Forever Yours

Chapter 26

26| Ahad

I returned back to work the next day when Nawal was completely satisfied that I was well enough to work. She didn't say but she had definitely been on edge the next few days as she called a lot when I was at work but kept the conversation short and limited to asking how I was and if I was feeling good or not so she didn't take much of my time at work. It didn't bother me, not at all, in fact I found it adorable how she took care of me. She insisted that I take my medicine regularly because she couldn't handle seeing me like that again as she had a mini heart attack that day when I lay so lifelessly in her lap. I repeatedly apologized for scaring her but she said that it wasn't my fault and all she wanted was for me to not skip my medication. The truth was that I was sick and tired of the medicines because I had been taking them for the past few years now but I decided not to skip any for her sake.

At midnight yesterday, she had wished me a happy birthday and only let me kiss her before we went back to bed. She made me think that that was how much she cared about my birthday but knowing her, she was probably planning a whole party for me right now as I worked the day away. As the years passed, my interest in my birthday lessened but that didn't stop my family from at least cutting one cake every year on my birthday. Mom and dad video-called earlier as they both wished me and said that they weren't going to call me to meet them today because my wife would do the celebration for them. Zoha and Rumi separately called me and wished me a happy birthday and so did Sameer bhai. All of them treated like my birthday as a national holiday.

I was going over the blueprints for the hotel when my phone rang and I smiled at the caller ID– meri jaan.

"Ahad, please come home a little early today if possible." She pleaded and I just knew she had her puppy eyes out even when I couldn't see her.

"Okay, I will." I softly smiled and she cut the call to not take my time so I could wrap up quicker. The call just confirmed that she was, indeed, planning something for my birthday.

In the morning, when I was leaving for work, Nawal had picked out my suit for the day which was the same grey suit I wore for our engagement and I wore the same black dress shirt underneath. By the end of the day, I ended up removing my jacket anyway and my sleeves were rolled up as I hung my jacket on my forearm and walked to my car. It would be a lie if I said I wasn't excited to see whatever Nawal had in mind but I also planned to give her a surprise.

I rang the bell as I usually did but when she didn't open the door herself, I fetched out my set of keys and went in. The house looked perfectly normal and my wife was nowhere to be seen. I tossed my suit jacket on the sofa and looked around. I walked to the dining table and my eyes widened when I saw the minimal set up. A chocolate cake, definitely home baked, was placed on the table and 'HBD Ahad' was written on top, not as clean as a professional would write but still beautiful. A pot of something was sitting on the table too with two sets of plates for Nawal and I. A few balloons had been tied to ribbons that were knotted to the chairs around the table but Nawal was still not here.

"Nawal?" I yelled to call her.

"Here." She softly said from behind me as I turned around but immediately froze as my breath got caught in my throat. She was wearing a western dress, something very different from how she usually dressed up. Her dress was black as it hugged her figure and ended right above her knees. The dress had a straight neckline and was held by thin spaghetti straps that sat perfectly on her shoulders. In her neck was the pendant I gave her and her hair were down in their natural form and silver chandelier earrings hung from her ears. Her make up was simple too except some dark eyeliner. She was wearing black heels that made her a little taller than she actually was. I knew she would never wear such dresses in public as it was too revealing so she specially got it for me only.