Chapter 70

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Zainab's POV

The melodious sound of Azaan makes me wake up from sleep. I slowly open my eyes but due to the darkness of the dusk, I am unable to see anything. I aimlessly throw my hands on the side table of my side in order to illuminate a lamp. My hand hits the rectangular entity and I slowly push it with my palm. Yellow dim light flows in the whole room. I look on my other side to find it empty. Where has Shaiq gone? I slowly get off the bed and make my way towards the washroom in an attempt to make wudhu.

I cover myself with a long shawl as I lay the musallah on the floor. While I am making dua after the fajr prayer, a burnt smell strikes my nostrils. What is this smell? I end the dua and get up. The burnt smell replaces a really pungent one which prompts me to quickly fold the musallah, place it back on the study table, and rush out of the room.

I look here and there as soon as I reach the lounge. Seeing Shaiq's absence and this burnt smell isn't giving me good signs. I hastily run towards the kitchen from where this smell is coming.

My jaw drops seeing Shaiq jerking his arm up and down while on a regular interval, he is blowing on his finger. Exactly behind him on the counter is a totally black toast laying on the plate. On a stove, there is a small pan in which there is probably tea. Is he making breakfast?

"Oh God, Shaiq, what are you doing?" I semi yell while walking towards him.

He gazes up at me and the tensed look on his face is telling me that he is in so much pain.

"I was making breakfast for us," he replies.

"Why so? Have I died?" I blurt as I take his hand in mine.

"Zainab!" He exclaims in a loud voice.

"What Zainab? When you know you can't cook then why do you try your hand on it?" I slowly rub his burnt finger with the pulp of my thumb.

"I thought you will be tired from yesterday so..."

"Okay now, don't speak." I look here and there in search of something, "let me apply some ointment on it."

I peek at the top shelve to get any medicine but when I can't find anything, I grab a toothpaste.

"I can't help with it. There is no medicine here," I chuckle as I open the toothpaste, squeeze some on my finger, and take Shaiq's hand again with my other hand.

In all of this process, neither he says anything nor I look at him to read his expressions. I lift his finger up to my lips and softly blow on it. Before I can apply the paste, he draws away his hand from me. I stare at him in confusion. But the grimace expressions on his face makes me question if he is really the Shaiq I know. There is a different brightness in his eyes. The way he is looking at me is so strange. It feels like he isn't the Shaiq who I know; he is a different guy.

"It's okay. I am fine, " he mumbles before walking out of the kitchen.

What happens to him? Why he has started to act weird whenever I touch him since the time we have married? I stare at his back blankly. God knows what's the deal with him. I come out of my thoughts when a familiar sound comes in my ears. I turn back on my heels and my eyes gape open when I see the tea boiling and already dripping through the saucer. I hurriedly turn off the stove.

This guy! We have just done the grocery the last day and because of him, everything has become spoiled on the first day. I shake my head in disappointment seeing the burnt bread and the tea trickling on the floor now.


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I put the tray on the small coffee table as I peek at Shaiq with my side-eyes. He is so busy with his phone that he doesn't even care to look up at me. My gaze flows from his face to his right hand which finger has got burnt and it's still the same. I wonder if he really isn't feeling any pain considering how straight and calm his face is.

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