Chapter 28
Reshma
Saleema and Nomaan’s reception was as spectacular as the rest of their wedding events had been.
Though she and Zafar had missed Nomaan’s father’s welcome speech and part of Nomaan’s speech – thanks to Safiya doing a quick fix of her make-up after insisting that she wanted no details about why it was needed in the first place – they’d caught the end of it, where he’d asked everyone to toast his new wife.
When they’d joined the others at the table, Haniya had given her a relieved smile when she’d squeezed her hand in silent communication and Shoaib had handed her back her mobile phone – sixty per cent charged.
She’d given it to him and asked him to charge it in the car for her on the way to the reception.
She looked at her list of notifications and bit her lip at the number of messages from Zafar and the few voicemails he’d left.
He saw her screen but didn’t say anything, he just raised that imperious eyebrow at her and shook his head, a smile teasing his lips as she looked back at him sheepishly.
The bride and groom had then cut a huge three-tiered wedding cake before dinner was served and they were now on the dance floor, their heads together as they moved in time with the music.
The romance of the moment had Reshma suppressing a deep, contented sigh. Or maybe it was the deep sense of love and romance she was feeling towards the man who had maintained some form of contact with her throughout the evening, and now held her in his arms in a corner of the dance floor.
He hadn’t gone and he hadn’t left her.
He could have, but he hadn’t. He’d stayed and she knew without a shadow of a doubt that he’d stayed for her.
Because he loved her.
Mentally, she did a little jig. Her fear of being left had led her to forming her own narrative about what had happened and had caused her nothing but misery in the last twenty-four hours as she’d immediately believed that Zafar had done something when he’d made a conscious effort to do the opposite.
She felt his thumb rub the skin just above her eyebrow, smoothing it. ‘Stop thinking so hard. Everything is fine. All in order. Shipshape.’
She smiled.
It would take her time to shed her insecurities, but she would do it.
There was no place for them in her life going forward.
She needed to have faith and confidence in Zafar and her marriage.
And, most importantly, she needed to have confidence in herself.
Confidence that she was worthy of being important to someone, worthy of being someone’s priority but also worthy in herself, without any validation from another.
She wasn’t defined by her relationships or who stuck by her and who didn’t.
Being true to herself had enabled her to move forward with Zafar, something she hadn’t necessarily done from the start with him.
She needed to stop letting her fear call the shots and take control of life and how she navigated it herself.
Of course, having Zafar along for the ride was a particularly delightful bonus.
The song came to an end and she eased away from him, though he didn’t let go of her hand for the rest of the evening.
When they got back to the villa later that night, and Daadi was in her room, they made their way to the pool.
Reshma went down the steps into the cool water, while Zafar dived in smoothly, coming up for air halfway down the pool’s length.
Feeling more relaxed than she had in a long time, she flipped onto her back, watching the stars in the sky, the distant sound of the waves mixing in with the sound of the water as it lapped over her body.
She felt movement to her side and, a moment later, Zafar held her hand as he floated on his back next to her.
She wished she could bottle the sense of peace she was feeling.
It made her feel like postponing their departure and staying in their bubble for a little longer.
But she knew they had to get back to normal life.
She had work to get back to, as did Zafar.
‘This is going to sound crazy given the circumstances of my arrival, but I don’t think I’m ready to go back.’
She turned her head, regarding his side profile. ‘Same.’
They stayed there for a bit longer, savouring the tranquillity of the moment and their closeness, not needing to say anything, though the hum of energy around them was palpable to both.
Two days after the reception, it was time for them to leave.
Reshma had spent the previous day with Auntie Ruqayyah and the rest of the family, knowing that it would be a while before the whole family would be together like that again.
Her father and his family were also there, but the situation between them and Reshma was exactly how it had been before.
There was no change there and, to be fair, she didn’t feel all that bad about it.
You couldn’t really miss what you’d never had, especially when she was surrounded by others who loved her and cared for her so much more than her father ever had.
Zafar had spent the earlier part of the day with Safiya and had been in a bit of a sombre mood thereafter because she had left to go back to Nairobi with her husband and mother-in-law.
‘At least you’re going to be in touch with her now.
That should make you feel better. And we can always come out and see her or vice versa.
’ She knew it wasn’t enough, but she hoped, going forward, things would improve on that front.
She had more optimism in her than she would have had a few weeks ago and she wanted to hold onto it.
They were on the same flight home as Uncle Jawad and his family and when they landed back in London, they were greeted by sunshine and showers, literally and figuratively. Harry and Ash were waiting in arrivals for them.
She and Zafar didn’t take long to fall into their usual domestic routine.
He hit the ground running with his work, as did she.
The hotel deal still hadn’t been concluded, but she knew Zafar was much calmer about it now and didn’t attach the success of it to his happiness or his relationship with his grandfather.
In fact, since their return, Zafar was more mindful about what he did and what he now delegated, as he told her one evening when he’d asked Harry to accompany their father to a dinner being hosted by a business associate.
‘I need to learn the art of delegation, it’s healthy for me and the others.
As for skipping tonight’s dinner invite, I think it’s good for Harry to do some of these gigs.
He can decide whether he wants to play more of a role in the business and these events make up a big part of it.
Besides, I really didn’t fancy spending an evening listening to Mr Gervais sharing his life story for the hundredth time.
I’d much rather keep my date night promise to you. ’
‘So, I’m preferred company to Mr Gervais? That’s good to know,’ she said deadpan, though she was pleased that they’d managed to keep the connection they’d forged, and it was getting stronger by the day.
‘You are no competition for Mr Gervais. His level of dull is unparalleled. Ask Harry when he gets home.’
She scowled at him as he gave her a lopsided grin, his dimples coming out to say hello.
‘You’re preferred company to everyone else, my love. Always.’
He reached across the table and linked his fingers with hers but had to pull away a moment later when their waiter brought their starters.
Zafar had brought her to a seafood restaurant in Mayfair for their first date night since they’d come back from Mombasa as a nod to their thwarted date out there.
‘I have to say, I’m impressed, Mr Saeed. Mombasa to Mayfair. Not shabby at all.’
‘I’m glad you approve, Mrs … Ms … What did you decide?’
‘I’m Mrs Reshma Mir-Saeed. I’m me and I’m also married to you.’
‘I like that. It’s perfect.’
They tucked into the starters.
‘Guess who messaged me today?’ she asked as she broke off a piece of bread.
‘Umm, Saleema?’
Reshma shook her head. ‘Habib. My father’s younger son.’
Zafar looked at her wide-eyed, his expression one of surprise.
‘What did he say?’
‘He said he’s been wanting to reach out to me since Mombasa. Asked if we’d be up for meeting for a coffee.’
‘And?’
Reshma smiled at Zafar as she shrugged a shoulder. ‘I said I’d think about it and get back to him. What do you think?’
Zafar chewed thoughtfully for a moment before swallowing. ‘I’m happy to follow your lead, Reshma. If you want to meet him and see how things go, then I’m happy to do that, and if you don’t, then I’m happy with that too. But something tells me that you’re open to seeing him, yes?’
She tilted her head slightly, her soft smile still in place. ‘I am. I don’t know how our relationship will evolve, but if we can have some connection, then I’m open to that.’
Zafar held her hand in his across the table. ‘Then let’s go with that.’
They shared a scrumptious meal and then took a walk through Hyde Park, slowing down by the Serpentine. She’d come to the conclusion that she and Zafar liked being by the water, be it the Indian Ocean or a recreational lake in a park.
‘We should have a water feature—’
‘I want a pool—’
They looked at each other and burst out laughing and Reshma sent up a silent prayer of thanks at finally being able to have moments with Zafar that she’d thought of as impossible dreams before.
He shook his head and she stopped walking and manoeuvred them off the path and onto a patch of grass. As she faced him, she looped her arms around his waist. She looked up at him as his hands rested around her lower back.
‘I love you.’
He looked at her as though cataloguing each and every feature on her face before lowering his forehead against hers. ‘And I love you.’ He turned his head enough to place a lingering kiss on her cheek and she felt a sense of both connection and contentment fill her.
She slowly moved away, certain that her sense of peace and joy were radiating off her like the rays of the sun and she could see the reflection of them on Zafar. She linked her arm with his and they made their way back onto the path and carried on walking.
They didn’t need to say anything more to each other. Those three words encompassed everything there was to say, all the promises there were to make and all the feelings there were to convey.
And Reshma knew, without any doubt, that even though marriage had come first, their love for each other was strong and enduring and they would always choose each other.