ishq lost & found

49; Idea

After Saad had convinced Ranya to go on a short trip with him, he thought it might be a good way to connect again. Seeing her sob like that still hurt, no matter what kind of problems they faced as a couple. The last thing he wanted was to see her hurting.

"You think they'll want Pakistani food?" Saad asked, breaking the soft silence that had fallen between them. He wanted to give her the opportunity to speak first, about whatever she wanted. But when it was clear that wasn't going to happen, he asked away.

"Probably." Ranya replied humourlessly, staring off onto the road before her as Saad tried to think of ways they could talk.

A walk would have been better, but with all the snowfall they were more likely to fall and hurt themselves than have any major breakthroughs emotionally. Instead of trying to get her to talk, Saad decided to get their food first, hoping maybe she'd open up when she wasn't running on an empty stomach.

"Do you wanna come inside?" Saad asked, parking the car before the restaurant he knew both Ranya and his parents loved. Watching her side profile, he waited for a response but it seemed as though she was lost in thought.

Closing his door, he made his way to hers, making the decision for her. "Come on, let's get whatever you like." He told her, unbuckling her seatbelt and gently pulling on her arm, finally getting a hold of her. Like she had been awoken from some hypnotic state, she finally nodded, silently following him in.

The restaurant of choice was a small and quaint place, one the visited often when they were younger. Saad and Ranya never quite understood why their parents would want to go out to eat, and then indulge in cuisine they made at home. But it was a great place with great food, so they didn't necessarily mind, it just seemed strange.

After asking for everything they'd like, from appetizers, to the mains, to the desserts, Saad made sure to consult Ranya before actually ordering. After all it was for her and her family.

"Ok, that'll be 250." The cashier said, punching in their order as their order number popped up on the screen along with Saad's name.

From his periphery, he saw Ranya reaching for her phone, as if to pay. Surely he was mistaken, he thought, his card in hand ready to go. Just as he barely lifted his card in the air, Ranya protested.

"What are you doing?" She asked, seemingly aware as opposed to being lost in thought the way she had been.

"I'm paying." Saad replied, giving her a blank look before tapping his card against the reader. It was surprising and almost even insulting to him that she thought he'd let her pay for all this, when it was his idea to begin with.

"You didn't have to do that." Ranya told him, following him back outside as they decided to wait in the car rather than in the restaurant that was oddly humid inside.

Giving her a stern look, almost as if he were angry, he reminded her, "Yes I do Ranya. I'm your husband, I'm not going to let you pay for anything especially not if it was my idea."

Looking away, she just nodded along to the reminder, sighing as she sank in her seat. Normally she'd want to argue, but there was no point because she couldn't bring herself to care. All she could do was think about her grandma and worry for her condition.

She had been sick for some time, so much so that Ranya wanted to move her wedding to Pakistan entirely. But of course Salman had protested, telling her she was being selfish for wanting to have her Nani see her get married in person. Looking back now, she couldn't understand why or how she put up with him, especially when her Nani was so important to her. Instead, she got to watch videos and see pictures, giving her blessings through the phone rather than in person.