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𝓘 𝓯𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓭 𝓼𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓷𝓲𝓽𝔂 𝓲𝓷 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽'𝓼
𝓱𝓸𝔀 𝔀𝓮 𝓯𝓮𝓵𝓵 𝓲𝓷 𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮

B E N I S H

I stared around the room it was beautiful but not for a soul like me to enjoy. The room was elegantly designed with the most handpicked rose flowers. Removing my abaya with difficulty, I sat on the bed carefully as in I was scared that I might destroy it. The scent across that filled my nostrils were rosy and dreamy.

Aynan. Just a mere thought about made me scared. Would he be like Naef too? Naef had me wrapped around hi fingers. He used to do anything he wanted anytime. I hope Aynan doesn't turn out like Naef. I don't care if he ain't kind to me but my heart will be broken again if he is abusive like Naef was.

I shut thoughts of Naef by drinking half amount of water from the glass kept in the table beside the bed.

I kept waiting for Aynan. I was nervous but I can't just sleep like that. Walking over to the washroom, I performed ablution and walked out again to the room. Just when I was about to go towards the bed. I heard someone knock at the door.

My eyes snapped towards the entrance. My stomach churned in fear and nervousness. The sound of knocking didn't stopped so I hurried towards the door to open. As soon as I opened I saw a staff. She gave me a pleasant smile.

"I am a staff member. Actually Ma'am I have to check whether I have kept towels in the washroom because I was doubtful."

"Go ahead," I murmured smiling at her. After she came back from the washroom, she was about to leave when I called her,

"Excuse me?"

"Yes ma'am?" She turned around. The beautiful lavender coloured saree suited her complexion with magenta hijab. Her identity card hanging low down her chest.

"Do you know where is qibla?"

I asked.

"It's towards the bed." She showed me the direction. She left soon after. I spread the prayer rug beside the bed that was provided by the hotel. I prayed my Isha Salah. Lots of prayers were leaving my lips.

Chanting to get a normal life with Aynan. I folded the prayer rug and kept it back in it's place. Sitting on the bed again I kept staring at my fingers not knowing what to do. My eyes were heavy. I wanted to sleep badly. I wonder when will Aynan come.

Suddenly, I remembered the night I spent with Naef. A tear rolled out of my eyes. Why am I getting his thoughts when all he was to me was a horrible nightmare.

• ° • ° • ° • ° •

I woke up as soon as the sun rays hit my face. My closed eyes automatically widely opened when the sun rays started to come in my visual. I opened my eyes with difficulty and sat straight. The room was still empty. No one around, it broke my heart that Aynan didn't even thought of coming once. He hates me soo much for taking the place of Faina.

A droplet of tear dropped in my henna filled hands from my face. I didn't even realise I was crying. Why? I had prepared myself already that something like this will happen. I was still in my heavy gown. My head started to feel heavy and the pain slowly corrupted my mind.

I sighed before getting up from the bed and taking the suit case from the corner of the huge room. Keeping it in the bed, I opened it to find my things arranged neatly. This would have been arranged by Ammi Ji. She has OCD. So everything she does is properly cleaned and organised.

I took the dress which I was supposed to wear today and kept it in the bed. It was neatly folded inside the dress' bag showing the aesthetic design of it. Striding towards the dressing, I removed all the jewelry I was wearing. The relaxation after removing the heavy gold metals hit my frame and peacefulness gathered in my mind.

I took the dress and went to the washroom. After bathing and wearing the dress, I walked out again while drying my hair using a towel. I wore a violet long gown with gold embroidery works. Droplets of water dropped from my wet hair. I hung my stole in my shoulders. My throat felt thirsty making me walk quickly towards the half water left in the glass.

I gasped when I saw Aynan sitting in the bed. His back facing me. I backed off a little as I couldn't believe he was sitting there. Because of the sound of my gasp, he turned around. His chestnut eyes looking into my amber ones. His fair complexed skin with sharp cut jaw gave me chills. This was the first time I have seen him. He was supposed to marry Faina so I was never interested in seeing who she was going to marry. He wasn't wearing yesterday's clothes anymore. May be he spent his night in any other room of the hotel.

Our eyes were locked, none of us broke it for a whole two minutes untill we heard a knock in the door. Startled at the sudden interruption, I retreated my eyes down. He walked towards the door to attend the intruder.

Within the fraction of time, I wore my stole covering my head and quickly went towards the side table to drink the half left water. But to my surprise there was no water left in the glass. I pondered who would have drank the water? I looked around to see if there is a jug of water but there wasn't a jug. My shoulders dropped sadly as I didn't even had water to drink.

"Do you need water?" His voice boomed in the silent luxurious room which lacked of having a jug of water! I turned on my heels, startled at his voice. His eyes were already on me. He stood just behind me with a jug of water in his hands.

I nodded hesitantly. He passed the jug towards my direction and I got it. His fingers brushed with mine sending shivers down my spine.

Biting my lower lip, I poured the water into the glass and drank it after I sat beside the table in the bed which still had the beautiful roses spread on them. I didn't even touched them because I was scared that I might destroy the beauty of it. He was looking at me. At a point, it made me uncomfortable.

If I was that old Benish who used to be strong in her first marriage, I would have asked him right away about his absence in the previous night. But that Benish was gone long ago. I accepted whatever my destiny gave me now and Naef made me understand it.

After I drank the water, I looked up at him to find him staring again. His once soft eyes were now rigid and hard. He voiced,

"Get ready soon. We need to depart for Ibrahim Villa."

He turned around and sat in the couch scrolling through something in his mobile. I got up and dried my wet hair as quickly as I could and then wore my jewelry kept beside my dress bag in the suitcase. A huge violet ring with a geode in between and a few thick gold bangles. A long earrings that matched well with my violet coloured outfit. A golden chain which my name imprinted in between in urdu words.

"بینش"

Completing my look with a little amount of makeup and a stroke of brown lip colour. I wore my abaya and pinned my hijab. Closing and taking the suitcase from the bed, I wore my niqab and dragged the suitcase with me towards Aynan. With great difficulty I asked,

"I am r-ready. Can w-we leave?"

His eyes snapped towards me. I held the suitcase tightly in my hand due to my nervousness. After Naef, I feel like every other male will kill me anytime. That's the amount of mental and physical torture he gave me. He nodded and grabbed the suitcase slowly from my hands. He was gentle yet rude. What was he?!

He took it and we walked back from the room to go towards the lift. The clock hit 7:30 AM. I made myself a mental note to pray qaza salah of fajr. He was a little forward for me. My heels were so slippy. I took careful steps to avoid falling into the floor anytime. He recognised my uncomfortable steps and walked a little slowly just beside me.

When we were about to stand just infront of the lift to wait for it to arrive, I was about slip when all of a sudden Aynan entwined his palms with mine and took a hold of me.

"Be careful!" He surmised looking into my eyes. His touch made me shook in my place.

"Thank y-you!"

Why do I keep stammering in front of him. What would he think about me? He just makes so nervous that I end up stammering.

Stop blaming him Benish! It's your fault.

My subconscious didn't leave any chance to insult me. He pressed the button beside the lift with his right hand carrying the suitcase and left entwined with mine. The lift opened, and he dragged me along with him slowly and carefully so that I don't slip. There was an old couple standing inside the lift. They were laughing and talking with each other.

The love in their can easily be detected as they were so lovely with each other. We waited a little to arrive at the ground floor. Aynan didn't leave my hand. Not like I was complaining because it was hard for me to walk.

I didn't notice it yesterday because Mehak didn't let me feel that way. She way too careful with me. We were about to leave the lift when we heard the old couple talk about us. The woman surmised,

"Don't this couple look like us when we were newly married? They are so cute."

Her husband nodded in affirmation and answered,

"Yes they're, look at the way he is holding her hand. It shows how much he cares for her like I care for you." The lady chuckled hitting his arm who just appreciated himself.

It was awkward for me and Aynan. We avoided each other's gaze and walked out. He was still holding my hand. That awkwardness didn't urged him to break the hold.

We got out of the hotel and he went towards a posh black car standing in the middle of the road when a voice startled me all of a sudden.

"Assalamu alaikum Bhaiya!"

We looked at the source of the voice to see a man of early 20's standing on the right side of the car.

"Walaikum assalam!"

Aynan responded.

"Assalamu alaikum to you too bhabhi! I am your brother-in-law, Atif."

"Walaikum assalam!" I said and gave him a smile.

"Let's go Atif. Everyone must be waiting." Aynan rolled the suitcase to Arif's direction as he took it and kept it inside the car. Aynan opened the door for me. Gentlemen! I was about to sit but he didn't leave my hands. I looked at him and then at my hands. He jerked it all of a sudden. My hands felt empty. Not a gentleman!

He could have just let it go instead of jerking them off like that. I sat inside the car and he closed it. He sat in the front passenger seat with Atif driving the car.

We slowly passed through lanes and after 10-15 minutes we reached a huge mansion with a mixture of black, grey and white theme.

Before I could open the door after removing my niqab, Aynan opened it for me and I walked out. We three entered the mansion. I was astonished by the beauty of the place. Aynan dragged the suitcase again and took my hands without even sparing a glance in my direction.

"Here comes my daughter-in-law."

Azra aunty welcomed with open arms and we exchanged the greetings. The other relatives started to hug me like I am their favourite person. They are all soo nice to me. Mehak surmised,

"Look at Aynan bhaiya, he isn't even leaving his wife's hands."

I still had difficulty in walking. He just scoffed at her to which everyone laughed. Their sweet gazes made me blush. I looked down to avoid my blush.

"Go with Aynan sweetheart! Freshen up and then we will start the day," Azra aunty said lovingly.

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