23rd February, 2019

Dressed in his night suit and wiping a towel on his damp hairs, Shumail walked out of the bathroom to find Eram making the bed. A smile appeared on his lips seeing her as he tossed the towel aside on the couch and walked to a drawer and pulled out the small jewellery box that he specially had it made for her. It was a small infinity pendant studded with diamonds that he wanted to give her and he thought it was perfect time.

Walking to her, he stood right behind her as he was about to speak up when Eram turned around colliding with his chest. Finding him right in front of her, with no distance between them, she was startled for a second as she tried to step back in haste. A shriek left her lips as her leg slipped and wanting to stop herself from falling she held Shumail's tshirt, pulling him with her too. It happened in the spur of the moment that Shumail couldn't steady himself and resulted in falling along with her on the bed with a thud.

They both let out a groan as they fell, as Shumail pulled back from her a little, supporting his weight on both of his hands placed either side of her head. His eyes landed on her face and her eyes, which she had pinched tight shut due to fear, met his as soon as she opened them. He was left speechless and she was left surprised, her eyes widened, due to their close proximity.

Shumail seemed to get out of the trance he was captured in, as she blinked her eyes, as he immediately moved back, clearing his throat awkwardly.

"You wanted to say something?" Eram asked as she sat up. Shumail, who was sat on the bed keeping some distance between them, turned to her as he forwarded his hand in which he held the jewellery box. Eram took the box from him as she flipped the lid open, her eyes going wide a second time when her gaze landed on the beautiful pendant.

"This is for me?" Eram asked in astonishment, blinking her eyes a few times in awe.

"Nope! Was asking your opinion whether I could gift this to my secretary!" Shumail answered sarcastically, giving her a tight lipped smile as she gave him a sideway look. She closed it and silently placed it back on the bed and slided it towards him, making him look at her in disbelief.

"Don't tell me you didn't get my joke? Of course it's for you! Why are you returning it back?" Shumail asked raising his eyebrows at her as she shook her head.

"No it's not that! I just don't feel like it.." Eram answered unsure.

"Don't feel like it?" Shumail repeated her words giving her a 'you-kidding-me' look. "Why may I ask?" Shumail raised an eyebrow at her.

"Shumail..." Eram began fidgetting with her fingers, her gaze fixed on her lap. "I don't want you to spend so much money on me."

"You kidding me!" Shumail exclaimed. "You're my wife! If not on you then should I be spending on my secretary!"

"I respect your feelings but I don't feel good seeing you spend so much on me." Eram said in a meek voice, almost in a whisper and if Shumail wasn't sitting beside her then it would have left unheard.

Shumail let out a huff as he stood up and turned to her standing right in front of her. She slowly lifted her gaze and looked at him who held her by her shoulders and made her stand. He turned her around but she turned back to him again, giving him a confused look with her eyebrows knitted together.

"What are you doing?" She asked but he didn't bothered answering her as he turned her around again and ordered her to stand still. He took hold of the jewellery box as he took the pendant from it and tossed the box back on the bed.

"Shumail. I really.." She began to object but he didn't let her complete as he silenced her by placing his forefinger on her lips. Her words immediately died down as she kept looking at him, blinking her eyes continuously. He turned her around again and this time she was too stunned to object. She had her dupatta placed on her head as he removed it, placing it on one shoulder. He hesitated for a second before bringing his hand forward and putting her hairs on one side as he brought the pendant around her neck and hooked it secure.

"This is for our endless relationship." Shumail said turning her around. He took hold of both of her hands in his and looked at her, a pleasant smile spread across his lips looking at her. "This feels so serene."

Eram couldn't bring herself to utter a word as she kept looking at Shumail tongue tied. She really didn't knew how she should react to such a situation. She didn't wanted him to spend so leisurely on her but she didn't wanted to hurt his feelings either. Any other wife would want her husband to spend on her but there she was, who didn't wanted it. It was weird of her and she knew it.

But she also knew that her situation wasn't like anyone else to begin with, where she could enjoy the luxuries that she was provided with.

She just can't, even if she wanted to.

"Eram?" Shumail snapped his fingers in front of her bringing her out of her trance as she looked at him, startled. He smiled brightly at her again as he placed a hand on the small of her back and pulled her in a hug, wrapping his other hand around her back. She was left stunned again and her eyes were practically widened too. She wouldn't deny she was nervous and she haven't anticipated this move a single bit and that increased her nervousness even more. She slowly brought up her hands to wrap around him but her hands were left hanging in mid air when he spoke up again.

"Thank you." Shumail said, his eyes closed in content. "Thank you for coming in my life. I no longer avoid coming to home which used to be empty always, rather I look forward to return home to you and spend time with you, someone I can call mine."

Eram was left shocked on his honest confession. She felt an emotion she couldn't name, listening to him as she didn't give a further thought and bringing her hands up, she wrapped them around him tightly. Feeling her hands on his back, Shumail opened his eyes for a moment before closing them again and wrapping his hands around her more tightly, the smile never leaving his lips.

They kept hugging her for a few moments before Eram suddenly pulled back. Shumail was startled as he stepped back too scratching his neck and she turned away to avoid looking at him. He silently walked to the bed as he grabbed his pillow and took steps to the couch only to be stopped by her voice.

"You aren't comfortable on the couch and I don't want you to have a back ache every time, because of me. We can share the bed." Eram said with her back facing him as she tried to pretend engrossed in dusting her bed.

"Are you comfortable with it?" He asked and waited for her answer as she nodded her head, still avoiding looking at him.

Shumail shook his head in amusement as he walked back to his side of bed and placing his pillow back, he lied on it. She was already lying on her side of bed by this time as he looked at her and slowly pulled the duvet to cover himself. He turned the other side and closed his eyes to sleep.

Eram removed the duvet from her face as she tried to peek at him to see if he was asleep. She shifted all the way to the far end of the bed, really uncomfortable but she didn't wanted him to have an aching back every morning because of her so she kept silent.

"You don't need to worry. I won't cross my side." Shumail spoke when she tried to peek at him again and her eyes widened realising that she was caught peeking at him as without a word she pulled the duvet over her head covering herself with it and pinching her eyes tight shut due to embarrassment.

The next morning Shumail sensed himself trapped under a weight. His eyebrows furrowed as he opened his eyes in slits to get the weigth off of himself, only to come face to face with the beautiful face of his wife who was lost deep in sleep, with absolutely no care on whom she was actually sleeping.

Eram's hands were wrapped around Shumail's torso as she rested her head on his chest, practically hugging him in her sleep. As soon as his eyes landed on her, his lips curled in a smile but when he took notice of the position they were in, that smile turned in a mischievous smirk. For sure Shumail was going to use this to tease her endlessly as he quickly took his cell phone and took a picture.

The alarm began ringing making her stir in her sleep as Shumail quickly closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep. She forwarded her hand searching for the alarm and shut it off. He felt her stir again as she moved her head from his chest as it landed on his arms but he stayed motionless, not making any move.

Eram moved her hands and she felt something hard yet soft at the same time under her touch as her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, in her sleep.

Ah this feels so amazing! But what is it?

Eram thought caressing Shumail and her hand movements were tickling him as he tried his best not to squirm or move while Eram opened her eyes slightly, in confusion, to have a look at what her hands were feeling.

Her eyes landed on Shumail who she found sleeping peacefully as she placed her head back on his chest, realising that it was her husband she was feeling moments ago, a knowing smile on her lips.

Oh! It's Shumail.

Eram thought in her mind.

It's Shumail!

Not a second after she had closed her eyes that her eyes went wide open and she moved her head back and took a look at him. Her gaze slowly travelled down and she took in their position. Shumail was lying on his side of the bed while she found herself sleeping not just on his side but practically on him with her hands wrapped around him, her head resting on his chest and their legs tangled.

She wanted to move back in a lightening speed but not wanting to wake him from his slumber and embarrass herself in front of him, she removed her hands from around him, as slowly as she could, as she moved away from him and got out of the bed. Looking at him and checking if he actually was sleeping and that, he hadn't seen her sleeping in his arms, and when she was sure that he was asleep, she quickly hurried to the bathroom.

She closed the bathroom door behind herself and stood with her back pressed against it and her hand placed on her heart which was beating frantically. She took deep breaths to calm her nerves and after freshening up, she opened the door and walked out.

"Good morning." Came Shumail's voice as she turned her face to look at him who was awake by not and was sitting on the bed, stretching his arms.

"Good morning." She replied and walked to the closet to get her prayer mat. When she walked out with her dupatta wrapped around her head and the prayer mat in her hands, Shumail who was walking towards the bathroom stopped in his tracks seeing her as he turned to face her.

"I felt like someone was hugging me while I was asleep. By any chance did you roll to my side?" Shumail questioned as immediately Eram's cheeks turned crimson and she looked away, avoiding his gaze in embarrassment. He gave her a suspicious look, looking at her through slightly narrowed eyes and eyebrows raised. "You rolled to my side, didn't you?"

"No! I didn't!" Eram quickly spoke in her defence as she shook her head.

"If you say so." Shumail shrugged his shoulder and gave her a nod as he headed to the bathroom to get freshen up, laughing internally at her, an amused smirk etched on his lips.

I'm so gonna enjoy teasing you wifey! 

Assalamualaikum everyone!

Annyeonghaseyo!

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