Chapter Nineteen – The unidentified enemy

Zayaan squeezed his eyes and the light of the sun beamed across his eyes. It took a few seconds for him to open his eyes narrowly to see the white ceiling above. A smile spread across his face as it usually happened over the past few weeks as he realized just how happy he was about his life. He turned his head to the right, in hope of seeing the root of his happiness lying next to him. His smile faded the moment he saw the other half of his bed empty and sat upright. Though he knew she would be somewhere around the house, he felt the need to see her first thing in the morning.

So he got off his bed with the dark brown shirt and beige slacks that he wore for Fajr and got out of the room. It was not the house he shared with his parents nor was it Uncle Sameer’s house. It was a completely new home that they moved into just a couple of weeks after their marriage. Zayaan got out of his room into a small yet cozy living room with spongy sofas, a television and a fireplace. The whole house had wooden walls and dark brown flooring that made it appear even cozier.

Zayaan headed in towards the left, hearing the sound of the water hose. Within a few seconds, he stood at the door that lead to the backyard and leaned against the door to look at his wife tendering the garden that she nurtured there since the first day they moved in. She brought life to everything she took care of, Zayaan thought as he looked at her dreamily despite how she’d worn one of his blue sweatshirts and white loose pants and she had a loose pony tail with some hair untied from either sides.

He remembered how their relationship had progressed after their marriage. He’d always thought life would get burdensome and boring with responsibilities after marriage. Never had he been so wrong. In their marriage, they both made a conscious effort to make each other happy even on tough days. Because even after the nikah was signed, they talked to each other about how they need to love each other and take care of one another if they wanted the love of Allah. And it was as though they were competing with one another in gaining Allah’s Love. With everything he did for her, she did something for him and vice versa. They’d plan date nights and picnics just to get to know one another to love each other better. The more he got to know her, the more he fell in love with her. He realized how compassionate, gentle and patient she was. On days he would come back home tired and say something in frustration, she wouldn’t answer back, rather she would lovingly ask him what was wrong and it would melt him every single time. Whenever he had too much to do, she would be sure to be with him and see if she could be of any help to him. Whenever he was disappointed about anything, she somehow always had the right words to say. He wasn’t sure if he could ever love her the same way but he was trying his best to imitate those gestures of love that had made him feel loved like never before. He no longer felt lonely or exhausted from one-sided conversations. Rather his heart was always comforted and at peace in her presence.

He felt the same way even at that moment as she caught his eyes and showed the smile that made him weak in the knees. She always made him want to thank Allah for keeping her in his life.

“Morning! I set the breakfast but thought of having it with you. Do you realize how lonely I feel to have a meal on my own these days? Guess my husband doesn’t care about me as much.” Saba made a sarcastic comment as she sighed and shook her head. Zayaan laughed lightly at that as he began to walk towards her.

“Well you should have stayed in bed longer then. Do you realize how anxious I feel to wake up alone these days? Guess my wife doesn’t care about me as much.” he used the similar line of sarcasm as he walked up to her and stood right next to her.

“Hmm….I think we both need to do something to undo this carelessness.” she said turning the knob of the hose to stop the water and leaving it to the ground. And within a split second, she raised her heels and kissed him on the cheek. She blushed and bit her lower lip as she looked down. He looked at her with a smile before taking her face in his hand to return her kiss. He pressed his forehead against hers for a few seconds even after the kiss. Just having her close to him made feel like he had all the happiness the world could offer.

“I love you.” he said those words, meaning them from the very depth of his heart as though it was the first time he was saying it.

“I love you too, love.” she responded, as their embrace turned into a warm hug. Zayaan could have stayed in that embrace forever if she’d let him but Saba moved away from him as she spoke.

“Zayaan, I was thinking that we should visit your parents sometime tonight. It has been a while since the last time I saw them.” she said as he took her untied hair on one side to tuck it behind her ear. His smile faded by what she said.

“Saba….I know you’re worried that I may not be visiting my parents because of you. But trust me, I am. I visited them twice last week. They are doing well.”

“I know, Zayaan. But I was thinking that I should try to build a relationship with them too. I feel like I must do something better for them to like me.”

“Oh trust me Saba. There is nothing you can do in this matter. It’s just them.”

“Even then, Zayaan, I feel the need to visit them. Could we perhaps go this weekend? Let’s have the celebration of you becoming a senior editor with them.” Saba said, with a twinkle of hope in her eyes. Zayaan sighed as he looked into them. He’d taken Saba out of that house into the home they were living now for that very reason. Despite how his mother had said that he can make whatever decision he liked, they didn’t treat Saba with the respect he’d expected them to give. He couldn’t get himself to ignore the looks they were giving her, the mockery they were chattering away in whispers and how they were just pretending to be nice to her by showing tight smiles and having condescending conversations. He’d moved out with her as he knew he didn’t have the patience to see his wife being treated that way right in front of his own eyes, though she was showing her patience.

Zayaan looked at her pleading eyes for a moment before nodding with a light smile as he wanted to do what will make her happy. In return she smiled and thanked him before hugging him once again.

**

“Are you sure the one who exposed our brother’s mission lives in this city?” said a man with a huge built standing near a large window overlooking the landscape of a city in New Zealand.

“Yes….he seems to be a senior editor of that channel according to this article. He has given an interview on the front page of the last edition of the channel’s newspaper.” said a younger looking man sitting on a couch right behind the man standing at the window. He was holding the MCN’s newspaper.

“What’s his name?”

“His name is Zayaan Farooq. It says that he stands up for justice no matter what happens and he says the truth despite what might come his way.” the man on the couch read from the newspaper and the one standing at the window chuckled, having a sip of drink from the glass in his hand.

“It also says he used to live in this city. But now apparently lives in a rental house in the country side with his wife. He is married to a Nigerian woman named….S..Saba Sameer.” the man stumbled as he came across that name while his ‘brother’ stood stunned at those words. Within a few seconds, the big man’s hand which held the glass became tightened and eventually the glass broke into his black hand.