Chapter 55

Atifa's pov:

Fidgeting with my ring - the one which he gave me - I looked up at him. "Divorce me." Was all I said as I waited for his reaction.

"What? You are kidding me right?" Exclaiming incredulously, he got up from the bench and started pacing in front of me. A frown on his face as he ran his hand through his hair.

"No." I whispered, looking away. Standing up, I stopped him by holding his warm hands in my own soft one. This was probably the first time that I was holding his hand, taking the initiative myself. Looking up at him, I tried to smile but obviously, he couldn't see that through my niqab. "Listen to me okay. Now I know that ammi forced you into marrying me and... I'm sorry for that but you don't have to continue like this. You have your whole life ahead and you can start all over again. You don't have to think about me or do anything for me. I can understand. Just leave me and live your life?" Taking a deep breath, I said. I could feel my breath hitching just at the thought of...

Wrenching his hands away from my grip, he turned away. "You don't understand, do you?" Running his hand through his hair, he turned back to look at me, more like glare at me furiously. "Just remember one thing, I'm not divorcing you. Never in my life have I thought about it and I don't even plan on thinking about it now! That is the one thing which, even if things get worse between me and my wife, I'm not going to do. Unless and until it's something as bad as..." He paused, his eyes blazing as he took a deep breath while looking away. "And just to let you know, divorce is the one thing which is allowed in Islam but Allah hates it the most." He added, a bit calmly before looking at me.

I was stunned to say the least. Or maybe relieved? I didn't know, my kind was a muddled mess and I couldn't think straight. I mean, we had kind of similar thinking? That was good, right? But I was not exactly sure if it was. "I know that. But-"

"Come, sit here." He interrupted me before I could say anything as he held my wrist, pulling me closer and making me sit back on the bench when I was going to start pacing, before taking his previous place. "What's up with you women and not listening to what I have to say?" He grumbled while looking down, making me glare at him.

"What's up with you and not listening to us?" I retorted slowly, making him look at me and chuckle.

Shaking his head, he replied, "That's because you women don't make sense at times."

"Maybe, but only at times, right. Not always." I retorted back quickly before he could look away.

"Anyways, as I was saying, you didn't even listen to me completely. I wasn't done when you ran away. Yes, ammi did kidnap me and asked me to marry you. But here's the thing, she didn't force me to do so. She asked me. Yes, I will agree that she kind of forced me in the start, but later on she left it on me to agree or disagree. I had the choice of disagreeing as well, but well... I did istikhara and got a positive vibe so that's why I agreed." Ignoring my valid statement, he continued. I was kind of shocked by his statement, and embarrassed too. For behaving like that with ammi and not listening to them. But you couldn't blame me, I definitely did not expect anything which they revealed to me.

"And well... I- Uh... I actually kind of..." I raised a brow, looking at him curiously. This was something new, he never stuttered. At least he hadn't until then. "Never mind." Rubbing the back of his neck and looking away, he added, leaving me more curious.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"Nothing." He muttered quickly before glancing at his ice-cream. "Look, even my ice-cream melted after hearing my story but you didn't!" He shook his head sadly as he said that, making me chuckle.

"So you are saying, you don't have any problem with ammi kidnapping you and stuff?" I asked, looking at him curiously. I was astonished to say the least. For the first time in my life, I was actually watching a guy who was saying all these stuff even when he was the victim, the one who was kidnapped.

"Not exactly. I mean there was a reason behind me getting kidnapped and stuff... So I guess, I'm not that bothered about it anymore." He shrugged, looking at the playground now.

"Hmm." I turned to look back at the playground. "How did you even get kidnapped in the first place?" This was one of the things which was bothering me at the back of my mind. How could he even get kidnapped? He was a grown up man, not some kid who could be lured into some trap.

"Uh... That was actually because I couldn't find Alayna here and I was trying to look around, lost in my thoughts when someone sprayed something in front of my face and I don't remember anything after that. Except when I woke up in your basement." I was astonished. So ammi brought him directly to our basement. Wow. Okay. That's...

"Wait a minute! Why did you even leave your sister alone at the park in the first place? Don't you know how dangerous it could have been? What if something might have happened to her? I actually can't believe you did that." I seethed furiously, turning to look at him again, suddenly remembering his stunt, or maybe recklessness would be a better word.

"Woah, calm down, wait a minute! I didn't want to leave her like that, okay? I had an important meeting which I had to attend and I know that it was wrong of me to leave her like that and it was irresponsible of me to do that but I couldn't do anything... I didn't have any other option. They wouldn't let her in with me and if I hadn't attended it, then I would have most probably lost my job. I was helpless. I regret doing that a lot, believe me. But I did leave a bag and my other mobile with her, which she left at the park and which in turn, resulted in this big mess." He explained while turning to look at me as well, I nodded my head in understanding, calming down.

"But it still wasn't a good idea to leave her alone in an unknown place." I mumbled, looking away at the swing moving to and fro.

"Hmm, I know that. And I regret doing that, but believe me, I would never do that or something like that again." I could hear the determination in his voice which made me smile slightly, until I realised something.

"So does that mean that you regret marrying me?" I questioned slowly, not really wanting to hear the answer as I once again looked down in my lap and started playing with my ring.

"Should I be honest?" His question caught me kind of off guard.

Looking up at him, I blinked. "Yeah?" My reply came out more like a question, making me look away hearing the uncertainty in my own voice.

I could actually feel the smile in his voice as he answered. "No, I don't regret marrying you. You know... I wouldn't be here if Allah Subhanahu Wa Taàla wouldn't have wanted me to stay here. I could have found my sister by going to other house's and asking them. But that didn't happen. Allah Subhanahu Wa Taàla had other plans. I was bound to be kidnapped and get married to you. Remember? We plan and Allah plan and He is the best of Planners. Maybe it wasn't in my plan to get married to you, or anyone else for that fact. But it was in Allah's plan, and if it was in His plan then I don't think it was just for nothing. There must be a reason behind this. Behind everything. And I believe in it and trust Him."

His answer made me smile. I was actually speechless, I didn't know what to reply. I also couldn't get that silly smile off my face. And suddenly, I could also feel my face getting warm. Okay, I was definitely going crazy. These were all the side effects of my periods. Nothing else.

"Do you... regret marrying me?" Now this question made me turn to look at him wide eyed. He was looking at Alayna and Amira, lost in his thoughts. He actually thought like that? But why?

"Why would you think that?" I questioned with a frown, confused and curious at the same time.

"Just asking." He replied, coming out of his thoughts and looking at me. Our gazes locked, and for a moment, I was lost in the swirls of his hazel orbs. They were so... deep.

"No." I heard myself whisper, bringing me out of my staring contest. "And I hope it remains that way." Looking away, I added teasingly, just to lighten up our moods and thoughts.

"I hope the same." He muttered under his breath, making me chuckle. Glancing at his watch, he added, "Let's get going. Your ammi must be waiting. And it's time for lunch."

Nodding my head, I stood up, feeling light headed. I hoped for my headache to wear off soon. I didn't plan on spending my day with it.

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"Why did you even buy that ice-cream if you didn't want to eat it?" I asked him, annoyed, while eyeing the plastic bowl in his hand.

"It was to lure someone into coming with me." He replied with a teasing grin while deliberately stirring the spoon and making the liquid fall from it later on.

"Hahaha, very funny." I replied sarcastically, glaring daggers at him.

"I know right! And I don't even know why I'm taking it back with me right now." He replied, looking down at his hand.

"Exactly! Why are you even taking it back? What are you going to do with it?" I questioned in exasperation, looking away from it and glancing down at Alayna who seemed to be busy admiring the trees? What was she even looking at?

"Oh it's just to annoy you. Don't worry, I won't do anything else with it." He muttered and I snapped my face in his direction.

"What did you just say?!" I seethed angrily and he glanced at me with a big smile.

"Did you hear anything?" He inquired innocently and I gritted my teeth. I was already having a headache and he wasn't helping me at all.

An idea popped up in my mind as I halted my steps and crouched down, holding my feet. "Ya Allah!" Suddenly, I exclaimed in a pained voice, gaining everyone's attention. This was going to be fun.

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▪ Is everything finally getting better for them?

What is your favorite ice-cream flavour?

Tag someone from whom you want an ice-cream. ;)

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