Unlikely To Happen

Part 30 - A Love

Part 30 – A love 

"They (your wives) are a covering for you, and you too are a covering for them."

~ Surah Baqarah, verse 187. 

Before Zaakir and Maleeha had realised, Ramadhaan crept up on them and a few days after Eid-Ul-Fitr, would be their one-year anniversary. For weeks before Ramadhaan began, Maleeha was constantly awake until late at night preparing savouries for her family. Zaakir had insisted that he would happily buy her whatever savouries that she wanted or craved, and if it were not available, he would have someone make them, although his stubborn wife had ignored him and continued in her preparations.

Despite his insistence at having someone else make them, Zaakir had over-indulged in them one evening when Maleeha had offered him a tasting platter. The heavenly smelling savouries coupled with three kinds of dips and chutneys made his mouth water as they sat down to sample.

"These are chicken jalapeno, chicken and mushroom, savoury and saucy chicken, spinach, feta and chicken quiche, then, these are pepper steak, peri-peri steak and lastly, pepperdew steak." Maleeha sat down next to Zaair, her knees brushing against his as she slid her feet underneath the table, and then pointed out the variety of fillings for Zaakir. The glass tray was packed with two of each kind of savoury; moons, samoosas, pies, quiches, and other oddly folded and shaped savouries.

Zaakir stared at the tray in complete bewilderment. Maleeha hadn't just made savouries. She had completely outdone herself. The "simple" platter was decorated as if it were meant for a corporate function and not just husband and wife to enjoy an early evening snack with tea. There were leaves of lettuce underneath the pies and samoosas, pearls of different kinds of her homemade savoury dip serves as a barrier between each of her fillings, which coincidentally ended up matching well with the amalgamation of fried food.

"Maleeha!" His wide-eyed stare worried her. "It looks amazing! I can't wait to taste it!"

Seeing her blush, he smiled and reached for one of her quiches. "Come here," he murmured softly as he looked at her with a gentle smile. When she didn't move, Zaakir leaned forward and brushed her hair away from her face with the back of his hand and brought up the quiche to her mouth. "Bite," he commanded kindly.

Maleeha's brown eyes grew wider comically and her jaw dropped at his request. Zaakir knew that she was shocked. It was not something that he had ever done before, but when he overheard one of the managers telling another co-worker the kind of impact it had on their marriage, Zaakir knew that he wanted to try it out.

Flustered, Maleeha shook her head shyly. She couldn't imagine being fed by her husband – especially since she wasn't sick at all. "I can't," she mumbled as she lowered her eyes to her hands resting on her lap.

Zaakir lifted the cooling quiche higher to her lips and with the pad of his thumb, he brushed it over her lower lip. "You can, love, you can let me feed you." His husky tone made her compliant as she nodded and opened her mouth, just wide enough to take a bite. "Just..." he paused uncertainly and then bent his head so he could press a light, chaste kiss to her forehead. "Just let me take care of you, my love."

Ever so lightly, he pushed the quiche against her teeth and waited until she bit into it. Zaakir watched as she closed her eyes after she bit the quiche, leaned back and smiled as she chewed. He was surprised to find out that the manager was correct.

There was some kind of ego boosting pride when watching your wife smile because you thought of her needs above yours. There was a sense of fulfilment at seeing your wife eat before you do. It was one of the smallest ways to take care of your wife.