When Skies Are Exposed

Chapter 4

Tawfiq couldn't breathe. She didn't say that, did she? How did everything turn upside down so fast?

When he recovered from his shock, she was still staring at him, dead in the eyes.

"Karim go upstairs." Naima ordered and Karim quickly ran upstairs. He didn't want to be in the middle of a war he started.

The moment he was up the stairs, she looked at Tawfiq again.

"I want a divorce." That was the second time she had said it.

It still couldn't be registered into Tawfiq's mind. This was a bad dream.
Naima would never ask him for a divorce. Right?

"No. I won't divorce you. You can't do that! I don't understand why you're blaming me for something I have no idea about. You can't do this, Habiba. You can't. Please." Tawfiq pleaded.

Naima didn't seem to care. And with a fake emotionless face, she tried to repeat her request.

"I said I want a di...mmhh."

Before Naima could even finish her sentence, Tawfiq was right in front of her, his hands held firmly unto the back of her neck and before she could protest further, his lips were on hers.

Naima tried harder to protest and push him away but the moment she opened her mouth, Tawfiq used it as an opportunity to explore her mouth with his tongue.
And before Naima realized, her own hands were in his hair as Tawfiq's hands roamed her body.
She had given in.

They were igniting their flame that was almost going out. Their flame that was just on the verge of becoming just smoke.
Naima missed him just like he missed her if not more.

"I'm sorry, Naima." Tawfiq breathed out the moment he pulled back to let them breathe. His forehead was on hers. Her eyes were closed as she tried to steady her breath.

"I have no idea how Karim got here. I just got here a few minutes ago to see him in the living room. I thought your mom came to drop him over for the night." Tawfiq used the time to explain.

"I would never do anything to hurt you especially by using Karim. I would have called if I knew he had been here." Tawfiq explained.

"How did he know the....the passcode is the same as back home. How did he guess?"Naima asked.

" He's as smart as you. " Tawfiq simply replied.

"I'm sorry. I thought..... I'm sorry." Naima apologized. She had hurt him with her harsh words. She hadn't even listened to him. She hadn't even listened to his reasons 3 months ago.

"I get why you left home now." Naima said to him.

He pulled away from her and placed his palm on her cheek.

"You listened to the logs." Tawfiq stated as a matter of fact.

"I did. It's a little girly, if you ask me. Like a sort of diary. " Naima smiled at him.
She hadn't smiled like this in a while.

Tawfiq laughed. It was girly, wasn't it?
"I haven't seen you smile for so long. It hurts, you know. Every time you look at me like I'm the worst person on Earth." Tawfiq smiled as he brushed her cheek with his thumb.

Naima didn't realize it but she was snuggling into his hands and Tawfiq couldn't help but smile. He still had an effect on her.

Naima's smile dropped. He was hurt. She could tell from his glassy eyes which held unshed tears. She had hurt him, but he should understand her and why she did what she had to do.

"I didn't think you were the worst person on Earth. I'm sorry if I made you feel that way. But I couldn't stay with you at that time. I would have slowly lost my trust in you. Deep down in me, I didn't want that. I wanted to find the right reason to forgive you. I feel for you. You had to leave your whole life and family behind just to be free. I get why you erased that part of your life. What I still don't get is why you would hide everything from me and tell me lies to cover it up. I saw you in the most compromising position ever with another woman but what did I do? I forgave you, why? Because I knew you were not no I know you aren't a cheater. I placed my trust in you fully. That's why it hurts. You didn't trust me enough to tell me the truth. Your trust in me isn't the same as my trust in you. I can place my life in your hands but I'm not sure you could do same. It hurts Tawfiq. It hurt real bad when you couldn't even trust me a little more to tell me about yourself. Is it because I can't tell you about how my mom died or what? It hurts to talk about it. Why do you think therapy failed. They just wanted me to talk about it. Every single time. But I just wanted to forget everything. Not to remember anything from that day. I wanted to forget, not to face my problems because I can't. I'm not like you, I'm not strong like you. I won't face my fears, I can't face it. " Naima wiped the tears. She remembered the day he had asked how her mom had died and she had downright refused to tell him.