one shot. (1)

Zaigham Rehman and Seerat Zafar.

Her husband was late, Again.

Seerat heaved a sigh of disappointment. The pitiful looks of the waiters made her more infuriated on her husband than she already was.

He promised her that this time no matter how much important the client was or how crucial the meeting turned up, he won't stood her up.

It had become two straight dates, where he had told her these meaningless lies.

Realization dawned on her that, yet again she was stood up on the date by her husband.

Taking out a thousand note from her purse, she placed it on the table and left the restaurant with a tight smile plastered on her lips.

They need to have a serious discussion. She thought while the driver drove her to their house calmly.

She unclipped her hair and let them fall on her shoulders. It took her more than an hour to make a perfect french bun just for her husband who didn't even get a chance to see it.

Anger and bitterness bubbled inside her, gritting her teeth, she entered her room.

Closing the door with a soft thud, she massaged her temples to relax her beating heart, she wanted nothing more than to scream and lash out at her husband until his ears bleed.

If she had a slight idea that the man she was going be marrying was already married to his work, and was a workaholic—a boring person whose mind half of the time occupies in his business deals, then She would've considered saying no to his proposal.

Seerat was chosen by his mother. She worked with his mother as a social worker. Seerat had the idea that his mother liked her a little more than her other employees but she didn't have any clue that the woman would come to her house asking for her hand for his boring son.

And obviously, her typical desi parents couldn't deny the 'perfect proposal' that came for her.

Seerat didn't have any objections knowing the woman—Anisa Rehman—Zaigham's mother was a well educated, well mannered, and full of life lady, Seerat expected her son just like her.

Wrong!

The son turned out to be a boring workaholic, whose day starts with typing several emails and ends at proofreading all the tedious files.

In six months of their marriage, he still couldn't balance his professional and personal life.

One thing that Seerat liked in Zaigham was that he was calm as the sea. He didn't have any temperamental issues, he would listen to her calmly whenever she reached out to him to have a conversation. She hated that whenever she lost her calm and threw a tantrum Zaigham always held her hands, gives her a glass of water, and gently asks her about the matter.

The man never loses his calm whereas she can't hold her anger inside her.

He was an expressive person, in those six months, he told her countless times that despite never believing in love. She had made him fall deeply in love with her. He also told her numerous times that she was the best thing of his life.

Yet, this best thing always get-sided because of his work.

The man was perfect but he needed a little fixing.

Seerat was determined that she doesn't want to go on alone dates anymore. He have to fix his priorities.

Laying on the fluffy bed, she was thinking about Zaigham, when the doorknob clicked and Zaigham himself entered.

The lights illuminated the whole room, and she stared at his guilty face as he took a step towards the bed.

"I'm sorry." A tired sigh left his lips, he held the soft hand of his wife and perched at the edge of the mattress.

"Don't be. Nothing happened other than the waiters again took pity on me for getting stood up, the people moved their gazes again and again just to get a glimpse of a girl sitting alone, and how can I forget to mention your bodyguard who gave me fake assurance of you coming in ten minutes."

Zaigham flinched and shook his head in shame and disappointment.

He did cross a limit.

He had nothing to say other than to feel guilty over his actions.

Not saying another word, she took out her hand from his hold and turned her back on him.

"Please turn off the lights, I want to sleep."

He opened his mouth but soon closed it. Nothing could justify his actions. Nothing could make her forget the misery she went through because of him. Yet again.

It was all his fault. She was the best thing that had ever happened in his life and he was inducing pain to her each day.

He realized that if now he didn't learn to balance his private and personal life, then, soon the time will come when he would be coming to an empty place just like before.

He had messed up big time.

The next morning, she woke up a little late, squinting her eyes, she adjusted her vision when she felt the bed dipped beside her.

"Good morning!"

For a second, Seerat was stunned, blinking to see if it was a dream or not.

Her workaholic husband was home at noon, placing a tray full of breakfast beside her.

"Did something happened? Why are you not at work?"

Zaigham leaves his office at right eight in the morning, she never wakes up— never was a morning person, but his forehead kisses always notify her that he was going.

"I took a day off to fix my last night's mess."

An amused chuckle left her mouth.

"Won't the office will perish without you in it? How are the employees gonna function without you? Most importantly how are you to going process without your boring laptop and silly files?"

Her questions made him scowl at her.

"I'm the boss, I can take as many leaves I want."

"Yet, you never take one when I wait for you alone in the restaurant on a cold night."

Her words punched his heart. She was right. He deserves all this. He would willingly take every harsh word thrown at him.

The realization took its time but it finally dawn on him. Works come later. Family comes first.

"Can't my beautiful wife forgive me?!

He pleaded with the innocent face.

"Your beautiful wife only forgives those who don't tend to repeat their mistakes, which you Mr. Zaigham Rehman doing a lot lately. Making the same mistakes pisses off your wife very much."

Cringing, Ziagham scratched his chin.

"Let just that your stupid husband is not a quick learner until he doesn't make the mistakes two to three times, he can't understand that the thing he is doing is wrong. Not that I'm justifying my any behavior. I just want to let you know that that the realization has dawned on me that the only constant thing in my life is you. The business is my passion and you are my love. And my love for you opened my eyes. I have come to realize that everything is meaningless without you and I'm a jerk who makes his wife upset."

With a sad smile etched on his, he confessed everything that made his heart and mind admitt to him in the silent night.

"So, please forgive me Seerat, indeed, I'm ungrateful towards you, I want to be better. I want to and will balance my life between you and my work and I promise no more alone dates, we'll go to my farmhouse this weekend, just us."

Seerat's eyes soften after his declaration. She mumbled with a hint of a smile.

"Well, your beautiful wife will make an exception and forgive you this time but it's only a one-time deal."

"Will it be hard now taking time from your hectic schedule? Huh!" She taunted and took a sip of the fresh orange juice.

"No, I worry that I have to take out time for work now. You're never busy for a loved one you just have you set your priorities straight and should not mingle both personal and professional together. This thing took time but thankfully, I understand it now."

She grinned and spread out her arms for a hug.

Zaigham didn't hesitate and embraced her in a tight hug.

"I love you." He whispered in her soft hair.

My first take on one shot.

Tell me how's it? If anyone has a demand for another one-shot feel free to tell, and suggest the topic, I will try to write whatever story my mind came up with.

Keep me in your prayers.

Allah Hafiz.