Page 57 of First Comes Marriage
She nodded and smiled but didn’t say anything in response to him. He knew it would take her time to process seeing them. It would also take her time to process the stuff they’d spoken about.
He filled her in about Ashar, Ibrahim, Rayyan and Haroon and then asked her about Qais. ‘I’ve not heard from him or seen him since the day he walked out of the front door. It’s like he’s just disappeared. Is he in touch with you? How is he?’
‘I’ve not spoken to him in a while myself. I spoke to him after he left home. He had no concrete plans, but I know he wasn’t in a great place. Over time, I’d hear from him occasionally until he just stopped getting in touch. I think … it might have been around two or so years ago.’
Around the time their grandfather had passed away.
Zafar knew that now that he’d spoken to Safiya, he needed to reach out to Qais. He wanted his family whole again.
When Safiya yawned a few times, they decided to call it a night. He walked Safiya back to her villa and when he returned, Zafar felt too wired to sleep and he didn’t want to disturb Reshma, knowing she’d had a long day. He decided to use the pool, hoping that the repetitive rhythm of his strokes would help him relax.
There was so much for Safiya to process, but he had a lot to think about too. He’d told Safiya that she was free to come home for a visit, or more, whenever she wanted and they’d determined to get hold of Qais too. Maybe his uncle and aunt would have some idea of their son’s whereabouts, though they too kept everyone at an arm’s length.
Inevitably, Zafar’s thoughts went to his grandfather.
How could one man, who he’d thought of as one of the best, have got something so wrong? And the worst part was that his grandfather had had plenty of opportunities to stop matters from escalating, but he hadn’t. He’d set a course and stayed true to it at a cost they, as a family, were still paying for.
But then that was the same man who had taught Zafar so much about his work and education, that had helped him reach heights he didn’t think he would have without that guidance and certainly not at the young age he had. His grandfather’s direction and leadership had held Zafar in good stead and that was something he couldn’t ignore.
And he’d loved and respected him wholeheartedly. He had done everything in the first twenty-five years of his life to please his grandfather and make him proud. He couldn’t just forget all of that.
The hotel project in London was Zafar’s way of giving a tribute to that aspect of his relationship with his grandfather. It was about celebrating the best parts of him and acknowledging that he had loved and respected him. If his grandfather hadn’t done some of what he had, like pursuing his dreams for the family business as ruthlessly as he had, the family wouldn’t be enjoying the fruits of his labour to this day. He’d handed that responsibility to Zafar, wanting him to preserve and continue that legacy. And that’s what the hotel project would be. Zafar was also keen to ensure that the family got a new start and could move away from the shadows of the mistakes and flaws of his grandfather and the past, moving forward together.
24
Reshma
When Reshma woke up, it was to find Zafar sprawled on his front, fast asleep. She had no idea when he’d come up, but she knew it must have been ridiculously late. She hoped the time he’d spent with Safiya had helped both of them heal at least a little.
She made her way downstairs and caught Daadi stepping out of her bedroom.
The pair of them had their breakfast and were sitting on the sofa relaxing when the doorbell rang. Reshma opened the door to let a cheery-looking Safiya in, who gave her the tightest hug and then made a beeline for her grandmother, who was delighted to see her. Reshma was glad that Daadi had this chance to reconnect with her granddaughter and even if nothing else came of this reunion, at least Daadi had this time with Safiya.
Reshma got on with doing some work while Daadi caught up with Safiya, having a few emails to respond to and some bits and pieces she needed to review. She had put new projects on hold till she got back to London, but she had some admin work she needed to get out of the way and it made sense to do it while she was at a loose end.
There were no formal plans today. Auntie Ruqayyah had specifically kept the day after the wedding free for peopleto be able to rest and relax, with the reception being held the next day. Saleema and Nomaan were flying out for their honeymoon to Sri Lanka early the day after the reception.
After the day they’d had yesterday and with the upcoming reception and then the trip home, Reshma wanted to make the most of the day they had left, so she decided to book a table at a nearby seafood restaurant for her and Zafar, which had come highly recommended. If she was feeling brave enough, she could tell him how she felt. She didn’t think the L word would scare him off. They’d come a long way in a short period of time and she was confident that they were in a good place and she was sure of her feelings for him. And they only had a few days left in this glorious location. Wouldn’t this be the best way to bring this trip to a close and then take that momentum back home with them?
Safiya and Daadi thought it was a wonderful idea. ‘Perfect. It’ll give us two a chance to catch up,’ Safiya had said enthusiastically, though that’s not quite how it worked out.
By the time Zafar eventually rolled out of bed, the lunchtime window had come and gone and Safiya had left. She’d had lunch with Reshma and Daadi and with promises to see them the next day, she had made her way back to her villa.
Daadi decided to go and rest after that. ‘You both carry on. I’ll be with Bilqis and Ruqayyah later on. Jawad said he’d come and collect me.’
Zafar looked at Reshma in confusion as Daadi went to her room. ‘Aren’t we going there too? Surely, everyone will still be getting together at Auntie Ruqayyah’s villa.’
Reshma nodded, unable to keep the I-know-something-you-don’t smile off her face. ‘Everyone will be there, but that’s not wherewe’regoing.’
He smiled at her while still frowning. ‘O-K. Is it a surprise?’
‘Kind of. Just get changed into something smart and comfortable.’
He did as she asked and when Reshma met him downstairs after getting ready herself, he took her breath away. He was only in a simple pair of trousers and shirt, but he looked so good, all she wanted to do was stare. Absorb the fact that this man was hers.
He made no secret of the fact that he was looking at her intently from head to toe. She was in a black and red dress which accentuated her curves and she’d left her hair in loose waves to cascade around her shoulders. Sparkly sandals and smoky eye make-up completed her look and she knew she’d nailed it because Zafar’s lips were parted, before he swallowed hard, staring at her unblinking.
She closed the distance between them and pushed his chin up with her finger. He smiled at her. ‘Shall we?’
