19. 𝙄'𝙢 𝙜𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙖 𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙪𝙩𝙚 𝙬𝙚 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚

Hassan's pov:

She immersed herself in one of the many books she had brought along when she moved in. Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she delved into the pages. Clad in one of my shirts – she claimed it was more comfortable – paired with black sweatpants.

Her soft hair, put up in a messy bun, constantly battled escaping strands. Beauty spots adorned her face like constellations, and her heart-shaped lips moved silently as she read to herself. She was a living portrait, a sight to behold.

I was engrossed in checking emails when Halimah entered, looking stunning with her book, distracting me even more.

There are moments when I genuinely can't believe that the girl I've yearned for all these years is finally with me. The day my dad told me she agreed to marry me felt like a dream, especially after she left the room abruptly after hearing the news. That night when I got home after the failed meeting, I stayed in sujood, begging Allah to make her mine. He answered my dua.

Halimah Musa. My wife.

Our eyes met across the desk in my home office. Unfortunately, I was going back to work on Monday, and the prospect of hours away from Halimah, given my demanding job, filled me with dread. I was thinking of extending my leave, but Halimah talked me out of it . I opened up another branch here and would be going back and forth to London to make sure things were also running smoothly here.

Her phone vibrated, startling her before she silenced it then left the room abruptly, leaving me curious. Abia, our playful cat, darted around the room, chasing a yarn ball Halimah had made. I got up to follow when she re-entered, holding my pill bottle and a glass of water. Placing them on the desk, she grinned, "Time for your medication."

I melted as I looked up at her. This is why I fall in love with her every day. Halimah treats me the same even after finding out about my condition, creating a comfortable space for my depression. She never made me feel ashamed. She really was my safe space.

She opened the pill bottle, offering me my dosage, and I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her down. She shrieked in surprise, looking down at me sheepishly.

Whispering bismillah, I put the pills in my mouth as she placed the rim of the cup to my mouth, then poured the water into my mouth. A shy smile adorned her face.

"Thank you, habibti," I said appreciatively, giving her a peck on the cheek.

"You're welcome, Hassan," she grinned in return.

"You're so beautiful," I whispered, still in disbelief that she was married to me.

"Stop," she groaned, covering my eyes with her hands.

Amused, I waited for her to lower her hands, revealing a light shade of pink on her face.

"You mean so much to me. Thank you for accepting me as I am," I told her sincerely.

"You're perfect to me. I wouldn't have it any other way," she replied, giving me a hug. I shifted my chair closer to the desk to reach the laptop.

"When should we start getting ready?" I asked, exiting my email and shutting down my laptop. I've had enough of work. It's strange because I used to drown myself in work to escape reality, but now I just wanted to stay in the present, excited about the future.

She looked up at the clock hanging over the door that indicated it would be Zhuhr prayer soon.

"Right after zhuhr," she replied, getting up, making me miss her warmth. I shouldn't have said anything; I already wanted her back in my arms.

"Come on," she called, walking out of the room, making me follow her as we climbed the stairs to our room.

Halimah got dressed while I performed ablution then prayed the afternoon prayer. I joined her when I was done.

Halimah had planned a date for us. It was Saturday, and she decided we should have an afternoon picnic at the nearest park.

She had gotten up early to prepare everything, and I was genuinely excited for this date. Honestly, even if we stayed inside, I wouldn't mind, as long as we were together.

We made our way to the car, ensuring Abia had enough food and water before we left. I held the picnic basket as Halimah carried a blanket and some small canvases and painting supplies she had bought that morning. She also had black bag with her, but I don't remember what she put in them.

The journey to the park was less than an hour, and the weather was perfect. The laughter and shouts of little kids filled the air, adults were taking strolls on the pathway, pets running around in the grass; it seemed like everyone had the same idea to come to the park today.

We found a secluded place under a big oak tree and set up our blanket, situating ourselves. Halimah began bringing out the food she had made.

She brought out a spread of picnic delights, each dish a favorite of mine. She had made us a light breakfast and now I knew why.

The aroma of grilled chicken skewers, wafted through the air, making my mouth water. A mango and avocado salad caught my eye. Soft pita bread accompanied a bowl of Halimah's homemade hummus and a fresh fruit platter of ripe strawberries, juicy watermelon, and sweet pineapple slices. For a sweet finale, she presented chocolate-dipped strawberries, their glossy coating a tempting indulgence for any sweet tooth. When did she have time to do all this?

"You're so perfect" I said in disbelief as my eyes drank in the spread, appreciation and gratitude welled within me. The spread looked like it came straight out of a food magazine.

Halimah laughed as she also brought out disposable plates and cutlery and urged me to dig in.

Halimah was a great cook and she raised the bar high every-time I ate her food. I had to compose myself as I ate from every dish. I complimented her every time I ate from them. The weather was nice, and we laughed a lot, how could I not? My wife is a literal comedian. After eating, we cleaned up our stuff, making sure the area stayed tidy.

Then Halimah brought out canvases and painting supplies. She gave me a brush and a canvas accompanied by a paint palette with some paint tubes with different colours.

"Shall we paint, my good sir?" she said in a hilariously awful British accent, her tone so exaggerated it made me laugh. I couldn't help but smile as I watched her—each day, she seemed to step further out of her shell, and seeing her playful side emerge like this made my heart swell.

"Full disclaimer: I don't have a single artistic bone in my body," I said with a nervous chuckle, gripping the blank canvas like it might shatter in my hands. The palette felt awkward, smudges of paint already threatening to stain my fingers.

"That makes two of us," Halimah replied with a laugh, her fingers busy tapping at her phone.

"Alright, here's the plan," she announced, her tone brimming with determination. "We each get five minutes, and then we switch." She set the timer with a flourish, her excitement glowing in her expression. It was infectious, and despite myself, I couldn't help but grin.

"Ready?" she asked, her eyes sparkling.

"I guess," I replied with a shrug, deliberately nonchalant. She rolled her eyes at me in mock exasperation before grabbing her brush with the confidence of an artist about to unveil a masterpiece.

I followed her lead, picking up my own brush like a clumsy apprentice. My hand dipped into a pool of deep blue paint, and I swept it across the canvas in hesitant strokes. The brush dragged unevenly, leaving streaks that refused to blend. A night sky-That should be simple enough.

I layered the blue as best as I could, lightening some strokes here and there with gentle pressure, then dabbing spots of white to mimic stars. It wasn't perfect—far from it—but I was proud of the depth I was starting to see in the chaos.

Just as I started considering adding a moon, the timer buzzed sharply, pulling me out of my trance. Halimah's laugh rang out like bells, and she snatched the canvas from my hands, her eyes dancing with amusement.

"Mashaa Allah, someone's taking this very seriously," she teased, holding up my half-finished sky like it was a priceless artifact.

In return, I grabbed hers and squinted at the image. The bottom half was a dense patch of jagged green that could only be grass, painted with surprising texture. She had dragged the brush bristles to etch each blade, giving it a strange sort of life.

"Not bad," I admitted, genuinely impressed.

"Don't ruin my masterpiece," I warned with a raised eyebrow.

"Ditto, love," she shot back, as she reached for the paint.

This time, I dipped my brush into bright yellow and white, attempting to paint sunflowers. It was ambitious—far too ambitious for someone with my lack of skill—but I was determined.

By the time I had finished, there were fifteen wobbly sunflowers swaying awkwardly on the grass. Their petals curled unevenly, and their stems were lopsided, but somehow, they weren't a complete disaster.

"And switch!" Halimah called, and we swapped canvases again.

The moment my original canvas was back in my hands, I doubled over with laughter. The once-dark night sky was now splattered with messy streaks of green, like a confused child had finger-painted over it.

"Halimah, what is this?" I managed to choke out between gasps, clutching my stomach as my ribs ached from laughing so hard.

"What's this? Yellow fungi?" she shot back, pointing at my sunflowers with mock horror.

I gasped in mock betrayal then laughed as it sort of did look like a parasite. "Grass in the sky, Halimah? Seriously?"

"I thought it was water! Oceanic scenery? And, for your information, there is grass underwater!" she said, trying and failing to stifle her own laughter.

"You sabotaged my painting because you knew I'd win," I accused, narrowing my eyes.

"As if! Sabotage would only be an option if you were actually a threat," she replied back quickly.

"Touche."

I dipped my brush into a lighter shade of blue and began attempting wavy lines across the canvas, hoping to mimic the gentle ripples of water. The lines were uneven—some too thick, others trembling like my brush had stage fright. Honestly, it looked terrible. Well.

Adding insult to injury was the patch of ocean grass Halimah had painted earlier. The more I stared at it, the worse it looked—like a mutant chia pet had taken root on my canvas. It completely ruined any sense of cohesion I was clinging to. This girl, man.

Taking a pause for the Asr prayer, I made Halimah promise not to peek. As I rose to find a spot on the grass for my prayer, I spotted her unpacking a bag she had brought, revealing a prayer mat and a bottle of water. Overwhelmed, I showered her face with kisses while she giggled. She truly means the world to me. I performed ablution then laid the mat on the grass and began praying. In sujood, during my prayer, I thanked Allah once more for blessing me with her.

I folded up the prayer mat and put it back in the bag and rejoined her on the blanket to continue this disaster of a painting.

~

By the end of five rounds, our paintings looked like the chaotic aftermath of toddlers let loose with paints. What had started as simple creative experiments now resembled abstract disasters.

"It doesn't look half bad," Halimah offered, though her tone was laced with amused disbelief.

"Half bad is generous," I muttered, surveying the carnage of colors.

She leaned in, tilting her head thoughtfully. "We could hang them in your study, maybe?"

I snorted. "I'm gonna burn them the minute we get home"

"Hassan!"

The sun began its gentle descent, casting a warm glow over the park. The soft hum of the early evening surrounded us as we folded the blanket and carefully packed away the traces of our picnic. Halimah tried to pack the paintings along but I quickly threw them into the trash bag when she wasn't looking and disposed of the bag in the park trash can. I'm not having these monstrosities in my house.

The playful banter lingered in the air as we strolled away from the spot beneath the oak tree, the sky painted with hues of orange and pink,  making us admire the beauty of Allah's creation. He really is the shaper of beauty.

After putting everything in the car we settled ourselves in the car. I turned to halimah as I clasped her hands in mine.

"I loved today. I appreciate every moment, even though you definitely sabotaged me," I expressed with a grin, locking eyes with her captivating gaze.

She laughed, playfully shoving me away with an eye-roll.

"Boy, drive"

"Yes, ma'am," I replied, ready to steer our way home.

~

I'm on a roll these days.

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