Modesty Is Beauty

Her Secret

Waniya shut the door and leaned against it letting herself fall until she was sitting with her back against the door. She snatched her niqab off of her face and hid her face with her hands propping her elbows on her knees. Letting her eyes flow the tears which were usually saved for her praying mat or her pillow, she started thinking about her husband.

Everyone thought that she had stopped crying but she missed Fareed just like day one. It had only been nine months and their family had already started asking her to marry another man.

What kind of people are they? Do they think it is easy to forget the one who was so close to you? I liked him and when I finally got him, I just got to spend a few months with him. Ya Allah!

She was thinking to herself not caring that the tears were soaking her hijab. Her teary eyes were fixed on the green dot on the carpet. Suddenly it started getting bigger until it opened into a scene where the sun was near the horizon ready to starts its journey for the day. There were two shadows lying side by side on the grass watching the sunrise.

"Waniya what will you do if I die?" One of the shadow asked. When the other didn't reply, the first shadow propped his head on the palm of his right hand and turned towards his wife who was lying with her eyes closed.

"Wani?" He called her again and she opened her eyes giving him a bored look. He smiled.

"It's been only a week after our marriage and you are already talking about death." She raised a brow as if saying 'seriously'. He shrugged.

"Death doesn't see anything, does it?" He asked again but it was a comment more than a question.

"Fareed please shut up. Don't ruin my mood." She said scrunching her face.

"Tell me what will you do." He asked again. Waniya huffed and sat up. Putting her knees up she propped her head on them. Her brown hair fell on her knees like a waterfall. It was that time of the morning when the sun had just started to rise so there was no one around.

She turned her head to her husband and asked, "What am I supposed to say in answer to this stupid question?"

He sat up in the same position as her turning his head to her. Taking a strand of her hair, he  tucked it behind her ear.

"If something happens to me-" He was whispering while making circles on the back of her hand when she interrupted him abruptly and snatched her hand away.

"Seriously Fareed. Is your sense of romance that bad?" She asked clearly annoyed by what he was saying. She was about to stand up when he caught her hand.

"I am serious." Fareed said and she gave him a death glare.

"Say that one more time and I'll punch you in the gut, I promise." She said looking furious. Fareed grinned at that.

"Go ahead." He challenged Waniya knowing she wouldn't do that.

"Let me rephrase first, say that one more time and I WILL KICK YOU IN YOUR BALLS AFTER WEARING MY SHOES." She said slowly emphasising each word.

Fareed glanced at her stilletos lying close by and then swallowed.

"Ouch! That would hurt. You wouldn't do that, right?" He asked and Waniya had to bite the inside of her cheek to stop herself from laughing at his scrunched face.

"Try me!" She said giving him a challenging smirk.

"You are so cruel Waniya. You really don't want to start a family with me, do you?" He asked with a shake of his head and Waniya's cheeks turned pink at the sudden change of topic.