Kanwal spent her whole day on failed attempts of getting some inside information from Shahina. Ahad wasn't at home, so she could be a little relaxed and inquired Shahina. But every time Kanwal tried to ask something deep, Shahina's face quickly paled, leaving the impression on Kanwal that she might be experiencing something terrible which she is scared to tell.
Keeping this in mind, Kanwal tried her best to give her a good time and for a while, Kanwal felt relaxed. But her attention soon turns to Ahad who just came into the house. Wearing blue jeans and grey coloured shirt, he looked like the old Ahad on first glance, but on a proper look, his branded clothes, shoes, and his expensive wristwatch which peeks outside of his full-length sleeve every now and then, can easily differentiate the old and new Ahad apart.
Ahad casually walked into the dining room, where both Kanwal and Shahina were having dinner. He stood there, putting his hands on the back of Kanwal's chair. As soon as Shahina spotted Ahad, she quickly covered her head and got up.
"Have dinner with us." She invited Ahad, as her Amma-Bi taught her to invite the person who came in during your meal, to eat with you.
Ahad smiled at her sweet gesture and said half-jokingly, "Well, I cannot say no to my daughter, right?"
Shahina lowered her head on hearing his comment, which made Ahad chuckle.
"I'll be back after washing my hands," Ahad said, lightly brushing his fingers on Kanwal's cheek and left the room. Leaving something stirring up within Kanwal.
Disturbed by her feelings, Kanwal tried to focus on the delicious food Shahina made, but the food also failed to hold her attention any longer, especially when Ahad took a seat beside her. Kanwal squirmed in her seat, which didn't go unnoticed by Ahad.
Instead of giving Kanwal some space, Ahad brought his chair closer to her and asked her to serve him dinner. Kanwal frowned on his order, but remained silent and did what was told. They ate in silence. After dinner, as promised, Ahad dropped Shahina back at the main house and because of her insistence, Kanwal agreed to come with Ahad to drop her home.
On their way back home, Kanwal kept her attention towards the lights that pass by out the window, but still, she noticed how Ahad kept stealing glances of her and every time he looked at her direction, her heart makes a flip. She thought that Ahad wanted to say something, but no words came out from his mouth. On reaching home, Kanwal stormed into their bedroom. She wanted to sleep as soon as possible. Therefore, without wasting a single minute, she made her way to the bathroom and changed into her nightclothes. But to her luck, Ahad was standing next to the door of the bathroom when she came out. He grabbed Kanwal's arm and pulled her towards him.
"Aren't you done avoiding me?" Ahad said, looking into Kanwal's eyes. He knew that it wasn't easy for her to forgive him, but he wanted her to let out her anger instead of keeping it bottled up inside her. Her silence is making Ahad restless and he felt like he will lose his patience soon.
Kanwal stared back into his eyes and lowers her gaze, but didn't answer him.
"Kanwal?" Ahad lowered his face to her.
Yet again, she didn't answer him.
Ahad sighed, slowly circling his arms around Kanwal and put his head on her shoulder. His one hand-pulled Kanwal's body closer to him and the other slide into her loose hair.
Kanwal stood still, unable to understand Ahad's intention. But her heartbeats and breaths weren't steady as her position. His touch and breaths on her neck were making her knees weak. She wanted to cling to him too, to steady herself or to respond to his feelings, she wasn't able to understand her own self.
Kanwal's hands reached Ahad's back, but before they could touch him, Ahad suddenly tightened his grip on her, so tight that Kanwal is starting to suffocate.
"Ahad." Kanwal managed to choke.
"Hm?" He answered without raising his head.
"You are suffocating me." Ahad quickly loosens his grip but remained in the same position.
"I am at home." He whispered as he was reminding himself.
"Huh?" Kanwal couldn't understand what he meant.
Ahad didn't answer her. How could he? There is no way he could admit her the pleasure he felt when he touched her, how his nerves relaxed when Kanwal accepts his embrace, how easily she calms his restless soul. Ahad once feared that he might have lost Kanwal, or that she might have fallen in love with someone else, but having her in his life, in his embrace, after knowing that his place wasn't replaced, was more than he expected. How can he make Kanwal understand this?
Ahad pulled back his face to glance at Kanwal, who gave him a confused look then looked away when he silently stared at her.
If you avert your eyes from me, I don't know what would I do...
Ahad turned Kanwal's face back to him and gently press his lips to hers.
