GLASS HEARTS

VVIII. Three days

                                  𝔖𝔖𝔖𝔖
                                  Rawad

I stare at the cup of coffee till the steam dissipates in the air, the coffee now too cold for my consumption.

The sound of the chair scratching the floor fills my ears as I stand up, making my way to the sink, I watch as the brown liquid drains away before turning on the faucet to rinse the cup.

It's been three days, three days since my marital status changed, three days since they brought my wife to the house, three goddamn days since I last saw her, yes the same woman they brought to my— our house.

The crazy part is that we're both under the same roof yet I haven't seen her step out of that room since I last went in, the memories of that night comes flooding back.

I stood in front of the room after seeing out all the people that brought her to the house, I knocked once, no reply, the second time, the same thing, when I was about to leave, I hear her, "Come in!".

I muttered a Salam before entering, not completely shutting the door for unfamiliar reasons, I guess it just felt weird being alone in a room with a woman that is nothing but a stranger to me, she answered my greetings and my eyes move to hers, taking her all in,

She has raised her veil, the one that covered her face when she was brought in and I had to release the breath I didn't know I was holding, she's so beautiful, Allahumma barik, but I wouldn't admit that out loud to her or anyone else even if I'm held at gun point.

"How do you feel?"

I didn't expect that to be the first thing she says after the silence that stretched across the room.

"How do I feel?" I asked again, not because I didn't hear her properly, but because I was asking myself, how do I feel? This is a huge change in my life and I didn't expect it to be like this, I honestly can't even explain what I'm feeling now.

"Yes, how do you feel now that you've won?"  She doesn't say it with a bite to her tone, in fact she sounds almost mechanical but there's still that little smile on her face, although she's not looking at me, I see it, the same one she's had on since morning and I can't help but doubt it. She was so against this marriage, I don't believe that can change in just a few months.

"Won? This isn't a game Ms. Youssef," this time she looks my way and our eyes connect. She chuckles lowly but it's not filled with humor, I don't know what it's filled with either.

"I'm sorry," she takes me by surprise yet again and when I'm about to ask her what she's apologizing for, she doesn't let me.

"Is there anything we're meant to do, Sunnah's I mean, there's procedures to this thing yes?" I nod, not knowing what else to do.

"Let's pray," I say after finding my voice, she nodded and carried a dark blue hijab I didn't realize was there until she fully wrapped herself with it, I already had my ablution and it seems she has hers too because she joins me on the flush carpets.

We prayed two raka'ats, with me at the front and her slightly behind me, I prayed to Allah to make everything right, and I felt a little bit better.