I'm Right Here

Chapter 30 - "Faisal, stop"

"Asfia, I am totally, completely, and head over heels in love with you," Faisal confessed, making her heart flutter despite her initial embarrassment.

Asfia's heart raced as she gazed into his eyes, torn between hope and doubt. Could she dare to believe that his confession was sincere, that he had harbored feelings for her all along and was finally letting them surface? Or was it merely the intoxicating liquor?

"Oy, lightweight!" Abhiram's playful voice shattered the delicate moment, his teasing interrupting the unspoken connection between Asfia and Faisal. "Save your romance for when you get back home. We single men can't handle this!" He chuckled, playfully nudging Faisal.

Faisal, affected by Abhiram's jest and perhaps a touch of sobriety, withdrew slightly from Asfia's gaze. "I think I need another drink," he mumbled, his words laced with vulnerability as he tried to mask his true feelings.

"I think that's anough," Asfia stated with a firmness that hinted at her discomfort with alcohol, a substance foreign to her family's values. Faisal's biodata had marked him as a teetotaler. What other hidden facets of her husband's character remained undiscovered?

Abhiram, his own inebriation evident, playfully teased, "The boss has spoken, my friend. The missus won't permit another round."

Faisal, with a tipsy grin on his face, retorted, "Wifey, can I have one more drink? I've only had two shots." Asfia couldn't help but think her husband was indeed a lightweight, but she leaned in closer and whispered, "Let's not make a scene here, darling."

Faisal, louder than intended, questioned, "Can I make a scene at home, then?" He held her face with his unsteady hands, his alcohol-laden breath brushing against her. She gently removed his hands from her face.

"Alright, just one more drink, and then we're heading home," Asfia declared with determination, her eyes locked with Faisal's. He responded with a dopey grin, his words slurred as he affectionately said, "Whatever you say, wifey." Asfia couldn't resist a smile, tempted to capture this amusing moment on video to share with him when he was sober, but she restrained herself.

After his final drink, Faisal's balance wavered, and Asfia took it upon herself to guide him into the car, saying goodnight to her friends and glaring at Faisal's.

After she parked the car at their apartment parking lot, she helped him unfasten his seat belt. As she leaned back from her task, he gently ran his fingers through her hair, a touch of affection amidst the alcohol-induced haze.

When she tried to pull away, Faisal clung to her wrist, tugging her closer, his words a hushed plea, "Wifey, I gave you what you wanted. Now you give me what I want."

Asfia's eyes widened in surprise; the thought had left her mind amidst the chaos of ensuring their safe journey home. Her focus was solely on navigating her inebriated husband to their second-floor apartment, a daunting task with no elevator in their building.

"Not now!" Asfia exclaimed, straightening up. "Let's go."
Faisal winked at her, his mischievous grin showing. "I didn't mean right now. After we get upstairs."

"You're clearly drunk," she chuckled. "Nothing's happening tonight. Get up, let's head home."

Faisal, with a stubborn pout, crossed his arms in front of his chest and slurred, "I won't move until you give me a kiss." His playful request ended with a slurred lisp on the word 'kiss,' making Asfia burst into laughter. "You turn into a big baby when you're drunk! Come on now, it's time for a diaper change and bed."