Ahmad's POV..

After much needed thought,I decided to always let Mama sort things out with Safaa,maybe if I stop meddling into their affairs so much I might find peace of mind and our relationship with Safaa would be redeemed too.Mama is also Safaa's mother,so she has the right to correct her when she's wrong,I shouldn't always be the one to handle her responsibilities for her.

Why isn't she even interfering in Salman's life?

Why must she always have problems with my wife?

I will be able to attain peace of mind now that I am married to Zarah someone who Mama thinks is worthy of me.I deliberately left Sydney because if we are in Nigeria,Mama has no choice but to stay at her own house.

The wedding dinner didn't really seem fun and a happy event to me until I sighted Safaa,all dressed in her splendour.I forgot the new bride close to me and just wanted her to be by my side instead.

I smiled for the camera only because she was there.

We left the event in the same car with my new bride but as soon as we alighted the car,A worried looking Mama called me and informed me with yet another problem.

I refused to believe her just yet.I patiently waited for Safaa and asked her what really happened.

Inquiring about it was useless because I left them in the living room hoping they'll talk things out.The moonlight sky and the natural breeze sending chills all through my body is much more better than the house,so I tiredly sauntered to the garden.

"You have messed up your life really bad haven't you?" Ma'aruf voice intruded my alone time.

"Ma'aruf at last I get to see you" I mumbled.

"Yes I brought your wife home,You left her stranded at the venue of your dinner" He chortled throwing a pebble into the small fish pond.

"I didn't leave her there,She has her own driver"

"The driver who kept delaying them you mean"

"That driver never delays Ma'aruf,maybe she decided to attend the event really late"

"Did you ask her? You guys don't even communicate now,how can your marriage survive? I don't want to sound like your elder brother,I know am just a friend..."

"You're my brother" I cut him off.

"Did you take my advice? I doubt if am really your friend,right now our relationship doesn't even matter,there's a relationship far more important than ours which is about to crumble and you need to save it before it's too late,God forbid if Safaa leaves you because believe me Ahmad she's at the verge of giving up on you.She might leave you,Goodnight" He finished disappearing from the garden without even waiting for his words to sink in.

The only part that repeatedly kept ringing on my mind is where he indubitably told me she's leaving me.How can I live without Safaa? No matter the circumstances the undying love I have for her and the space she has in my heart will always be there,no one can take her place.

Life will be meaningless without her.

"Why then are you acting like a chicken? You still don't believe she's capable of betraying you yet you distanced yourself from her? Don't you think she loves you too?" My subconscious scolded me.

"Come on in,It's cold out here" Zarah whispered.

I had no idea when she walked inside the garden too.

I followed her into the house without giving her a room for any conversation.I wasn't in the mood for anything.Not her sassy attitude nor the delicious food set on the table can lighten up my mood.

"Zarah go ahead and eat,I'm not hungry" I said trudging inside my room.

I saw the disappointed look on her face but it didn't even make me feel remorseful.She followed me inside the room but I walked to the ensuite ignoring her petite figure sitting on the bed.Minutes later I came out of it hoping she will be asleep but I still found her in the same place where I left her.

"Aren't you tired? You're still not sleepy yet" I asked her while getting dressed.

"I am,I was waiting for you" She replied shyly.

Is she really Zarah? Zarah never gets shy.

"Alright let's pray then"

After praying my mind kept wandering off to the apartment right next to mine,no matter how much I tried to pay attention to Zarah's blabbering,the sudden urge to go and check up on Safaa kept making me zone out.

I felt like she's not alright and she needed me.

"Have a nice rest Zarah"

"What?" She gasped.

"What's what?"

"Aren't you sleeping here?" She asked sadly.

"I'll sleep in the next room" I got up from the praying mat,folded it and kept it on it's place before walking out of the room,leaving her dazed and heartbroken.

I sprinted to Safaa's side having a bad feeling,what must she be going through right now?

I checked the first two rooms and found them empty,it's already past 11 at night where could she be?

Some sound from the bathroom of the third room caught my attention and I hurriedly ran into it and there I found her throwing up weakly.

"Safaa" I called her name kneeling beside her on the marbled floor.

"Why are...you...here?" She hiccuped.

"Are you okay?" I asked her worry marring my already tired face.

"I'll be okay,it happens a lot,why did you leave her?" She still continued asking.

"Just shut up,Are you done?"

"Hopefully" She tried standing up but instantly fell down.

"Ya Allah,you're so weak" I scooped her up in a bridal style and left the bathroom.

I laid her delicately on the king sized bed and quitely stared at her fragile figure,she looks pale and a look at her eyes will assure you of how broken she is,how broken I made her.

Will she ever forgive me?

"I'll be fine,Don't be unfair to Zarah" She whispered closing her eyes for a while.

"Does it happen always?" I asked ignoring what she just said.

"It does" She sighed deeply.

"Since when?"

"Are you a doctor?" She chuckled softly and the sound of her laughter,though very weak made me realise how much I've missed her.

"I'm your husband" I smiled brushing away the strands of hair that fell on the side of her face.

"I know you are,I always throw my guts out before going to bed since we were in Sydney,it stopped when I was admitted at the hospital but I guess it's back now" She explained her gaze on our entwined hands.

"You didn't eat well did you?"

"I don't have the appetite but I ate breakfast"

"You ate what?"

"Why do you care? Why are you even here? Just go to your wife" She sniffled detaching her hand from mine.

"You're my wife too and your health matters to me"

"Says the one who didn't care to visit me at the hospital"

"I'm sorry"

"You're sorry?" She snickered.

"I am really sorry"

"Sorry cannot account for all what I've gone through" The sound of her weak sob broke my heart into thousand pieces.

I held her tight forgetting about the issue of Mama's poisoning and that of the hotel.She kept attempting to be free of my hold but gave up after a while and continued sobbing softly.How I wish all that happened didn't happen,I miss the times when nothing on earth matters apart from our happiness.

Have I really hurt her that much? I thought listening to her erratic heartbeat and sharp intake of breath.

"Let's get you something to eat" I uttered minutes later taking her up from the bed in the same manner in which I brought her out of the ensuite.

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Safaa's POV...

The sound of the alarm for Fajr made me open my eyes abruptly.I saw Yaya Ahmad leaning on the bed,poor him,he must have slept like that watching over me.I don't know how he got to my room but I know albeit being weak I begged him to go to his wife,he can't just leave her on their first night as a couple but he refused saying he can't leave me alone because I am sick.

Why was he showing affection towards me all of a sudden?

I am really used to being alone,with no one to soothe my pain or to assure me that all of it will go away but I am always optimistic about my condition for some day Allah will make it so much better,He never burdens a soul with something it cannot bear.I endured all of the heartbreaks with an infinite Sabr knowing that Allah will set things right if not immediately then someday.

I scrutinized my husband's  face,though very tired he looks as handsome as he always looks.I cannot even remember the last time I was this close to him.

"Wake up" I caressed his face.

"Why?" He opened his eyes staring at my pale face.

"It's time for Fajr" I whispered getting off the bed.

I weakly went to the ensuite to perform Wudhu after he walked out of the room probably to go to the Masjid but he came back soundlessly minutes later frightening me.

"Let's pray together" I heard him say.

"You startled me" I gasped.

"Sorry babe" He smiled and led the prayer.

And it all felt foreign to me.

He prolonged our Sujoods and gave me the opportunity to pour my heart to Allah,I prayed for this moment to last forever,for his attention to be focused on me once again.I prayed for him too,asking Allah to give him the ability to carry out justice between two wives,because I doubt his capability,I wouldn't want Zarah to feel cheated and maltreated.

After our morning Azkhar  we read the Qur'an together just like old times.

"Am I forgiven?" He asked placing the Qur'an on it's shelf.

"Will you listen?" I asked ignoring his own question.

He nodded in affirmative so I proceed to tell him how I met Tahir and why he saw us coming out of the hotel together.

"Forgive me" He pleaded taking my hands in his.

"Do you believe me?"

"I do,I am sorry"

"Habibi please pinch me,I don't want to wake up and find out that am dreaming" I sniffed.

"You're still a cry baby,who will comfort our child when he's crying then?"

"Our child?" I asked him my eyes wide open.

"Yeah my little baby that you're carrying"

"Okay now I really believe I am dreaming"

"You aren't" He smiled leaning in to place a soft kiss on my lips,it was a simple one yet it held a lot of emotions.

"Yaya Ahmad..."

"Hmm" He sighed still embracing me.

"Why did you leave your wife,it's unfair"

"I know it's unfair but I sincerely don't love Zarah"

"Why did you marry her then? To punish me?"

"It's not the reason"

"Why then? To ruin my life or her own?" I freed myself from his embrace and stared at him waiting for an answer.

"I did it for Mama"

"Oh" I replied nonchalantly.

"I tried talking to Zarah before the wedding but she insisted that it should hold,I never wanted to hurt you and I did it for us"

"Which one do you want me to believe? I'd rather believe the first reason,You had to do it for Mama,Let me live with that" I casted my gaze on the curtains refusing to meet his eyes.

"Am I forgiven?" He asked again for the umpteenth time.

"I forgive you Habibi but under one condition"

"What's that?"

"No matter what happens wait and hear it from me,don't go acting up without knowing the real story,communication is the key Yaya Ahmad and we lack that"

"Okay I promise"

"If you break our promise,I'll walk away" I pouted untangling our hands.

"Seriously?" He knitted a brow.

"I swear" I mumbled getting up from the praying mat.

"Alright I'll guard that promise with my life"

"I hope so,I'm sleepy" I yawned covering my mouth with my palms.

"Let's get you to bed then" He carried me up like a small baby.

"The bed is like five steps away from where I am,why did you carry me am not a baby" I whined wrapping my hands around his neck.

"You're my baby,I miss your hair" He smirked freeing me off my hijab and the messy bun in which I tied my hair.

"He misses only my hair,Thank God I never forget to wash it" I whispered to myself.

"I heard that" He chuckled gently placing me down on the bed.

I kept staring at him still hoping it's not all a dream.Has Allah finally answered my prayers? Did He bring back my real husband back to me now?

Ya Allah keep us happy always,guard us from all the evil in the world,Make his Mama understand and make all the hatred she feels towards me go away.He's destined to marry Zarah so help him carry out his duties as a husband Ya Rabb,make him never neglect his responsibilities for I know what it feels like to be ignored by a husband,don't make her go through a test like mine,Ya Rahman,bless our home.

"What's my sleepy wife thinking about?" He asked still playing with my hair.

"Nothing am just happy"

"I am too,now sleep" He kissed my forehead and switched off the lights.

"I wish our life will be like this forever"

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