//Aneel

I walked down the steps and stopped when I heard Jamil scream my name. I turned around and found Aisha crying at the doorsteps. Her mother hugged her once again as I back up the steps.

"I miss you, too," her mother said. She smiled at me and let go of Aisha. "What must Aneel be thinking of you now? You got your makeup down your face." My hand rummaged through my blazor pocket until I found a tissue that I hadn't used. Aisha turned to me and she took teh tissue from me, wiping her ruined make-up.

"Stop it now, you've been crying for ages now," I mumbled as I looked down at her.

"Sorry. I'll stop now." She sniffed a couple of times.

"It's okay. You can come back whenever you want, you know? I will never stop that for you." Aisha nodded her head. Once she said goodbye to her mum, again, we both walked down the stairs. Nafeesa and her husband were already making their way to the house where we were going to stay for the night. She stood beside the car, waiting for me to unlock it. "Your mum was actually really nice today."

She smiled at me and I walked up to her side. Opening my arms, I saw her come towards me. Once I  had my arms around her, she started laughing. "You know, I probably look like a mess right now and you still haven't  said anything about it yet." She lifted her head up and looked up at me.

"Saving it all for later so I can annoy the hell out of you. And plus, you're worse in the morning."

"Really?!" I shook my head with a laugh and kissed her cheek. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm just kidding! And if I did feel that way, how would you stop that?" She shrugged her shoulders. "I think you're beautiful, no matter what," I whispered. She started to blush as she looked down. With a small smile, I let go of her and opened the door for her. "Go on madam."

***

After I got changed, I walked downstairs where I found Aisha drinking a glass of water. Nafeesa was debating over something with her husband. I walked up to Aisha and took the glass off her, drinking it.

"That's mine!"

"And now it's mine." She rolled her eyes and looked away from me. "Aisha?" I whispered. She looked back at me with a smile. I opened my mouth to speak but stopped when I met her eyes. Is it even possible for eyes to smile? I slowly exhaled as I took in her beauty. I shook my head with a smile. "Don't worry about it."

Saif, Nafeesa's husband, clapped his hands. I looked up at him. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah."

"Come on, I'll drive." He picked up his keys from the table and we all left the house. I put an arm around Aisha's shoulder as I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. She laughed and then pushed me away, blushing. I loved it when she blushed.

I took her hand in mine as we both followed Saif. "Where are we even going?"

"I parked near my workplace since there is hardly any parking here. Only a ten minute walk so it's no problem." He put an arm around Nafeesa's shoulder as we turned the corner.

"Don't you have a drive thru?"

"Technically, no. You can park in front of the house but we are not legalised to have one. So, we just need to get it done and I then I can park my car there. Better to be on the safe side, right?"

"Yeah, I get what you mean. Like for me, you have to pay 30 a month to keep that license to park your car in a spot. If not, then it's pretty much good luck trying to find a parking space." He laughed and turned around to face me.

"That's how it is here. That's why I prefer to park it down there. The pain of having a car, right?"

"Tell me about it." Aisha tugged my arm and I looked down at her. "Yes?"

"Nothing," she whispered. "Thank you for letting me do this." I kissed the top of her head. "I mean it, thank you a lot."

"Don't say thank you for that."

"Oh, Aneel, we have to quickly pick up our cousins." I looked at us and counted us in my head. If he said cousins, then he must have a seven seater, right? Oh well. Saif opened a gate to a house and we all went to the doorway. While we waited for everyone to come out, I got my other hand and played with tips of Aisha's fingers. She stood there smiling at me and once again, she made me stop everything and look at her. How did I get so lucky to have her as my wife? Alhamdulillah.

"Affa!" several voices screamed. Aisha let go of my hand and hugged the two girls. They waved at me and I smiled back.

"Humaira, Yasmin, how are you guys?"

"Good, good. So, are you two playing together or we gonna divide into other teams?" I shrugged and held Aisha's hand again.

"Dunno, depends on how many people are coming. Bhai should be sorting that out." The three other boys came out and we left again.

"Bilal, did you get the camera?" Saif asked.

"No, Bhai. Majid and Araf got there's because my battery is low."

"Because the idiot forgot to charge it even after we told him to charge it millions of times," Araf said, annoyed. "Doesn't matter now anyways because we all have the same camera."

"No we don't, mine is the one that came out after yours. So that means mine is better," Majid stated. Aisha giggled as she listened to them. We were the last one so we were right at the back. It was when we got to the car that I realised there were nine of us. At first, I was confused but then I realised Saif had a nine seater. Me and Aisha got in while the others argued which two would sit at the front with Saif. The seats were arranged so that the so seats at the back faced each other. Aisha put on her seatbelt and I followed. Humaira stepped in and sat beside Aisha. Then, the three boys grumpily sat opposite us so I guessed that Yasmin and Nafeesa sat at the front. Aisha rested her head against my shoulder and yawned.

"Tired already?" She shook her head and closed her eyes. "Hey! Don't fall asleep now?"

"What?! Is Aisha going to sleep already?" Saif questioned as he looked at us. "Not again, Aisha!"

"I'm not sleeping! Gosh, that was one time," she mumbled as she sat up. Saif mimicked her and then started the car. Aisha began talking to her cousins and I just silently listened. I knew them pretty well but I felt as though I was still a stranger to them.

Aisha tapped my knee and I turned to her with a smile. "Hey."

"Hello," she said back. "You okay?"

"Of course I am. Why?" She shrugged her shoulders and mumbled something. "What was that?"

"Did I do something wrong? If you really didn't want to come-" I put a hand over her mouth and everyone looked my way. I slowly lowered it down and felt my cheeks burn.

I leaned closer to her so only she could hear. "You didn't do anything. Stop saying sorry." Once I leaned back, I found her smiling and everyone still staring. "What?" Majid raised an eyebrow. "She was talking too much," I simply said. After a minute or two, they went back to their own stuff and I took out my phone. "Who wants to take a picture?!" I laughed as Humaira moved right beside Aisha before I even opened my camera.

After taking loads and loads of pictures, we finally parked up and all got out the car. Pretty sure it was a mini van but oh well. Before I even turned around to find Aisha, she held my hand with a huge smile on her face. I smiled back at her and kissed the top of her head. "I love you," I whispered. She didn't stop smiling.

"Alright, we just have to wait for everyone else. Might as well wait out here then." It wasn't too cold outside for me but looking around, all the girls were shaking. Despite Saif suggesting they go in, they still remained outside taking pictures with everyone. Aisha took out her phone and then soon everyone was joining in with our photos. My head snapped to the side when someone repeatedly blinked their headlights.

"Who on earth is that?"

Aisha laughed. "That's my brother." I laughed along with her and wrapped my arm around her. "Aneel?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you ever think we will end up getting bored of each other?" I tightened my arms around her ad sighed. Jamil was just parking the car.

"All we can do is put in our effort to make it last and see what happens then. And anyways," I said, "You're too weird to get bored of." She gasped and pushed me away. I began laughing as she marched away to her sister. "Aisha!"

"Go away!" I laughed again and walked up to her. "Stop!" Jamil and the others got out the car, joining us at the front. "Bhai, tell him to go away," she mumbled. Jamil looked at me and I raised my hands. "Stop," she told me.

"I didn't even do anything!" She huffed and crossed her arms, leaning back against the lamppost. "Alright, I'm sorry that I offended you. I won't do it again."

She looked down and kicked her feet out. "Fine."

"Fine?" She nodded her head. I pulled her to my side and she laughed as I put an arm around her shoulder. I guess she was really ticklish on her neck. "You're still weird though. And I have had plenty of warning from others so you cannot deny it." She huffed but carried on walking inside.

"So, I got two lanes. Who wants to go with who first? We be in twos." Everyone began talking to each other but then Jamil put a hand up. "I'm with Aisha though!" He looked at me with a smile. "If you don't mind, only."

"No, take her. I'll go with Araf."

"Who said I wanted to be with you anyways?" he asked raising an eyebrow. I rolled my eyes. He was sarcastic one. The bad sarcastic one, bear in mind. He was around Aisha'a age. All of us there were quite close in age range anyways. Youngest being Zainab, who came with Jamil, who was sixteen. And Jamil was the oldest, being 28.

Once everyone was in pairs, we began to play. The first person who bowled in our lane was Jamil and to be honest, he was amazing. Aisha, however, wasn't anywhere near. She managed to knock down only one pin after it hit against the rail. She frowned and sat down again beside me.

"You'll be good one day, babe."

"No I won't. This is why I hate bowling."

"This is your first time coming though," Jamil said with laugh. "One pin down is good for a new person." He extended his hand and she looked at it. "Come on, there is a practising lane just down there. It will take time for everyone to have their turn. Knowing Majid, you'll be an expert by the time we get back." She swung her legs back and forth whilst biting her lip. Finally, she put her hand on top of his and he pulled her up. "Come on, it'll be fun."

///Aisha

I walked behind my brother and watched as he put his hands in his pocket. "How come Bhabi didn't come?"

"She doesn't want to break a nail. You know her, only likes socialising with her friends."

"Oh," was all I said. I actually didn't know what else to say.

"I want to get a divorce, Aisha."

"What? Why?" He turned around and sighed. "Come on, tell me. You must have been thinking about this for a while now."

"Well, she wants a divorce," he admitted. "But, this outing is about you."

"No. This was for us to fix our relationship and strengthen or create a bond. And by you talking it about it, I think it will." He shook his head.

"You nosey cow." I smiled at that. He always used to call me a nosey cow when we were younger. "I don't want to dump it on you or scare you about marriage. You literally got married a couple days ago and now you have to listen to your brother's most likely divorce."

"Shut up about that. Does Amma know?" He picked up a bowling ball. "She doesn't know does she?"

"We haven't really confirmed it yet." He shook his head once again. "Pretty much my fault. I kept on thinking about work and wouldn't really pay attention to her. Then the kids came along, the attention went to them."

"Can you guys just try and work it out? You try and spend a bit more time with her and stuff."

"Aisha, it's not only that." Our eyes met and I saw the tears in his eyes. My brother never cried, or at least I never saw him cry so this was quite shocking to me. "She's been touched by another man," he whispered softly. "She let him touch her. She let him take her to bed and-" Bhai lifted his hand and harshly wiped away his tears that had fallen down. "She aborted one of my child, Aisha. My child!"

"Shh, it's okay." Without thinking, I quickly wrapped my arms around him to quieten him down. "You have the right to get a divorce, you know? This isn't good on you and what she has done isn't right. But, I still think you two should talk to each other and really confirm things and get to know the whole truth. Then you can get some closure in a way too."

"I was so scared that Mariam and Tariq weren't mine. If they weren't, I don't know what I would have done to her, Aisha." Bhai sighed and let go of me. He sniffed a couple of times and then looked up with a small smile. "What would I do with out you, you nosey cow?"

"Go away," I said with a laugh. "So, bowling?"

"Yes. Sorry about all that. Anyways, pick up a light ball."

"Are you only saying that because I am a girl?" He laughed.

"No. It's just because a light one tends to flow better and it's easier to handle." I listened to what he said. "Then, you go to your lane." I slowly walked over but he pulled me back a little bit. "Okay, so put the ball down for just a minute. I want to see how you bowl with your arm."

"Can't I just go ahead and throw it?" He rolled his eyes.

"No. You need to curl it. Just do what I am telling you!"

"Don't scream at me!"

"Oh my days! You are so annoying!" I sighed and looked over at Aneel who was walking towards us.

"Fighting already?"

"Women!" My brother said as he walked away. Aneel smiled at me and I tried to smile back but the fact that my brother was already angry at me stopped me.

"Cheer up." I shook my head and looked down. I heard Aneel sigh and he soon had his arms around me. "Come on, isn't my little short wife happy?"

"Stop it."

"Seriously, cheer up. I don't like seeing you so upset." I closed my eyes as his arms tightened around me.

"Aneel, I really want to tell you something." I inhaled sharply and he kissed the top of my head. "I just-"

"Aisha, it's our turn!" my brother screamed. Aneel let go of me and we walked over to them. "Remember what I said. Just turn you hand slightly when you throw and aim for the gap between the one and the two." Listening to what he said, I began by moving back. As I walked up to the line, I began repeating the steps in my head and next thing you know, only two pins were left standing! "You did it!" I heard my brother scream. He pulled me into a hug and everyone else cheered. "I'm so sorry for storming away. But look at you!"

He picked up the bowling ball and took his shot, taking down the last two pins. I felt hands at my waist and jumped only to realise it was only Aneel. "Hmm, you seem to be getting well at this," he whispered.

"I did it, Aneel!" I know I was getting too excited but I never did that before. "Woah, I feel like I can win this whole thing!"

"Yes, babe, you can finally do what a child can easily do." My smiled dropped with my arms. A child? I was getting too excited. I was a grown woman and I just learnt how to do what a child could do? That was embarrassing! I felt the colour rise in my cheeks as Aneel laughed. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," I said. I stood a step forward, his hand no longer resting at my waist.

"No! Aisha, I didn't mean it like that. I was just joking. I'm so sorry I offended you."

"Sometimes your jokes can just be a bit personal, Aneel!" Yasmin and Bhai looked over at me and I knew that I was too loud. Aneel didn't look around since his eyes were staring into mine.

"I know and I am so sorry. But we are still getting to know each other and I am still bound to make mistakes. But I know now to not cross that line again. I'm so sorry, Aisha."

"I swear you two are like some old married couple who are always bickering at each other!" Araf said. Aneel laughed and I slowly started to smile.

"I'm sorry for overreacting," I whispered. He turned me around as he sighed and let his arms drape over my shoulders.

"Just know one thing, it's never my intention to hurt you." My brother smiled at me and smiled.

"Yeah, it actually does seem like that," he said with a laugh. "But you guys are cute though. I'm glad you two got married to each other. Look after her properly, understood?" Aneel let go of me and went to giove my brother a hug. "I mean it, Aneel."

"I will, don't worry."

//Hope you like that! Sorry it hasn't been edited so if you come across any mistakes, sorry! Anyways, leave me your comments on what you think of the story so far :)