When she is a wife, she completes half of deen of her husband.

***

Sheerin opened the door to a room that Rida was familiar from the last time she had visited the house. Nothing had changed yet nothing was the same either. The entire room was covered in rose petal giving a new look to the room. There were several small candles of odour that brightened the room even with the lights off. Sheerin switched on the light walking inside while Rida stood at the entrance her mouth wide open. There was a rose pathway that led to the bed, either side covered with candles. The round bed was covered with rose petals making the bed look much more romantic than it actually was. The roses gave a perfect contrast look to the black room making the room to look much more beautiful than from the previous time she had seen it.

“I hope you like the setting of the room; it took us an hour to work on it.” Sheerin said and Rida wanted to ask if Rehan was the mastermind behind this but she let it be. She would rather ask him and get an answer rather than asking someone else and end up getting teased.

“It’s beautiful Masha Allah.” Rida whispered giving Sheerin a small smile making her to grin widely at her.

“Now come with me, I will help sit you properly.” Sheerin said and pulled Rida slowly towards the bed making Rida’s heart to hammer. She wanted to protest, she wanted her to know that she was better off standing than sitting in a position she had wished she would never but when she heard the voice of her husband, she felt her throat running dry. She could hear the girls demanding money once again while Rehan was questioning them.

Sheerin adjusted her dress properly in a circle and taking her hand she placed them on her knees while all the while Rida sat there numb not able to think straight. Her mind was running wild. She did not know what would happen tonight but she had her mother give her the talk that was freaking her out more than she could imagine. Sheerin whispered good luck in her ear and hugging her she left the room, joining the girls leaving a nervous Rida all alone.

She sat there with her head lowered playing with her fingers biting her lip heard. Suddenly she heard the click of the knob making her heart to run a marathon. She closed her eyes trying to calm herself down. She heard faint footsteps approaching her making her breathing to even out with each step. She felt the bed dip making her realise that he was now close to her that instantly made her clutch her knees tightly.

She felt her veil slowly being pulled up making her to catch her breath. She could feel her legs wobbly while her hands shivering. She suddenly felt his hand on her head making her to open her eyes to see him mumbling something. She blinked a few times before a small smile crept up her face due to his action. She gazed at him who had a small frown on his forehead probably trying not to leave out on anything.

He opened his eyes to see Rida smiling at him which instantly brought a smile on his face too. He extended his hand to her and without any query she placed her hand in his fully knowing the reason behind it. He helped her get down before bringing out the prayer mat for the both of them. They both stood on the mat facing the qibla, Rehan leading the prayer.

Rida felt the happiness in her as she stood behind him to pray. She had always dreamed about praying behind her husband and she could see it coming true. She silently prayed to the Almighty to fulfil her other dreams too with her husband.

Just as they were done, they stood in between the room both of them busy thinking of what to do next. Rida carried her bridal dress a little towards herself, the weight of the dress making it difficult to let her stand. Understanding her worry, Rehan took the charge and asked her to change her dress in the walk in closet while he would stay behind in the room.

Thankful, Rida walked into the closet closing the door behind her before removing the heavy dupatta away. She slowly pulled out the pins that were keeping her hijab securely taking in a sigh of relief. She thought if she should change her dress first or should remove the makeup but when she noticed her dress that was almost sweeping the floor she decided to get out from it first but as soon as she realised that the gown had its zipper at the back she almost felt fear engulfing her. She moved her hand behind trying her best to pull down the zip her hand dancing in every position but failing miserably. Finding no other way she slowly peeked out to have a glimpse of her semi naked husband who had his face turned the other way while putting on his shirt.

She almost took a sharp intake of a breath at the sight in front of her. Coughing a little to gain his attention she pretended to act normal while he turned to look at her.

He pulled his shirt down before turning around surprised, amused to see her without her hijab for the first time. She had locked her hair locks behind her ear preventing them to not fall on her face. He cleared his throat bringing himself out of his trace completely forgetting about asking Rida about her matter.

“Rida, what’s wrong?” He asked moving a little and she slowly turned around showing him her problem.  

He looked at her back confused before she slowly moved her hair to the front letting realisation dawn upon him. He moved his hand to her back and slowly unclamped the hook and then slowly moved the zipper down. As the zipper moved down he had a slight view of her flushed back. He could feel her shivering under his touch making him smile at his effect. He unzipped just a little before moving away. He knew she could help herself with it now and he did not want anything to happen, something for which she wasn’t ready.

“I think that would be fine.” He whispered breathing on her back making her breathless. Without thanking him she dashed inside closing the door behind her while he ruffled his hair in embarrassment.

He turned around and looked at the round bed sighing deeply. He was annoyed at the people who had changed his bed that could make things more awkward between them. Moving towards it, he threw the rose petals down making the bed much more decent. He was sure the two of them wouldn’t fit onto the bed without touching each other and he would do everything in him to make Rida feel comfortable. He glanced at the couch that did not look much appealing but he was sure it would hardly take him ten minutes to fall asleep due to the tiredness.

Taking the pillow from the bed, he walked towards the couch almost ready to plop himself on it when he heard the sliding of the door. He glanced up to Rida freshen up in her trousers with a loose t-shirt. He smiled at her cute figure before his eyes flickered over her hair. He wanted to run his hand through them but controlling himself he turned around sitting on the couch putting a full stop to his thoughts.

“What are you doing there?” Rida asked looking at him keenly who had now laid down on the couch his eyes almost closing.

“Sleeping?” He questioned opening his eyes looking at her move towards the bed while suppressing her yawn.

“You don’t have to.” She said and he almost looked to her with wide eyes trying to understand the meaning of her words. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow asking her the meaning letting it dawn upon her.

Reddening a little she shook her head at her choice of word while Rehan smirked understanding her mistake.

“I-uh, I did not mean it that way; I meant we can share the bed.” She whispered stuttering and Rehan bite his lip suppressing his laughter.

“What meaning? I did not take it in any other way.” Rehan said getting up taking his pillow and walking towards the bed while she tried hiding her face with the help of her hair.

All she wanted was the ground to swallow her alive at the moment.

“But now that you have spoken about it why not…” Rehan halted midway getting a hold at her hand making her look at him with wide eyes.

He gazed at her intensely while she lowered her eyes avoiding eye contact with him. He slowly started pulling her towards him concentrating on her reaction while she gulped biting her lip. She glanced up at him to see him focused on her that instantly made her lower her head. Rehan smiled looking at her avoiding eye contact. He brought her close enough, just a centimetre apart while searching for something in her face. She closed her eyes, sure of him hearing the loud thumping of her heartbeat.

Rehan looked at her intensely before pulling her more towards him to kiss her forehead that instantly warmed her heart. She smiled with his mere gesture unable to describe her feelings for the man who had just pulled her heart’s stings. Moving away Rehan looked at her who had opened her eyes but wouldn’t look up at him. Taking her hand in his he kept it on his heart, making Rida to look at him.

“Can you hear how wild my heart is beating?” He asked in a soft voice making her to concentrate on it. She could see her hand shivering that was placed exactly over his heart.  

“This heart of mine beats for you.” He whispered taking the breath away from Rida. She closed her eyes unable to grasp in the intensity of his words. She felt her eyes whelming up at his love for her. Without any second thought, she wrapped her arms around his neck burying her head in the crook of his neck letting a tear drop. Rehan held her firmly in his arms, caressing her hair a soft smile playing on his lips. He felt the wetness on his shirt that made him frown. He tried pulling her away to know the reason but when she didn’t budge, he stayed in the same position until she released her hold on him.

With shyness on her face she moved behind sitting in the same position while pulling her hair locks behind. Rehan wiped the tear that was stuck on her cheek making her look at him.

“May I know the purpose behind your tears, my lady?”  He asked bowing a little and she instantly smiled rearranging his collar that had turned messy because of her.

“Sometimes we are filled with so much emotions that it automatically comes out in the form of tears.” Rida said glancing at him before pulling away her hand from him while he raised his eyebrow at her not understanding.

“What kind of emotions?” He asked suppressing his yawn and Rida shook her head moving away from him making him feel cold.

“Every kind of emotion,” She replied before moving to the couch and taking the pillow. She placed it in his lap while he looked at her with a puckered brow.

“You do not have to take that uncomfortable couch; we both can fit on this huge bed.” She said and Rehan looked at her with a challenging gaze. Rida looked back at the round bed gulping a little but she didn’t find the idea of Rehan sleeping on the couch appealing too.

“Good night Rehan.” She said before lying down on the bed while Rehan looked at her unfazed. He did not move from his position his eyes having uncertainty.

“Rehan I promise I am okay with it.” She said using a much more confident voice that made him give a positive response. He slowly kept the pillow on the bed and moved to the end of the bed, if it was even possible.

He wanted to know who had taken up this plan to change the bed from the normal one. Deciding the first thing to bring the normal bed back into their room, he slowly drifted to sleep tiredness consuming him.

Rida turned a little to glance at Rehan who had his back facing her, far away from her. She smiled reviving his efforts of making her comfortable. She moved a little now lying on her back, sleep far away from her. She sighed knowing that sleep would be the last thing she would be getting the night due to the disturbance in the place. Sleeping in a new environment always brought tiredness to Rida. She would twist and turn the entire time but by the time she would be sleepy it would be fajr and then there would be no chance of sleep.

She slowly kept twisting and turning the entire night, at times checking on Rehan if by chance she was disturbing him but he was too tired to even realise it. Just as she checked the time to realise it was almost time for fajr, she got up and taking her hijab she walked into the washroom to do her ablution. After she was done, she walked towards Rehan to wake him up. She sat down on the floor through her knees taking in his looks.

“Rehan, it’s time for fajr,” She whispered patting a little at his shoulder and he instantly caught hold of her hand before dozing off. She looked at him worried trying to pull her hand away but his grip was tighter. She heard the adhan for the salah that made her wake him up harder. He blinked several times before being sure about not dreaming and that he actually had Rida in his room.

“I am sorry I was dreaming but didn’t you sleep well last night? You look unwell.” Rehan remarked looking at the dark circles but Rida pushed the matter aside informing him about the fajr salah. He hurriedly rushed into the washroom to do his ablution while Rida kept their prayer mats ready. He walked out looking for his prayer cap that Rida handed him and they both stood for salah.

After praying the Sunnah, Rehan got up informing Rida about his departure to the masjid before kissing her forehead.

“Come back soon, Assalamualaikum.” Rida said and Rehan grinned before replying to her. He walked out while Rida sat on the prayer mat reciting tasbeeh.

She then prayed the next two raka’ah before sitting with the Qur’an. She would time to time glance at the watch for Rehan’s arrival. She yawned feeling her eyes heavy so she placed the Qur’an aside planning to lie down on the mat but eventually falling asleep.

Rehan walked inside the room to only witness his wife sleeping on the prayer mat that instantly worried him. He walked towards her and pulled her in his arms smiling as she snuggled into him. He placed her slowly on the bed before removing her hijab. He kept the hijab and the pin on the table before himself getting into the duvet.

He gazed at her sleeping figure, unable to move his eyes away from the beauty in front of him. He softly caressed her cheek as a response she stirred in her sleep moving a bit closer to him, drawn to his warmth. Smiling, he kissed her forehead letting his lips linger for a second before pulling away.

"I love you." He whispered with a smile on his face. Pulling the duvet over her properly, he covered himself too making a distance between them.
He did not want her to freak out in the morning looking at their position. He closed his eyes with a smile on his face, his smile getting wider the moment Rida's face appeared in front of him. With the ever fading smile he let last night’s tiredness consume him as a result he was asleep in no time with the thought of his love.