Khadija

The function was almost at its end by now, Rafia and I were in the bridal room where I was wrapping a long shawl around me before leaving the hall. Wali and the rest of our family members were waiting for us. Picking my clutch while Rafia called Laraib for helping her with other bags we both walked towards the door.

"Are you excited for tonight?" Rafia winked at me as she stepped out and hold the door for me, the question was enough to make my mouth dry, my hands turned cold and I looked at her with wide eyes. When I was unable to answer for good few seconds, concern replaced her teasing expression. "Come inside." she said in a rushed tone dragging me back in the bridal room and once she was sure that no one could hear us, she turned back to me. "I am going to be pretty blunt about this, have you both consummated the marriage or not?" She asked in a sudden calm voice intently looking at my expression which were screaming the answer, I was looking anywhere but her. Suddenly I could feel the temperature of the room rising. "Khadija?" Her voice turned into a whisper.

"I...I..." My eyes filled with tears and I couldn't speak.

"Are you even happy with this marriage or not?" she hold my arms and made me look at her, though her voice was lace with concern but there was an edge in it too.

"Obviously I am!" I quickly said. Because I am, I have never been this satisfied.

"Then?" She questioned again, her eyes not leaving my face but suddenly realization dawn in her eyes, "It's Adnan, isn't it?" And I looked away.

Tears were spilling down my cheeks, I feel ashamed and I was infuriated by myself.

"You are punishing Wali bhai like this," she sighed. "He hasn't even tried?" and my looks deceived me again.

How should I tell her that I failed.

 "Ya Allah!" she slumped on the arm chair.

"Rafi! I tried. I tried so hard on giving up the memory but I couldn't! Every time I try to forget it, every single time his deceitful face come in front of my eyes, how stupidly I gave up on his words! Every time I think about this the memory of that morning rushed back to me, how he left me the next morning and didn't return for two days! I called everyone but I couldn't reach him and when he finally came back it was like I was invisible to him again!" I was crying by now. Quickly Rafia was back on her feet, wrapping her arms around me she was whispering soothing words.

"Wali bhai isn't like that jerk!" She whispered then she took me by arms again and looked me into the eyes, "Honey I know what you have been through was hell and there is no word I can say which will make it vanish but don't do this to yourself, don't do this to Wali bhai, he loves you in ways I can't tell, you know that guy has you in his mind every minute of the day that it made me envy of what you guys have," she smiled at me and I felt my lips curve into one too, "Let him heal your scar, let him hold you, let him love you, Allah has chosen you for him and if you'll back out you will just punish him for something he is not guilty of." She wrapped her arms around me again.

"Oho! You guys are having your sismance hour while Wali bhai is dying from waiting!" We both jumped as Laraib entered the room exclaiming at us but she soon went silent as she looked at us. "I... Is everything okay?" she bit her lips.

"Yeah! It's just she is going and you know she is married!" Rafia dramatically waved her hands, "She is leaving all of us! Oh Allah!" She wiped the tears and I suppress the urge to laugh on how she was covering our tracks, "It's just my hormones!"

"You are weird! No not even weird! You are psycho! It's not your hormones. It's your brain!" Laraib growled and went out of the bridal room and Rafia burst into fits of laughter.

"Till how long you will blame your hormones?"

"I just saved us! Give me some credits!" She continued chuckling and I rolled my eyes and I looked at her with a smile too.

There is a list of people I will always be thankful for and you are one of them, Rafia.

"Thank you!" I took her hands and she got sobered.

"Always," she smiled genuinely, "Now let's go before Wali bhai come here."

And together the two of us walked outside to the exit where everyone was waiting for us.

***

Fiddling with my ring I was looking outside the car, even at this late hour Karachi was bustling with traffic. My thoughts were dragging back to the conversation I had with Rafia. I have to be strong, I have to over come my fear tonight.

"You are awfully quiet. Is everything okay?" Wali brought me out of my daunting thoughts as he spoke taking my hand in his.

"Yeah! Just thinking," I replied with a smile, "Hey where are we going?" I looked around as I noticed that Wali had changed the route and as we left with mama and baba while Yahya's car was in front of us but right now I can't see any of them.

"You'll see." He smirked and winked at me.

"Wali?"

"Shhh!"

After a lot of questioning I gave up and sat in silent looking at him but I knew he wouldn't give in so finally with a huff I started looking out again.

"We are here!" I looked up again after what seem like fifteen minutes and found our car being parked in front of a tall building.

"Where are we?" I looked around trying to recognize the place but I couldn't.

"I'll tell you. Let's get inside first." He said getting out of the car and the rushing to my side to help me out.

As I stepped out another car stopped behind ours and Sabih stepped out from it, I was confused and looked at Wali for explanation.

"He had got our bags."

"Wali what's going on?"

"Wait a minute." with that he told Sabih to follow us and drop the bags at the apartment.

"Wali it's not what I am thinking, right?" I asked trying to read his expressions but I have never been successful so I failed this time too.

"And what are you thinking?" He looked at me with an amused expression.

"I--" Before I could say anything Sabih asked us to follow him as it started drizzling and we quickly made our way inside. Saying salam to the guards who apparently knew Wali we quickly made the way to the lift and all this time Wali was holding my hands.

"When will you guys come in the morning?" Wali asked pressing the button for the seventh floor.

"Depends when we all wake up! We have to get Jibran and the rest of them too." He answered Wali taking out his cellphone.

"Okay now can anyone tell me what is going on?" I looked between the two of them and Wali playfully shook his head while Sabih looked at Wali with an amused expression, "Bhabi doesn't know?"

"No!" He grinned and Sabih chuckled.

"I don't like surprises you know." I said because now I was clearly annoyed at the two of them and though Wali opened his mouth to reply the ding of the lift stopped him.

Sabih was the first one to get out and asked Wali for the keys, Wali then turned to me and kissed my forehead after which he asked me to follow him, as I stepped out of the lift I found Sabih already getting in to the appartment. There were only one apartments per floor and by the way this building was designed it was surely one of the most luxurious apartments of Karachi.

"Okay so I have to tie this before you enter but first let Sabih go," Wali stopped me right outside the main door and called Sabih out, in few seconds the two of us were saying our salam to him and then Wali went behind me and tied a piece black silk  around my eyes. " I am excited!" I heard him nervously chuckle and smiled, then I felt him taking my right hand as he started leading me, after multiple steps we stopped and as I felt him leaving my hand I start getting anxious, I could smell a faint fragrance of roses, I heard the click of the door which was an indication that he had closed the main doors which were made of wood.

"Are you ready?" he huskily whispered in my ears and I felt the shiver run down my spine.

I have to be the wife he needs. I have to make him happy.

I kept chanting the word in my mind, which was actively responding to Wali's closeness and also when he placed his hands on my waist pulling me back, so my back could rest on his chest.

"Khadija?" I heard him whisper as he kissed my shoulder.

"Ready." My voice was in a meek whisper too as I tried to breathe. I felt the silk cloth loosening and then it slipped away from my eyes, the entire apartment was dimly lit, in front of me was a lounge with plush sofas in the center of it, facing the wall, where a large flat screen TV was hanging, beneath the TV was an electric fireplace. Behind the sofas was a dining table for six and then an American kitchen. The lounge was opening into the large balcony through sliding glass doors. The flooring was completely wooden and were covered with rose petals which were leading to the door and my eyes followed them I heard Wali saying, its our bedroom. The place was beautiful, every single wall of this place was definition of elegance and luxury.

I found myself following the pathway made from the rose petals and bordered by candles, on my way I observed that our room being the master bedroom was away from all the other bedrooms and there were five in total, other four being on the opposite side giving our bedroom complete privacy that it needed.

As I opened the door I gasped, like outside the rose petal were leading to the huge bed, which had white curtains around it, there was rug spread on the floor where couch and coffee table were placed, on the other end of the room were large windows hiding us from the late hours of the night. The candles and flower stands were sending their secret message.

"Did you like the place?" I heard him saying slowly and I turned to find him, his coat was off and was placed on the couch, gulping through my deserted mouth I nodded. I could feel the color of his eyes getting dark with love and lust. He was taking his step towards me with dangerously slow pace, my feet were cold and so were my hands. Our eyes were glued to each other and neither one of us dared to speak a word because the silence was a daring promise in itself.

"Khadija," he whispered my name in a way he never did before and it stirred a died emotion inside me and in that moment I dared to look into his eyes. I felt him leaning and his lips touching mine and I felt him wrapping his arms around my waist, I felt him loosening my dupatta and the heavy material falling off my head, his lips moved from my lips and I exhaled, it was the most electrifying kiss we had and then I felt him sending shocks through my neck to my entire body and he moved his lips up nibbling on my ear lobe, I heard myself moan and grip on his arm tightly. "Stop me before I can't control myself!" He was pleading me.

And I said the word I was dying to say, "Make me yours, Wali. Make me yours completely!"

In the darkness of the night where the moon was hiding behind the thick clouds covering the sky of this city, we hold on to each other and bonded in the ways which mended our broken pieces, in the darkness of the night we healed each other and treated our scars.

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A.O.A

Whoaaa! Early update you guys! ;) We reached #61 on spiritual BTW! 

Anyways this chapter is especially dedicated to sabagul28 for being an amazing person, for her comments which were making me smile so big and her enormous support! You made my days, Love <3 Thank you for supporting, reading and commenting on this story! And a big hug for the nomination too! :* 

Check these covers which she had made for me! THANK YOU SO MUCH, SABA <3 I REALLY DO LOVE THEM!

And my personal favorite 😀

Now signing off but don't forget to vote and comment, lovelies! ;)

With love,

Zehra :)