Rock and Rain

We drove past, the muddy scents. The cannabis plants. The murky grassroots and the vile scent of green poisonous plants. The olive gardens with stale scents and the aggressive winds and their inappropriate rub.

Al-Souffian was in the front seat.

I sat alone staring the vacant loneliness beside me.

The throat grew thorns inside my throat but to halt was always a great danger.

I saw Al-Souffian slipping into a gentle sleep. I too slept.

The morning pricked into our eyes. I checked Al-Souffian, the cold reaching his cheeks and colouring him red.

"Al-Souffian, do you want my scarf? " I asked

"For what Ladyship? "

"you are Cold"

"So are you"

"But I don't need it"

"me neither"

I shook my head.

We drove past a City.

He was asleep throughout.

We stepped out at the airport.

An airport?

We followed the driver. Nobody asked questions.

I looked at Al-Souffian completely lost. His emotion flowing through his face. He looked around. The anxiety parellel, visible and crippling stripped him.

I reckoned he had never seen so many faces. I, myself found the social aura new.

We walked down and boarded our flight. He was quiet as pond. There only ripples in his brows, he was quite as a pond.

Everything was new to him, the faces, the place and I felt sad for him, he looked out of the window completely perplexed of the way things are going for him.

I felt the dire need to wrap him into affection because he looked lonely.

We departed from the known City to the unknown.

Everything from the seat belts to the air hostess, to the driver and car,to the traffic and passengers in the city was offending to Al-Souffian; who knew everything but now knew nothing.

The house helper of Dar-Al-Maqamah that first escorted us but then dissaperred, Mr Rahim welcomed us.

The chaos of the city beating our minds slowly faded away when we closed the windows of the car.

Al-Souffian, in the front seat was silent like the stars in the sky if the city. They are beautiful, they are breathtaking but they can't be seen because nobody sees them....

We parked under the roof of the parking lot. A hig-rise. I saw Al-Souffian not moving.

The driver unloaded the bags. Mr Rahim helping him.

I stood at a side.

Melancholy.

"Your Ladyship, welcome. Let me escort you to your new Home " Mr Rahim said so easily.

I stared Al-Souffian.

There were several feelings inside me but I could not choose what to believe in me.

"Madam we must go" Mr Rahim repeated.

I sighed.

"Al-Souffian, we are here. Let's go" I spoke to him.

He was fixed.

"Al-Souffian? " I called again.

"Al-Souffian?.... Are you okay? " I asked yet again.

"Mr Rahim can yoy please put the bags in the place, what floor? " I said pulling in the courage.

"It is thirty-one floor, 301" He said and took away our bags.

I sat inside the car. I want to cry but these are just tears, they don't help.

"Al-Souffian? " my voice cracking.

"We must go. Please.... It is humiliating sitting here... Please" I stated. My tears set free.

After twenty or so minutes, Mr Rahim came to us.

"Your Ladyship,any problem? " he asks seeing me sobbing at the backseat.

"Sir? " he moves to Al-Souffian.

He,like a rock, remote and inaccessible.

"Mr Rahim,you can leave. I would.....we would go home in a few minutes "

He handed me the keys and left.

The clouds tore, the water descended. The sound of thunder and drizzle broke me down freely. I sat in the car, cold, the water splashing over my face, the aroma of the fresh rains dripping in a nostalgia.... A nostalgic household that once I loved, of my childhood and my mother.

I opened my purse, the foxglove crumpled. I closed it.

I put my head back and I gazed at the front mirror. Al-Souffian hadn't even blink.

The Master art in heaven don't you hear me? Indeed the heaven is far away.

Suddenly Al-Souffian stormed out of the car.

I ran behind him.

He stood in the elevator. What is he trying to do? I had the keys. I opened the door. A sleek mordern apartment to two souls who were terribly Old-age.

"Al-Souffian ?!" I called.

He opened one room and locked himself inside.

I couldn't sleep. Too many reasons to assign to the discomfort. New house, new city, new bedding and new fragrance.

But it is inevitable to man to avoid natural things, ultimately I slept in the morning.

_*_*_*_*_*_

I woke to the faint sounds of the crockery.

I opened my eyes, the house was beautiful.

From the Living room, I could see the open kitchen.

And Al-Souffian in it.

I walked to him.

"what are you doing? " I asked yawning softly.

His sight hitched to my face.

"Will you stop Al-Souffian? " I had had enough.

"I apologize, it is just that you look Nice" he defended.

"Nice? " I laughed.

"Oh yes. Where is house keeping? " he was annoyed.

"Let me make you tea"

He stood at the side as I struggled through the kitchen to find things.

"I cannot bear this!  I want Tea! " he shouted.

The voice echoed.

"Al-Souffian, five minutes " I requested.

We both sat down at the couch in the living room. He was staring the television.

"You have never been to a City? " I asked him.

"I have. I was Little. I do not remember anything at all"

"You look Nice" I said and opened the room which he had occupied last night.

It was grey, minimalistic and composed.

The bed was wide and settled, the curtains were white blinds and there was only an armchair with the walls decorated in Grey Paisley and floral wallpaper.

I returned from the washroom and he was sleeping.

He is sleeping in an excessive amount.

Surprisingly he looks taller in the City,also much more handsome.

Mr Rahim came at twelve in the afternoon. He bought us lunch.

"Your Ladyship,would you require any help? " he asked.

What work could I assign to Mr Rahim, I was embarrassed to ask of any help.

"There is everything you require in the cupboards. Apart from clothes. If you need anything else, here my number " he handed me a phone.

When Al-Souffian was dressed and sober,we had our food.

"do you like the food? " I asked enjoying the City main course.

"It is disgusting if you ask" he sparked.

"Should I make you something else?"

"Why don't you do your own work?  Why are you so interested in me? " he said irksomely.

"Well that is because you are my husband now" I mumbled.

"The food is disgusting " he repeated.

There was silence but then I found it very funny, I laughed.

He did not.

The night came early.

"it's twelve already!" I exclaimed wiping the table.

"ant hill. Ant hill" the word he was repeating for the thousandth time now.

"it's not that small "

"It is an Ant Hill! " he grunted.

It was a two room apartment which according to Al-Souffian was an Ant Hill.

One was Al-Souffian's grey bedroom. One was a pink and peach themed room.

A small library was attached to the balcony. It was a beautiful.

"Lady Falaq-Naaz " he said.

I smiled.

"come " he took my hand..

He laid his back on the bed, my heart started beating up.

"come" he said and pulled me on the bed.

I gulped.

If I run away, he would never see me again. This is Al-Souffian, no one can control him.

My lips trembled.

"Al-Souffian... " I slowly took my hand from his.

"I want to talk" he announced.

I sighed relief.

I sat beside him.

"what shall I talk to you about? " I asked.

"What you talk to everyone else"

"I forgot everything " I said sternly.

"Forgotten? "

"yes. Before you everything that I was is forgotten. This is my Rebirth.  This is Lady Falaq-Naaz only for you"

He laughed uncertainty.

"Make me believe "

"How? " I was spaced out.

"I do not know Lady Falaq-Naaz.  But I am certain to not believe until I confirm that you are truly Mine"

"The Universe haven't seen a Lady like me"

"You're too good at words but I  am better at actions"

I nodded. Can never win him.

I laid beside him.

"are we friends yet? " I asked.

"I never was interested in that offer. You make awful dealings "

I laughed.

"you make a good one? " I opened the strand that held my hair.

"Yes. I offer you Me" he said proudly.

I laughed louder.

"you love yourself don't you! "

"What must I gift you as the Wedding

Endowment? " he asked instead.

"I don't know if you should. If you were in my place what would ask for? "

"If I were Falaq-Naaz, I would ask for Falaq-Naaz to be hers forever. You were handed me, tied to me and you belong to me so what better gift should be than to ask for yourself back"

A curve settled over my lips "That's beautiful "

"So? " he sighed.

"Keep me. I've had myself for twenty seven years and I could never give it anything it deserved. Now you have me"

"Nobody would ever keep you happier than yourself" he interjected.

"I've tried, now it's your turn"

"You know I never lose"

"I'll pray that you keep the record"

He came close to my face, my heart raced "Just don't fall in Love with me" he warned.