"Told you it was a bad idea. But you had to make me the scapegoat of your senseless plan. Had you not insisted for my company during all those scary rendezvous as I would like to put it, my jaw wouldn't need reconstruction now", comes the whining voice of my friend Riz. Remind me why I chose him to be my best friend.
I roll my eyes at his exaggeration, "Stop the whining already, Riz! It's just a purple bruise on your jaw, you aren't undergoing surgery or something for it to get back to normal." I say annoyingly.
"Whining!! Do you have any idea of the amount of pain his blockbuster punch put me through. I swear I saw stars during broad daylight. He should have taken up boxing for a living."
"Don't talk much baby. It will increase pain. Just rest here, okay?", his wife says with worry.
He turns towards her and places his face in her shoulder and she wraps her hand around him. Whoa! I admire their comfort levels.
"Noorie, please tell your bulldozer of a husband my Riz has nothing to do with both of your fights anymore. He is married and very much occupied now." Ashfa says with a straight face, is she angry at me?
"Look, Ashfa I am sorry. I didn't remember anything that I said that day when I got the panic attack. The only person that came to my mind was Riz for help and he agreed. But the misunderstanding between Zaan and me is all cleared now."
"Thank goodness. You should have seen the murderous look on his face when he saw Riz holding my hands at the mall. He called him all kinds of colourful words as he punched him without even listening to his explanation."
"Come again. Zaan hit him because he saw you guys holding hands?"
"What I mean is, your jealous husband thought you love my Riz and both of you are in a relationship, as cringey as that sounds. Then when he saw us holding hands near that mall, he assumed Riz was cheating on you and kept saying he was giving you up for an asshole like him. He ever cussed at his ownself for being stupid about not realising what a cheater my husband was. Trust me, if Riz wasnt being beaten to death I would have laughed at the entire scenario."
I burst out laughing, imagining what Zaan would look like cussing his ownself.
"Very funny! Not. He would have beaten me to death had Ashfu not shouted at him that I am already married. That's when he began coming to his human form and asked what she was talking about. Then she explained to him the entire situation. The moment she completed, he took a 180 and ran back like his ass was on fire. Didn't even apologise for the damage", Riz rolls his eyes.
"I apologise from both of our sides Riz. I am sorry and thank you so much for all the help." I smile at him thankfully.
"Hey, you don't have to apoligise. When did we get so formal with each other. I was just whining as you said."
"But still, I am so grateful for both of your support"
"Come on, time for a group hug now" Ashfa says and we all join in on the hug. Once we separate my phone rings with Zaan's name.
Riz clears his throat,"Looks like Mr.Bulldozer can't stay without his wife for long."
I give him the stink eye as I pick up, "Zaan! Did you have your lunch?"
"Yes jaan. I did. And thanks for sending my favorite bhindi (ladies finger). Now tell me where are you? I am back home and my wife isn't here to greet me", his sulking tone brings a smile on my face. Who knew my arrogant husband could pull off a cute look too.
"I came to meet Ashfa and Riz. I am leaving their place now but it will still take a while for me to be home since I have to pick a few essentials from the penthouse. Be there in half an hour, okay?"
"Can't you do that later? I want you here soon"
"Why? Is my husband missing me?", I whisper seductively.
He inhales sharply,"Nope. It's just that I can't function without you in my arms. It feels incomplete if your eyes aren't on me all the time. So come back fast. That's an order, Mrs.Noor Izaan Durrani."
This guy surely knows how to knock the breath right out of me. The blush on my face seems to become a permanent resident there.
"I will be there soon Zaan. Bye", just as I turn around I see two pair of mischievous eyes on me.
"Hmm. So Mr. Bulldozer also has a romantic bone in his body. Not bad"
I shake my head, taking my purse from their living room. I wave at them and enter into my car.
The moment I step into Zaan's room, my eyes pop out of my sockets at the destruction before me. All the vases in the room are in pieces on the floor. The bedsheets pulled out, the pillows thrown away. Even the dresser is void of all the things. I can't step into the room, the glass might pierce into my legs. When I bandages Zaan's hand yesterday, I didn't think it was this serious. I should have known if his hand was bleeding, then his room would be war zone.
Why did he give himself so much pain? He should have confronted me on this before. Infact, he should have staked his claim over me, how could he think of letting me go. Shake it off, Noorie. Focus on the future now. I need to build that trust between us. I would never ever even think of leaving him, he is my forever. And he needs to know that. It's a good thing I put those couple rings in my bedroom. I take them from there. And head back home.
"Noorie. You are late, beta. Izaan has been restless since he came back. He is you husband. You need to take care of him. Go now, he must be waiting"
"Yes Mama. I just had some work at the penthouse. I will go to the room. Mama, please serve the dinner a little early today."
She just nods with a confused expression. I jog up the stairs. The moment I open the door I am engulfed in a sturdy pair of arms. He rests his head head in the crook of neck, I wrap my hands around him tightly. My heart skips a beat, if this is how he will receive me everytime I go out, I don't mind going outside everyday.
"You took longer than an hour." He complains leaving tender kisses on my neck.
"Sorry. I had to call the househelp to get your bedroom cleaned. I couldn't leave until they finished the work. Zaan please don't hurt yourself like that again. I feel so guilty about it."
"Oh shit. I forgot I hadn't asked them to clean the room. You were not supposed to see that." I tighten my hold around him, inhaling his sweet scent. He is fine Noorie. Don't overthink now.
He pulls me with him to the bed. He settles himself in a sitting position against the headrest. And I keep my purse on the sidetable, climbing up the bed and onto his lap. He places his hands on my waist and mine go around his neck. He frees my hair from the hairtie. The locks fall all over my face and on his shoulders as my forehead is touching his.
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"How was your day at the office?"
"The usual. Back to back meetings and the paperwork. Though I did visit a construction site of one of our clients today"
"Hmm. You must be tired. Why don't you take a nap before dinner?"
He shakes his head, whispering slowly, "I am not tired anymore after I saw you."
I give him a lazy smile, running my hands through his cheeks, then his jaw. I want to swoon over his perfect features. His hands go under my kurta, running in lazy circles on my waist. I place my head on his shoulder, relaxing. I sigh in happiness. He is home and it's never felt this peaceful before.
