Damsel In Distress (COMPLETED✓)

EPILOGUE | DAMSEL IN DISTRESS

Life with Aariz was surreal. He might not have said it in words, but he made her feel loved every day.

She felt loved when he looked at her as if she were the only thing he wanted to see in the world. She felt loved when he slept with his arms around her, holding her tight as if afraid she would slip away from his grasp and be lost forever. She felt loved when he spoke to her or listened to her speak, giving her his undivided attention as if she were the most important person in his life. She felt loved when he always filled her plate with food before his own and insisted she finish it. She felt loved when he took charge of everything, ensuring her safety and well-being.

She felt loved when he surprised her with presents and took her out to fancy dinner dates. She felt loved when he held her hand while driving or massaged her feet while they lounged in their living room. She felt loved when he watched her instead of the movie they were supposed to be watching, and when he played with her hair or carried her around the house when she felt lazy.

She felt loved sitting on the counter, reading cooking instructions while he prepared meals. She felt loved every time he touched her, kissed her, hugged her, cuddled with her, and slept beside her. Even when he was not physically present, his texts brought a smile to her face, and his calls made her heart race.

Laiba was surprised at how easy and natural intimacy felt with him, considering she had never been with a man before. It shocked her to recall a time when they didn't share a bed and went days without touching each other. Now, they couldn't keep their hands off each other and couldn't fall asleep without one another. Though it wasn't long ago, it already felt like a distant memory, a bad dream fading from her mind.

Laiba couldn't thank Allah enough for the beautiful life He had blessed her with. She had everything she could have only dreamt of. Sometimes, the blessings scared her. She could feel herself becoming attached to the world, feeling spoiled by materialistic things and worldly enjoyment. She feared she was prioritizing her love for her husband over her love for her Lord. The guilt weighed heavily on her whenever she delayed salah or went a day without reading the Qur'an. She worried she was becoming distracted and drifting away from her faith.

To counteract this, Laiba began striving for spiritual fulfillment day in and day out, subtly reminding Aariz of the importance of their faith. She wanted their house to be a home that remembered Allah day and night. She woke him up for Fajr and attempted to offer prayers together at home. Here is how it went:

**Day 1:**

After finishing his Salah, Aariz turned to Laiba, only to find her crying.

"What happened?" he panicked, grabbing her arms and shaking her back and forth, "Why are you crying? Is everything okay? Did someone say or do something to hurt you? Did I hurt you? Don't tell me it's your father. Actually, tell me if it's him or whoever it is, I swear to God I'll—"

"STOP!" she exclaimed, leaving her dua unfinished. "No one did anything to me! I was making dua! And one is supposed to cry in dua! It's recommended! Ya Allah, help me!" She rose and left, frustrated at being disturbed.

**Day 2:**

After Salah, Aariz rested his head on Laiba’s lap, and she ran her fingers through his hair.

"Have I fulfilled your fantasy now?" he asked.

"What fantasy?" she replied, puzzled.

"You know, the ones Muslimahs like you have."

"And what do Muslimahs like me fantasize about?" she inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"You know, offering Salah with their husbands, making him rest his head on their lap, and running their fingers through his hair," he explained.