The dates were decided. 16th of the month was her rukhsati and 18 would be the walima.

She had just returned from the last exam and slumped beside her ammi who immediately kissed her head and rubbed her arm.

“Ho gyi free?”

“Ji! Itna sukoon mil raha hai na ammi, mai bata nhi skti.”

Anabia chuckled and adored the girl. She still remembered how small and scared she looked when she first came to their home. Anabia had always wanted a girl but couldn't conceive after Zeeshan.

“Tumhari baat hui tumhare shauhar se?”

As if his name had an allergic reaction, she went red immediately.

“J-ji kis baare mai?”

“Arre kaha ghumne jaaoge?”

“Ghumne?”

“Haan honeymoon pr.”

Sidra choked on air and looked at her ammi horrified. Honeymoon? With her husband?

“Honeymoon?”

“Arre haan bhai! Tum toh aise kr rhi ho jaise pata nhi kya ho. Har naya joda jaata hai.”

“Hum…hume nhi jaana kahi. Aur wo khud hi mana kr denge.”

She knew her husband that much. He would never agree for all this.

“Arre ussi ne kaha tha puchhne ko. Keh raha tha tumhare pasand ki jagah ho toh wo tickets book kra dega.”

Now this came as a shocker. He wanted to go on a honeymoon with her?

“Mai…”

She couldn't get words out of her mouth. Anabia chuckled and said.

“Tum khud baat kr lena usse iss baare mai.”

She nodded and ran to her room to save herself from the embarrassment.

Without a second thought, she called his number. When the bell started ringing, she realised what she had done but before she could disconnect, the call was connected.

“Assalamualaikum! Sab khairaiyat hai? Aaj tumne call kaise kia?”

Sidra tucked her hair behind her ear and blushed. His voice had always sounded so hot. But she started admiring it openly when they got married.

“Walaikum Assalam! Sab thik hai. Lekin aap mujhe ye baataye ki aapne ammi se kya baat kri hai?”

There was a pause and then some shuffling. He was still in office.

“Bhut si baatein kri hai. Rukhsati ki, walime ki, tum kis baare mai puchh rhi ho?”

“Aap-aapne ammi se kaha ki mujhse puchhe mujhe ghumne kaha jaana hai?”

She accused him of his shamelessness. On the other hand, her husband smiled. She sounded cute.

“Haan, kaha tha maine unhe. Jagah tumhari pasand ki ho isliye. Pr unhone kaha ki tum khud bataogi. Bolo kaha jaana hai honeymoon pr.”

She gasped when he said that word and turned red instantly.

“H-honeymoon? Hum toh ghumne jaa rhe the na? Honeymoon kyu?”

Now he laughed and she was even more shocked. The first time she had heard him laugh.

“Ek hi toh baat hai. Shaadi ke baad ghumne jaana matlab honeymoon. Jagah barao soch kr Sidra. Baaki ghar aaunga tab baat krenge.”

With that he disconnected the call and she kept sitting at one place thinking about his laugh. Then she realised what he said and panicked.

“Ghar aake? Face to face baat krenge iss baare mai? Ya Allah! Kaha chhuppu?”

She started pacing around the room but then stopped. Why was she panicking? He was her husband. Everything would eventually happen between them. Did she not want it? 

She did but not too soon. First, she wanted them to open up to each other. Share feelings, happiness and even pain. Like they were one soul in two bodies.

She sat on the bed with a thud. For that to happen, she had to stop running from him. But he scared her. No, he intimidated her. The way he looked at her, intense and unwavering, made her feel shivers down her spine.

Time passed quickly and rukhsati and walima were done. Everything went well.

Zeeshan stopped before his room. The past few days had been very hectic for everyone. But now, all the rituals were done. He hadn't hesitated in entering his room before. But now, something was changed.

He wasn't alone. He had his wife inside. His begum. His Sidra.

When her mother had brought her alliance an year ago, he wasn't able to deny. Maybe the guilt of snatching the happy life from her when she was a baby gnawed at him or maybe he because he had grown to be very protective of her all these years.

Having an age gap of 10 years made him reconsider but when he got to know that she had said yes, he didn't think further and accepted her.

But now she had shifted into his room permanently. It was reality now. Could he overthrow the guilt and leave freely? It was difficult. Very difficult. Looking at her innocent and kind face, he remembered his mistake. He remembered the reason she had to live with them.

“Zeeshan? Bahar kyu khada hai aise? Pehle hi din begum ne bahar nikal diya kya?”

His mother teased and he shook his head with a small smile.

“Nhi ammi, mai bas-”

He couldn't complete and so he simply shrugged. His mother seemed to understand. Like mother do. They always understand.

She caressed his head and smiled.

“Jo hua, wo unki marzi se hua. Jab uske dil mai koi shikhwe nhi hai, toh tu kyu ye lekar baitha hai. Biwi hai ab teri. Ab uski saari zimmedari, phir wo chahe koi zarurat ho, ya usse pyaar krna, wo teri hai.”

Zeeshan went stiff. Her mother sensed this and continued.

“Baat kr usse. Usse bata apne dil ka haal. Mai jaanti hu tu pasand krta hai. Lekin ye usse bhi bta. She deserved this happiness, Zeeshan.”

“Yahi toh masla hai na ammi. She deserves it. I don't.”

He said in a pained voice.

“Let her be the judge of this. Tell her your feelings Zeeshan. Sab kuch. Ek dusre ke dost bano pehle.”

He nodded stiffly and took a deep breath after his mother left. Her words still ringing in his ears. He knocked on the door and heard a small voice allowing him in.

Sidra was already in her nightgown and sitting on the bed with a grin.

She had heard some shuffling outside the door and rushed to open it but then heard a part of their conversation. She realised something was holding him back. And she knew that she had to take efforts to bring him out of his shell.