Mehrem- The Confidant

16

Illiyeen

The night stretched, and the empty hotel suite felt even larger without Umair's presence. I had tried keeping myself busy—calling friends and catching up on things I had been too distracted to focus on. But deep down, my husband's quiet absence weighed on me.

Neha's familiar voice brought comfort through the screen, her warm smile easing my restless mind. "You okay?" she murmured.

I smiled, nodding, even though I felt strange emotions. "Of course I am."

Her brow arched in curiosity. "You look happy. What happened?"

I bit my lip, unsure of how much to share. Neha had always been there for me—through thick and thin. She was my rock. But talking about Umair and us still felt like venturing into uncharted territory.

Noticing my hesitation, Neha spoke again, her tone gentle but firm. "You don't have to say it if you don't want to. I'll never pry into your relationship, but if something's bothering you, I'm here."

Her understanding brought a wave of relief. "We..." I began, searching for the right words. "When we came back from my home, something happened."

Neha leaned forward, encouraging me without pushing. "Like?"

I shrugged, trying to make sense of it myself. "All I could gather was that Umair doesn't want to return to his village. There's something about betraying people... he was loud."

Neha hummed softly, processing the information. "Was he like that before? Like... on the wedding night?"

"No," I replied quickly, remembering the tenderness in those moments. "He even asked permission to touch my hand as if I would break. And remember the reception? When I raised my voice, he looked so shocked."

"It's okay to be confused, my love." Neha's voice was soothing and understanding. "Maybe there's something about his past no one told you? Anger issues, perhaps?"

"Maybe..." I murmured, though I wasn't convinced.

"Or," Neha added thoughtfully, "maybe something in his village scared him. Either way, talk to him, Illiyeen. You two need to figure it out together." She took a sip of her coffee, leaning back. "Now, what about the blush? You're holding back on me."

My cheeks heated as I poked the inside of my mouth with my tongue. "We kissed."

Neha's eyes widened, her excitement palpable. "Wait, wait, you kissed?" Her grin was contagious, and I couldn't help but smile more.

"Well, he asked to kiss my hand, but I went for... more," I confessed, my voice trailing.

There was a loud crash on her end, and for a second, I panicked. But Neha reappeared with a triumphant scream, clasping her hands over her mouth as if to hold in her excitement. "Illiyeen!"

I laughed, knowing exactly what she was about to say. We spent the rest of the night talking, mostly her giving me wild advice on relationships. Some of it wasn't sensible, but it was good to laugh with her and forget about the long, quiet night ahead.

Just past midnight, my phone buzzed with a message. I glanced at the screen, and my heart leaped.

Umair: Sorry, I can only send a message. I won't return tonight; the surgery is taking longer than we hoped. Even though the hotel is very safe, check the lock before sleeping. If you need anything, I'm sending Nadeem's number as well.

Umair: Illiyeen, I'm sorry for bringing you here. Thank you for coming, though.

Umair: See you tomorrow.