Two weeks later.
Abrar was fit and fine by then, his injuries have healed with time and now all of his concentration was on the upcoming elections in which he was taking part in. The campaigns and speeches tired him to no extent and even today he wasn't home yet.
After spending almost, a month together, suddenly having him gone made Haya miss her husband terribly. He spends less time at home and more time at work. And that irked her.

Haya looked at the door and then at the wall clock which made her frown with each passing second. It was 11:45 and the fact that Abrar hasn't returned home yet made her feel slightly panicked? She had no idea. But she really was worried. After seeing him injured and hurt, Haya realized how dangerous it is for him, the life of a politician was tough. No jokes.
With a sigh, she got up from her seat and walked upstairs to Meruza's bedroom, thinking of ways to not show her embarrassment but Meruza wasn't the type of girl who'd let you live in peace after knowing that you don't have your husband's phone number. It was Haya's fault anyway, so she was ready to take all the teasing as long as she could get Abrar's number.
"Who is it?" luckily, she didn't sound sleepy yet, which made Haya heave a sigh of relief.
"It's me." before Haya could complete her words, Meruza has already opened the door and stared at Haya quizzically.
"Hi... good that you weren't sleeping. I wanted to ask you for something." Haya pushed her away as she barged into her room, making Meruza frown in confusion," what do you want at this time?" she pressed on the word time more precisely to which Haya gave a sheepish smile in return.
"Well... the thing is Abrar hasn't returned home yet." Haya trailed off; her inner self mocked her for not having her own husband's mobile number. Why didn't she ever think about that?

"So, you came here to kill your time?" Meruza wondered loudly, Haya nodded yes and then a no making her all the more confused.
"You see the time; it's going to be twelve already and he hasn't returned home yet. I'm quite concerned." Meruza's face broke into a huge smile as she heard the last line. She was so happy for her cousin that he has got such a good wife.
"Call him then," Meruza stated as it was the most obvious thing to do. Haya frowned at that reply.
"Exactly... I don't know how to call him." Meruza stared at her blankly wondering what did she mean.

"OH. You don't have balance, huh? Don't worry... use mine." Meruza picked her phone which lied on the bed and handed it over to Haya, who looked at her amazedly.
Wow... Why didn't she think of that?
Haya was glad that she has escaped her sister in law's endless teasing. With a sigh, she opened the contacts and dialled Abrar's number.
"Assalamualaikum, Meruza. What happened? Everything okay?" Abrar asked wondering why'd his cousin call him at the odd hours. His background sounded was very silent.
"Walaikum Assalam." Abrar had to check his phone twice to see if it really was Meruza because he could swear that he has heard Haya's voice.
"Is that you, Meruza?" he asked in confusion, Haya just smiled inwardly going along with the play for some time.
"Yes... I'm Meruza only. Why'd you ask?" Haya suppressed her laughter as she saw Meruza laughing in one corner.
'You're so evil' her sister in law mouthed to her with a smirk. Haya shrugged innocently as she waited for Abrar to reply to her. When not hearing his response, she stared at the screen in confusion.
"Hello?" Haya called again but heard nothing in response.
"Hey, Meruza..." Abrar whispered in Haya's ears from behind, making her jump in horror. Meruza now bursts out laughing.
"Hi." Haya bit her lips in embarrassment for she was caught red-handed in her lie, Abrar smirked at her as he took the phone from her hands; which was slippery with sweat.
"Why did you call me?" Abrar asked as he threw Meruza's phone on the bed, whilst smiling like an idiot.
"You were late." Haya glared at him which made him grin at her.
"So, I take that you were worried about me?" Abrar asked in a tone of mischief, Haya's ears turned pink in shyness. She tried hard not to blush.
"Okay lovebirds. Get out of my room now, I'm feeling sleepy." Meruza muttered as she suppressed a yawn. Abrar nods at her," Shab ba kahir." Both Haya and him said together.
"Shab ba khair." Meruza smiled at the duo as she pushed them out of her room and shut the door on their faces, eager for them to leave so that she could talk with Iflan.
(Good night)
***
"Busy day, huh?" Haya asked as she handed him his after-dinner tea. His obsession with tea was making her go sick. But she prepares for his sake anyway.
"Yes, it was." Abrar smiled at her gratefully for preparing the tea at these odd hours just for him.
"Why did you call me from her phone?" he asked whilst sipping his tea. Haya sat beside him, smiling sheepishly.
Should she tell him that she didn't have his number or go with her lie? But decided to speak the truth instead. She needed his number anyway.
"I- Well, didn't have your number." Haya bit her lips in embarrassment as she turned her head away, unable to meet his gaze.
There was a pregnant pause for a moment until Abrar bursts out laughing, she eyed him in confusion," we both are such a made for each other couple. Guess what, I don't have your number too."
Haya stared at him with wide eyes. Well, he did make a fair point here. They are so made for each other.
"The need never came. So, don't worry. I'm not mad at you or anything." Abrar assured her as he placed his palms on hers, she shoved it away with a frown.
"But I'm mad at you. Why didn't you ask for my number?" Haya faked anger as she tried hard not to laugh at him.
"I was just kidding. Drink your tea quickly. Let's go sleep, we should also wake up for fajr." Haya got up from the sofa, as she walked to prepare their bed. Abrar shook his head in disbelief. Haya is one crazy woman! He never expected anything less from her.
Soon enough, he too joined her and they both laid on their sides of the bed, comfortably. They smiled facing each other, both of them unable to sleep.
"I will give you my number tomorrow," Abrar whispered softly, Haya blinked her eyes at him.
For the past two weeks, their nights will go like this as they pillow talk anything or everything. They've talked so much in the past two weeks than their whole married life combined. Which was almost three and half months.
"I will call you back then." Haya chuckled as she said those words. They felt like teenagers who exchanged their number for the first time.
"How was your day?" Abrar asked as he tucked her hair strands which fell on her eyes. Haya shivered under his mere touch. Damn, his hands were so cold.
"It was boring here. I miss my city so much." Haya pouted, Abrar's face changed colours as he heard her reply.
"Village is far better than your city. Where else can you find this greenery and pollution-free place?" Haya frowned at his reply, sure village is great and all. But ultimately her city was the place where she has spent her whole life with. She tends to miss that place time and again.
"I don't want to argue with you right now." Haya muttered lazily but Abrar chuckled as he pulled her in his embrace," Naraz ho?"
(mad at me?)
"No." Haya smiled as she inhaled his fragrance. He smelled so damn good. She shifted in his embrace comfortably. They cuddle once in a while like it was very normal, but from inside their heart was beating faster than a marathon. Abrar could swear that she too was affected by their closeness as much as him.
"Your hair is so soft." Haya giggled as he ran his hands through her hair.
"Your beard is ticklish," Abrar smirked as he brought his fingers near her waist, ready to tickle her but the thunder from outside made her flinch in fear.
"Hey... I'm here," he whispered in her ears as he hugged her tighter, securely.
"I know." Haya smiled gratefully. The pictures of her parents dying in front of her eyes still haunted her. She felt suffocated.
"It was one rainy night... I and my family were coming back from the carnival." Haya's voice became raspy, "you don't have to say anything if you don't want to, Haya." Abrar whispered with concern as he cupped her face.
She stared back at his charcoal eyes, intensely, nodding a no, "I want to." She has kept it to herself for so long and maybe sharing it with someone else might help her?
"The break in the car didn't work and baba was so worried about us. They both knew something was wrong. They started telling me and Sanam that, they love us so much and we mean the world to them. I was so scared. I and Sanam tightly held our hands together. Ammi turned around to give us one last hug and that's all I remember." Haya paused as fresh tears started rolling down her cheeks. Abrar was worried about her as he tightened the hug, yet he lets her continue narrating.
"Our car hit a tree, and baba died on the spot. Sanam passed out in fear. I saw Ammi's head bleeding red, she smiled at me lastly before leaving me alone in the cruel world. It rained heavily all the while. That's why I dread the rain so much." Haya placed her head in the crook of his neck. He didn't know how to console her. But his heart pricked to know that she had to see their deaths like that. He knew how much it hurts to see someone close to you die in front of your own eyes. He has been through it.
"You're safe now. Your Ammi and Baba must be in a safer place. Please stop crying." Abrar hated the fact that she was in tears. It does something to his heart. Something which he couldn't explain.
"Tell me something, anything. Distract me." Haya asked, he thought for a second and thought he should be sharing something too.
"You never asked why I hate city girls so much." Abrar smiled dryly.
"Why?" Haya stopped her tears, as her mind was now distracted from her parents' death and was curious to hear Abrar's reasons. He chuckled at her curiosity.
"Ayaan's lover was a city girl. I never liked her but accepted her for the sake of my brother. She was the most cunning woman I've ever seen. Dresses like a slut. I'm sorry for my language, but it was true. I don't know what that idiot saw in her. I preferred modest and kind natured girls, she was the total opposite. She was with my twin only for the sake of his money." Haya wondered where was this going but she listened carefully.
"He caught her cheating on him one day. His love was so foolish that it triggered him to jump off the terrace." Haya gasped at this new piece of information.
"I should have warned him earlier but I let it go because he was so happy with her. It happened during the final year of our post-graduation. I was so devastated because I should have helped him, or stopped him perhaps. He was there with me the whole day and I couldn't notice his indifferent behaviour." Haya was sure that he was in tears. She sat up with a jerk and cupped his face in her hands. Abrar too sat up with a sad face.
"It wasn't your fault. Stop blaming yourself." Haya muttered as she looked at him in the eyes. He smiled back bitterly.
"I know. But that was why I hated city girls. I might be wrong to judge all of them but you cannot blame me." Haya immediately engulfed him in her embrace and that was all it took to melt him like ice. He wrapped his arms around her, slightly glad at the fact that she has initiated a hug for the first time. They fit in each other's arms so perfectly that it was astonishing.
They stayed still for a while, in the same position, in each other's embrace.
Even though it rained heavily, Haya remained calm and composed that night. Abrar too felt relieved and peaceful to finally share his sorrow with someone after a very long time.
Sometimes a hug is all you need.