Zayne

"Umma!" I shouted. I realized, a bit too late, that I had raised my voice in anger. Taking a deep breath, I waited a few seconds to gather my thoughts, wanting to speak calmly. "Umma, that was just a joke. They were all just friends growing up."

"Just friends? He is marrying one of them after being just friends!" my mother countered, her tone sharp. I used to love how fiercely she would stand up for me, how her words could slice through any insults or taunts thrown our way by ill-wishers. But now, all I could think about was how her words were hurting Naina, my wife.

Then, my mother lowered her voice to a whisper, leaning in as if to confide a secret. "Did you know that they were living together in Chennai? Maybe her parents don't mind both the daughters being passed around between—"

"Umma, mind what you say about my wife," I said firmly. I hated that I was being rude to my mother. Her expression shifted, and she stared back at me, her eyes wet and filled with hurt.

I closed my eyes, and a scene from my childhood came to mind—her gentle hands washing my cuts with Dettol after I had dived to catch a ball during cricket practice.

I must have been about twelve then.

"I don't know why you keep playing that game," she had said, dabbing the antiseptic on my elbow and forearm. She took off my shoes, revealing the grass stains and dirt that clung stubbornly to them. "I have to wash your shoes; they are so dirty. Vaapa shouldn't know you were wasting time playing cricket. Oh no! Is that a hole? Why didn't you tell me? We'll go buy some new shoes before Vaapa gets back from work..."

"Umma," I said softly, wrapping my arms around her. She wiped her tears away and kissed my cheek gently.

"You are all I have, mone. I am just trying to protect you," she murmured, her voice thick with emotion.

"Umma," I took both of her hands in mine, trying to convey the depth of my feelings. "Naina makes me happy. She makes me so happy. I love her, Umma. I really love her. But I hurt when she hurts..."

Umma nodded, her gaze still avoiding Naina, and I could sense the barrier that had formed between us slowly dissolve.

"We'll head to Sophie's house then. I was hoping to get some time with you," she said, her voice softer now but still tinged with disappointment.

"Umma," I said as affectionately as I could, "I want to be with my wife tonight. I hardly see her..."

"You saw her last Sunday," my mother complained, her brows knitting together in disapproval. I glanced at Naina, who had stepped back and was looking away.

"I haven't spent the night with her in over a month!" I blurted out, unable to contain the grin that spread across my face.

Split between annoyance and amusement, she pushed my hands away, but a smile broke through. "I didn't need to know that," she said, shaking her head, and for a brief moment, the tension eased.

She hugged Naina goodbye before leaving, and I counted that as a small victory. I felt a sense of relief wash over me, but when I turned to Naina, I noticed her expression was far from happy. She stood there with her arms crossed, her brow furrowed in frustration. Women! Why did they create so much drama for no reason?

"Let's go?" I suggested.

"We have to wait for my parents. We are the hosts. We have to be here till all the guests leave," she replied, her tone still cross.

We spent the next hour at the venue, mingling with her relatives and making small talk.

The laughter and chatter around us seemed to fade into the background as I focused on Naina, wishing I could ease her mind. Finally, as the evening wore on, it was just us and her immediate family. Fahad and his family had left too, making the atmosphere feel quieter and more intimate.

As we were ready to leave, Naina's mother enveloped me in a warm hug, while her father gave my shoulder a reassuring pat.

We finally made our way back to her house, and I was once again taken aback by its sheer grandeur.

Naina's home was nothing short of a mansion, adorned with modern decor, sparkling chandeliers, and soft, inviting colors. It felt more like a luxurious hotel than a lived-in family home.

The guest bedroom we were staying in featured a 65" TV screen, a jacuzzi, and air conditioning.

"Impressed?" Naina asked, a chuckle escaping her lips as she noticed my wide-eyed wonder.

"Very," I replied, still taking it all in. Though my family had wealth, our house looked more like a home. Money was invested in businesses, properties and gold.

"The same designer who worked on the resorts collaborated with Mama on the house," she explained. It was clear that a professional touch had gone into every detail.

"Your resorts must be beautiful too, then," I mused, realizing I had never had the chance to visit any of them.

"No, Pappa's business is volume-based. It caters to the middle class. It's beautiful but not high-end. He focuses on affordability," she explained, her tone matter-of-fact.

I shrugged, appreciating how much Naina new about the workings of her father's business though she herself was in a different field. I wondered if she were a man, whether she would have had the freedom to practice medicine or if she would have been obligated to take over her father's business. I shook my head. I didn't want to imagine my wife as a man.

"I have some ideas for the jacuzzi," I ventured playfully, lifting her chin gently and teasingly pinching her lips from the sides. She attempted to talk but the sound came out muffled, prompting me to laugh. "You look like a goldfish," I said, releasing her lips and relishing the playful banter. She wore a stunning off-white lehenga, similar to what Nishita had worn, but more muted.

"The most beautiful goldfish in the world?" she asked, pouting adorably.

"The," I teased, leaning in to plant a soft kiss on her lips, dragging my words along her mouth, "most beautiful idiot in the whole..."

"Ouch!!!" I yelped as she playfully bit my lower lip, a burst of laughter escaping her as she did so. My heart raced at the unexpectedness of it, and I immediately checked to see if my lip was bleeding, but thankfully it wasn't.

"Take my clothes off..." she commanded, still laughing.

"Oy!" I teased back, raising an eyebrow. "Be a little coy and seductive!"

She started swaying her hips as she trailed her fingers along her neck and down her chest, a sultry smile playing on her lips. I stood there, open-mouthed in shock, mesmerized by her.

She threw her head back in laughter. After a moment, she added, "The jacuzzi doesn't work. I have to take off my makeup and my lenses. You go first, and then I'll shower after you."

I leaned down and kissed her forehead before heading to the bathroom. As I showered, I could hear her laughter outside. I wouldn't have minded if she had continued that dance.

When I finally returned from the shower, the sight that greeted me made my heart skip a beat. Naina lay asleep on the bed in nothing but her undergarments, her long hair fanned out like a dark halo. I cursed myself for taking too long; the sight of her so vulnerable and serene stirred a desire within me that I knew would be difficult to contain.

I took a moment to gather myself, then gently moved her hair from her ear. She stirred, lifting her shoulder in response but remained asleep. "Naina," I whispered softly in her ear, hoping to rouse her.

"Hmmm," she murmured, turning slightly towards me but keeping her eyes closed. My gaze roamed over her body, my heart swelling with longing. She was mine; I was allowed to admire her beauty. I pulled her closer, kissing her ear softly, and she let out a soft moan, yet her eyes continued to remain shut.

"Naina?" I called again, but she simply sighed, lost in her dreams. I felt a pang of frustration. I wanted her to wake up, but after a few moments of silent contemplation, I finally gave up, lying back against the pillows beside her, content to simply be close to her.

The next morning, I woke up in an empty bed, the soft sheets still rumpled from where Naina had slept. The windows were covered with blackout blinds engulfing the room in a deep, cozy darkness. I glanced at the clock and noticed it was a little past 9 am - I would be flying to Mangalore later in the afternoon.

After completing my morning routine, I made my way downstairs, only to be greeted by a bustling scene. Naina's entire family, along with aunts, uncles, and a few cousins I had met earlier, filled her home. The lively chatter and laughter echoed around me, and I felt a bit overwhelmed. A little warning would have been nice.

As I scanned the room, my eyes landed on Naina, who was chatting animatedly with her relatives. I needed to talk to her about Advik staying back. The thought gnawed at me; I didn't know when I would get the chance to visit her again, and I had been holding back on telling her for too long now.

"Come, come! Join us!" her father called out, standing up and ushering me toward the dining table. "Make space, Nishi." Nishita scooted over to the next chair to free up the space next to their father for me.

There was an array of delicious dishes on the table: idiyappam, muttappam, appam, stew, muttaroast and many other Malabar favorites.

Naina caught my eye from across the table and winked at me. I smiled back at her.

"You are my favorite son-in-law!" her father exclaimed, laughing as I settled in my chair beside him.

"Pappa!" Nishita and Naina chimed in unison, their faces reflecting twin expressions of embarrassment.

"I mean, once Fahad and Nishi get married, you'll have competition," he teased, laughter spilling out once more.

I caught Naina rolling her eyes. "Pappa is crazy, don't mind him!" she told me, and I chuckled. It was all in good fun, but I couldn't imagine speaking about my father like that in front of company—or ever, for that matter.

After breakfast, I knew I needed to have a private conversation with Naina. I sought her out, catching her attention across the bustling room.

"Naina, can I talk to you alone?" I asked, my voice steady but laced with urgency.

She nodded, but instead of heading toward the guest room, she led me to her back garden. I hadn't been to this part of her house before. As we walked, I noticed an old wash stone and a covered septic tank before we reached an overgrown vegetable garden.

Several arches adorned with climbing plants framed the entrance. To my surprise, Naina stopped short of the garden and pointed to two slabs of stone. I dusted them off with my hand, and we both settled down.

"You don't want to go in the garden. Something will bite you. It's choriampuzhu season," she warned, and I felt my skin crawl at the thought of the hairy caterpillars that lurked about at this time of the year.

"So, when I went to the student department last week, I ran into that asshole and Vaishak," I began, my tone shifting to something more serious. I studied her face, searching for any reaction.

She blinked a few times but otherwise kept her expression neutral.

I placed my hand gently on her knee. "Advik is staying back for his spine fellowship," I told her, watching her closely.

Her gaze drifted away, her face remaining impassive, but I could see the way her chest rose and fell heavily.

"I don't..." I hesitated for a moment, gathering my thoughts before rephrasing. "Do you think it's a good idea for you to join the same hospital?"

I waited a few beats for her to respond.

"You don't trust me?" she asked finally, her eyes searching mine.

"I do... I do trust you. I trust you more than anyone else in the world," I assured her, and it was the truth. My heart was laid bare before her, and I meant every word. "I just worry about how it's going to affect you... and us... for you to be around him..."

"But I won't be around him. I mean, rarely... only if I need an ortho consult. What are the chances?" she countered, holding my wrists and shaking them. "I need to move in with you, Zayne. I cannot do another year of long-distance relationship. I just can't do it." Her eyes were pleading.

"I'm scared, Naina..." I admitted, swallowing hard as I faced my own fears.

She held my gaze, her expression unwavering. "You have nothing to be afraid of. Adi is in my past. It's all over. Please... please don't do this... I need you..." Her voice trembled, breaking my heart in the process. Maybe it would be okay after all.

"Okay, I'll send in the application and we'll just... we'll move in together, okay?" I said, a part of me flooded with relief as the words left my lips.

She wiped her eyes, and I felt a pang of guilt wash over me for not having implicitly trusted that we would be better off together than apart, regardless of whether that jerk was in the picture or not.

To my surprise, Naina shifted and sat sideways on my lap, wrapping her arms around me in a hug.

Before Naina, I had had a few dates and one girlfriend, Preethi. While Preethi and I had made out whenever the opportunity presented itself, no one had ever been as affectionate with me as Naina was. And though I loved it, it often caught me off guard.

I held onto her clothes, savoring the moment before withdrawing slightly to look at her face. She smiled at me and my whole body was filled with her warmth.

Instinctively, I leaned in and kissed her, my hands roaming to all the places that definitely weren't appropriate in her parent's house. There was no way I was going to wait a whole year for her to move in with me.

Just as the moment escalated, my phone rang, jolting me back to reality. I glanced at the screen and saw it was Naina's father calling. I quickly showed her the screen, and she hopped off my lap.

"Hello, Unc... Pappa!" I answered.

"Mone, we have been searching for you both. Where are you?" her father asked, concerned.

"We'll be right there! We just went to... check the garden..." I stammered, feeling a flush of embarrassment creep up my neck as Naina giggled, her fingers pressed against her lips in amusement. I rolled my eyes at her.

"Let's go," I said after hanging up. I took her hand and lead her back toward the house.

"Love you, Zayne," she said nudging my arm with her shoulder.

"Love you, Naina."

idiyappam, muttappam, appam: rice based breakfast items
Mutta: egg

Thank you for reading.

Remember that you are amazing, and there is a reason for everything. You are going to be okay.

❤️Faiza