Unlikely To Happen

Part 10 -Long Drives

Part 10 –Long Drives

"Abu Hurairah {R.A} reported that a person said: 'Allah's Messenger {S.A.W}, who amongst the people is most deserving go my good treatment?' He {S.A.W} said: 'Your mother, again your mother, again your mother, then your father, then your nearest relatives according to the order (of nearness)'."

~Muslim

Maleeha sat quietly in the car, her sunglasses were so dark that Zaakir could not even see what she was looking at. He didn't even know if she was awake or not. His heart was heavy and guilt laden; he hadn't meant to make her so sad and upset with him. What he had been trying –and unsuccessfully –to covey to her was the fact that he could look after her without the need of her using her friend's money at all. But, he realised belatedly that it was his fault that she had even gone to her 'friend' in the first place. He was the idiot who told her to organise the money. If only he hadn't been so stupid.

Did that Hector guy like her? Like that? Did he want her? Why else would he organise the money for her so quickly? And so much? No, Zaakir suspected that that Hector guy probably was in love with Maleeha. After all, no one would do that for someone else.

He groaned at the direction of his thoughts. Thankfully, he noticed the passing billboard to distract him from his disastrous thoughts. "Maleeha, Maleeha, wake up. There is a petrol station not too far from here," he called.

"Yes, Master," she responded immediately.

He flinched, but held in a smile that she was awake. Zaakir hated the fact that she was calling him Master. "Why do you keep calling me Master?" he growled out harshly.

"You were the one who reminded me that I had to do everything you say. Why? Do you not like having your loyal dog call you 'Master'?" she said emotionlessly, but the undertone of her hate spoke volumes to him.

He risked a glance at her, and glared at her. "Stop acting like that, Maleeha. You know it was a stupid fight and that the words came out without thinking. I didn't think, okay? I didn't mean to say them."

"If you say so, Master," she shrugged unperturbed.

"Maleeha!" he growled out angrily, he looked at the empty road and then jerked the car to the side of the road. He went on the gravel and stopped. Zaakir then unhooked his seat belt and twisted his body to speak to her. "This is being childish and you know it. I am sorry for the words I said to you. They were unnecessarily harsh and you didn't deserve it. And what I said, it wasn't meant to be conveyed that way." He ran a hand through his hair in a frustrated motion. "I did not intend for it to come across as me controlling your every desire or every action, but merely the fact that you need to listen to me. You can't just live as you please. This is a marriage and there can't be two separate people forcing their will on the other person. We need to work together."

She shrugged and faced ahead, ignoring him and the comment to work on their marriage.

"See, Maleeha, this is what I am talking about. This is childish. I am trying to talk to you like an adult, but you're behaving like a small child, like my little nieces and nephews. So, do you want me to treat you like a small child? Because I can, I have years of practice."

She faced him with a sour look on her face. "Zaakir, how can you think that by apologising it will automatically fix everything you told me? You told me that you are stuck to me because we're married. I know that we didn't marry out of love, but..." she sighed, "that really hurt me. It made me feel worthless and really unwanted. You think a simple sorry can fix that? Then you order me about like a puppy. As if I am mindless, and as if I do not know what I am doing or what needs to be done. Am I supposed to feel relief and jump sky high because you said sorry to me?" she was questioning him, but all he heard was tiredness in her voice. She was defeated, and she was sad. So, so terribly sad. "You suddenly think that is has become a marriage because you said it is one?"