FROM NEVER TO HAPPILY EVER!

20.

Noor's  POV

My hands are trembling, I open the envelope that needs to be signed. The first thing that my eyes land on, Zaan's signature. My tears are flowing like a river. Man up, Noorie! He signed it right. You can do it as well.

I take the pen from the stand, I am in his study right now. My hands are shaking involuntarily. My eyes zoom in on the empty space that needs my sign. That's it! After that, he will no more be mine. Allah, kaise sign karungi main ispe? (God, how will I sign this?)

Come on Noorie, there is no other way out. Just sign it. I hold the paper, I am about to sign when the paper is snatched away from my hands. Whoever did it, just saved me from a heart attack. I fall down on the ground, my breathing too ragged for me to think straight. I am taken in a pair of arms I know all too well but I shrug it off. I stand up trying to search for those papers, I need to sign them and get this off my chest. I freeze when I see them burning up in one corner of the room. The papers have turned into ash completely.

Before I can ask him, he grips both my hands in his tightly. He pulls me to him with the other hand holding my waist onto his chest, I raise my head to ask him about this weird behaviour but I am too shocked to see tears falling down from his eyes mercilessly. His eyes are red and his chest heaving so much as if he ran a marathon.

"Tell me you are mine Noor. Tell me I own every fibre of your body. How could you even think of signing them?" His voice is hoarse. His words commanding but the desperation is clear in his eyes. What is wrong with him? One moment he wants divorce and the next moment my confession.

"It was you who asked for the divorce,   not me"

"But you never opposed it Noor. Why?"

I don't reply to that, I don't know how to.

"Reh sakti ho mere bina?" How dare he ask me that when he put me in this situation.

"Haan, seekhlungi"

"Main nai rehsakta. Main mar jaonga agar tum mujhe chod dogi. Ishq hai tumse Noor. Beinteha mohabbat karta hun main tumse." He joins his forehead with mine, our tears mingling as they flow down. I open my eyes when I realise what he said.

I grab his face closer to me, staring right into his eyes, "Dobara bolein."

"Ishq karta hun tumse. Aisa ishq jo tumhare liye jaan de bhi sakta hai aur  jaan le bhi." I don't need anything else. I just needed to listen to that to start breathing again.

I press my lips to his, biting his lower one harshly. He needs punishment for the stunt he pulled. He kisses me back just as hungrily. Our tears still flowing, I wipe away his and then mine. He takes me to the couch without breaking the kiss.

He pushes me on the couch, my back touching the cushion. I wrap my hands around his neck and legs around his waist.

"Zaan, the door"

"It's locked"

He comes up for air from my neck, my eyes staring into his. I can't help as the tears flow down again.

"Shhh, jaan stop crying now. I m sorry for all the pain I caused you" I start hitting his chest hardly with my fists. How dare he think of divorcing me. We almost got divorced. The thought scared me to death.

"How the fuck did you think you could get away with signing the divorce papers? Was it that easy for you to discard our relationship? "

"I am the biggest fool to have signed that. I wasn't thinking straight jaan. The only thing on my mind at that time was that you loved that Rizwaan"

I gasp. What is he even saying. He must have seen the horrified expression on my face, "That day after you went to the bar, you got up after a nightmare. While you were leaving I said I liked you and you told me you don't like me back. You also confirmed you loved Rizwaan."

"No, No, No. Did I really say that? I must really have lost my mind back then. I wasn't in my senses Zaan. I don't like Riz that way, much less love.  Infact he is married."

"I know. I just found out."

"Oh so if you hadn't found that out, we would have been divorced by now?"

"I don't think so. Even before I found out the truth, I had realized I couldn't live without you. What I said just a minute ago was true in every sense, Noor. You have bewitched me. The last two days have been a visit to hell and back again. I had every plan of burning these papers away even if you signed them."

I place my head back on his chest, my happy place. I can't fight with him anymore. But then something strikes me, "Zaan, is that why you said you regretted the day we made love? Because you thought I was in love with someone and getting physical with you."

"I am an asshole for saying that Noorie, It was as special for me as much for you. Trust me when I tell you there were a lot firsts for me that day."  My cheeks heat up and I duck my head into the crook of his neck.

"Is my wife getting shy? Where is the lioness that stood up to me and said she would sign the papers in two days?"

"Don't talk about that ever again to me Zaan." I grumble.

"Anything for you, jaan." I sigh. I want to talk to him about so many things. I want to kiss him countless times. I want to punish him for thinking of divorce. But I am too sleepy.

"Zaan, I haven't slept for the last two nights. I am too sleepy to walk. Carry me back to our room, please? "

" I would love to. Waise, main bhi nai soya. Let's sleep together."

I just nod. I am almost out of consciousness by the time he places me on the bed, though I could still feel the kiss he placed on my forehead. He joined me sometime later and I snuggled closer to him.

Later that day, Durrani Mansion

" Yes beta. Now tell me where were you for the last two days? Noor told me about your friend"

" Yeah Zaan, tell bade papa what kind of problem your friend was facing that you had to stay with him for two days? "

"Oh, my friend. Yeah, so his name is Razak. You know, so he was facing..... Ummmm... Constipation."

"What", I almost choked on my food.

"Yeah, Papa do you know he had developed this serious level of constipation where you can't move around due to stomach pin and need consistently help from someone. Since he lives alone here, I thought of helping him out"

"Really, never heard about constipation getting so serious "

And I finally laughed out loud. Couldn't control anymore. Zaan gives me a dreamy look which has me blushing slightly.

"My daughter is looking lively today. She was sulking when you weren't here Izaan. Don't leave her alone, okay", taima says and I blush.

"Your wish is my command, milady!", he saluted her and everyone laughs out loud on the table. Mama places a hand on my head admiringly. I grin at her.

Suddenly my smile vanishes as I feel a hand on my thigh, leaving a tingling sensation in my body. He bends closer to me, "Can't wait to get you into the room. Let's see how you will laugh after that jaan" My breath hitches at the proximity. He keeps his hand there, making circles on it. Ugh, can't even concentrate on eating. I still manage to put another tortilla in his plate with the curry. If he thought by diverting my attention he can eat less, he has another thing coming.

I grip his hand under the table, squeezing it slightly. He doesn't react owing to so many people's presence. Though he throws a quick wink my way, leaving me blushing. This is bliss.

Quran mentions it right, 'Verily after hardship comes ease.'