Page 45 of First Comes Marriage
It didn’t take Reshma long to start moving her own body in time with the music and before she knew it, they were dancing along to the fast-paced music which was energising everyone on the dance floor.
Her cousins took it in turns to join in before drifting away. Reshma let the music take over her movements, her body undulating with the beat. Zafar was in front of heronce more and the smile he sent her way had heat going through her body. As one, they took a step towards each other, coming close enough for her to put her hands on his shoulders and for him to place his at her hips as they moved in sync.
She moved her hands down and up his shoulders, feeling the muscles under his kurta twitch, and when she looked up at him, his eyes were zeroing in on her lips. Instinctively, Reshma ran her tongue across her lips and Zafar’s nostrils flared as his gaze darkened. She swallowed the dryness in her throat, rolling her lips in on themselves, and she was sure she heard a growl at the same time as she felt a rumble in his chest under her hands.
The volume of the music faded out and everyone around them gradually stopped moving. She and Zafar did too, but they didn’t step away from each other immediately. Reshma felt the tips of his fingers digging into her hips and she could hear that his breathing was ragged. Her pulse seemed to be matching the pace and cadence of galloping horses and she felt warmth pool low in her belly as he continued to look at her.
The DJ announced that the henna artists had arrived and that dessert and drinks were available for whoever wished to partake.
The crowd slowly dissipated, and Reshma took a much-needed step away from Zafar to try to get her senses back under control. Though it had been a short period of time, the intensity she’d felt while on that dance floor with Zafar had her feeling like her adrenaline levels had probably tripled.
As she stepped away from the dance floor, Zafar followed behind her, though thankfully he maintained the gap she’d created. She needed time and space to process thesudden spike in desire she was feeling towards him, and with his closeness bombarding her senses, it was impossible to think straight.
Reshma got herself a drink while she watched Zafar make his way towards his grandmother, checking in with her and making sure she was all right. Reshma decided to take some time out and rest her feet, taking her ice-cold glass of juice with her. She’d not danced like that in so long, she’d forgotten how fun it was but also how tiring when one stopped. She flopped down into a chair and in no time was joined by Haniya, her face shining after her exertion on the dance floor.
She held a glass of her own and drank deeply before sighing. ‘That was sooo good. I’m glad you dusted your dancing shoes off and joined us.’
‘You hardly gave me much of a choice.’ Reshma took a sip of her drink, relishing the cold sensation as it went down her throat.
‘Meh. How are things with you? Looking good from where I’m watching.’ Reshma knew Haniya was referring to the situation between her and Zafar.
It was looking good from Reshma’s perspective too, and that was what worried her a bit. She couldn’t seem to shake off the feeling that it was either too good to be true or the other shoe was yet to drop. Either way, she couldn’t bring herself to commit to the sense of joy fully. A joy she’d been feeling over the past couple of days.
‘Did he grovel any more? Have you kissed and made up? What’s the deal? Spill.’
‘Take a breath, Niya. Your brain needs oxygen more than you think.’
‘Diversion tactics. You might as well tell me because I won’t rest until you do. And I won’t let you rest either.’
‘Jesus, you sound like you belong in a gang.’ She knew Haniya wouldn’t give up easily. ‘He didn’t grovel because he doesn’t need to. I don’t want him to grovel. We’ve spoken a lot about a lot of things and that’s … it’s helped us. We have a better understanding of each other. It’s like you said, we never took the time out to connect and get to know each other before, so doing some of that has helped. We’re nowhere nearfixed, but I think we’re in a better place than we were.’
‘You think?’
‘I know.’ Reshma said it with a sense of confidence she actually felt. They were definitely in a better place. She just hoped that the momentum they’d found would keep going even when they got back home and they wouldn’t fall back into old patterns. It was still early days, though, and given her history, she was afraid of hoping and having those hopes dashed.
19
Zafar
Zafar thought it would be a good idea to keep some distance from Reshma for a while because he was on the cusp of combusting. It was that simple.
Dancing with her had been a test of his endurance and restraint in a way he’d never been tested. He’d had to remind himself at least a dozen times that he was in a family setting and getting any more hands-on than he had was a b-a-d idea.
He was now sitting beside his wife’s uncle – who, thank God, couldn’t read Zafar’s thoughts, otherwise he’d probably have one meaty paw around his throat in a flash – trying to cool himself down with a third glass of some exotic fruit juice. He couldn’t say which because he’d necked the first two glasses like his life had depended on it.
Waiters weaved in and out of people, carrying trays of hot drinks and plates of desserts. Uncle Jawad lifted a plate and was about to tuck into it when his son came and swiped it out of his father’s hand. ‘You’ve already had two of these, Dad. I saw you earlier. Here, have a cup of tea instead.’ Shoaib pushed a cup and saucer into his father’s hand and then plonked himself on his father’s other side while he made quick work of the dessert as his sire grumbled. He finished it and then got up to go and get himself a drink.
The party was very much still in full flow and everyone had a smile on their face. The DJ was on a break as Zafar’s grandmother and Reshma’s aunts entertained everyone with the dholki and folk songs.
Auntie Bilqis used her hands on the two sides of the drum and her sister-in-law used a big metal spoon, in lieu of a drumstick, to hit the top of the wooden side to add to the rhythm. Anyone who knew the lyrics of the songs and wanted to join in did and it didn’t take long for the crowd to fall silent and enjoy the performance, many clapping along with the beat.
After the first song, they handed the dholki to Daadi who demurred for a minute before she accepted it. After striking the first beat, her hands flew across the flat sides of the two-sided drum as she provided the music for the next three songs.
Reshma was sitting beside Daadi with Haniya, both of them clapping their hands and singing along. Daadi lowered her head towards Reshma and said something and Zafar saw his wife throw her head back and laugh, Haniya joining in as Daadi waggled her eyebrows at the pair of them.
She was clearly having the time of her life and it filled Zafar with a great deal of satisfaction to see his grandmother so happy. She was mingling with friends, both old and new, and was joining in with all the fun with the same exuberance as some of the younger people in the crowd. She certainly had more exuberance than him.
Reshma also seemed to be in a better place than she had been and that too buoyed his mood. Things were looking promising on that front and he was hopeful that they would carry that momentum home with them, though he was mindful that it was early days and they’d not been put to the test with the addition of his work and family responsibilities.
