Yumna

She was 2 weeks overdue.

Everything hurt. Her back was killing her and no matter which position she sat in, she was still uncomfortable. She was bloated and angry and more than anything else, she was so, so frustrated. Nothing worked- she swept the house almost 3 times a day, she tried walking up and down the stairs in to her flat... she even tried sex but it just wasn't working. She was too heavy and too round and too turned off to truly attempt it. If she wanted to be truthful to herself- even Muneer seemed relieved that she stopped them halfway through.

She hated her dress so much. She was supposed to have given birth by the time Yusuf's wedding came. She wouldn't have gone to the actual wedding but she would have been semi-comfortable for whatever festivities happened at home. But in her current situation, she didn't really have much of an excuse to give it a skip since I don't feel like it most certainly did not qualify as a justifiable reason.

She sat down heavily on the bed, cradling her head in her arms as she waited for Muneer to button up his jacket. She was sweating gallons and gallons of sweat and she was just grateful that she had gone for a black dress instead of something light. She would be utterly mortified if sweat patches showed up in the pictures.

"Yumna," Muneer turned around, watching his wife roll into herself, "You sure you want to go?"

"Yes." She whined, heaving herself up from the bed. "My aunties woudn't let me live it down if I missed Yusuf's wedding."

"Only if you're sure." He wrapped his arm around her, helping her to stand straight before he guided her gently out the room. "If you feel wrong, phone me and we'll come back home okay."

"Okay." Her voice was breathless as she leaned heavily against him.

She had never, ever in her life thought that pregnancy could be as difficult as whatever it was that she was experiencing. She had always assumed that her cousins were exaggerating in their moans and whines and she never understood why it was that would constantly be fighting themselves for a breath but now she knew.

God, did she know what it was all about.

It sucked.

Just like that...

It just sucked.

And she couldn't wait for it to be out of her.

Raees

Afrah sat up at the front but he could still see her from where he sat. She looked lovely in her teal blue dress and for some reason he had become fascinated with the sandals she had worn. They were pretty little things. Light blue, strappy, full of rhinestones with the thinnest heels he had ever seens. She always wore beautiful shoes and it seemed so unlike her to balance so masterfully on her sky-high heels. 

He couldn't get her laugh out of his mind. It was a puff of happiness. It was genuine and full and bright and listening to her laugh as she dodged her mother's well aimed swots were something he could listen to for the rest of his life.

She didn't know that he came back into the house, neither did she know that he had spotted that little moment between mother and daughter. It was something else.... It was such a rare moment that he was privy to that he almost felt embarrassed to have walked in on it. But it was so Afrah. It was such a pure gesture of love that it screamed her name.

That's who she was. She breathed love upon all those around her and it was marvellous to behold.

"Were you checking out my sister."

"What?" He looked up, alarmed to hear Yusuf's voice from right above him.

"I saw you last night." He did not look at all impressed with his friend's behaviour.

"I-"

"She's not Adeela."

Raees eyed him warily as Yusuf sat down in the empty seat next to him. "Aren't you supposed to be thinking of Sumayyah right now?"

Yusuf smiled as he looked at his wife sipping coffee with her grandmother. "Aren't you supposed to not be a dick and do things properly?"

Raees decided it best to simply nod his head and not say anything further. Yusuf had the destructive capacity of a nuclear warhead when it came to Afrah and he would rather not step right into his field of vision.

"Like I said," Yusuf cracked open a can of sprite left on the table, downing half its contents in one gulp, "She's not Adeela. You do things properly or leave her alone."

"Got it."

"Good." He stood up, squeezing Raees' shoulder just a little too tightly before he walked back to the front of the hall, stopping just shy of Afrah's seated figure. Raees' eyes widened as Yusuf bent down to whisper in her ear, pointing in his direction before she turned to look at him as well, her eyes large as Yusuf kept speaking before she turned back around. He saw her shake her head before Yusuf stared her down, as if waiting for her to retract her statement... and barely a moment later, he saw her nod her head slowly under Yusuf's strict glare.

Yusuf walked away after that, refusing to acknowledge them further as he walked towards Sumayyah...

holy fucking shit...

Yusuf

He walked into the hotel room, his nose instantly assaulted by the warm scent of roses and Turkish delight. He had spotted the candles earlier but he had no idea that she had been the one to place them there. He dropped their bags, startling her from her daydreams before she turned back to look at him, a soft smile playing on her face as she beckoned him to stand with her.

He walked forward as if in a trance. His only goal was the vision before him dressed in nothing but pure white silk. His collar seemed to tighten around his throat, prompting him to loosen his tie, shrugging it of in his hurry to get to her. Strands of her hair flew to the side of her as she leaned further and further out the window, revelling in the fresh air playing on her face. She loved the place he had booked them into. It was far from the pollution of the city and the endless noise of the cars and taxis as they made their way across roads riddled with cracks and potholes.

It was the fresh scent of nature in her finest and nothing served more as an aphrodisiac right then than to know they were entirely alone and entirely in their right to finally touch each other.

"I love this place." She said, feeling his arm brush against her shoulder.

"Ya?" he struggled to keep his eyes away from her yet every breath she took simply forced his gaze to stray back to her over and over again. "I'll have to keep that in mind."

"Please do." She turned to him, finally noticing the effect she had had on him. "I'd love to come back here."

"As long as you bring this with you." He barely recognised his own voice as his finger glided gently over the low neckline of her gown.

"You have a deal." She joked, blushing as he took a step closer, just the slightest brush of his body against hers.

"We should shake on it." She didn't know when he had gotten closer but his breath was right against her ear as he spoke, his lips gliding over the sensitive skin of her earlobe.

"Uhm hmm..." she didn't know where he had kept this side of him hidden. This Yusuf had caused her blood to heat up and heart to vibrate dangerously within her chest as his fingers trailed lightly between the soft skin of her heavy breasts.

He couldn't stop himself from touching her. He had dreamed of nothing but touching her, holding her, kissing her and now that she was here in his arms, nothing would stop them. "You're so beautiful, Sumayyah." She gasped as she felt his lips over her pulse point, her heart beating erratically now as his lips explored the vast expanse of open skin that she had so generously left for him.

She felt the smooth material of her gown slide of her shoulders, exposing even more of herself to him as he took a step back. He didn't know where to look. The scalloped neckline of her nightie plunged deep, encasing her breasts before flowing down to hug her soft hips drawing his gaze even lower to the fullness of her thighs before stopping just beneath her knees. He couldn't wait to lift the silky barrier to fully explore what was hidden beneath but they had to go slowly.

It would be the first time for both of them and they didn't want to miss even a second of it.

His gaze rose once more towards her face, entranced at her lips that had been painted in a cherry red just for him. He wanted nothing more than to taste them- taste her and it was only when he looked into her eyes that he realised that she had been dying for the very same thing.

He wound his arm around her waist, lifting her till she stood on the tips of her toes before he bent down, leaning her forehead against hers, "Thank you for saying yes." His words were hushed, not meant to be heard by anyone other than her.

"Thank you for asking." Her voice was nothing but a passing breath over his lips as she pressed her palm to his chest, delighting in the drumming heartbeat beneath her touch. She was tired of waiting, impatient to feel him... she tilted her head, pressing her lips against his, brushing curiously. It was nothing like she had imagined. His lips were soft, moving against her own exploring every millimetre as his hands moved upwards, grazing gently against her ribs as he pressed just a little harder against her lips. He could taste her- taste the deep, intoxicating cherry flavour of her lip gloss as her lips parted slightly, tugging his bottom lip between her own.

God, he loved that taste...

He felt her hands exploring him- first his chest, then his waist, then his neck, then his hair. She was greedy in her endeavours, intent only on him and her and how he made her feel and how it felt to touch him.

She was truly exquisite and never had he thanked God more than in this moment...

In this moment when his wife finally became his and he became hers in the most gentle, age old way and nothing was better than hearing those words from her lips that had become swollen with his kisses.

I love you.

I love you too.