And here you come with a shield for a heart and a sword for a tongue.

— Carol Ann Duffy

The rain is falling in a faint drizzle when he reaches his destination. The sky is in faded shades of blue and gray, the clouds floating around in broken pieces like some splattered paint on an artist's palette. Winter is falling apart, he can see that.

Waleed parks his car in front of the hotel and Burq looks out through the back seat window. He isn't losing his nerves, but he's a little anxious nonetheless.

"Are you sure this is the place?"

"Yes, my lord. Your lordship, Raad, is staying here."

He hums and unlocks his door, getting out before Waleed. He follows after him instantly. The rain pepper kisses his skin before Waleed opens an umbrella for him. Burq grips his crutches tightly.

"I'll go myself," he announces. "Wait for me outside."

Waleed nods in understanding and steps back. Burq walks inside into the hotel lobby. He takes the elevator to the desired floor and finds Raad's room. For good five minutes he continues debating in his head whether to ring the bell or just go back home. Leyla's words keep clicking in his head. Then he sighs and rings the door bell.

The door opens after a minute.

"Akhi?" Raad receives him with a surprised expression.

Burq clears his throat and greets him, "Salam."

"Salam," he greets him back with the same perplexity.

"I, uh... I came here to talk to you, Raad."

Raad takes a moment to respond,  recovering from the initial shock of seeing him and stepping aside to let him in.

"Come in."

Burq follows him inside and finds his suitcase open in the middle of his room. He was apparently in the process of packing before being interrupted.

"You're leaving," Burq states rather than questioning, concluding that much himself.

Raad nods and steals away his gaze. "The baby is due soon. I can't stay longer. I only came here for you but..." He looks back at Burq who stares straight into his eyes. Raad shifts his weight to the other foot uneasily.

"Congratulations, brother," Burq wishes him coolly.

Raad's expression colors stunned once more before dissolving into a smile. "Thank you." He rubs his palms together, eyes flicking around before finding his. "Burq, I... I'm so sorry. I know Doha and I hurt you badly. Heck. We broke you." He sighs and scrubs his face. "We lost your trust. I never meant to, akhi. Doha never meant too."

When Burq continues staring at him silently, Raad scratches behind his ear nervously.

"I loved her, Burq. I just couldn't tell you because you did too," he confesses. "I stepped back and remained quiet about my feelings because I didn't want to hurt your feelings. But she came to me with her heart and I couldn't break it; I couldn't do it to her."

Burq releases his breath slowly, having no emotions to suppress anymore— no rage or frustration. His heartbeats speak of another name now, much louder than any other name.

"You won't ask me to sit down?" he finally says. "I can't keep standing forever with these crutches."

Raad blinks in confusion before nodding quickly and creating space on the bed. "Sit here."

Burq sits down on the bed. Raad quietly sits beside him. They stay like that for a while before Burq cranes his neck to look at him.

"Thank you."

Raad looks back at him in puzzlement. "What for?"

"For marrying Doha." Burq smiles. "If it wasn't for you, I'd never have known Leyla. And by God, what an unlucky man I must have been then."

"You mean," Raad raises both eyebrows quizzically, "you mean aren't upset with me anymore?"

"No."

He stares at Burq in a lost understanding, but then smiles back at him. "Really, akhi?"

"Really." Burq twists the wedding band on his ring finger, toying with it. "And I'm sorry for being blind to your feelings. And to Doha's too. I wish you both had told me before hand, but if you both loved each other I had no right to be selfish and come in between."

Raad shakes his head. "All is forgiven."

"All is forgiven," Burq repeats and open his arms for him.

Raad grins and leaps to embrace him. "Brother," he mumbles into his shoulder, "my brother. I missed you so much. I've been so lonely without you."

Burq closes his eyes and hugs him tighter. "Losing you was like losing a best friend, Raad. I've been lonely without you too." He claps his back before pulling away. "I missed you too."

"So you and Leyla are coming home with me?"

"No," Burq refuses. "Not yet. But soon, by God's will."

Raad gives up without arguing. "I won't insist or pry if you don't see it fit currently. But it's been long, akhi. Everyone wants you back home."

Burq hums reassuringly. "I'll come back home to you all. And I'll bring my wife with me."

Raad smiles at him. "You love her, don't you?"

Burq gazes away into the void. "I do. Maddeningly so."

"So do your eyes say."

He chuckles. "My eyes speak too much, don't they?"

Raad laughs, leaning back on his hands. "She told you that?"

"She did."

"She's right."

"She always is."

His brother gives him a tender look— a look both of joy and slight amusement. But what does he even know of this woman? If anyone does, they'll fall for her too. For she's no ordinary woman as he had initially thought of her to be. Leyla is his once upon a lifetime lover. And if he tried to explain it to him what she means to him, or define the extent of his love, words won't be able to do justice to his feelings and this love will lose its meaning. So he doesn't bother trying.

"She sounds like a wonderful woman," Raad says after a minute, interrupting his thoughts.

"Did my eyes tell you that too?" Burq teases.

Raad chuckles lightly and shakes his head. "No, your attitude tells me. She has changed you, akhi, and for good."

Burq searches his face and finds his words honest. He shifts his gaze as his lips pull back, but doesn't reply. Raad's statement doesn't need any affirmation. He speaks the truth.

"Will you name my son for me?"

His statement surprises him as he looks at Raad again. His orbs reflect his own, glistening with something unknown. Burq tilts his head.

"You want me to name your son?" he questions incredulously.

"I want you to name your nephew."

"But what about Doha? And umi and baba?"

"They will never mind, Burq. In fact, all of us will be very pleased," Raad assures. "They left it to me to choose a name, and I'm asking you to choose one for me."

Burq ponders over his request for a good while, thinking. Many names start coming to his mind at once, but one sticks behind. His eyes find Raad again.

"In that case, you can name my nephew Khalifa."

➳

"Your reports are clear, Mr. Aziz. The X-rays show your bones have completely healed and your sessions with your physiotherapist have been showing good progress too," the doctor explains as he studies his file. "It's time to remove your splint. You don't need these crutches anymore now." He looks up and smiles at Burq.

The immense bliss he feels at once makes him dizzy. This is the day he has been waiting for. He let's out a small laugh, unable to believe the reality.

"So, let's do it," the doctor suggests and walks towards him.

"Can we wait for my wife to come first?" Burq asks quickly. "I want her with me."

"Ah, you've married, Mr. Aziz?"

Burq glances down at his wedding band. Not wanting to explain the complexity of his situation, he simply replies, "Yes."

"Your friend who used to come with you here?" the doctor questions. "Ms. Khanzada?"

He cocks an eyebrow. "Yes. How did you gather?"

The doctor chuckles lightheartedly. "Let's just say it was a lucky guess." He comes to sit on the stool beside the examination bed. "Your memories are back?"

"Yes, almost all."

"Any complaints?"

"No."

"Congratulations, both on your recovery and the wedding." He smiles.

"Thank you." Burq returns his smile politely.

"Now, sir, I'm sorry but I've another patient to see after you and we're kinda short on time here. Shall we just get rid of the splint then?"

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting then," Burq apologizes. "Let's do it."

The doctor nods and gets to work. His mind keeps drifting to Leyla. She should've been with him. He wants her beside him. Why is she always late?

A thorn seems to have been taken out of his heart as the weight of the splint is removed from his leg. The feeling is weird physically, but emotionally he's ecstatic. He can walk again. He thanks God for the blessing he never even had considered before— for every blessing taken for granted.

Damnation. What kind of man he had been? What has he done to his life? He feels to have wasted all these years.

"Stand up and try to take a few steps," the doctor instructs. "Try to walk and tell me how you feel."

Burq nods and pushes himself off the bed. As his feet touch the ground, he grins. He's standing again on his own two legs. He begins to walk slowly.

"It feels numb and tingly," he tells the doctor. "I feel stiff at the joints."

"This feeling will fade off. Any other difficulties?"

"No."

"Any pain?"

"No."

"Great. You're good to go then."

A knock comes at the door before someone walks in.

"I'm sorry I'm late—" Leyla stops midway as she sees him standing in front of her. "Burq?" her words leave her in whisper, partly on being out of breath and partly in disbelief.

He strides towards her hurriedly, forgetting about the weird sensation in his leg, for the sensation in his heart totally flips. She's like blood in his veins, rooted in his bones, impossible to extract. They're like two bodies but one soul. Her love is both a venom yet a remedy, like a death grazing life but not taking it— like all sensations disheveled.

He embraces her, his arms swallowing in her frame, pressing her to his chest, as if trying to wrap her around his heart and trap her within his ribcage— to never let her escape. Leyla is his taste of paradise on earth.

"Qalbi," he murmurs in her hair and she circles her arms around his shoulders, hugging him back. "I thought you weren't coming."

"Not a chance," she replies quietly, subtly kissing the angle of his jaw before pulling away.

Burq realizes the doctor has left them alone in the room.

"Why are you always late, my dearest?" he scolds lightly.

She touches her earlobes in an apology. "Coincidences. Something always comes up at the important moments."

"What was it this time?"

"A surprise for you." She grins at him. "You're walking again. I'm so happy."

"Tell me about it."

"Uh huh, wait up."

"I'm still not so patient, qalbi."

Leyla chuckles and playfully hits him on the chest before holding his hand and tugging him gently out of the room.

"Then be, for me."

"So not even a hint?" he insists.

"Burq, you big baby."

"I'm only excited," he excuses.

They walk down the hallway before she stops at its end and turns to face him. He does the same and looks at her curiously. Leyla puts her arms around his neck and leans towards him, standing up on her toes. He holds her waist to steady her and she pecks his lips.

"My family has invited you to dinner tonight. Come home with me?"

And this organ within his chest dies of ecstasy.

➳

Surprise.

Guess what?

Three more chapters to go. Who's ready?

Don't forget to share your love, vote, and leave your thoughts in the comments.

➳