Wrapping up her wet hair in the towel she stepped out of the bathroom and walked towards the kitchen. Danish eats soaked almonds every morning but last night she forgot to soak them so now she was secretly soaking it in the luke warm water. After completing the secret task she walked towards her bedroom and opened the curtains of the window to let some fresh air and sunlight enter in the bedroom. She looked at her husband whose half naked frame was laying in the bed, while his arm was covering his eyes.

Leaving all the other work she wrapped her dupatta to cover her head properly and spread the prayer mat to offer the missed morning prayer. She never missed her prayers before marriage but after getting married it was getting difficult for her to drew out time for prayers. It wasn't like she was busy all the time but Danish didn't had a fix time to call his wife. He could call her at any moment and she had to rush towards him without any delay. A few times she broke the prayer in the middle just to save herself from his scoldings.

In only fifteen days, which passed in a blink of an eye, Madiha started understanding Danish's nature, he was a dominant man who didn't know how to listen to refusals. No was his least liked word. His overbearing voice and face scared Madiha every now and then. Her choice hold no value in front of his desires or orders. In only fifteen days she lost her count of how many times he got angry and how many times he behaved as normal as if he did nothing.

After completing the compensation of the morning prayer she lifted her eyes which met to her husband. He again closed his eyes while covering them with his arm and Madiha stood up. Folding the prayer mat she placed it in the cupboard and looked at her husband.

"Aap naha lijiye main chai bana deti hu." Madiha told Danish as she knew tea was the first thing he wanted in the morning., and "Hmm..." he just hummed without opening his eyes.

(Take a bath I'm making you tea.)

"Aaj kya banau khane mein?" Madiha asked while drying her hair with towel and Danish removed his arm from his eyes.

(What should I make for lunch today?)

"Cook something light." And he again covered his eyes with arm. "Okay." She nodded and threw the towel on the chair which was present in front of dressing table.

"Wo... kuch groceries bhi chahiye." She again spoke

(Umm... I need some groceries too.)

"Saad se mangwa liya karo, wo kya kaam karta rehta hai sara din?"

(Ask Saas to bring these things, what does he do all day?)

"Saad se mangwaya tha saman lekin usne pese mange the... aur mere paas to..." Madiha left the sentence in between and Danish removed his arm from his eyes one more time.

(I told him but he was asking for money... And I don't have any.)

"Mere wallet mein se le lo aur ek achhi si chai bana do."

(Take it from my wallet and make a strong cup of tea for me.)

"Chai to main bana dungi, aap pehle naha to lijiye," looking towards his lazy half naked frame she suggested and he gave her an unpleasant look.

(I'll make tea but take a bath first.)

"Har baat mein itni behes kyu karti ho? Mere sar mein dard ho raha hai..."

(Why do you argue so much about everything? My head hurts...)

"Wo main to isliye keh rahi thi..." She tried to validate her point but got a glare in reply that shivered her from inside. "wo main... bana rahi hu." She muttered and immunity turned back while picking up the hair clip from the dressing table and rolled her slightly wet hair in a rough bun.

(Actually I was saying just because...)

(Actually... I'm making)

Itne din ho gye shadi ko, is aadmi ne abhi tak ek baar bhi pyaar se baat nahi kari mujhse... hamesha bas kaat khane ko doodte hain... samajh nhi aata main kya karu jo inhe gussa na aaye?

(It's been so many days since marriage, this man hasn't spoken to me politely even once... he's always agrassivs and really to kill me. I can't understand what to do to make him happy?)

She was unable to voice her thoughts but her heart was screaming loudly. While pouring water in a pan and adding tea leaves to it she kind of huffed but before she could add sugar her hands stopped in the way. Danish doesn't like sugar in tea, he adds only pinch size sugar. Putting a little amount of those crystals in the golden brown beverage she waited for a few minutes then transferred the boiling tea into a cup.

Madiha stepped into the room but found the bed empty. She huffed and looked at the bathroom door, she could hear the running shower voice. Pagal samajh rakha hai is aadmi ne mujhe. Again only uttering in her heart she walked towards the bed and set it properly.

(This man has considered me a fool.)

"Chai banane ke liye keh kar aap nahane chale gaye," she complained with furrowed brows when Danish came out from the bathroom.

(You went to take a bath after asking me to make tea.)

"Tum hi to peeche padi hui thi ki pehle naha lu, ab is baat se bhi pareshani hai ki main naha liya?"

(You were the one who insisted and now you have a problem if I took a bath?)

"Maine kab kaha mujhe pareshani..." She didn't want to listen to another scolding for giving reason behind her statement so instead of replying she left the sentence in between and looked at the cup of the tea which had turned cold by now.

(When did I say that I have a problem...)

"Dusri chai bana kar laa rhi hu ye to thandi ho gayi." She again registered her disappointment but he grabbed her hand. "Main thandi chai hi pi lunga." And she saw a new Danish who smiled at her and lifted that not so hot tea.

(I am bringing another tea for you, it turned cold.)

(I'll have this cold tea only.)

"Yahi baith jao mere paas." Sitting on the bed with dangling legs he ordered Madiha, she was unable to refuse so followed his order but couldn't help and disliked his reaction.

(Sit here with me.)

Jab khud ka mood theek hota hai to theek ho jaate hain, aur jab gussa aata hai to mujhe bewajah dant dete hain. Inhe shyad lagta hai ki meri memory kisi samandar ke kinare ki tarha hai, chahe jitni bhi kharashein bana do, kuch lamho ke baad ek leher sab kuch mita jayegi aur inhe wo hi saaf shaffaf reyt mil jayegi jis par ye wesi hi kharashein bana dein, lekin nahi... aesa kuch nhi hota, main kuch nhi bhul paati.

(He behaves normally when his mood is fine and scolds me without any reason when his mood is off. Maybe he feels that my memory is like a seashore, he can make countless scratches, and a wave will vanish everything after a few moments then he'll get the same fresh seashore to make new scars, but no... Nothing like that happens. I do not forget anything.)

"Kya soch rahi ho?'' pulling her a bit closer he asked and Madiha looked at him then shook her head.

(What are you thinking?)

"Aaj raat Humaira ki dawat hai na, bas usi ke baare mein soch rhi thi, almost sari preparation kar li hai, phir bhi bohot sara kaam baaqi hai abhi." Just to hide what she was thinking she lied.

(Tonight, Humaira's coming for dinner so I was just thinking about that, almost all preparations have been done, still a lot of work is left.)

"Jab mere paas ho to sirf mere baare mein socha kro." it was an order

(just think of me when you're with me.)

Ab mere khayalon par bhi inka hukm chalega.

(Now I have to think according to his demand.)

She huffed in her thoughts but faked a smile for a jiffy, then her facial expressions were back to normal, "Sara din aapke baare mein hi to sochti hu." Madiha muttered and felt his hand curling around her waist. She was hating his every act however she was unable to do anything other than say everything in her heart. Danish pulled her into a side hug which she didn't like a single bit, but what else could she do? Closing her eyes she rested her head on his chest.

(I only think about you the whole time.)

"Kya sochti ho?" filling himself with her fragrance he asked and if she had courage she would voice her thoughts right away.

(What do you think?)

Yahi ki Allah kare aaj aap thoda achhe mood mein ghar wapas aye, agar mood kharab hua to aate hi cheekhne lagenge. Chai mein zara si chini zyada ho gyi to pura cup hi zameen par pheek denge. Main kuch bolungi to mujhe ghur ghur kar mini heart attack denge aur Jab gussa khatam ho jayega to aese ban jayenge jese kuch hua hi nhi.

(I pray that you come back with a good mood, because you'll start shouting if your mood will not be good. You'll throw the whole cup of tea on the floor if a dash of sugar would be more than your choice. You'll start to glare at me if I dare to talk in front of you, and then after a few minutes you'll become fine as if nothing happened.)

Though Madiha wanted to say all these things but she stayed silent and readjusted her head on his chest. Danish looked at her and smiled as he felt his wife was showing her love in her silence. For the first time after getting married he was feeling that he was complete with this woman.

"Madiha."

"Ji?" Pulling herself back from his arms she directly looked into his eyes. She was still angry with him but wanted to make everything fine. She also wanted to live a happy married life with this man.

Danish didn't say anything, just kept watching his wife. After the death of his mother this house became a meaningless shelter for him but now he waits to complete his duty hours to go back to his home. A home where his wife waits for him with a glass of water, when he removes his shoes she places them at the correct place. When he comes back to the living room after freshen up she waits for him with a cup of hot tea. When he goes to the bedroom he feels all his tiredness goes away because this lady converted this house into a heaven. When he gets angry she understands his tiredness, frustration, problems and stays silent instead of replying and arguing.

What else did he want from this marriage other than these things? A son... a child who would call him Dad!

But there was something which was bothering him... Madiha wasn't happy. He could read her expressions, there was something which stopped Madiha to accept him with all her heart and soul.

But what was that? He was unable to find out.

Danish was great at reading facial expressions, all thanks to his profession in which they read facial expressions of criminals, but he forgot to learn the art of reading the silence of hearts.

Danish was unable to understand that Madiha was doing all those things but not out of love, she was doing that only because of his fear.

"Kya hua? Kahan kho gaye aap?" When he didn't avert his eyes from her face, Madiha asked in a hushed tone and in reply Danish just smiled.

(What happened? Where are you lost?)

Wow, he smiles too? Madiha was amazed at her husband's smile, for a few moments she was watching this man with whom she has to spend the rest of her life.

"Kabhi kabhi has bhi diya kariye, haste huye achhe lagte hain aap." Madiha muttered with disappointment because Danish didn't smile often but he smiled even more.

(Sometimes smile too, you look good while smiling.)

"Tumhe main achha bhi lagta hu?" He raised his left brow and Madiha looked at him then looked away.

(Do you like me to?)

Achhe ya bure main nhi jaanti aap mujhe kese lagte hain, lekin wese to bilkul bhi nhi lagte jaisa main ek shohor ki shakal mein chahti thi... Aapko kya achha lag jaye kya bura main to abhi tak ye bhi nhi samajh payi.

(I don't know if I like you or dislike you, but the fact is... You're not even closed to my dream life partner. I'm unable to understand even your choice.)

"Hmm... bataya nhi tumne? Tumhe main achha bhi lagta hu?" Danish repeated his question.

(Hmm, you didn't tell me, So you like me?)

Though Madiha wanted to reply honestly but truth could cause problems so she decided to go with the flow at that moment. When she failed to gather suitable words she took support of a gesture and nodded, but Danish was unable to find out the truthfulness in her statement. Madiha didn't even know yet that her husband was an expert facial reader.

"Apne baare mein ek baat batau?" Along the question Danish raised his right brow and few creases conquer his broad forehead.

(May I tell you something about myself.)

After this question Madiha wanted to nod her head in order to grant him permission but neither Danish waited for permission nor their relationship was so strong that he would need it. "Mujhe jhut se nafrat hai...aur jhute logo se us se bhi zyada nafrat." There was something in his hushed tone that beat Madiha's heart with fear.

(I hate lies. And I hate liars even more.)

"Aap bohot gussa karte hain, gussa mat kara kriye na." She dared to speak up a truth to justify her lie but maybe she forgot that quick decisions often lead towards destruction.

(You are so aggressive, don't get angry too often.)

"Abhi to main gussa nahi hu." The creases of his forehead whose count was between two or three suddenly densed up which lightened Madiha's breaths.

(I'm not angry right now.)

"Umm... wo... main abhi ki baat nhi kar rahi thi, main to bas... generally keh rahi thi." To hide her fearful tone she tried to smile a bit but at this moment all her attempts were going in vain.

(Umm... I... I'm not talking about now... I'm just... Saying it generally.)

"Bewajah kab gussa kara maine tum pe?" He asked in a cold tone. In so many days, Madiha had understood that after this cold tone, a wave of anger would always take Danesh away along. Holding her breath she was continuously seeing those eyes who were glaring at her and telling clearly that the wave of anger was not far away.

(When did I unnecessarily get angry with you?)

"Ch... chai thandi ho gyi hai main dusri bana deti hu." Madiha picked up the cup. She felt goosebumps with the thought of his anger and hurriedly walked out from the room.

(T... Tea is turning cold. I'm making another for you.)

Danish's question was still echoing in her ears. Bewajah kab gussa kara maine tum pe?

(When did I unnecessarily get angry with you?)

Har baar! Har baar to bina wajah ke gussa karte hain aap.

(every time! You get angry every time without any reason.)

With the first finger of her right hand, she wiped away the drop of tears from the corner of her eye which was taking away her countless dreams, innocent desires and numerous little hopes!

"Chai pi lijiye main khana banane jaa rahi hu, aur jab naashta chahiye ho to bata dijiyega." Without looking towards him she placed the cup of tea on the nightstand and walked away.

(Have tea, I'm going to take lunch, and call me when you want breakfast.)

She made sure to avoid glancing at Danish's face.

If she had glanced at him, she probably would not have been able to control the tears that were ready to spill from her eyes just like those raindrops which were ready to come out from the lap of dark clouds and destroy themselves after getting mixed with in the dirt.

Danish kept watching her going away from himself. In reality, she was only a few steps away from him but it was difficult to measure the actual distance between two of them. They were miles away while staying under the same roof.

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