Marriage or hell?

Chapter 5

Adriana woke up when her phone alarm blared remind her it was almost time for fajir, but when she switched on the  bedside lamp her sleep fogged brain couldn't remember were she was or how she got there.  As she looked around her eyes landed on the desk across the bed that had a picture of Fernando, that's when she remembered all that had happened, Abdul's wedding, meeting Leo's family, the pretense of love they had to keep,sharing a room.

     She got off the bed and looked down at her hideous night gown she she didn't know why she had worn it, sighing she made the bed and head for the closet, so deep in thought she was she didn't notice her husband standings before her though he was too busy putting up his turban, he turned around and they collided.

   She was falling that was all she could think of as she reached for the closest thing to her at the same time Leo tried to break her fall.

     He caught her just in time to stop her from hitting her head on one of the edges of the steps in the room barring closet. He held her close, because he could hear her harsh breath he knew she was shaken, she clutched a handful of his robe so tightly she knew it would be wrinkled.

   Slowly she got her barring and realized the position they were in, though they were married they were more like neighbors than couples.

   Her cheeks were red in embarrassment as he let go of her holding her at arms length to observe her, she was sure she looked very awful and a mess she wondered what he must think of her she felt pity for the poor man.

    After their embarrassing encounter that morning they had each gone to pray Leocadio in the mosque and Adriana at home. She went down stairs after her salat to  greet their guest and make breakfast.

   Adriana was busy cooking breakfast while Leo sister's were bathing the kids their husband's giving a them a hand and aunty was in the attic doing only Allah knows what while Leo and Fernando had yet to get back from the mosque.

     Speaking or thinking of him he and Fernan walked into the kitchen making a beeline towards her.

   " As salamualikum mom"

He said to her placing a loving kiss on both her cheeks and she did the same.

   " Waalikumusalam   Fernan, how are you?"

    " Fine very fine"

   He replied staring at the already cooked dishes making Adriana laugh, both of them forgot about Leocadio for a while until he made himself known walking towards his wife he placed a kiss on her head in greeting.

     Blush covered her cheeks as the event in the closet came to her mind, not wanting him to notice she replied and turned back to her cooking expecting him to leave but he didn't instead he joined her in the cooking while Fernan went to set up the dining table.

   As they worked around each other they occasionally brushed each others shoulders they were so close  it unnerved her and made her uncomfortable. 
  
   
  
Adriana felt her heart race, her lungs tighten as Leocadio sat besides her at the table. He each time he sent her a smile, she would for a minute forget it was only pretense not that he was'nt nice, kind and caring before it's just that now they were more like married couples. Breakfast was eventful, what with Hanifa and Fatima kept teasing Leo and his wife, aunty telling the siblings embarrassing moments,making them quit their teasing.
     After breakfast Fernando got dressed and waited in the car for his dad to drop him off at the masjid for his class with his sheikh.

    Mean while Leocadio was just working out of the closet his suit top over his shoulders as he fixed the buttons on the sleeve of his crispy white shirt then wore his suit top, he felt his wife's gaze on him so he turned walked up to her towering over her small frame. Leo saw her blush a little when he cut her gaze.
   "Cara I need help".
He said seeing her confusion he waved his hand at the buttons on his suit top. Seeing her reluctance Leo took her arms gently lifting her from the bed then set her before him.

"Leocadio I --I uhm"

She said not knowing why he wanted that and she didn't think it was a good thing it'll end up with her embarrassing herself like she  did earlier. Adriana looked up at him slowly resting her gaze on his chest, from the way the shirt cling to his muscled granite form strain and his shoulders, she wondered how the poor shirt managed, 'what are you thinking button him up already' she muttered under her breath raising her hands to do the buttons.

   Leo watched her carefully noticing how nervous she was about begin close to him, she even gasped when she accidentally touched his abs her cheeks became red. Quickly she buttoned his suit with shaking hands and moved away.

     Leocadio knew his wife was affected by begin too close to him, but he liked it when she blushed.
  
   *******Adriana ********
Begin to close to Leo unnerved me, why ? I don't know. I watched him stare at me while running his hand through his hair he lean close to me placed a kiss on my head said goodbye and left for work.

      An hour later Fatima and Hanifa dragged me with them for shopping. We drove to one of the malls Leo owns, his sisters ran from departments to departments picking things to try on.