The Perfect Union

Chapter 18 - The day after the night before

Aliyah's POV

'No no please let me go...please why have you come back after so long'

'Hahahahaha what did you think that after 5 years that i would have left you alone so it was safe for you to get married. No Aliyah i will never leave you again'

I woke up from my nightmare all tangled up in my bedsheets sweating so much that my hair was stuck to my face. It was only when I heard someones shallow breathing that I realised I didnt know where I was. And with that the panic started to set in. It took a few seconds for me to calm down once I remembered that yesterday I had gotten married and I was now here in my new room in my new house with my new husband. I quickly looked over to Ahmed who was sleeping peacefully on the sofa across the room from me unaware of the battles I was fighting.

It had been probably more then 3 years since I had a nightmare so why had they returned. And then I remembered. That voice that had been haunting me for the last 5 years in my dreams had spoken to me today in my reality. Who knew a voice I had once fallen in love with could leave me shaking to my bones in fear now.

I looked at the digital clock to see it was only 3.00 am and I didnt have to look in the mirror to know that come tomorrow I would look a complete mess considering I only had about a couple hours of sleep. There was still more then an hour for Fajr but I knew there was no way I would be able to go back to sleep.

I got up and had a quick shower to get rid of the sweatiness. Thankfully some of my stress anxiety and fear seem to have washed away with the hot water too. I put on some clean PJs followed by my Abaya and put my stress beating plan in Action.

The one thing that had got me through all my issues over the years was pray and thats what I intended to do just now. I read some nafl namaaz and then i continued sitting on my prayer mat doing some zikr.

I was so lost in my zikr that before I knew it the time for Fajr namaaz had long started and I hadnt even realised. I opened my eyes and jumped up when I saw there was only 30 minutes for sunrise. Why hadnt Ahmeds alarm gone off I thought as I looked over at the table. He had forgotten to plug the charger in. I walked over to where he was sleeping like a baby. I knew he was my husband but I still wasnt used to the whole touching someone of the opposite s*x thing. But right now I didnt have time to be immature.

I leaned over and gently shook his arm. 'Ahmed, wake up, the alarm didnt go off and you will be late for namaaz if you dont wake up now' I said softly. He said something back to me that sounding like ok so I thought I would go get ready for namaaz.

As I turned my hair slipped out of my hijaab that I had wrapped around my head loosely as my hair was wet. The wet hair dripped on his face.

'Ok ok Im getting up' Ahmed said half sleepy sitting up quickly 'you dont have to splash water on me'.

I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks at the thought that Ahmed thought I had splashed water on him to wake him up just as the Prophet SAWS had said was the best way to wake your sleeping spouse for Fajr.

I was going to correct him but I didnt want to tell him I already had had a shower.....to be honest I didnt want to tell him or anyone anything and just hope that the whole Raihaan issue had finished before it started.

He quickly went to do wudu. I layed out another mat for him and waited patiently as I thought it would be better of we prayed together.

'Have you prayed' he asked. I shook my head in response and I saw a small smile on his face. 'Ok lets pray together then' he said quite happily.

We both prayed Fajr. After I finished praying I sat on the mat asking Allah SWT to please help me to get out of this problem and to protect me from Raihaan.

As I got up and folded my prayer mat up I saw Ahmed looking at his phone.

'Oh Im so stupid. I was so tired last night I forgot to plug the charger in. No wonder the alarm didnt go off. Its a good thing you woke up in time' he said looking up in my direction and then I saw his facial expression changing from happy to concern.

'You OK Aliyah. Hmmmm you look like you havent slept all night' he said with genuine worry.

Oh no! I thought myself how am I going to get myself out of this one?

'Well it was hard to sleep with your snoring' I said quickly trying to change the atmosphere.

'I dont snore' Ahmed said quickly abit like a big kid.

I chuckled 'I am kidding. You are right I didnt get much sleep. You know different place takes abit getting used to. Dont worry Im ok' I said smiling at him trying to reassure him.

'Well its my job to worry ok. But if you say you are ok. I will believe you. But you must be tired, yesterday was a long day and luckily the reception isnt til this evening so maybe its best to relax' he said.

'Sounds like a plan. I think I will get some sleep. What are you going to do?? You going to sleep too??' I asked him as he got up and walked towards the dressing room.

'Well I am going for my sunday morning jog. You get some rest I will see you inabit' he told me as he was putting hes trainers on.

He got up to leave and was about to walk to the door and came back towards the bed, leant down and kissed me on the forehead.

'Get some rest beautiful. Salaam' he said as he left the room leaving me behind blushing under the duvet.

Later on in the afternoon

Wow I look so much better I thought just as the makeup artist left. I turned to check the time. It was nearly 5 oclock so I was ready a whole hour before the reception.

I was feeling so much better when I had woken up after my nap in the morning. At first I had woken up abit disorientated again but this time in the Early morning sun I quickly remembered where I was. It was just before 10 o clock and thought it would be best to get up. I didnt want to wake up late on my first day in my new house. Plus Ahmed wasnt in our room so I thought I should get up get dressed and maybe go make him some breakfast.

As I had come out of the bathroom, there was Ahmed and he had brought me breakfast in bed. The gesture was so lovely. We sat together and ate some breakfast.

The rest of the day passed quickly but peacefully as today is the reception which is not as crazy as the main wedding day. Best of all i got to spend some time with my in laws who were so amazing and welcoming.

I was just thinking how lucky I was when there was a knock at the door. Ahmed walked in looking amazing in a dark blue suit. I gave him a shy smile in my mirror and went back to putting my bangles on while he stood infront of the mirror doing his hair.

Its been nearly 10 minutes ......what is he doing with that tie?? I thought to myself. I didnt know if Ahmed knew I was watching him using the mirror but he haf been losing a battle with his tie for the past 10 minutes. Maybe I should help him? I thought. I turned on my stool and asked 'Need any help?'. Hes expression was priceless.

Ahmeds POV

Well the awkward first night was over. When I had told Abdullah what I planned on doing he thought I was crazy but understood why I was doing it. Since the very beginning I knew things with me and Aliyah would only work if we took everything slowly because thats the only I would get her to trust me.

I hadnt wanted to sleep on the couch but I was so tired yesterday Im surprised I slept like a log. The best part was being woken up by my beautiful wife. I know it wasnt the same as waking up next to her but it was the next best thing. Although she had looked really stressed out. I had wanted to findout what was bothering her but I decided to give her chance to share it with me when she was ready.

The whole day had passed so quickly from our romantic breakfast in bed to now when everyone was getting dressed for the reception. Aliyah was getting her makeup done so I had gotten dressed in Ali's room.

As I sat in the living room i heard some commotion in the hallway. Just as I was about to findout what was happening I heard the front door close and mum came into the living room where I was playing temple run.

'Who was at the door Ami?' I ask my eyes still firmly on the game.

'The make up girl just left. Why dont you go and finish getting ready. And check with Aliyah if she needs anything. The cars will be here in about 30 minutes we dont want to be late beta' mum told me as she went towards the kitchen.

'Sure' I said jumping up and going upstairs, taking the stairs two steps at a time.

I reached my room and knocked. This was the hardest thing to get used to. Knocking before entering my own room. I went in and found Aliyah still seated by her vanity table putting her jewellery on. She looked breathtakingly beautiful as she looked up and gave me a small smile.

The next 10 minutes followed in silence as I quickly did my hair as well as throwing quite a few hidden glances towards my beautiful wife.

So hair done, socks on, cufflinks and watch on....what is missing I thought to myself. Then out of the corner of my eye I saw the dreaded tie. Great I thought to myself.' Come on Ahmed you can do this. You have seen dad tie it enough times. You are a high flying financial advisors in a mutibillion international company you cant let a little tie scare you.' I gave myself a pep talk in my head.

I tried and failed to tie the stupid tie for about 10 minutes but it felt like I had been there for ages. I was just about to go find my dad and kept hoping Aliyah hadnt noticed the battle I was having with my tie when I saw her turn towards me and say

'Need any help?' She said this with a small smile on her face. I couldnt tell if she was being serious or joking with me.

I could feel the heat rise in my cheeks due to the embarassment but decided to ride out the situation as best I could.

'Well I was hoping it was going to be more then the 2nd day before you foundout my deep dark secret but alas its not possible. Aliyah I am going to tell you something only one other person in the whole wide world knows, but you have to promise not to tell anyone' I said as seriously as I could and I could tell my joke was working as Aliyahs expression changed from one of jokiness to one of surprise. 'I know you thought you were marrying this amazibgly handsome modern man but I am sorry I have one very serious flaw.........I cant tie a tie to save my life' I said quickly laughing loudly at the expression on my face.

'Oh my god Ahmed you had me scared then' Aliyah said quickly joining in my laughing.

'Sorry I had to cover my embarassment somehow. You are probably thinking how stupid I must be that I cant even tie a tie' I said feeling the heat rising in my cheeks again.

The happy atmosphere changed to one of seriousness as Aliyah stood up and walked towards me.

'Well' she said taking the tie from ' its a good thing I do know how to tie a tie and I dont mind doing it for you Mr Ali. Thats what a marriage is, its a partnership between two people. Its not always one person doing one thing and the other doing other things, its about doing things together'. I was concentrating on everything she said and just couldnt take my eyes off her that before I knew it she had tied my tie.

She had to stand on her tip toes to fix the back of my collar and she whispered in my ear 'And dont worry your secret is safe with me' and she gave me the most cheeky smile ever.

'Thank you' I told her and for the first time in our relationship she had been the confident one and I was being the shy one. But it didnt take long for everything to get reversed again.

Aliyahs POV

I quickly picked up my sandals and walked over to the stool. I cant believe I just did that. Ahmed had looked so cute all embarassed because he couldnt tie a tie.

Well I shouldnt act all over confident now. How the hell am I supposed to get these 4 inch heels on whilst wearing this outfit that weighs a tonne....maybe i will wait for Aaminah. Just as I was unbuckling the sandals and deciding how best to do this without looking like an i***t, Ahmed came over and took the sandal from my hand and knelt down on hes knee.

'Here let me' he said flashing me his cute smile.

Oh no this is so embarassing i thought as I started to blush.

'Its ok....Ill wait for Aaminah. You should get up your clothes will get dirty' I stuttered out.

'My clothes will be fine. Now please lift up that stupidly heavy lengha so that I can actually see where your feet are.' He said. At first we just stared at eachother both determined to get our own way until Ahmed started glaring at me so I decided to give in and lifted my lengha and pointed my foot out.

'See it wasnt so hard was it' he said putting the first sandal on and then picking the second one 'Anyway someone just told me marriage is a partnership where we help eachother and do things together' he told me with a cheeky smile on his face as he repeated the words I had just told him.

'Haha very funny' I said back to him trying to mask my embarassment as I put my lengha down and Ahmed got up and brushed his trousers off.

'Well Mrs Ahmed Ali its time to go' he said holding out his hand to help me get up.

I took his hand lightly and stoodup but forgot about my crazy 4 inch heels that I went on to wobble on.

Oh no! Floor here I come I thought as I closed my eyes anticipating my face meeting the floor in the next few seconds. But that didnt happen.

As I slowly opened my eyes I could feel a strong warm arm around my waist and a hand on my back with my right hand clutching Ahmeds hand that I had reluctantly taken a few moments before.

'Thank you' I said quickly looking anywhere but at Ahmed whos eyes had not left my face. He helped me stand up straight but didnt let go of my hand.

'Its no problem Mrs Ahmed Ali....I will always be here to catch you' he said making me blush again.

Then there was a knock at the door which startled us both and thankfully the moment was over.