It's 12:00 o'clock, midnight, it showed on the home screen of my phone. I unlocked my phone, and went to view my messages. I kept on re-reading the message Adil sent me. A constant reminder I broke someone's hope and trust, now I can't even close my eyes. That's not the only reason I am not able to sleep, I am on Ahmed's bed. He suggested I sleep in the same room as him, so I don't hurt myself again.
Well I am going to take that as a sign of concern.

The doctor came and she examined my foot, she said it would take about five or nine days for my ankle to heal, as it wasn't that severe. She bandaged my foot and elevated it with a pillow. She advised me to not walk a lot, that means bed rest. The doctor wrote a prescription for some ointments. Ointments Ahmed said, he'll send the driver to get tomorrow morning.

I looked at Ahmed, who was sleeping uncomfortably on the sofa. He does tussle at times, Ahmed could fall off the sofa. I don't think I will fall asleep any time soon, he should have proper rest on his bed. "Ahmed!" I yelled. I don't think he can hear me, he looks like he's fast asleep. "Ahmed!" I called out his name again. As I was trying to get out of bed, he wakes up and sits upright on the sofa. Stretching his arms, and after that tousles his hair, that didn't look untidy at all. Mine usually looks like bird-nest, I can't say I am not a bit jealous.

"Yeah." He stands up and walks towards me. He wore a white t-shirt that fit perfectly on him and black fleece joggers. "Everything alright?" He spoke, his voice raspier and resonant.

"Uh yeah," I replied. The bed lamp was switched on, he walked while rubbing his eye. I couldn't stop looking at him. Which I know is wrong, in a way. But he looks so, so different. I mean like in a good-looking type of way. Not that he isn't, but... yeah. I should stop staring before he notices. I am sure I will never hear the end of it.

"Then why did you wake me up?" he asked, in a guttural tone.

"Um well I can sleep on the sofa. You looked uncomfortable sleeping there and I am not sleepy, so I thought we could switch..." he interjected.

"I am fine on the sofa."

"You can sleep on the bed," I insisted.

"Fine, but you can't sleep on the sofa. It's uncomfortable, your ankle needs to heal not get worse," he spoke, and walked over to the other side of the bed. Ahmed slept on the bed.

"This is not what I meant. It's just that..." I tried to explain. I stopped talking once I realized I am on the same bed as him. It became really hard to focus, or even breath. I felt like my heart would jump out of my chest at any moment. Even though it's a big bed, and he was sleeping at the edge of it.

"Here." Ahmed kept a pillow between us, the middle of the bed. "You stay on your side, I'll stay on mine," he said and turned the other direction.

"Still not what I was implying. I guess the barrier can do," I said. He didn't reply, he must be really sleepy.

I stared at the ceiling and drifted away with my thoughts. I had no intention of falling asleep. I didn't know what to do, wondering if Adil will ever forgive me. "Can you stop sighing," Ahmed said abruptly.

"Sorry," I apologized. I thought he was already asleep. "What's your favorite joke?" I asked him. "Mine is: What do you call a large dog that meditates? Aware wolf," I said and giggled.

"I don't do jokes," he replied, his back still facing me.

"Okay," I replied.

"You can't sleep can you?" He spoke.

"Nope."

"Something's bothering you..."

"No I am fine," I tried to hide the truth, but my low tone and sighs already gave it away.

"You aren't a very good liar. But if you don't want to talk about it. I understand," he said and shifted his position, now sleeping on his back.

"You are a very perplex person. Just thought you should know," I told him.

"I know," he replied. How was I remaining so calm? I didn't look at him, not even glance. I remained staring at the ceiling and just tried my very best to ignore that fact that's he's on the same bed as me.

"Who would thought that we would end up here. On the same bed and legally married. No offense but you are the last person I thought I would get married to. My mum would certainly be shocked, I used to complain a lot," I thought out loud, and remained quiet for a while.

"Well at least your mum knew about my existence. Her son-in-law isn't a complete stranger," he spoke uncharacteristically.

"You could say that. I mean she would have given you lectures about being a good husband..." He cut me off.

"You mean like how you do."

"I do not give you lectures," I spoke and glanced at him. He was staring at the ceiling.

"Basic humanity, pretend not to care... Ring a bell?"

"Sorry," I said, embarrassed to even say more.

"You don't need to apologize. A quarter of what you said was the true."

"A quarter?"

"Okay maybe a third. Anyway we will travel to Dubai next week," he spoke, changing the subject.

"To meet your family and have a fancy wedding," I said and tried to sit up right, resting my head on the head-board.

"They are very excited to meet you especially my sister who thought I would never marry. I have a really big family that includes a lot of cousins. Adil was just one out of probably twenty or more, he's the only one who could tolerate me," he said.

"Have you told him?" I asked curious to know, if Ahmed is brave enough.

"No I haven't. I don't want to tell him over the phone, he'll be in Dubai. So I'll meet him and tell him then. Adil will be devastated, he likes you."

"But you can tell him the truth. That's it's not real. Right?"

"You think he would understand that? We are going to Dubai to have a wedding. Besides no one can know the truth, it could jeopardize everything," he spoke in a low tone.

"He proposed before he left, I said yes. Then today I told him I was married..." I spoke, tears on the verge of falling.

"What did he say?" Ahmed asked.

"Nothing, there was silence and then I hung up. I broke his trust and it hurts so much." Ahmed remained quiet, which made my thoughts even louder in my head.

"One things for sure, Adil's anger doesn't last long. He'll forgive you," Ahmed said. I looked at him, and he to looked at me. We stared at each other, before he shifted his position and turned himself, his back facing me.

"Goodnight," I told him.

•••

I woke up early in the morning, my usual time for fajar prayers. I thought of how I am going to get to the bathroom to do ablution. My scarf had fallen of my head and was around my neck, I put it on as soon as I realized it. Ahmed was not on the bed, nor was he in the room. I'll have to get up myself. I got out of bed, slowly getting my legs on the floor. I limped all the way to the bathroom, barely made it without tripping. I tried to open the door, but it was locked.

I knocked on the bathroom door hurriedly, I couldn't balance on one foot forever. As the door opened and Ahmed came out, he held my hand and put my arm around his neck, before I lost my balance. Ahmed  wasn't wearing a shirt, and it was very awkward words could not describe how I was feeling right now. He helped me walk towards the sofa and helped me sit down. I do not enjoy the lack of personal space, but it does not look like I have a choice. "Couldn't you just wait till I was there to help you," he spoke in a firm tone.

"I wanted to do ablution and pray," I explained.

"Okay," he said and walked away.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"I am going to get dressed," he replied, and entered the walk-in closet. I sat there, doing much of istighfar. Ahmed walks out wearing a long sleeved, fitting-industrial blue shirt. He walks towards me and helps me up again, and we walk towards the bathroom. Ahmed opened the tap and stood besides making sure I don't fall, after doing ablution which took a while. He helped me walk back to the sofa, and I prayed while sitting. The sofa was already facing the qiblah (direction of the Kaaba). After I finished praying, I started reciting a dua.

"I am going to work," Ahmed said. "I will instruct the maid to be close by, incase you need anything. I have already sent the driver the prescription of the ointments, you'll get them after you have had your breakfast. If you need anything you can call me," he spoke uncharacteristically. I just looked at him, well I was baffled yet pleased by what he said.

"Thank you," I told him. "Have a nice day," I said before he left. It felt like the appropriate thing to say. Ahmed smiled, barely, but it was there. It's already six o'clock, it read on the clock that was on the wall. Ahmed went to work early today, he must have some important business. As I was drifting slowly, in sleep. Then there was continues knocking at the door...

"Come in," I said. The maid walks in and greets me.

"Miss do you need anything?" She spoke in a quiet tone.

"No I don't need anything," I told her. She smiled walked out of the room. I closed my eyes and thought of how I would shower, with my sprained ankle. It will probably the hardest task I will have to do. On the bright side, I get to have breakfast in bed. I hope I get to see Imad before he leaves for school, we usually have breakfast together, before Alice comes. Today is he's last day of school, they are having a class party.

***
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