"Mama invited us for a family dinner happening next weekend at their place." Salman's eyes shifted to his wife who was dressed in tie-dye pants with a matching tie-dye tee.
She was slumped on the couch with a book in her face.
She had a terracotta satin scrunchie on her wrist and her fuzzy slippers dangled on her swinging legs.
The book cover was a very catchy blue coloured one with a couple of doodles.
His eyes held her figure.
Salman's mum had called Salman earlier that day to invite him for the dinner their family hosted every year.
"Hello missy." he called when she didn't reply to what he had said.
He placed his laptop from his crossed leg on the couch and stood up.
"Are you still upset from what happened earlier?" He approached where she was laying.
She didn't turn her head towards him for even once.
She had her nose buried deep beneath the pages of the book that her eyes now scrutinized curiously and carefully.
Uh-oh.
A Spanish dude?
At the door?
While you're at her place alone?!!
She held tight to the book as if her life depended on it.
She had finished reading the previous book on her tbr(to be read)list and decided to try the book everyone on bookstagram had been hyping and blowing up her feeds with it.
85% of what popped up on her Instagram when she opened the app was that blue covered book.
Not bad for a start.
She was already in the world of books far far away from reality.
"Hey!" She snapped as she felt the book suddenly leave her hands.
Salman's eyes travelled to the cover as he read out loud "The American..." He trailed off and his eyes settled back on her.
"Give it back." She had her hand stretched out with a big frown on her face.
"Are you ignoring me?" He questioned putting one of his fingers between the page she was reading and placed his hand behind him.
"Ignoring?" The frown was still there as her mind impatiently and curiously thought of what the next scene of the book would be.
"I said something earlier and you didn't respond." His figure stood as firm as possible.
"I didn't hear whatever you said," she hastily said. "Can I have my book now?" Her curiosity was getting the best of her.
Salman didn't move.
"Please." Her voice came after a while but a little bit softer this time.
He tilted his head.
"Mama invited us for a family dinner at their place for next weekend."he repeated.
"Okay,Noted." her answer was simple and short.
Her hand was still outstretched.
"Let's see what we have here." Salman brought the book back into view and opened to where his finger was.
He had began reading from a random line when Umaymah snatched the book from his hands.
"You were the same person going on about privacy," she stuck her tongue out at him. "Just to juggle your memory, I'm talking about that box you received when mama came to visit." She settled back into the comfort of the gray couch.
"So this is some kind of revenge thing now?" He had his hands in akimbo and his eyes didn't leave her.
"Revenge? Never. It's just that I bought this book with my own money, isn't it rude that you want to open it to read without my permission?" Her eyes never left the pages of the book.
"Hmm, using my own words on me now huh? Nice, that's interesting." Salman walked back to the couch he was sitting on previously.
Within a couple of minutes, Umaymah jolted up and disappeared into her room.
She was supposed to call her mother.
Azeeza was a retired Islamic professor at a university. She dreamt of building her very own Islamic university.
The last time Umaymah spoke to her mother was a day after her wedding which was a couple of months back.
She clicked on the call button and the phone began ringing.
On the last ring, the call was answered.
"Assalamualaikum Ummi."
A rustle sound was heard on the other side of the phone as if the phone was being switched between palms.
Then Azeeza's voice came.
"Habibti, walaikumu Salam dear," a smile formed on her lips. "How are you and your husband doing?"
"Alhamdullilah, all praise be to Allah, we have been doing fine," Umaymah put her scrunchie in between the page that she was reading. "How about you ummi? Are you alright? And how have you been?"
Silence. Then
"I've been great too Alhamdullilah, thank you for asking."
"Is anyone giving you a hard time? I could come over if I have to."
"No it's fine, why'd you ask that?"
"You sound really weak and tired that's why, you really should get some rest. I just called to check up on you."
"No, I'm all good. Allahuma Barik."
"Ameen Ummi, I love you."
"I love you too my love, have a peaceful and blissful marriage, my regards to Salman."
"Alright, I'll speak to you soon InshaAllah."Umaymah settled her head on one of the pillows.
"InshaAllah, have a nice day." and the call ended.
Going through shelves of books in a bookstore was one of her favourite things to do.
She ran her hands through rows of books with different book cover texture.
"Hmm," she slanted her head to read the title written on the spine of the book. "Even in the breaks."
Umaymah pulled out the book and examined the beautiful dark blue cover with golden lines which seemed like cracks to her.
She let her fingers feel the matte cover of the book before turning to the back to read the synopsis.
"I'm taking you," she held the book in her left arm and continued searching for more interesting books to add to her never ending tbr list. "And I'm definitely taking you too." She pulled out another book and added it to the little pile of books in her arm.
After her 'unexpected' book haul, she paid for the new books and headed for home not after purchasing her all-time favourite; matcha latte from Starbucks.
Salman who was stuck attending a meeting in his study back at home didn't have the slightest idea of his wife's absence from the house.
She had it all planned since the very first day he drove past the bookstore on their way to her school.
She had it all drawn out on paper.
From sneaking out of the house to getting Starbucks.
The bookstore wasn't that far away from home, so it made it easier for her to slip in and out of the house when she willed. Or so she thought.
"SubhanAllah-" she exclaimed as she hurriedly saved the paper bag in her left hand and watched as her cup filled with matcha latte splattered all over the concrete sidewalk.
Her eyes travelled to the splash it had left on her hijab as it made its way to the floor.
"Sorry." The semi drunk looking man paused to apologize.
He had his beard grown out a bit and a little moustache sat atop his upper lip.
One of his hand was around the waist of a half naked blonde and blue eyed lady who looked like she was in her early twenties or there about.
Umaymah felt really irritated and was about to spit some unpleasant words in his face but something in her calmed her nerves a bit.
He pulled the girl closer to him making her swing her arm over his shoulder before they began walking away in the opposite direction.
"Urgh!" She rolled her eyes and continued walking.
Just when she had her complete focus on the drink she was slurping and fantasizing about how she would complete reading the books she had just bought, some drunk dude had to spoil the moment for her.