Chapter 83: A Tender Love

Like Dr Summayah had asked him to do, to give her space so she would recover on her own, he did. Their therapy was moving so fine and she had assured him that when the tremor subsided in her heart, she would begin to miss him and then would be back to him on her own accord. But it was taking a toll on him, he had waited so much that he was beginning to feel suffocated whenever he heard her voice speaking with Bilkisu and if he made an appearance, he would find her crawling back to her shell.
Today, Na'im had it in mind that whatever was going on in her mind, he was done just waiting until she came around. He had missed his wife, the lady he had fell in love with and by all means necessary, Na'im was going to bring her back into his life today. He stood by the door of the apartment, where she stayed with her sister and Bilkisu and he kept contemplating on whether to knock or not.
He silently prayed that her sister was asleep, because that would give him the chance to take her to his chamber and they were going to fight off every sort of indifference they had. He had never thought that saving her the way he did will cause the rift it had caused between them. She was truly terrified of him even though by the way she looked at him, Na'im could tell that she had missed him too, just that she didn't know how to walk back into his arms like she was used to before.
Someone walked to the door and opened it wordlessly, he stared back at the now recovering face of Intisar as she smiled awkwardly at him. "Come in, please. Maryam!" She tried to call out when he immediately stopped her. He now figured out that he wanted to discuss with her first.
"No, can you leave her for now? I want to have a few words with you." The day Maryam had told her that their father was dead, he was there when that happened and the amount of tears they had shed was too much that when he offered her comfort, Maryam willingly accepted it and only walked out of his arms when she was sure her heart was soothed enough by his embrace. "Can we speak outside?" He suggested and Intisar thought for a moment before she nodded her head and they stepped into the corridor.
They sat on the chairs facing each other and she began fidgeting with her fingers and when she was calm enough to speak, Intisar began. "I've been wanting to speak to you but you hardly come here, so I had no chance of contacting you..." Na'im was about to speak when he heard her voice and he figured it was better if he let her speak and when she was done, he would speak too.
"I wanted to thank you for all the things you've done to our lives, she's practically my life and what made it so hard for me staying where we were held hostage was because I had no idea whether she was in good hands or not. Because something told me that Baaba was no more after I heard from the other girls that the first bombs that blasted were in the farms and I knew that was where he was that day." She couldn't stop her tears, she was so terrified and still traumatized but she knew she would feel better someday. But for now, it was as hell as it had been before she was rescued.
"She had told me everything, your marriage. How good you've taken care of Baaba during his last moments, how he had entrusted her to you and you didn't fail him. It wasn't at all rosy and I could imagine how hard it must've been on you. But from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you for taking care of Maryam for me, for Baaba, for us. Jazakallahu bil Jannah and I wish Allah grant all that you desire." She watched him with keen eyes and when she stared at him longer to know what he was thinking that he was so silent, just looking at her.
She cleared her voice and that brought him out of his reverie, "I'm sorry, I'm just realizing how much you look like her. Or in better words, she looks like you." He nodded his head with an apologetic smile and now he understood why Sadeeq had that expression on his face the first day he had seen Maryam. Maybe he thought about how they could look so much alike like the one he was holding hostage. "You even speak the same way."
She smiled at him and he palmed his face. Maybe it was because he had missed Maryam so much that was why he was staring at her. So, respectfully, Na'im took his eyes off her and smiled, "Thank you so much for your prayers. But really, Intisar, you don't have to thank me. I just did my duty as her husband and I don't know whether she has told you but I love her. I love Maryam with all my heart and it's even so hard not being able to see her everyday."
With that being said, he watched the satisfied smile that graced Intisar's face. She seemed so much at ease knowing that Maryam was and had been in good hands all this time. "Yes, she did. And believe me, all she speaks about is you even though I've noticed how she treats you when you're here. She loves you so much, too. And she told me about the baby, the bump is growing quite well, you should see it."
Na'im felt as something moved in his heart. He had missed the baby too, he wanted to see her, touch her and feel the baby in her stomach. But since it was Intisar that sat across him and not Maryam, he only managed a smile, "Thank you for telling me all this, it is so calming."
Before Intisar was able to speak, Maryam opened the door and walked out, "Who are you speaking with, Intee? It's late and..." Her words became guttural when her eyes laid on Na'im and she felt the instant twitch of her heart. It had been weeks since she last saw him and to her, he looked distressed and she knew it was at this point that she should move forward and give him the comfort hug, but it felt as if he wasn't the one she knew.
She knew he was still the husband she loved, but she couldn't do anything about the knot in her heart. She had difficulties before she tore her eyes away from him and fixed them on Intisar, "I was just looking at you, but it seems like you're having a conversation here. I'll wait for you in my room."
She was about to go back into the apartment when Intisar called her name, "Maryam, come back here." She had understood, since she was rescued that Maryam had changed. It wasn't the baby sister she had left a year ago. This was now a grown up woman, too matured for her age, not being affected so much by what she had now learnt to be autism. This woman now had confidence in her eyes, unlike the girl that used to hate how her eyes looked. This woman was stubborn and she hardly did as she was told.
So, for her to deal with this woman accordingly, Intisar knew she had to be a bit tough and sound like the elder sister she was. "Maryam, come back here. Didn't you see him seated?" She had her face scrunched up into a frown and Maryam stared at her as if she couldn't believe she was the one Intisar was referring to.
But there was this motherly feeling about Intisar that she had and there was no way she wouldn't do what she had asked her to. She sat down beside her on a chair and refused to look at him, Intisar sighed and shook her head. She didn't know when Maryam turned into a stubborn human being, but she wouldn't stay aloof and watch her treat the man that did nothing but saved their entire family and loved them the way he did, just because he was so much in love with her.
Intisar stood up and she turned her attention back to Na'im. "I'm sorry, but I have to intrude a bit into your lives. I know this happened just because she has seen you killing those bad guys, if only she knew what they were capable of doing and what one goes through in their hands, she would have been so thankful to the fact that you've killed them to save her." Maryam heard every word Intisar had uttered and even without mentioning, she felt her unvoiced pain and the agony she was yet to speak a word of.
"I'd appreciate it if you please take her so she will start living in your chamber, she might be this way because she's seeing me around." Maryam immediately jerked her head upwards at her and she nodded her head, "You aren't a young girl anymore, Mero. You're a wife and you'd be a mother soon. If you don't drop all this stupidity and show your husband the love you have for him so you'll grow your family, I'd really leave. Because now, I know that you're in good hands and I won't have to bother the kind of life you're living. I'll leave and you'll never see me again, until you're matured enough to appreciate the person you have as a husband." Silence prevailed as Maryam's tears rolled down to her cheeks while Intisar walked back into the apartment and they all heard when she turned the lock of the door, basically telling Maryam that she wasn't welcomed.
She looked back at him and found out that he was staring at her without even blinking and she felt the longing dripping from his eyes. She stood up, angry that he had made Intisar said all those things to her and angry that she had missed him so bad that she wanted nothing but to run into his arms. She started walking to his chamber and could hear his smile while he followed her behind.
She waited until he opened the door before she walked directly to the room she used to occupy. She didn't even waste her time to tell him to leave her alone because she knew he wouldn't. And when she heard him locking the room's door after they had entered, she turned to ask him why he had to lock the door when he took her into an impromptu hug, sighing deeply when he felt the warmth of her body.
Maryam tried to wriggle out of his hold but he was holding her tenderly, yet firmly that she had no other choice but to sigh and hug him back. And it was as if her tears were waiting to feel his body against hers, she broke into tears and he pulled her closer to him, nodding his head while smiling lovingly at her.
"Shhh, it's fine, Hoor. I'm here, and I'll always be here." How did he know that she was crying because while she thought she was foolishly punishing him? She was punishing herself and hating herself along the line and it was too difficult for her to withstand.
She hugged him back as he rocked them slightly before he pulled her at an arms length and stared at her crying face with a loving smile. "Crying doesn't fit you, Your Highness." She had forgotten he used to call her that when he wanted, so she chuckled along with her tears and stared deeply into his eyes.
"I've missed you. And I'm so sorry it took me weeks without telling you that I love you." Like how she used to, Maryam lifted her feet and placed a quick kiss on his lips which left him grinning like a ninny.