The Wait ✔

Rising Hopes

Humdaan Sheikh

I saw Momina in the kitchen standing with a dish in her hands and her back turned towards me.

"Need help?" I asked. She turned around and nodded her head, not looking at me, but at the dish in her hands. Never had I imagined to be in this situation with the woman I loved dearly. It pained me to see her like that, hiding herself from me like I am an animal she is afraid of. Every time I see her, it makes me want to hold her in my arms and kiss her forever. Plus, she wasn't standing too far away, which made me want to stand right next to her and touch her face.

"You got something here." I said, pointing to the corner of her mouth. This was the perfect excuse for me touch her and not forgetting the advantage she couldn't protest. She stood rooted to her spot, when I closed the unbearable space between us and brought my thumb to the corner of her mouth. Her skin was ever so soft and warm, under my thumb,and felt too good for me to pull away. And finally, for what felt like years later, she looked at me in the eyes, while I eyed her plump lips. Consciously or unconsciously, I ran my thumb across her lower lip, licking my own. She gulped loudly at that and her lips parted to the response of my touch.

I was amused to see this reaction. My eyes flickered to meet her gaze, which was still on me projecting everything she wants. It held all kind of emotion in them including a tad bit of love, if I am not wrong. I thought she would push me away or pull out a violent act or something, but she was way beyond that. She didn't even flinch which made me believe, we were not done yet. It's been a year since she got married and almost 2 years since our-so-called-breakup, but this made me believe there was still something called US! I withdrew my thumb, not trusting myself anymore and took the dish away from her hands, placing it on the counter. I left with a stupid grin on my face, not turning back to look at her.

When I entered the living room, my eyes fell on Murad who gave me skeptical look, maybe seeing me smile like that, but I was too happy to respond to him. After an hour or something they decided to leave and Mom called me for something in her room. As I was about to enter her room, I saw Momina leave with Ammar in her hands. What she trying to do? Abduct my nephew?

"Aren't you forgetting something?" I asked her before she could take a step further.

"Ammar?" I nodded to her question only for her to continue. "I am not giving him to you. You were not good with kids then, and you are no good now." Her comment made me smile for an odd reason. She didn't forget anything about me! I am sure if I asked her what my favorite dish is, she would still answer it correctly.

"It's nothing like that and stop being so proud of yourself." I retorted, rolling my eyes at her.

"It's not proud, it's my charm that gets them, which is certainly not my fault." She said batting her eyelash at me and smiled. 

"It sure is." I looked at her in the eye and couldn't help but recall the long gone days. How we used to mess up things, the way we used to fight, tease each other in front of everyone, laughing, splashing water, our favorite thing to do. Then her eyes went dark and something changed in them, because she wasn't smiling anymore. She handed Ammar to me, pecking his forehead and went over to Murad, who I guess was watching us the whole time. I smirked at him, for he was kind of glaring at me. Maybe for talking to his woman. He held her hand a bit roughly and walked out. Murad is the possessive kind, but not protective enough for Momina. I thought.

I slumped on the couch in the living room and checked my phone for any texts.

"They are really happy and a beautiful couple, Mashallah." Said my dad obviously, referring to Murad and Momina.

"Yeah, they love each other. Momina is really lucky." Said Saima, my annoyingly younger sister, who speaks like a she is 30 or something.

"Murad is really lucky to have someone like Momina as his wife. I would want to have someone like her for our Humdaan." Spoke my mom. Ah! Mom, you could have had her if only you were vigilant enough to know about Murad's proposal for her.

"We could have had her though. But ....never mind." Turns out Saima has some sense in her words as well.

"Well, it was Allah's Qadar, I guess." Supposed dad, scratching his beard.

"You know, I saw a hickey on Momina's neck," Saima whispered to Humera, too loud for everyone to hear.

"What? When did you see that. Don't just say anything for attention, Saima." Humera scolded her. She had the habit of seeking people's attention. This could be one of her acts too.

"I promise I saw it, when Ammar pulled her scarf." 

Okay, maybe she did have it but, who cares right? 

Right, I do now.

The talk was getting awkward every second, and I couldn't stop my self from thinking about ways of winning Momina back. My mind began inventing too many ideas all at once that I needed to stop and clear my head. I got up from the couch and went to the balcony, her favorite place. I took out a cigarette and light it. I shut my eyes, taking a long puff and letting it do it's work. This is what going away from Momina had cost me. When ever I missed her, all I would do is smoke something, anything to get her out of my mind.

Things weren't great between us then and are certainly worse now, but I was going to make it all fine. After taking one last puff of the cigarette, an idea came to my mine. An idea that could lead me to Momina. I picked my phone, which was lying down beside me and opened my Instagram account. Momina wasn't following me on any social media, anymore and neither was I. But, soon this wouldn't be the case anymore. 

It wasn't difficult for me to get Momina with Murad always with her like a love sick puppy. I needed someone to get him off her back. Once I was done with Murad I could have Momina all to myself. And I knew exactly who this person was going to be. I scrolled through the follow requests that came in ages ago, and finally saw the name I was looking for, my Asset for this mission. My Asset, who was going to be my only hope to accomplish mission Win Back Momina.

XOXO

M.