Unlikely To Happen

Part 32 - Gifts

Part 32 – Gifts 

"Exchange gifts with one another as that will lead to increasing your love to one another."

~ Sahih Al-Bukhaari

Too soon for Maleeha's liking, the days of Ramadhaan slipped through her fingers, quicker than sand that glided through the cracks in a cupped hand. Eid was quickly approaching, and she rushed around like a headless chicken every single day to get the smaller things she needed. Groceries for desserts, for cakes and biscuits, for breakfast on Eid. Maleeha was stressing about not having enough food to take with her for the Eid lunch.

It didn't matter that Zaakir had ensured her that there would be food catered for them, or that they could still buy anything that she wanted, she didn't need to stress herself sick about everything, but she refused to listen to him. Instead, she stubbornly insisted that she had to prepare food and take it with them.

During the day, she spent her time engaging in completion of her Qur'aan until after Taraweeh where she would then focus on her food and baking preparations. To take breaks between reading the Qur'aan, she would focus on her zikr, or take short fifteen-minute naps.

"Love," Zaakir called as he walked to sit beside her on their bed.

He smiled as he saw her busy with her Qur'aan, patiently, he waited until she completed her ayah, marked it off and then looked at him. "Jee, Zaakir?" she called back softly to her husband.

"I missed you, you're so quiet these last few days." He took her Qur'aan and placed it on the bedside table as he placed her hand in his. "Well," he smiled deviously, "it's either you're quiet, or you're screaming my head off!"

She giggled and rested her head in the crook of his shoulder. "I don't scream your head off," she mumbled sleepily.

"Yes, you do, love," he argued and happily cradled her head that rested in his shoulder with one huge hand. "So, what are your plans for tomorrow?"

He felt the heat of her exhale warm his neck, and despite wanting to shy away from the ticklish feeling, he stayed still. "Well," she said as she fiddled with the edge of his shirt. "I have work," her tone sounded annoyed with the slight hint of amusement. "I mean, my boss is not the most understanding." Maleeha rolled her eyes dramatically. "After work, I want to go to the mall. I would like to buy your nieces and nephews some presents for Eid. Then, I will come home and prepare the roast chicken for Eid. And I have one more set of biscuits to decorate."

"Presents? For what reason? Are you mad? I have like one hundred nieces and nephews!"

His annoyed tone frustrated her. She pulled away from him and glared menacingly at him.her eyebrows furrowed deeply and carved frowns of marble on her forehead. "Why are you being rude?" Maleeha kept her tone calm and non-threatening, the last thing that she wanted was for Zaakir to become angry and aggressive.

"How am I being rude, Maleeha?" He raised an eyebrow at her, giving her chills down her spine. Maleeha hated it when he raised an eyebrow at her. It always made her feel as if she were a naughty child that he scolded. "I'm just stating facts."

She crossed her arms over her chest and scowled with her eyebrows burrowed deep into her forehead. "You are exaggerating, Zaakir."

Zaakir turned his back on her, huffing as he did so. "I have ten siblings, Maleeha. Of course, they are going to breed like rabbits!" He shook his head as if he couldn't believe that they were having the conversation.