HONEYDEW (A murder mystery)

Chapter 32

Dinner was served and all had taken their respective seats around the magnificent table, happy conversations were being made.

Aahil was sitting beside me and it was a battle not to look into his captivating face. I fiddled with the food on my plate to distract myself. Thoroughly devastated by the revelation's my mind felt numb. How I wished Aahil would have confided those dark secrets to me by himself.

In vain attempt, I stuffed my current chain of thoughts farther back to my mind and smiled at whatever conversation was being held. I hadn't paid heed to any word of their discussion as the pain in my heart was too much at the moment.

I just wanted to curl like a ball and lick my wounds. Sitting here and acting cheerful was pure torture. But as I had promised habeeba that I wouldn't disclose the matter to anyone, acting normal was the only option.

Aahil raised a morsel of food to my mouth and instantaneously all eyes were upon me.

Do not create a scene.

I smiled weakly and opened my mouth, without making eye contact. I heard murmurs of MashaAllah around the table.

"May Allah bless your marriage and increase your love," Mom supplicated and patted me on my shoulders as she got up from her place. After dessert, all began excusing themselves one by one and made their way towards the living room.

I escaped to my bedroom before anyone would initiate a conversation with me.

After grabbing my bathrobe from the closet, I shut myself in the washroom. I sat in the hot bubble bath shutting my eyes and replaying all the incidents of my life.

A single tear hadn't escaped my eyes until now and I told myself that I wouldn't cry on the matter. I sat there frozen like an icicle for what seemed like ages.

Nothing had broken me as much as habeeba's revelations had. It did not hurt me that Aahil had a past life, what hurt me was he had lost the love of his life in order to protect me.

He gave away his happiness because he was entrusted with my protection. I vowed to myself that I would unite him with the love of his life. He did not deserve to live a forced life. No one deserved it!

I loved him too much to allow him to stay beside me just because he considered it to be his responsibility.

I would return to him his freedom and happiness.

******

I sat in my prayer mat longer than usual, asking Allah to grant me enough strength to let go of my husband.

Aahil's happiness was mine and his sorrow was mine too. I could feel the pain he might have gone through when he had to choose between his love and his father's word. Soul wrenching.

Aahil was a man who had a strong sense of duty towards his family. His loyalty would always take precedence over personal feelings.

I got up from my place and went towards the window sill. The bitter night wind blew with ruthless intensity and I stood there without bothering to cover my bare hands, allowing the harsh wind to caress me.

A jerky little laugh fell from my lips as I found myself analysing my married life. Suddenly I was very grateful that I hadn't confided to him about my feelings. I had a vision of Aahil hop-roped and tied to me out of respect to his father's wishes. "A matter of honour," he would consider it. I winced at the demeaning concept but a tinge of curiosity remained.

"What are you doing? You are definitely going to catch a cold," Aahil confessed with such fierceness that made me shiver.

He stood behind me wrapping his hands around my waist and my heart skipped a beat. I did not turn around to face him, if I looked into those deep eyes I would melt in a heartbeat. I had already learnt my defence but unfortunately, it wasn't working now.