(Not) The Substitute

Eps 116 - Will not be replaced

Arfan woke up from his sleep and he smiled when he found his wife who was still asleep in his arms, Arfan tidied Elnaz's hair was messy and disturbed his beautiful face.

"love you, dear" whispered Arfan in the ear of his wife, making her writhing was disturbed in her sleep. But in the next second, Elnaz fell asleep again.

Arfan uncovers the blanket and then he picks up his boxer pants from inside the bag, he puts on his and rushes to the bathroom for a mandatory shower as it is about to enter dawn.

When Arfan was in the bathroom, Elnaz woke up when he did not feel Arfan was on his side. Elnaz squirms and he tries to sit down, stretching his body that feels crumpled because of the actions of Arfan last night who does not want to stop even though Elnaz is no longer energetic. Arfan keeps arguing that it's their first night and Arfan won't stop.

Both of them fell asleep an hour ago and Elnaz was really tired.

Elnaz pulled out the blanket and covered some of his non-wearing body under it.

Arfan's vibrating phone caught Elnaz's attention, he reached out and tried to grab her husband's phone on the nightstand.

When she saw Nadine's name on her husband's phone, the woman sent a message and Elnaz opened it.

The message contained good morning and the question How is the night of Arfan.

Elnaz ignores the message and puts her husband's phone back where it was.

Arfan came out of the bathroom and he smiled to find his wife who was awake.

"But brother purposely did not wake you up, El. You must be tired" said Arfan while drying his hair with a towel.

"Sister Arfan will know, El feels uncomfortable if there is no Arfan next to El" said Elnaz smiling which certainly makes Arfan also smile.

"Darling, you are very smart to make your husband float" said Arfan "Mandi gih, it's been adhan tuh..."

Elnaz came down with his body still wrapped in a blanket, making Arfan chuckle.

Elnaz took a bath, of course, because of what they did last night. And during the bath, Elnaz thought of Nadine. As a fellow woman, Elnaz could see Nadine's interest in Arfan. Elnaz knew Arfan couldn't possibly turn on him but he also didn't guarantee it.

After bathing, Elnaz put on a bathrobe and wrapped her long hair in a towel. After that he came out and he saw Arfan who was preparing a meal and mukena Elnaz, Arfan was dressed very neatly now.

"O Allah, make our marriage one of the paths to your heaven, give me patience and sincerity in the service of my husband and my son. And I ask you, O almighty One who hears and bestows prayer, make me one of the beloveds of the heart in the heart of my husband, make me one of the partners in my husband's life, don't let anyone take it from me. Because I love her so much and I can't afford to lose her. Keep us away from bad people, keep us away from all bad things. Ridhoi our marriage and make us a true partner in the world and the akirat"

Elnaz closed his eyes and he was very solemn in asking what he was expecting. Even Elnaz said the prayer repeatedly in his heart so that he did not realize Arfan had finished praying and was now staring at him.

Elnaz opened his eyes and his gaze was immediately met with the gaze of Arfan who always managed to make his heart beat violently.

"What are you asking for, honey?" arfan asked softly, because when praying earlier, Elnaz's forehead even slightly shriveled so solemnly that Elnaz prayed.

"El prayed, may El's place be irreplaceable in Arfan's heart and in Arfan's life" replied Elnaz then who made Arfan smile gently.

"No one can take the place of a wife, dear. What else is a very dear sister's wife, who is pregnant with her first child. You're too precious for what I don't think of deviating from you" Elnaz smiled, pulling Arfan's hand and pecking at the back of his hand.

"May God preserve our love and relationship, Brother'

"Aamiin"

...

Arfan and Elnaz are ready to check out from the hotel when it's noon. And Arfan checked his phone, frowning when Nadine's message opened.

Arfan read the message and thought that Elnaz must have read it. But Arfan was surprised because Elnaz was not angry as usual, his wife was actually gentle and calm.

"But he said..." Arfan remembered what Elnaz said after the dawn prayer.

Her Elnaz must have felt jealous and scared again, and to be sure, her Elnaz must have felt insecure again. Arfan let out a heavy sigh but his lips smiled.

On the way home, Arfan held Elnaz's hand with his left hand while his right hand was on the steering wheel. Arfan kissed the back of Elnaz's hand many times and said.

"You will not be replaced, my dear"