Unapologetically

chapter eighteen

"You said five minutes ago, five minutes ago."

"Beauty takes time. And effort. Unlike you."

"Pshh. Bakwas kar wate raho." Marwa made a face, rising off of the ottoman she was perched upon, dressed perfectly to the nines in a sky blue shalwar kameez and matching pearl earrings. She had been ready for the past hour and a half, waiting for Rohail to get home.

She walked over to the dresser, a nimble hand touching his arm and pulling it back from his face and tucking it against her chest. "Kitna makeup karoge."

He rolled his eyes playfully, seeing her gleaming reflection in the mirror. "Bohot hansi arahi hai?"

"Bohot zyada."

"Pyara lag raha hoon?"

She wrinkled her nose. "Kuch zyada nahi."

"Phir aisay kyun dekh rahi ho?"

"I'm bored."

"Achaaa."

They were silent a moment, before a laugh echoed out from between them. A shared laughter.

"Bohot hi pyaray lag rahe ho." She murmured, straightening his shirt.

"Aap se kaam." He tilted her chin upwards and stole a kiss.

"Acha ab zyada free naah ho mere saath." She narrowed her eyes.

He groaned softly, his nose still pressed against hers, lips moving against hers as he spoke. "Just one more."

His hands, strong and firm encircled her waist pulling her up into him and his lips touched hers in a gentle tug of war. It was pull and push, nip and kiss, soft sighs and the notion that they were getting a bit too carried away.

She parted from him. "That's enough."

He closed his eyes for a moment, knowing that if he opened them to see her flushed face, cheeks red and lips swollen from their kiss, he wouldn't be able to control his body's reaction. And today, they had places to be.

"How long have you known Ehtisham?"

He smiled, as if recounting an old memory, his eyes meeting Afia's in the rear view mirror.

"It wasn't Ehtisham I met first. It was Neelam."

"Neelam kon?" Marwa arched a brow, playing with her rings. The sun was dipping over the horizon, sinking in to give rise to the moon.

"Ehtisham ki ammi ne adopt kiya tha Neelam ko. She grew up with him. Eventually, they were engaged."

"Aur phir isne bechari ko bhagaya uski apni hi mangni ki raat." Afia settled back into her seat, popping a piece of gum into her mouth.

Marwa's mouth fell open. "No way."

"Yes way." Afia snickered.

"Don't say it like that. Makes me feel like a criminal. Or worse, a womanizer."

Marwa and Afia shared a look. The latter offered the former a piece of gum. Marwa unwrapped it gingerly, awaiting Rohail to continue.

"Go on. I never said to stop." She encouraged.

He sighed. "Not a word of this to Ehtisham. But basically, she wasn't very happy with the engagement. She wasn't his first choice, he had just gotten a divorce and things were not the same at home as they'd always been."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Marwa was fully engrossed now.

"It means." His eyes glanced at her, molten in the light of the setting sun. "That when Ehtisham got married the first time, a bunch of crap happened, and his marriage almost fell through before the baraat."