Imperious

Chapter 19

Indeed, what is to come will be better for you than what has one by (Quran 93:4)

Falak excitedly woke the next morning, barely having slept with the reoccurring thought of Adham's words.

She was the informed by Maryam that Nafeesa had been found and was now at home. Her heart pranced with happiness even more. Almost to the extent that she could not contain it and she found herself trembling with joy in the shower.

Life was suddenly transforming out of the dead end it had haphazardly steered itself into before.

Picking out a pastel coloured shalwar kameez, combing through her wet hair before blow-drying it, Falak stared at her face for a few long seconds. After Sadia's death, after a long time, she suddenly felt at peace.

She placed her hand on her heart, steadily.

There was a sense of security she had not felt in a long time. An exuberance that was almost lost after her sister's fatal burning. And whilst the absence of Sadia kept her half-awake at night, she could feel her wounds settling. There was good coming. She knew her patience would pay off and cursed herself for having doubted God and His justice.

Falak bent down to pick up a kohl stick to rim her eyes with.

Since Sadia's death, she had spent the days in plain cotton clothes, her hair tied up into either a plait or a pony. Her eyes would be empty, her skin merely moisturized with a tub of Nivea of Fair & Lovely. And she had often found herself wearing the same outfit for more than two days.

But today, she was putting effort into herself after a long time and it was having transforming effects on her mood. She would pray extra keenly today and also hand in a charitable donation at the local welfare centre, once negotiating the price with her mother-in-law.

Adham did not usually notice her much when she dressed up. Neither did he compliment her physical appearance. Not even as a friend. Perhaps because he had not wanted to flatter her to the extent in which she began to assume that he had feelings for her.

But last night had revealed a great many things, and she was no longer confused about her position in his life or the future of their relationship.

With a peace blusher gracing her high cheekbones, her long lashes coated thinly with a brown mascara, Falak hoped that after last night's conversation, he would pay more attention than usual. After all, he had expressed interest in her. The divorce should be out of question now. Both of them would be working on stabilizing their relationship, as well as their families.

She turned around to face him.

He was sprawled across the bed, his legs and arms outstretched, his head resting in the centre of the mattress.

Exhaustion was a constant phenomenon for Adham.

It was eleven a.m. and he had not quite woken up. But that was normal, regardless of whether her was intoxicated or not. He was among those who woke during the afternoon and stayed awake into the later hours of the night. His sleeping pattern was terrible and rather unsociable too.

Falak had overslept herself, not having rested all night. But such things were no issue in the Nayyar Manor, everyone ran on their own schedules. There was no character like Sarwat Begum who would mete out punishments or lectures to those who woke late. Yet Falak missed that kind of discipline, the Nayyar Manor did not function so well without it. Perhaps this was why Adham was the way he was too.

But they could work on it.

She turned to the cupboard and took out a plain white shalwar kameez for him. He preferred to dress in simple colours during the summer, and was not one for expensive clothing or materials despite having amassed so much wealth over the course of his life.