'My feelings died when you buried the old Ahad...'
Kanwal's voice echoed in Ahad's mind once again along with a faint voice from his memories, subsiding all his anger towards Kanwal.
'I will drag you inside my grave with me...'
Ahad let out a deep sigh and dropped himself onto the bed. Minutes passed as he lay still staring at the ceiling, but when his stomach started to protest because of hunger, he began to walk out of his room.
Making his way towards the kitchen, his eyes search for Kanwal and relaxed on finding her standing near the window of the living room. Without disturbing her, Ahad went to the kitchen and started to make tea, for both of them.
Ahad was aware that at some point Kanwal is right, he has hurt her. But he couldn't do anything for compensation, especially after the situation in which they got married. He tried to avoid this, knowing the consequences she will face if she were to be selected by this process.
That is why he approached her before but she made things difficult for herself. Right now, the only thing Ahad can do for her is to keep his emotions in check, which he sees as highly impossible but at least he could give it a try.
"Breakfast." Ahad said, putting the breakfast tray on the coffee table but Kanwal didn't move a muscle.
"Kanwal-"
"I am not hungry." She didn't let him finish his sentence.
"You didn't eat anything yesterday night too." Said Ahad walking towards her.
"I ate early."
"Don't lie" Ahad held her hand and said, "Come."
"I said I-"
"Sssh! Obey your husband." He put the index finger to his lips.
Ahad played wisely with his words by using "Obey" and "husband" he made Kanwal listen to him and she silently started to eat. Ahad sat beside her and watch her taking small bites of the toast in her hand. He was thinking of forcing her if she didn't eat properly, but she ate enough to call it a proper meal.
After eating, she almost snatched the empty cup from Ahad's hand and got up holding the breakfast tray with her other hand.
"Where is the kitchen?" Kanwal asked in a monotonous voice, looking at the front.
"Right side of the cor-" She walked off before Ahad could finish his sentence.
~*~
Kanwal's eyes once again went wide, after entering the kitchen. It was almost the same size as two rooms in her house. Kanwal didn't belong to a rich family. Her father has an average job in the tax collection department. After a great struggle of her parents, they have managed to build a small house on their own.
Kanwal remembered how her mother did savings and how happy she was when they shifted to Shareefabad. Her parents did the whole decoration on their own. This had left wonderful memories for her.
Kanwal wanted the same life, where she could make such sweet memories with her husband and kids and it was one of the many reasons of her satisfaction when she got engaged to Ahad, a man from a simple middle-class family, living a simple life. She never thought that her life would take a one-eighty-degree turn and the same Ahad would make her stand in this huge lavish house. Taking each step slowly, she walked towards the kitchen counter and after putting the tray on it, she turned to look around the place.
~*~
Ahad stood at the kitchen entrance and silently watched Kanwal as she explored the kitchen and dining room next to it. His eyes roam over her figure that is covered in a grey kameez with trouser and blue colour dupatta and then settled on her face, which has a very strange combination of fascination and something which Ahad cannot explain. She slowly peeked inside the dining room and hesitantly stepped inside. With a small smile playing on Ahad's face, he followed her without making a sound.
Unaware of his presence behind her, Kanwal took in every detail of the room. But as soon as she passed the mirror on the wall behind the table, she saw the reflection of Ahad. Kanwal quickly turned around and found him standing in the middle of the entrance with both of his hands in his pockets and an intense gaze fixed on her. Inhaling a deep breath, she stepped towards Ahad to leave the room. But before she could pass, he stretched his arm and held her hand.
"Where are you going?" Ahad asked.
"I don't know." She answered without making eye contact.
"I can show you around."
"I can do it myself." On Kanwal's answer, Ahad pushed her onto the glass door and lean down to her face.
"Don't be like this." He said in a low tone, holding both of her arms. But Kanwal didn't respond and kept her gaze low.
"Kanwal, look at me." He commanded which she silently obeyed.
Her eyes held many complaints. Complaints, she was planning to bury deep in her heart. Kanwal didn't have any expectations, anymore. But there is nothing she can do when her eyes refuse to respect her wishes and hide everything.
Eyes are the mirror of the soul and Ahad can see through this. He has seen the silent protest in her eyes. He was aware that her complaints are more than he has for her but Ahad isn't sure whether he could confront any inquiries. He wasn't ready to answer her. Therefore he decided to hold back his complaints too. Because half of them had already lost their meaning since Kanwal became his wife and has already accepted him without any objections.
Ahad leaned closer to her face and kissed her cheek.
"Have some rest before lunch and don't walk around barefoot. Use these for now. I'll check where your footwear is." Ahad said, taking off his sleepers and he left after caressing her face gently.
Kanwal watched him go into their room again, feeling the lingering warmth of his touch. Reminding her once again what he is to her.
