckle from him, " You could've woken me up."

Haaris only placed a kiss on her temple and pulled her closer to him wrapping an arm around her waist. Ghazal ran a glance through the room getting glimpses of many large covered boards, musical instruments and a corner which looked much like a gym section.

" So this is your hobby room? "

" Ya my Den of Passion. "

" That's a nice name."

" Dad had named it when he had gifted me this room."

Ghazal nodded happily placing her head on his shoulder. That was the largest room of the house, maybe if she could add all the rooms of her house they would still be small comparing to this room.

" Show me your paintings. "

" You really want to see?"

Haaris asked with a surprise etched face and she nodded looking up in his eyes. He ushered her towards the coffee table and properly made her sit on the recliner in front of it. Ghazal watched silently as he brought all the boards near her, making a stack of them.

" So this was my first attempt to paint you."

Ghazal excitedly nodded as she saw Haaris removing the covers off the board to reveal her replica on canvas. It was hard to believe that it was a painting, it felt like she was seeing the large version of some of her photograph. How talented her husband was! She moved her hand on the painting just to belief that it was all real. Her every feature was like as it was but her expressions held much more happiness as she had to be.

" My God! It's so beautiful Haaris."

" Really?" Haaris rubbed his nape somewhat nervously and if she wasn't wrong Ghazal saw a pinkness seeping to the tip of his ear. Yep, he was blushing!

" Ya and there's no need to shy about it."

" I am not."

Haaris replied with a groan, forcing the smile to widen on her lips and he began to show her more of his paintings. There were her paintings and some were about landscapes just like view of Nanna's house, of places he had visited earlier in his life and some were abstract. Ghazal was dumbstruck to say the least, he was a gem and the thing was Haaris didn't even know how much creativity he had in his hands. She saw his hands shaking as he reached the next board.

" Tigress, I think I should head to bed. You can stay if you want to."

Ghazal nodded at him as she saw him leaving quickly from the room as if being in the room for more than a moment could harm him. She uncovered the board to find the painting of a lady; a middle aged one whose face was somewhat similar to Nanna. Haaris had painted her so beautifully that Ghazal felt she was meeting her face to face.

She understood why Haaris left her all of a sudden. Putting the painting to the stack, Ghazal came to her room to find her spouse lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

******

" I am sorry."

Haaris looked beside him as he felt a touch on his shoulder and her jasmine scent hit his nostrils gently. He gave her a small smile taking her hand in his. A single moment had became a crisis for him which had brought back all of his dark memories. He never wanted to leave Ghazal alone and all on her own in that room but his 'Den of Passion' had began to suffocate him as he was thinking of the next board and the painting it was holding.

" Why are you saying sorry?"

" If I hadn't insisted on seeing your paintings you would be smiling your real smile at this time."

Haaris pulled her closer, placing her face on his chest. Looking up, Ghazal moved her fingers slowly in his hair her eyes seemed to be trying to decipher him.

" That was your mother? "

" Yes."

Haaris sighed exasperatedly not wanting her to dwell on the topic further and Ghazal was a understanding woman as she just nodded her head giving a tight lipped smile. He placed a kiss on the mole below her ear, earning a low gasp from her. Tilting back his head a little, Haaris bored his gaze in her black eyes whose eyes were skimming his face, her hand playing with the end of his hair, ever so slowly coming down towards his neck tickling him. He smilingly moved a little more back to get away from her hand only to see an adorable devilish grin on Ghazal's lips.

" You are ticklish here."

" N-no, I am not"

Haaris said in between his attempts to get away from her hand which was moving on his neck to bug him, an amused laugh bubbled up inside him, " Did I hear Mr. Haaris's stammering? "

" You got an ear worm."

" Probabl-"

Her speech got replaced with a squeal as Haaris held her wrist and laid her down on the bed, his shadow hovering on Ghazal very careful not to hurt as he held her wrists on the either side of her face halting her every attempt.

" I can see from where Adam got his naughtiness. "

Ghazal pursed her lips more failing miserably in hiding her beautiful smile.

" Tell me one thing, were you jealous that day?"

Ghazal asked with a telltale smile squinting her eyes at him, pushing him to chuckle at her enquiry.

" Which day?"

" With that jewellery guy. That's why you had pulled me out of that shop."

" No. I wasn't jealous. You were taking long time in choosing jewellery. "

Ghazal giggled at him, " Why you try to lie with me when you are so bad at it?"

Haaris moved his face a little closer to her, "I don't know Ghazal. I feel myself somewhat scared as you deserve much more better than-"

Wriggling her wrist out of his hold, Ghazal placed her soft palm on her lips. They both staring at each other.

" You are the one I deserved Haaris and only you. Never ever repeat that sentence with me again."

" And if I did."

" Then, you will be in some serious trouble. "

Ghazal mocked anger and he let go of her other wrist, placing one hand on her waist as his index finger leisurely traced a path from her forehead to chin and his thumb stopped at her lower lip. Their breaths pleasingly mingling with each other, the whole room just holding the sound of their heartbeats and the lull of their breaths.

Without thinking anything else Haaris placed his lips on her own in a gentle kiss but his heart burst out of happiness as he felt Ghazal's shy hands cupping his face, her thumb moving in tiny circles over his jaw. Ghazal closed her eyes as his lips moved to her eyelids, on her nose and again brushing on her lips.

" Do you hate my hesitancy?"

Haaris sensed some kind of pain in her voice as Ghazal asked him.

" No, tigress. But I want you to open the cocoon in which you have buried your feelings. "

" Over the years I have become habitual of living my life just like a stone to save myself from every kind of hurt. It becomes difficult for me to show even a single emotion."

" You want me to find those hidden emotions for you?"

He whispered placing a kiss on her earlobe, his lips lowered a little to touch the mole under her ear which always attracted him in one of many ways. The hold of her hands tightened on his shoulders as he touched their noses, staring right into her eyes. His hand moved slightly up playing with the thin ribbons of her dress.

" I will be glad by getting your help."

" It's only my pleasure, your highness."

Haaris stole her cute giggles as he placed tiny kisses over her lips. That night the moon whispered to the stars; the story of a couple who got their solace in each other's embrace as the world around them vanished behind their musings of love. Haaris felt the shackles of his past which had bind him for so long slowly opening  with every kiss, every touch and every sweet nothings they shared with each other which eternally pushed him into a pit of serenity.

******

Life; a small word but holding a lot more meaning than any thesaurus. The sky was subtly getting painted by the hue shades of morning and it all felt anew for her also. Ghazal moved her hands on her face after finishing her prayer and began to recite her morning supplications, resting her elbow on her prayer chair.

Her heart was prostrated in front of her Lord just for giving her the results of every hardship she had faced earlier in life. Her mind moved to the previous night forcing her cheeks to heat up in that bone chilling winter. She bit her lower lip to calm down her heart as Ghazal remembered Haaris's whispers, soft touch, ki-

Enough!

First time in her life, she felt loved. The way he held her, the way he touched her it all made her feel special. She didn't know how it felt to be loved by your spouse because she never went through that phase. Farzan never glanced at her and even if he held her it used to be so much painful that it hurt badly. Haaris was different, a way more than different. Even when he used to held her hand Ghazal felt like he was holding a soft flower that if he would apply to much force he would harm it.

" Hey, tigress!"

His sleepy voice hit her ears as he wrapped his arms around her from behind and hid his face in the crook of her neck.

" Hey!"

" You didn't wake me up for prayer."

Ghazal looked up as he helped her to stand up from her seat and rolled her eyes at him, " I did. Maybe three times but you were in a deep slumber."

Haaris laughed placing a kiss on her forehead, " What was the reason for my deep slumber?"

Ghazal questioningly watched him as Haaris bored his mischievous gaze on her suddenly making her understand what he was talking about. She huffed and hit his arm to hide her embarrassment.

" You shameless man."

" Only for you."

Haaris winked at her wounding his arms around her waist and pulling her little more closer to himself. Ghazal heart moved in a slightly different manner seeing his brown morning eyes, those messy hair some of which were freely swinging on his forehead urging her to touch them and for the first time she obeyed her heart. Gently lifting her hand up, Ghazal caressed his forehead, moving the hair away from his eyes. Haaris was looking her with a smile, his hand gently cupping her cheek.

" Come have some rest."

Haaris ushered her towards the bed, pulling the duvet on her he kissed her forehead his lips lingering for a moment or two. He too laid down beside her taking her hand in his and intertwining their fingers together.

" Your prayer time has gone."

" Yep, I have to offer the Qaza."

Ghazal nodded and closed her eyes as she felt herself drowning in a slumber.

" Ghazal!"

" Yes."

" Had you slept?"

" Say what you want to say."

" Nothing. "

Ghazal irritatedly looked at her husband who hid his smile behind the pursed lips.

" Such a kid."

Ghazal mumbled but was forced to open her eyes when she felt Haaris's touch on her neck and his lips near her jaw. Her gut twisted in a weird manner and her sleep seemed to be ran away somewhere over his ministrations. He kissed her jaw and blew air on her features.

" Hey, what are you doing? "

" Showing you that, " Haaris kissed her chin, " I am," his breath fanning her lips, " Not a kid."

Ghazal giggled at his statement, " We both know that's not true."

" Tell me any one time when I behaved as a kid."

" Ahh, that time in hospital when you used to yell at everybody because you didn't want to have medicines, your stubborn nature, that time when you were having your midnight snacks secre-"

Haaris laughed kissing her lips stopping her speech and even her thoughts. Ghazal too giggled timidly wrapping her hands around his neck as her husband once again took her to the valleys of love, care and adoration.

*hiding in a blanket, peeking out of it with red cheeks* OMA I am blushing right now, I really wrote that! 😰😱🙈