HALF AN HOUR BEFORE THE GROOM AND HIS FRIENDS ARRIVE

3:26PM.

The makeup artist had just finished doing Aydah's makeup. Aydah finally glanced at herself in the mirror and her matte cerise covered lips stretch into a smile. She looked up and thanked the makeup artist telling her that she'll change into her outfit herself.

Just as Aydah stood up and fixed her white robe she turned to face the MUA that's staring at someone behind Aydah making her look back wondering who it is—she knew the girls were having their makeup done so who could it be. Her brows furrow in surprise when she saw who the person was. Her heart jumped to her stomach as dread filled her.

Did she do something wrong again?

No, it can't be. She didn't pull any stunt since the leaving the house one.

Nevertheless, she had to face him, "Ya Bilal..." she breathed out her voice coming out shaky but she didn't bother to hide it because it will be a waste of time. Any person that looks at her face will know that she's nervous—no, petrified will be the right word. "Can I help you with something?" she asked as her heart beats loudly in her ribcage.

She knew he wasn't there to wish her a happy married life, heck the man doesn't even talk to her until when it's necessary. It wasn't always like that but at a point in her life he just detached himself away from her for reasons he never knew and was too scared to ask. Pathetic right? But her family always has that type of effect on her. It's basically one of the many reasons she wanted to marry Ammar. At least his family sticks by one another and might never treat her as an outcast. The only people in her family that doesn't make her feel like shit are Ahmad, Hammad, Ada and sometimes her father.

"Can you give us a minute please?" Bilal said to the makeup woman ignoring Aydah's question which admittedly hurt her. She blinked and looked down not wanting him to see that though it's pointless.

"Of course Sir" the makeup woman said not spending another minute in the room as she walked out to give the two some privacy.

Once she was out and closed the door behind her, Bilal walked towards Aydah's king size bed and patted the space next to him for her to sit, and she did just that scared that if she doesn't, he'll scold her.

They sat in silence for a few minutes and all the while Aydah had been looking down suddenly finding her henna that she had done the night before interesting. She didn't know whether he was looking at her or not but whatever the case might be, it didn't ease her nerves.

"Aydah..." he started making her inhale sharply, "I don't know how to say this and even if I do I know no words can justify my actions towards you over the years"

This made Aydah's head shot up as she looked at him with slightly widened eyes, is he apologizing? She wondered as she stared at her eldest brother as if he'd grown two heads.

"I know it seems and sounds unbelievable to you but I really am apologizing though sorry is just a word until proven otherwise by someone's action" he said. "But" he stopped then as his eyes met hers, she saw something she hasn't seen in her brother's eyes for years, care. "I know you've always wondered what changed between us right?" he asked making her nod.

"I just assumed I did something wrong, especially considering what happened with Safwan" she said looking down as she fiddles with her fingers. But she was right in a way, ever since what happened with Safwan that's when her brother became so distant from her

"In a way you're right" Bilal said, "But Aydah, I didn't become this way because I hate you for falling in love with the wrong guy" he said sincerely making her blink. He sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair finding the right words to use, "See Aydah the thing is you remember what happened with Safwan vividly right? He messes with this family entirely. He had Ahmad kidnapped and made us almost go bankrupt, that was the worse stage in our family's life. Do you remember Ummita's reaction when Ahmad was found after two weeks of being kidnapped?" he asked looking up as his eyes met hers.

She nodded grimly, how could she forget the first time they all saw Ummita cry. Ahmad was in such a bad condition that even their father shed a few tears. They all almost lost home of Ahmad surviving but thankfully he did. And that time they were financially instable as they've spent more than half of their wealth in paying the kidnappers and their business that was 'coincidentally' failing at that same time so they used the money they needed to save their business for Ahmad to regain his health.

It was a time in their lives that none of them wanted to relive.

"How can I ever forget?" she asked turning her head to stare ahead as if reliving everything that happened, "It was the first day I saw Ummitah cry. Who knew she cared about her children?" Aydah didn't care how cold her tone sounded at the moment. "It was also the time I almost dropped out of school to help Dad run the family business because..."

"Because I couldn't" Bilal finished off the statement sounding ashamed. But, the sad fact is that she didn't pity him one bit as he said that.

Aydah turned to look at him with her eyes filling up with tears and at the moment their roles were reversed, she was now the one angry at him not the other way round. "You should've been there. You are the eldest not me!" she raised her voice slightly making him hung his head low.

"And that's why I distanced myself away from you! I couldn't stand myself knowing that the time my family needed me most I chickened out. And I watched my baby sister take up a role that was supposed to be me but because I couldn't I forced you to change everything of yours for me" he said sounding angry, but not at her, but rather himself.

After what happened with Ahmad, Hammad was stuck to his twin like glue so he couldn't do anything to help. And Bilal being the eldest whom was supposed to be the backbone chickened out because he started drowning himself in alcohol a week after Ahmad was kidnapped because he convinced himself that he was weak and pathetic to be the older brother. He was just a coward that couldn't even save his brother! And after Ahmad was found, his state scared him so much that instead of getting on the right track he chickened out by travelling abroad to get wasted everyday with the money they were managing thereby causing a huge loss to the family.

And that left baby Aydah to take up the role of being the oldest and helped her father with the family business.

She was only seventeen at the time!

Initially she was studying medicine abroad but because of that she deviated to studying business administration. It wasn't what she loved but it was something she had to do for the sake of her family as a whole. That affected her mental health but in between receiving therapy and taking medicine she managed to take care of the business while still going to school to further education until her family was financially stable which took them three years!

And all that happened because of her so called ex boyfriend that was a good for nothing selfish fool.

Eventually, Safwan was sentenced to jail for kidnapping Ahmad though the boy kept claiming that he had nothing to do with it even though all evidence points at him.

But after doing all that for her family, she never got a simple 'thank you' from anyone except from Ada and her dad.

All she yearned for was for her mother and brothers to be proud of her. But if anything they only became colder towards her.

Still, they were family so she loved them and tolerated everything but not anymore. She deserved to be appreciated too!

She turned to look at him again, and when she spoke, her voice came out low. "All I wanted was for you to be proud of me"

Bilal looked immediately and reached out to hold her hand, "I am proud of you Aydah. I really am. And I'm sorry for pushing you away it was just my ego and pride that couldn't stand it but I am really sorry. Wallahi you never did anything to me for me to hate you. I know I don't show it but I love you because you are my baby sister Aydah. And I'm proud of the woman that you have become today"

"That's all I ever wanted to hear" Aydah whispered as she leaned in and hugged him for the first time in nine years.

Bilal hugged her back and patted her head. After a while they both pulled back as Bilal checked the time on his wristwatch, "It's almost time, I should let you get ready"

Aydah smiled as he stood up.

"I'll see you later okay?"

She nodded and watched him walk out after flashing her a small wave and a smile. The minute he was out, her smile fell.

She knew they just make up but it felt too good to be true.

But regardless, she knew they had a long way before they mend their relationship to get back to the way it was before.

That is, if it ever will be possible.

~*~

4:08pm.

Barau Residence.

Ammar laughed making half of them to turn and look at him wondering what the hell is wrong with him while the other half looked annoyed. He however just stared at Aydah who belonged to the latter and shrugged at her not caring about the others. Aydah sighed and shook her head knowing that something must've happened between the two brothers for Ammar to be acting this way.

But, she wasn't planning on asking him what happened knowing it will just end up being something ridiculous. The two brothers are never serious.

JD looked away from Ammar and when his gaze fell on the couple's car, his eyes widened as his brows furrowed. His mouth opens slightly and then closed again as he gaped like a lost fish not knowing what to say.

"What's going on here?" Hammad, Aydah's brother asked seeing that no one was planning on speaking.

"Forget that" Liana said as her gaze locked on Anwar with shock written all over her face, "What happened to you?" she pointed at him making most of them look at him.

Anwar opened his mouth to say something insulting about the women when he turned and his gaze met that of the old woman that was giving him the stinky eye and the look at screamed 'say something stupid. I dare you'.

He gulped and turned around slightly huffing, not loud enough for the woman to hear though but enough for those seeing his face to detect his vex. He placed his arm on his thigh and placed his chin on his palm as he stared at them for a second then looked away.

"Forget about him, he's useless. Now let's talk of the car!" JD said staring at the car in bewilderment. He knew he shouldn't have let Anwar go and help the driver because he will only end up on making things worse and this just proves it.

"How did that happen?" Fahad asked the drivers whom still had a few tears running down his face.

The driver sighed using the back of his hand to wipe the few tears that fell from his eyes, "Alaji...please just ask Hajiya Baba she will explain" he said carefully picking out his words.

The woman poked her head out through the opened window and stretched her hand out slapping the driver's nape of the neck, "Ce maka nayi naje hajji daza ka qirani hajiya? (Did I tell you that I performed Hajj that you will call me Hajiya?)" The woman scolded glaring at him making him wince and move far away from her not wanting a repeat of what happened a few minutes ago. "Maras kunya! (Shameless person)"

"Yi haquri baba (Sorry)" the driver apologized making her hiss.

JD massaged his temples "Baba that car is for the groom and bride"

The old woman hissed, "Toh ni ina ruwana? Wetin conshan me wit that?"

"You're not supposed to be in the car is what he meant" Liana said chipping in only to receive a knee weakening glare from the old women.

"Keh kina nan fara kamar aljana zan mauje ki wallahi! (You are there fair skinned like a jinn I'll give you one blow wallahi!) Iffa give you backhand slap ba!" she hissed again. She then turned to JD, "We are not leaving this car..." Just as she said this another loud fart came from the car followed by two resonating ones making them all scrunch their faces up in disgust.

The woman turned to look at the girl beside her. She sniffed the air before she raised her hand and slapped the napeof the girl's neck, "Yar jakar uba! Kikace bakici alale ba! Ba gashi naji qamshin sa ba! (You said you didn't eat moi moi but I now perceive its smell)" she said sniffing the air again.

Liana made a gag face as she turned clutching Khair's arm, "Ok I think I'm going to throw up"

"Me too" Khair said.

Just then another car similar to that of the bride and the groom's pulled up in the parking lot beside the car making them all look at it. JD then turned to look at Ammar whom shrugged holding his phone in his hand, "What? Surely you don't expect my wife and I to ride in that car right? You know we won't last a minute in there" he said as if it's the most reasonable thing in the world. And in a way it is.

"So you called for another ride?" Aydah asked.

"Yup" Ammar replied taking her hand in his as she pulled her towards the brand new car, "Y'all can either stand there or get in your cars because we are late" he said opening the door for his wife and after she got in, he went over to the other side and got in too.

Almost immediately the rest all got into their various cars including Ammar and the driver whom took another car to go back home, shower and change into another outfit.

Soon enough, they were all on their way to the event leaving the car full of old women in the car stranded with no driver.

"What are we going to do?" One girl asked the old woman.

"How will I know?!" the old woman yelled.

~*~

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6/11/2020.

Love, Jannah.