Just Make Du'aa

• t h i r t e e n •

Dina

I'd be foolish to say our talk fixed everything immediately, but I think it set a good place to start. Everything was out in the open now, he knew what I expected and worked towards it. I think everything moved too fast, and we never really got a clear idea of each other's expectations and needs. It's been about a week since we talked though, and we've been getting better and stronger as a couple each day.

Life was a lot more exciting this way too, I felt like I was finally getting what I've always wanted out of marriage: complete comfort and honesty with one another. We spent a lot more time together, whether it was while we were both working on our separate stuff or running errands. Both Farouz and I were making more of an effort and just the fact that I could see and feel the progress made me happier each day.

This progress weirdly affected my sleep as well. I slept better each night, and I realized we had a knack for gravitating towards each other when we're sleeping. Like now for instance, I felt Farouz's chest firm against my cheek, our legs tangled together and one of his hands wound up in my hair when last night we had both fallen asleep facing the opposite sides. I didn't bother trying to open my eyes, even if the sun was already shining through our curtains. For a few minutes I just lay there, my fingers rubbing circles into his bare arm and taking in his scent, his heat, feeling his chest rise and fall with steady patterns of sleep. I finally lifted my head to see his rolled to the side, eyes peacefully shut and mouth slightly open, soft gasps of breath coming out.

My eyes traced his gentle features, painted so innocent and pure by sleep. His hair fell in soft brown ringlets over his forehead, brushing at his eyebrows and ears, a few curls making their way down his neck and curling around his ear as if guarding it. His eyelashes were so thick and long, practically brushing at his cheekbones, which were slightly freckled. His lips were a little cracked, but as pink and inviting as ever. I found myself scooting up and placing a kiss at the corner of his lip. He hummed, still deep in sleep but smiling softly at my action. For a second, I considered getting out of bed and starting my day. But his hand, which had fallen out of my hair, wrapped around my waist as he shifted in his sleep, and he mumbled some incoherent words that made me giggle before nestling into his neck. I inhaled the faint scent of lemon lime body wash that wafted off his skin while feeling my eyes drip shut, pulling me into another comfortable sleep.

This next time I was awoken by a dip in the bed. My eyebrows knitted in confusion when I realized that I was no longer asleep on my husband, but on the soft mattress, my cheek squished between two pillows, the blanket bunched up between my arms and legs as I subconsciously tried to make up for him not being next to me. As I started to blindly reach for him, he spoke my name softly, "Dina, wake up baby," earning a groggy moan from me in protest.

He chuckled, the bed shifting slightly as he scooted closer, this time taking my arm in his lap and running his fingers up and down. "Wake up petal, it's your birthday."

A smile warmed its way onto my lips, and I knew I wasn't going to be able to fall asleep again. Still, I kept my eyes closed, welcoming the soft, coddling Farouz I was experiencing right now. Sure enough, he shifted again, and this time I felt his fingers scratch lightly on my scalp. A sigh made its way past my lips before I could stop it and it earned me a laugh from Farouz. "Come on, kitten."

I was dying for these pet names.

"Wake up habibti, I made you breakfast." I shuffled closer to him, opening my eyes long enough to catch his brown ones looking down at me with an adoration that made me quickly close them again. "Dinaa!" The next moment I felt his lips touch mine in a quick kiss. Then I felt them on my cheeks, my nose, my chin, forehead, eyes. He continued to pepper small kisses all over my face until I couldn't hold it anymore and burst into a fit of giggles.