Disaster's Aid

I open my eyes to see myself staring at eyes.

A teddy bear.

I shiver and throw the thing off the coffee table.

Creepy.

I drag myself up and massage my neck.

Jet lag had me pass out on the couch. I glance at the decorative fireplace and the brown leather sofa set that matches the deep maroon carpets. I stretch my arms and blink the sleep out of my eyes. I trudge up the dark wooden stairs to grab some clothes from my room for a refreshing shower. I rub my headache. I forgot to take off my hijab and undo the bun on my head before passing out.

I open the door and snap the light on and gasp.

"Oh yeah." I breathe. Tariq's sleeping form is draped with the flowery purple comforter my mom bought me to match my walls. He is resting on his stomach and his hands almost reach the striped rug on the floor.

I forgot about my husband.

I tiptoe to my closet and roll my suitcase and his duffel bag to the side. I pull out a pair of jeans and a long blue dress. I head to my drawers and quietly shuffle the clothes inside.

I glance back to make sure he is still sleeping. Both of us still wearing the shalwar kameez we traveled in yesterday. My eye catches my alarm clock and I can see it is 3:20 AM. Fajr ends at 4:00 AM.

I still have time for a quick shower.

I head into my bathroom and shower quickly and wrap my hair into a towel on the top of my head. I do wudu and pick up my shalwar kameez. I slip out of the door and drop my clothes into my hamper and drape the towel on the closet door.

I unroll my prayer mat and place it on the ground. I turn to wake up Tariq to see him staring at me somewhat surprised.

"Hey Tariq, it's fajr time. Get up and do wudu."

He unwraps himself from the comforter and walks into the bathroom and I hear the water running.

I pick up a chador from my closet and wrap it around my head. Around my hair. Oh wow, Tariq just saw my hair for the first time.

I quickly unroll another prayer mat and place it behind the first.

Great, first I forget about my husband, and now I'm acting as if we've been married for a year.

I pray two sunnah, and Tariq stands on the prayer mat in front of me and says athan and then he does sunnah prayer. I wait for him while he prays. Then he leads the prayer and we do the two farz of fajr (the dawn prayer).

(Athan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QK1mZs0kCvI)

We also had prayed Maghrib (the sunset prayer) and Isha (the night prayer) together yesterday. He has the most beautiful voice when he recites Quran. It's so weird that he is just reciting out loud for me because it sounds so perfect. Mashaa Allah (As God has willed, said to show appreciation).

I put my hands up to pray for heaven and Tariq turns around and waits for me to finish making dua.

"Hey Sara, can I ask you something?" Tariq says.

I just had to go make things more awkward.

"Sorry about earlier Tariq, about my hair, I wasn't thinking. Sorry about that. It must've been so weird." I say.

"No that's okay, I'm your husband so you don't have to wear it. I was just surprised. You're really beautiful." He looks at me honestly and I can't help the small smile that forms on my face. "I wanted to ask about driving, can you drive?" Tariq says and sits on his knees.

"Um, yeah, I can drive. What's up?"

"I can't drive here yet because I don't have a licence and I was going to make breakfast for you, but there's isn't really anything to make since you all left a few weeks ago."

"Oh. I can go get some stuff right now." I bolt up and rush to the door.

Tariq stands and holds my hand.

"Won't the stores me closed? It's almost four in the morning. You will have to wait."

"Here in Canada we have 24 hour stores. I'll just be back." I pat his head.

He laughs.

"I like Canada more already." I smile and head down the stairs to grab my keys and purse.

"Assalamulaikum Sara!" Tariq calls from upstairs.

"Walaikumalaisalam." I say as I head out.

When I return from the grocery store I make french toast and take the plates to my room. Tariq is sound asleep. I put the steaming food on my desk and I shake his shoulder.

"Hey wake up, Tariq, wakey wakey."

Tariq bolts up and looks at me. A hand on his heart.

"Oh it's you. Sorry Sara." I smile.

"I'm sorry, I just brought you something to eat. It's called french toast."

"French?"

"It's just sugar, milk, eggs and bread." I roll my desk chair to the bed.

I place the plate in front of him and start to eat my own.

"Bismillah" We both say.

"Sara, do you think I'm fat?" He says looking at his plate piled high with toast.

I giggle. Seriously, he's built, I don't want him to starve while he's with me and he comes up with the most cliche question ever.

"I just want you to be full, does it taste okay?"

"It's delicious, but just so you know, I'm not fat."

I look at his arm and see muscles under his shirt and then I look down and keep eating.

"I know."

We eat in silence and I roll side to side in my chair.

"Sara, today we can explore Canada." Tariq says and places our plates on the desk.

"Okay, go shower and I'll get Backpack." I say smiling.

"Okay." Tariq says slowly.

"Don't you know Dora the Explorer?"

"Is that an English book? I've read quite a lot English literature, but I don't know."

"Uh, it's just a TV show. Just go get ready."

This is going to be an interesting day.