11. 𝑶𝒉 𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆, 𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒆

It's already been a week of marriage and time flew by honestly.

Every day, I discovered more about him – take for example how he would take an early morning walk everyday and keeps trying to make me go on one with him. He has been unsuccessful thus far. Or how he sometimes absentmindedly taps his knees when he's watching tv. Or how he prefers sitting on the carpet rather than on the many couches we have.

Hassan is also very affectionate and with me having absolutely no experience in that, it was so foreign to me. He would find ways to have some type of physical contact with me, whether it was his head on my laps as he watched tv (he sometimes drags me to sit on the floor with him) or holding my hands as we're walking together.

It's a totally new experience and I'm loving every single moment of getting to know my life partner and meshing our lives together.

It's currently a Friday and we got back from Jummah prayers a few hours ago and are preparing to head over to my parent's house for dinner with my in-laws before we leave tomorrow.

We're finally going on our honeymoon after being cooped up in our house for a week, not that I was complaining. It was nice being shut off from the world with my man. Well it was nice while it lasted.

Hassan surprised me with tickets yesterday of a one-week trip to Paris. The itinerary promised strolls along the Seine, visits to iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower. The thought of exploring the Louvre and wandering through charming Montmartre made me feel like I was gonna burst with excitement.

~

After an hour long ride filled with small talk, we pulled up on the driveway of my home and got down from the car.

He slipped his hand into mine and softly squeezed it as we walked up the driveway.

We just walked unto the porch when the front door opened revealing my Ma.

"Assalamu Alaykum Ma"  I greeted with a wide smile, as I approached her.

Her face brightened up as our eyes met and she pulled me into the embrace only a mother can give.

Warm, soft and maternal.

"Wa Alaykum Salam" She replied then finally noticing Hassan behind me, rushed to him pulling him down giving him an awkward yet warm hug as he was so tall and she being lower than the average height for a woman.

"How are you dear?" She asked after letting go, stepping into the house , Inviting us in.

"Alhamdulilah Mom"

After we got married she insisted on him calling her mom and it was very cute seeing him blush as he called her that.

We walked into the living room, finding my Baba and Uncle Adam conversing. I rushed to my Ba and gave him a hug then greeting Uncle Adam too. We conversed for a while before I went into the kitchen finding my mother conversing excitedly with Sarah and Zahra. Oh?

"Hello, everyone," I greeted, offering a warm smile. It was time to set aside past grievances; after all, we were now family. Holding onto hostility served no purpose with these ladies.

"Hello," they responded in unison, returning my smile. The atmosphere shifted pleasantly.

Rolling up my sleeves, I started peeling vegetables. Amid the preparing of dinner together, we engaged in light-hearted small talk, breaking down the barriers that had once stood between us.

If you had told me three months ago that I would be in my parent's kitchen preparing dinner with Sarah and Zahra talking and laughing with them, I would have laughed in your face because that would seem impossible in my eyes as I didn't see that ever happening, especially with our history together.

After about an hour, dinner was finally made. We prepared Iranian food with an american fusion. And it looked delicious. I could feel my mouth water just looking at the laid table.

I went on upstairs to call Abu down for dinner. Finding his door locked, I knocked one too many times before he opened it. He groaned  lightheartedly when he saw it was me saying , " Why are you already back here? Hassan already got tired of you huh"

"Oh please, I know you missed me" I said with a laugh pushing past him and entering his room.

As expected his room still resembled a pig sty, clothes strewn everywhere, Dirty plates and cups,empty bottles of water everywhere you looked. Disgusting.

"Oh Abu" I said looking at him in mock disappointment " How will you ever get a girl when you live like this?"

He chuckled putting one hand over my shoulder and walking me out of the door "That, my ugly sis, Is none of your concern"

I let out a combination of a gasp and laugh as we walked to the stairs.

"So You're really going to Paris huh" he stated as we walked down the stairs.

"Yes Abu" knowing him he's not gonna say something pleasant.

"I hope he leaves you there"

Ah, there we have it ladies and gentlemen.

"You think you're so funny huh" I said shoving him off me with a smile as we entered the dining room.

We all took our respective seats and had a nice dinner filled with laughter and stories.

From my father who was laughing with Uncle Adam to the mothers who were engaged in a discussion where they would let out a chuckle or two after every few minutes and to us the kids , Zahra , Abu and I narrating our past pranks to Hassan making him laugh.

As I looked around at the table and saw everyone with smiles on our faces, I briefly whispered "Alhamdulilah".

And Hassan, nothing getting past him, slipped his hand under the table and held unto mine giving it a gentle squeeze while he listened to Abu narrate about that one time when I threw peanut butter at Zahra's window in the dead of the night. Those days seemed so far away and distant now.

Alhamdulilah for this marriage bringing us all together despite our past disagreements and I have to say it's way nicer with this light happy energy than before when all I wanted to do was strang-glare at them and stay away from them.

Allah certainly works in mysterious ways. Never thought it would have worked out this way.

And we plan but Allah plans. And he is the best of planners.

~

Another chapter posted.

Sooo the prewritten chapters are finally posted while the rough drafts are still being edited so the next post won't be up till maybe Friday inshaa Allah.

Please comment to lmk if you like the story please. Ya girl needs some motivation and vote and share🤍.