Tawakkul

Chapter 8

Hussnain knocked on the door to their room and Aaliyah opened it, her dupatta roughly done on her head.

"What happened, Hussnain?"

Hussnain looked behind Aaliyah, trying to find his uncle.

"Where's chachu?"

Aaliyah turned around and saw Sultan wearing his watch. He turned to look at her and walked over. The sleeves of his Kurta were rolled at the elbow, revealing his tanned skin and muscles. Aaliyah moved back, letting Sultan talk to his nephew.

Hussnain nudged sultan lightly.

"I heard there's a fair taking place. Didn't you say you were taking babi there with you today?"

Aaliyah watched the two of them from the side, shaking her head with a smile. Sultan looked at him, eyebrows raised, taking a moment to process what it was Hussnain was trying to say. A confused 'no' almost slipping.

"Yes. Yes I did, but it's a surprise," he paused and then hesitantly asked.

"Where did I say the fair was?"

Aaliyah held back a laugh, fixing her dupatta whilst looking in the mirror. She wore an orange coloured Lengha with a matching dupatta. The fringes of the dress were laced with gold, and the colour contrasted her fair skin.

Hussnain gave him the address, and Sultan turned back around to Aaliyah. He stopped in his tracks, looking at his wife in awe.

"You're so beautiful."He uttered. Aaliyah smiled and handed him his glasses. The black metal frame gave a masculine touch, and Aaliyah moved his curly hair out of his face.

"And you're so handsome, mashaAllah."

They both looked at each other, a softness in the air. The birds chirped a song of love as they both drowned in eachothers eyes. Aaliyah broke her gaze away.

"So the fair,"

"Yes, the fair," he held her hand.

"Let's go,"

When they got there, it was crowded and a swarm of people hung at each stall. Sultan bought some candy floss, which they shared, hoping that by the time they finished it, the crowds of people would dissipate. The stalls varied: there was a shooting game; There were rides; there were bumper carts as well as too many food stalls to count. Then, at the side, there was a boat ride. Aaliyah looked like a child with her excitement, and Sultan thanked Hussnain in his head for the idea.

Aaliyah dragged Sultan to the bumper carts, her hand in his. Sultan tried to get one cart for the both of them, but Aaliyah suggested getting separate ones.

They got in as the speaker sounded, the neon lights shining around the sides. Aaliyah drove right into Sultan, and he gasped at her audacity. The collision shook the both of them, and Sultan reversed before colliding with her again. They then drove around the track and stopped every so often by another cart. Sultan winked at her from across the track as they made eye contact. He drove forward, offended when one of the carts bumped into Aaliyah from the side. He rammed into the cart, glaring at the driver. "How dare you hit my wife?" He narrowed his eyes, and Aaliyah laughed, pressing the accelerator to bash into Sultan again just before the cars stopped as their time finished.

They then made their way to the shooting range. Sultan held the shotgun in his hand, and Aaliyah watched amused as he shot every single one of the targets, a smirk planted on his face.

They spent the rest of the day travelling from one ride to the next. Aaliyah had been eyeing the golgappa stand for the past hour and Sultan took her to it. They stood by the stall filling their mouths with the bursting flavours, taking the rest of the golgappas they got onto the boat, just as it was pulling out. Aaliyah held Sultan with one hand, the other holding the end of her dress as she got on. They sat down, watching the calm water as the sun began to set. The sky becoming hues of pink, candyfloss clouds sabotaging the blue sky. Aaliyah leaned her head on Sultan's shoulder and he adjusted her dupatta on her head. A strand of her brown hair falling infront of her face, coming away from her platt. Sultan brushed it back, his tanned arm contrasting Aaliyah's fair skin.