"So what time should I come pick you up?" He asked parking the car in front of sohana's parents house. "I don't know, maybe after isha." He sighed "that's too far. I'll come pick you up after Maghrib" he said. "What's the difference?" She giggled. "Yes whatever. Kiss me before you leave." She leaned in and gently kissed his soft lips.

"Bye, I love you."

"I love you more."

He left while she went into the house. Aliyu was the first person she saw. He was about to go out. "Where to?" She asked. "Good afternoon to you too. If you must know I'm going horse riding and be the best sister I know you are by not telling anyone" he said in a low voice.

"You know you aren't supposed to be riding horses." Aliyu once fell from a horse and broke his arm. Ever since that happened he wasn't allowed to have anymore horses or even think of riding. He is obsessed with horses. "Shhh keep it down. I'm not going to stay for long so please zip it!" She rolled her eyes and left saying "I'm gonna tell maama." He groaned "whatever!"

"Maama!" She squealed and jumped on maama. "Ya Allah! Fatima are you trying to kill me? Meh haka kuma." She pushed her. "Sorry maama I just missed you so much." She gave her I tight hug. Maama chuckled "I missed you too."

"Where's janaan?" She asked. "She went out with couple of her friends" maama replied. "So you're not going to ask where your old woman is, right?" Umma stood at the doorway, arms on her chest. "My Everything." She came forward and hugged her. "After you've forgotten about me ba." Sohana laughed "I will never forget about the woman who gave birth to me."

"Ina baba yake? Where's baba?" She asked as they all settled down in Umma's living room. "He went to one of his friends daughters' nikkah" umma answered. "Oh! Will he be back soon?" She queried. "Insha Allah."

"Salamu alaykum." A well dressed fair guy came in. His eyes met with sohana's. "oh my god! Is that? Is that who I think it is?" She stood up checking him out. "Yes it is!" He chuckled. "Where on earth have you been? You freaking missed my wedding." She punched his shoulder. "Ouch that hurts! But I deserve it." He smirked.

He exchanged pleasantries with umma and maama before settling down. "How have you been?" He asked Sohana. "I'm good Alhamdulillah" she replied. She kept looking at him in complete amazement. "What?" He asked. "I'm just surprised. I never expect to see you here" she spoke. "Me neither. But well, I'm here."

Well you guys might be wondering who's this guy. His name is Marwan Safwan. His Father Alhaji Safwan Umar Mai kudi is Dr Abdul Hafeez best friend. They've been together since they were kids. Haaris, airah's husband is marwan's elder brother. Baba wanted Sohana to marry Marwan instead she chose Sultaan. And baba being an educated and understanding man, he didn't force her on what she doesn't want.

Marwan is deeply in love with Sohana even though all his entire life he teases her. He left the country when he heard she was getting married. He was sad and depressed. He felt betrayed even though it's all his fault for not opening up his feelings for her in the first place. He adores her. She makes him feel happy whenever he's around her.

"To make it up to you, how about we go out for lunch now?" He suggested. "Oh yes" she answered. "Lemme go get ready first" she added. "I'll be in the car waiting."

"Umma I'm going out with marwan now" she announced. "To where?" Umma asked looking at her from the far end of the room. "We're just going to have lunch and catch up on what we've missed." Umma sighed and shook her head. "At least call your husband and inform him first." Sohana nodded and left the room muttering a bye.

She met marwan in the car waiting. "Ready?" He asked and she nodded. They stopped at a nearby restaurant and ate. They talked about everything but nothing. Their childhood till date. "Is he treating you well?" He questioned after much silence. "Yes. Yes he is" she answered twirling the straw of her chapman around. "Good, cause if he's not we're going to have some serious conversations."

"I think we should get going. It's getting late and Sultaan will soon come pick me up" she explained. "Ok let's go." They stood up and left the restaurant after paying the bills.

On the other hand, Sultaan was about to pass when his eyes landed on his wife with another man. He quickly hit the brakes. He found a spot and parked the car. "Fatima!" He called out. She startled and looked up. She totally forgot to inform him about going out with marwan.

"What are you doing here?"he questioned. "Uhmm Sultaan this is my... he's like my cousin. Marwan this is my husband, Sultaan." Marwan stretched out his hand for Sultaan which he gladly accepted. They shook hands.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet the king of her heart." Sultaan averted his eyes from marwan to Sohana whose head was hung low. "Get in the car now." He left for his car after that. "Thank you for the lunch and everything, bye" she waved at him.

She got into the car and shut the door close. He didn't say anything to her neither did she. As they got home he alighted from the car and went into the house without waiting for her. She followed his back.

He was in the living room waiting for her. "Who is he?" That was the first thing he asked when she came in. "He's a family friend." He kept giving her a disappointed look. "I thought you said he was your cousin." She kept silent. "I'm talking to you. Are you deaf?" She shook her head no.

"Why didn't you tell me you were going out with him?" He asked, his both hands in his pockets. "I forgot" she murmured. "You what?" He snapped. "I forgot." He scoffed "let's assume I go to work and come back feeling hungry and tired, is that what you'll tell me when I ask for food? You forgot?" He spat. She shook her head no wiping the tear that rolled down.

"Yes Fatima that's exactly what you'll do. We've been married for only five months now and you're already disobeying me!" He yelled making her to jerk back. "I'm sorry, please." Her voice cracking as she spoke. "Sorry won't change anything!" He hissed and started walking towards the stairs. "No Sultaan please listen to me. I'm sorry please I'm begging you." She followed him upstairs to his room.

He shut the door on her face. She closed her eyes tightly. She felt a sharp pain in her chest when he shut the door. "Please try to understand. I'm sorry." Slide down there sobbing uncontrollably.

•••

The next morning she woke up early and made breakfast. She went back upstairs and showered. She dressed up in a maroon abaya with silver stones decorating it.

She manned up and went to his room. She stopped at the door and knocked softly.

No answer.

She knocked again but still no answer. Her shoulders slumped down when she pushed the door and it was locked. She sluggishly went back to her room feeling defeated.

She decided to go wait for him downstairs. She sauntered out of the room the same time he was coming out of his room. She stood still looking at him as he came and walked passed her. She suddenly felt embarrassed for not greeting him.

She followed his back to the dinning. She served him some pancakes, sausage with scrambled eggs and strawberries with whipped cream on top of the strawberries. She turned to leave when he called out her name. She paused and turned. "Have you eaten?" He questioned. That was when she remembered she didn't eat anything.

She shook her head no while fiddling with her fingers. "Why?" He queried. "I'm not hungry" she voiced out. "Then I'm not eating." He kept the fork and rose up. "No! I'll eat." He sat back down and motioned her to do the same. Even though he's mad at her, he still cares about her.

He fed her till she was full before he fed himself. After eating he left the house without saying anything to her. He just needed some time away from her. She felt really guilty about what she did.

She decided to call Najwa for advice. "Wow! And she finally remembered I exist. Hmm how are you?" Sohana rolled her eyes. "Not fine." Najwa hummed again. "What's wrong, your voice is somehow." She narrated the story to Najwa. She was already crying by the time she was done talking.

"Okay take a deep breath. Honey he has every right to be angry" she said calmly. "But marwan is like my brother" she sobbed. "You see him as your brother but Sultaan doesn't. How will you feel if you see him with another girl claiming she's just a family friend? Even if she's his cousin you'll still get mad at him. But this, he's just a family friend. And going out with a guy just like that without his permission! Babe that's not how it's done. You think he's soft, he won't do anything, right? Well look at where it put you into. I'm so disappointed in you Sohana. You need to apologize to him." Sohana was already crying hard as Najwa talked some senses into her.

"He wouldn't even listen to me. He's ignoring me. I tried apologizing last night but he refused to listen. This is the first time we're fighting, I don't like it." Najwa sighed massaging her temple. "Okay honey don't panic. Text him or call him and tell him how sorry you are and how you love him. Cook his favorite food. Wear something naughty. Do everything that you know he loves." Sohana thanked her for the advice and said goodbye.

She sauntered into the bathroom and washed her face. She went back to the room and laid down due to how her head was aching all because of the crying she did.

She picked up her phone and dialed on his number but he didn't pick. She called three times, At the end he switched off the phone. She felt like her heart was stabbed with an arrow. She closed her eyes and breathe in and out.

I am writing this message to make you realize that life is not the same since you have stopped talking to me. You were my strength you know that. Whenever I feel sad, you used to pep me up. When I wanted to talk, you used to give a patient ear. When I wanted to enjoy, you used to suggest me a cool place. You only tell me is my life the same as before. I know the fault was mine and truly admit it right. But, please don't do this with me; there is nothing beyond you that I can see. You are my life, so please forgive me! She hit send and hopped for a reply.

12pm.....

3pm.....

7pm.....

10pm....

Still no sign of Sultaan. By that time she was already panicking. She called his phone but it's switched off. She laid down on the couch and curled up in a ball, praying silently for his return while sobbing. Her eyes tightly closed.

She scrambled up when she heard his car come to a stop. He came in with a salam. "Where have you been? Sultaan I was here worried sick, waiting for you. I called your phone but it was switched off. Why are you doing this to me please? I said I'm sorry. Please forgive me." He stood there with his hands in his pocket. "Are you done?" He questioned. She stood there before him shedding tears.

He left for his room since she wasn't ready to talk. She slumped down there shedding more tears. That's not fair, life's not fair. Why is he mad at her that much? Over something this small. She wiped her tears and stood up. She went upstairs to his room and sauntered in without knocking. That moment he was only wearing his shorts.

She kept staring at his well fitted body. His six packs. His hard chest made her to forget about what brought her. "Hey!" He snapped his fingers. She blinked twice and looked at his face. "Can I help you?" He asked. "We need to talk" she voiced. Her face messed up with tears. "I don't have time to talk now, I'm tired. Kindly leave my room now." He turned and laid down on the bed.

"Are you seriously going to keep ignoring me because of what happened? Because of this, small thing. This tiny mistake I made. I apologized, I said I'm sorry I made a mistake. What else do you want me to do? Fall into a river?" She was heaving up and down. "You yelled at me!" He started. "No I didn't mean to. I'm s-".... "Get out!" He snapped. "No listen to me please-".... "I said get out!"

She quietly left the room and went to hers. She was mad at herself. She blamed everything on her. It's all her fault. Why will she ever go out with a guy in the first place. New set of tears cascade down. She missed him so much. She miss the way he smiles at her. The way he holds and kisses her. The way he says 'I love you'. How he cares for her. "I miss him."