Father of the Bride

Chapter 26: Ignite

I'm feeling generous. Have a bonus update this weekend! ;)

Trigger Warning: Mature Content. It is the wedding night.

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Khizar stirred the teaspoon in the mug of tea watching the whirl absentmindedly until the sugar dissolved in the hot liquid. He placed the cups on a square tray and placed a plate of chicken and egg sandwiches cut into neat triangles and made his way upstairs. The mere thought of Mahnoor in his house sent an explosion of colour in his grey life. Despite the heartache of the news of their marriage, he was secretly happy it was finally out in the open. This was the day he looked forward to, when he would proudly stand beside Mahnoor. The secret meetings were exciting whilst it lasted, but with Mahnoor he yearned for more. He needed to declare it openly that she was his wife and nothing stopped him from loving her.

The plush carpet quietened his footsteps as the liquid slowly sloshed from side to side. Through the corridor he saw his bedroom door slightly ajar and peered through the gap. There, standing beside her bed with her bare back towards him, Mahnoor's dress fell off her left shoulder revealing the back of her black bra strap. His heart skipped a beat and he swallowed hard. Her skin was flawless, not a mark. She collected her hair and brushed it to one side revealing the curve of her neck that evoked a need to kiss her. He felt like an intruder peering at the beauty of his wife and unable to touch her, hold her and kiss the curve of her waist. Such was the torment. Instead of barging in and taking her in his arms, he stepped back and loudly cleared his throat so she could hear and rapped on the door loudly.

"Just a minute." She sang out through the sniffle of tears.

Dressed in a comfortable fitting black chemise Khizar chose for her, Mahnoor slipped her burgundy red silk gown and tied the belt.

"Come in." She promted him.

Khizar placed the tray on the table and lifted his cup ready to walk back out.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"I'll wait downstairs." He replied giving her the space she needed.

"No stay here." She took the cup off him and settled on the couch where Khizar sat beside her. With her hair still tied up in a dutch braid, his hand rose to stroke back the lock of hair that had come loose from her pin. But he stopped mid-air and clasped his hands into a ball pulling back. Mahnoor unclipped her pin and gently nod her head from side to side letting her hair down. She curled her hands around the cup, it was just what she needed, warm, soothing tea.
"I'm sorry for the way it transpired." Khizar leaned back and crossed his ankle over his knee.

Mahnoor's wish of explaining to Ayaaz after his honeymoon fell flat. Tomorrow Ayaaz would board his plane bound for his honeymoon. Mahnoor needed to see him before he left. She couldn't wait for two weeks.

"He'll come round." Khizar shuffled closer. "I'm sure Amirah will talk to him."

Mahnoor gazed into the milky brown liquid deep in thought.

"It's always been me and him. When he was a little boy, he'd worry about me, he was overprotective.  He's had to grow up well before his time, Khizar. He's taken on a mature role and now he feels it's being snatched from him, I don't know how he will let go."

"He is a mature boy for his age. He will make a good husband."

Mahnoor agreed. Ayaaz needed a wife to love, protect and cherish and she had to let go. Their relationship was becoming toxic. Ayaaz refused her autonomy which upset her. He was turning into his father.