“Angel, wake up,” a familiar baritone caressed Jane’s ear.
She wriggled onto her back and peeked through her lashes.
Her husband towered over her, his light-colored cotton shirt unbuttoned. A trail of black hair ran down his tight abs and disappeared underneath the waistband of his wide trousers.
Jane’s breath quickened.
A crease formed between Mahsood’s eyebrows. “Get up and go to the kitchen before Ilma tayii starts breakfast.” His wet, just-out-of-the-shower locks shined in the sunlight that filtered through the window behind him.
Jane cleared her throat. “To do what?”
“Something, or wait for her.”
“Mmmm…” He wasn’t making sense. Still angry about Hassan, or merely being his uptight self? She’d thought last night had resolved the argument between them. After returning home, he’d escaped into the mancave with Uncle and Awad. She’d fallen asleep waiting for him, but he’d wakened her as had become their habit. He wanted sex every night, regardless of time or mood, and she gave it with pleasure. Too bad that in the mornings he became a stranger.
“All right.” She sat up, letting the blanket slip from her naked breasts. 56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX7d20zFYnz
His gaze glided to her collarbone and lower to her mounds. Mahsood swallowed. A faint blush crept up his cheeks.
Jane pulled forward and got on her knees. Dropping the covers from the rest of her body, she crawled toward him and sat on her heels. Her palms landed on his hips, pulling him closer until her mouth touched the spot above his belly button.
Mahsood shivered. “Oh…”
His flesh burnt her lips. She kissed his chest, moving down, sucking his skin until she reached the edge of his pants and with her tongue traced a path along it.
Mahsood’s fingers dug into her hair, clutching and tugging at it.
A wave of heat built in Jane’s lower abdomen. She drew her palm along his stomach and wrapped it around the bulge between his legs.
Mahsood arched his back, planting himself firmer into her fist.
With her teeth, she tugged at the strings of his trousers, undoing them. Her hand dove in and found his length. Locking it in her grasp, she fondled it.
Her husband followed the motion, thrusting with the rhythm of her caresses.
Oh my. She’d love to see him orgasm. She buried her nose in his groin and with her tongue trailed to his sex.
“Haram,” he whispered.
She brushed her bottom lip against the tip of his penis.
He gripped her shoulder and shoved her back.
Jane tumbled, her butt crashing into the mattress. “What the…?”
With his pants down and his shirt undone, Mahsood leaped out of the room. The door slammed behind him.
She sighed. Did the daylight scare him or her lips touching him down there? She straightened up, the ends of her hair brushing against her hardened nipples. He’d left her stranded, and now she had to suffer till nighttime. Jane huffed as she climbed off the bed and marched to the shower.
Twenty minutes later, dressed in a pair of jeans and a T, she descended to the first floor and entered the kitchen.
The rays of the sun reflected on the cookware that filled the stove and the counter. On the other side of the French windows, bumblebees zoomed over potted plants, and a hummingbird floated atop a feeder. Samira perched on a chair and rested her chin on her hand. Rafa, beside her, studied a paper and chewed on a pencil. Muffled male voices resounded from the dining room. 56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgVumP6o4EC
Jane took a seat at the table. “Where’s Aunt Ilma?” 56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjjDdGskedE
Samira yawned. “She doesn’t wake up ‘til eight.”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYUJVHAOLUX
So, Mahsood had stirred her for nothing. 56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcNpDuFkzfc
Rafa rubbed her forehead and exhaled.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlh0A9cugb5
Jane peeked at the document she was holding. Someone’s math homework. 56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdPj681wz6N
“Transfer this term and take the square root,” Jane said. 56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxOQGwKOwSO
“You know this, Miss Jane?” A grin spread on Rafa’s chubby face. “Praise be to Allah! My son failing, and tutor costs much. So, I’m trying, but I’m no math person.” 56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6raSeYbz3v
Sadly, most people weren’t. 56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRr3pkZbSHG
“Let me see.” Jane moved the sheet in front of her and took the writing instrument from Rafa. She wrote out the solutions to each problem and added explanations on the margin. 56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKIV5F0wyes
“You comprehend these squiggles, beti?” Aunt Ilma’s voice resounded next to Jane’s temple. “Can you help Tariq and Daniel? They struggle too.”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO6bRC2GCXC
“Sure.” Jane glanced up and smiled. “Is that the reason Mahsood sent me here?”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy9j5Evf0wQ
Aunt Ilma chuckled. “That boy! He keeps hope to make you a fine daughter-in-law. But, beti, don’t worry.” She waved. “I’m old for drama. You school my grandsons, and I don’t force you do housework.”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBdtnH0mf31
Wise decision. Her work schedule wouldn’t mix well with slaving over pots and pans, yet…56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxyA2WswYxx
“Aunt, will you still teach me the family recipes?”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGcgxKWoM1g
Aunt Ilma smirked. “Khan’s legacy infected you. Which of us could resist? Only one…” Her gaze trailed downward, but she shook her head and met Jane’s eyes. “Cook dinner with Samira. Today, we have biryani, dal soup, dahi with vegetables, and fried cottage cheese.”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC63c664j3w
Ouch. She’d bitten off too much. But, Samira would watch over her. She’d better. Or, the household might end up hungry.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3T4ZoyPf0U
“Eat and go to living room. Boys wait for you there.” Aunt Ilma trudged toward the doorway, stopped, and looked back. “Don’t talk about their mother. They don’t remember and for the best.”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZaJXxMLLDV
“I’ll focus on schoolwork.”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDeefaeeYyj
Aunt Ilma nodded. 56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl76QbqhOLZ
Once the old lady departed, Jane munched on bread with jam, washed it down with cold tea, and headed to the living room. She crossed the threshold and looked around. 56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiswWBJ6O8i
No sign of her students.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv818A0BzY3
A large TV sprawled in the center, and bookshelves lined the opposite wall. A brick fireplace hid behind a carved screen, and above it, hung a wedding portrait of young Uncle and Aunt in traditional crimson outfits. A photo of Awad in graduation cap and gown perched on a mantle next to a shot of caramel-eyed toddlers lounging on a green lawn. 56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg2kkEeByKJ
“Will you be our aunt?” the words rang behind her. 56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdzLGx42uWS
Jane jerked away from the pictures and spun around.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8zdF0kcSCz
Two pairs of light-brown eyes studied her. The twins’ cropped chocolate-colored curls meandered at the level of her chin. 56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcTDOJSjBPq
She coughed. “I guess.”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPAjGee2u83
She hadn’t signed up as anyone’s aunt, but it came with being Mahsood’s wife, so she had to cope. 56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDWqiAhnzAr
“I’m Jane.”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmleJdR56FS
“Daniel. And that’s Tariq.” Daniel waved at his brother, who stared at the carpet underneath his feet.
“Nice to meet you both. I heard you’re having trouble with this stuff.” She gestured to the binders they held in their arms. “Tell me what’s not clear.”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyU9rs7alcY
“Many things.” Daniel gazed at the ceiling. “When to put the number above the line and when below, how much sugar goes into cookies, and the name for segments that do this.” He swung his notebook to the right. “And the deci’s and kilo’s, and why can’t we write everything in inches?”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIWIYvlJwId
Jane rubbed her cheek. She’d take it slow and sort through this rubbish. It was only middle school homework. She got this. She shifted her attention to Tariq. 56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKWcXiw9H68
His profile, albeit identical to Daniel’s, possessed a softer curve. Compared to his brother’s sharp, boyish features, Tariq’s nose seemed neater and mouth smaller.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe0wiQOEkUm
“And you?” she asked him. 56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxi25lIRvyt
“I understand everything.” His response tumbled out in a hushed raspy tone.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGY46m9gdrk
“Don’t worry about him. He’s got a difficult personality,“ Daniel said. “Teach him the same as me.”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8dgqx2oJxW
Jane grinned. Tariq must’ve inherited his grumpiness from Uncle Mahsood. 56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1UIPtS8gJk
“Okay. Show me your assignments.” 56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1YNcIGOpVq
The three of them settled around the coffee table and spread their worksheets. The standard set of homework included fractions, word problems, and unit conversions. Daniel managed the easier calculations but stumbled on multi-part questions. 56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6G6MPEW7i1
“Break it into steps and then solve.”56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVGdlUUDK7H
“Like this?” He raised his head from the paper.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Z9RB4Db4s
Jane patted his shoulder. “Good job.” 56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVpfekhnqBx
His face lit up, and he laughed out loud. “I knew it. It was easy.” Daniel clicked his tongue and wriggled in the armchair. 56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqbRGMjIwfd
Warmth tingled in Jane’s chest. What a wonderful child. If she could have a son like him, her life would be fulfilled. 56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡARWaq188Hy
“Tariq, your turn.” She turned to the other brother.
He slouched over his work, producing neat firm markings with his pacer.
“Did you understand the question I explained to Daniel?”
Silence. His focus remained on the paper.
Maybe, he didn’t know the answer and was embarrassed.
“And the one-step problems?” she asked.
“He knows,” said Daniel. “He’s better than me at math. Just doesn’t wanna talk.”
“Why?”
Daniel glanced toward the hallway, and his voice dropped to a whisper. “We heard Samira say you’re the same as…her.”
“Shut up, Danny.” Tariq jumped up from his seat. “You blabber like a chic.”
Daniel clasped his hands together. “Please don’t tell grandma. She’ll be upset.”
Jane gaped. “Of course.”
Aunt Ilma had forbidden any mention of Ruby, and she wouldn’t want any trouble with the old lady. And after her recent conversation with Rafa, Samira’s comparison didn’t come as a surprise. She would become Ruby’s shadow at least until she’d prove otherwise.
“Even if I resemble…someone,” Jane paused and beheld the boys, “I'm a different person, and you should judge me by my own actions. Don't you think?”
Daniel giggled. “Yes, ma’am.”
Tariq chewed his lip. “I can do all the questions except for the bonus. Can you help me…please?”
“Yes, dear. I’d be happy to.”
She slid closer to him and flipped the page to the last problem. Jane explained the concepts to the twins until they completed the assignment. Later, they ran off to lunch, and she trudged to the kitchen.
She sighed as she stepped into the sunlit space. Making food alongside Samira would feel uneasy. The woman had acted distant and tightlipped, but Jane had thought her to be tired and busy. Now she knew—Samira didn’t like her.
Jane pulled a drumstick and a piece of tortilla from the lunch leftovers. She picked at them as she surveyed the ingredients laid out for dinner.
“The meat is for biryani. Cut it and put it into that.” Samira pointed to a large clay pot on the stove.
“Okay.” Jane dropped the chicken bone into the trashcan and lifted the hefty vessel placing it by the cutting board.
“The spices are in the cabinet. Mix together everything in the top row.”
“How much of each?”
“A pinch.”
Awfully unspecific directions. With such a teacher, she’d produce an inedible dish. Time to seek assistance from Uncle Google. Jane fished her phone out of her pocket and searched for a biryani recipe. She measured the ingredients according to the instructions, stir-fried the beef, packed it into the pot, and set it to boil.
“The rice must be undercooked,” Samira said.
“How long should I keep it on?”
“The middle has to be solid, or biryani will turn into mush.”
Jane blinked. They spoke different languages.
“I check if it’s ready.” Aunt Ilma plodded through the doorway and toward Jane. “Open. Carefully.”
Jane slid the lid sideways.
A burst of hot steam shot up, revealing a pile of white grains peppered with pieces of brown meat.
Aunt Ilma nodded. “Should be done.”
Samira transferred the biryani onto a platter and placed it on a tray next to cut-up veggies with yogurt. Rafa marched out first carrying a porcelain tureen. Samira hurried behind her.
Jane followed them to the glazed doors of the dining room and peeked inside.
Mahsood, Awad, and Uncle Gafar gathered around the massive table set with fine china.
Samira placed her load in the center.
“Jane made the biryani,” she said.
Uncle Gafar's hand froze halfway to the rice and, after a moment, redirected toward the soup. Awad picked up a few grains with his fork, and raised it to his eyes, studying. Mahsood scooped a good-sized portion onto his plate and dug in. He chewed her creation with a poker face, then swallowed.
Jane’s heart fluttered. He ate it. Fantastic. Perhaps, Aunt Ilma’s commentary had been on point. Her cooking held a deeper meaning to Mahsood—it confirmed her role in his life and his family. And if so, she could try harder. She smirked. Bring it on—the biryanis, kebabs, pea soups, strong-smelling curries, and milky desserts. If food somehow connected her to her husband, she would make it all. And make it splendidly. Jane hummed as she walked back.
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