Imperial Niqqah

Chapter 19- Readjusting

The next morning I woke up bright and early as usual, over an hour before Fajr. I immediately become aware of the presence of someone else in the room.

I could feel Suwayd and Tasneem still asleep beside me. I silently left the bed and crept up behind the person.

As the person turned to me, I grabbed his hand and flipped him over my shoulder before dislocating the hand. I heard the man groan in pain.

I dropped his hand and turned on the light.

" And who is it that dared to enter my room and begin rummaging through my things?" I asked.

The man in question was on the full clutching his dislocated arm and glaring at me slightly. He looked familiar.

" It's your husband, Ashraf Rabbah, whom you share a room with." He replied, sitting up still clutching his arm.

The name clicked in my head and I realized that it truly was him. I apologized and helped him reset his arm.

" Sorry about that, but you didn't tell me we were sharing a room. Plus you left after I got into bed and didn't return." I said.

" I still had work to do and wanted to get you settled in before I went to take care of it."

" Did this work happen to be related to the woman you were to marry yesterday?" I asked.

" That's part of it. Are you jealous?"

" Not particularly, I still don't remember you so you come across as just some man I'm forced to marry." I replied.

Ashraf smiled fondly at my statement, to which I rose a brow. There is seriously something wrong with the people here.

" That wasn't supposed to be a compliment you know."

" I know. It's just, we were in an arranged marriage once and you despised me for it. Eventually I called it off and wooed you into marrying me instead."

I nodded at this information and turned to see if the kids had stirred. Tasneem was obviously awake, her chubby figure was stiff and I could see her eyes moving under her lids.

Suwayd could sleep through an earthquake so I wasn't too worried  about him.

" I know you're awake Tasneem. Your shifting eyeballs gave it away." I called.

She shifted slightly and cracked open one eye. I smiled and shook my head at her while beckoning her to me.

She slowly rose and walked up to us. I picked her up and turned to Ashraf,

" I'm going to give her a bath. Suwayd will wake up soon so tell him that."

I went into the bathroom and began running a bath for Tasneem. I placed a stool in front of the sink and helped a half asleep Tasneem wash her face and brush her teeth. I then checked the cupboard for toiletries when I noticed that ours had been arranged in it already.

I poked my head out and looked at Ashraf.

" Did you have someone fetch our things from the hotel and unpack here?" I asked.

" No, I did myself." He said nonchalantly.

I picked up the toothpaste and threw it at his head.

" Ouch! What was that for?!"

" For going through a woman's luggage. Have you no shame?"

" You're my wife! It's not like it's anything I haven't seen before!" I felt heat go up my face at his comment.

I rolled my eyes and went back in. I undressed Tasneem and helped her into the tub. I shampooed her hair and gave it a light scrubbing before bathing her.