ishq lost & found

52; Frantic

"So how does this work? Do I hold your hand or something?" Saad asked, leaning against the closet while Ranya adjusted her earring.

With an array of Pakistani jewelry and clothing that had been rotting in her closet, she had found the perfect opportunity to wear all the suits she never got to. And she found an excuse to get dolled up every day, wearing her churiyan and jhumke whenever she could.

Confused by his question, she gave him a puzzled expression in place of a response. What is he talking about?

"In front of everyone. You kept reminding me that we have to act normal, but what does that mean?" Saad elaborated, admiring Ranya's beauty, comparing how magnificent she looked compared to his own dreary self.

He had no idea what was appropriate, having seen so many different styles being worn by the men. Some wore cultural attire, a kurta paired with a cap. Others wore more western clothing, skinny ripped jeans and cotton shirts. That wasn't his style.

Wearing some plain slacks, he paired them with a sweater, and a collared shirt underneath. With his sleeved rolled up, he looked like a geek that just got out of a meeting. Ranya, on the other hand, looked like an elegant swan beside him. Dolled up like the actresses in Pakistani dramas he'd always seen his sister and mom watch.

"I don't know, just whatever feels natural. Don't force yourself to do anything." Ranya told him, focusing on the forsaken earring that just wouldn't clasp onto her ear.

"Ok." Saad nodded, turning his attention away from her for a second, remembering the most important thing he had to mention.

Prior to landing, in fact, the moment the offer left his lips, Saad had begun researching what it was like travelling in Pakistan. Of course, they weren't tourists, but they certainly weren't locals. They had no idea what the norms were there, especially not when out and about.

But more important than fitting in, was the safety of his wife. The one thing he heard, not only online, but from friends and family, was to keep the women safe. It's not as if there was something wrong with Pakistan, bad people were everywhere. But the concept of losing a loved one in a foreign country is far more terrifying than in your homeland.

"Make sure you stay near me. Please." Saad added, pleading, his tone tinged with desperation. If he could hold her hand the entire time, he would.

Holding herself back from rolling her eyes, she nodded. It would be easier to agree and be civil than to argue into getting her way, and she wanted to keep the talking to a minimum.

Finally getting the latch on, she turned to Saad, giving him a quick glance telling herself it was to make sure he looked presentable, but she knew that was a lie. He always looked good, but stealing one look wasn't wrong.

-

"And we can go to the market after, that's where you get good deals. These big designers charge so much for the same quality you get for a fraction of the price!" Her cousin went on and on, practically talking to herself since Saad and Ranya had been quietly nodding along.

Ideally, Saad wanted to go with Ranya- just the two of them. But then, her pest of a cousin mentioned how they're likely to get scammed since they look like they're obviously not from here- whatever that means. It was mostly likely because she wanted to see what she could get out of either of them instead.