"Iqra",I heard a voice which brought me back from the day dreaming. "Yah",I said.
"Did you hear?",Sameera said shaking me. "What",I replied. "Stop disturbing her, she is too busy planning her honeymoon", Arzoo said looking at me with a smile on her face,clearly a devil's one. "Aah not again, don't you all have anything else to talk about other than my marriage? And yah,what were you saying Sameera?",I said looking at my cut. "See,you don't listen when we talk about any thing else other than your marriage,Iqra.And more over we are here for that reason only.", Sadia said while looking at Arzoo, probably telling her to do something."No, I was not thinking of my marriage or honeymoon, but of-", I stopped, looking away from them, towards the window. "Iqra, please",Aaeyma said placing her hands on my shoulder."Yes,Iqra it's high time now that you forget about it!",Arzoo said hugging me from back,Sameera and Sadia joined her."Yup,I know. And I am trying. But thank you guys!,for being such good buddies",I said and a tear event off my eye. "We are not that good",Sameera stood up,giving nods to everyone.They all jumped on me trying to tickle me, Aaeyma,standing at a safe distance from us,watched.
Finally the D Day came, the day all have awaited for so long. Did I too?. Beautician from the NYX STUDIO was called to do the magic of makeup on me. This was one of the gift that Omar had earlier texted me. I didn't knew what all surprises Omar had planned for me. I wondered why he was doing soo much already,even though we were not still married. Omar Abdullah the Only son of his parents after two daughters and a big brother to a seventeen years old sister. His elder sisters were married and even had kids. He, the solo heir of the well known construction business company 'Abdullah And Sons".He is rich. I still did not get,as to why Omar was marrying me!,the reason which I knew was certainly not good enough,for taking such a prime decision of his life.I sometimes ponder over the decision and inevitably it comes to me as an act done out of iniquity. He deserves and even can get a lot better.I belonged to the middle class,but we had everything that we needed. Allhumdulliah.For my parents I was the most good looking girl,obviously. But I didn't find it the way they did. Even my friends were annoyed because of the eye that I had for myself.This do not mean that I did not find my self pretty, but surely not the way as all my closed one thought of me.
The Beautician surely did magic on me. No one,except the Beautician and me were in my room.There were strick orders from my Mum that no one should enter my room as it was decorated because Omar will be here,shortly.But as always friends are exceptions.
Sameera,Arzoo,Sadia and Aaeyma gasphed in astonishment seeing me fully dressed. Standing in front of the full mirror I examined myself. 'Ma sha Allah' I said,trying to believe what I was seeing. "You really did an amazing job",I said turning my face from the mirror to the Beautician."Thanks, but I just enhanced your features. You are really pretty.",she said,starting to pack up her things. "Only she was remaining to tell you that", Sameera said giving a sigh. "Yah!" All other said in agreement to it. "She will believe only when Omar bhai will tell that",Sadia said and every one shouted a big yes. "Okay whatever",I said.Zara entered the room and stood at the door for a moment and ran towards me to give a hug. "Aapi,you are looking so stunning!", zara said with a voice that was on the verge of breaking."Today,I will believe you!,and don't start crying.Your makeup and my dress will be affected badly." I said trying to sound funny and hiding tears. "Yah",she said leaving me. "The Qazi (person who carries out the Nikah ceremony) along with Abu, Hamza ,Chachu (paternal uncle), Mamu(maternal uncle),Maaz are going to come within half an hour.Mom, I ,and your friends will be here along with all the ladies from our family.",She said continuing, "Ammy told you to get ready and sit on the bed.
I will be back with Ammy within 15 minutes", saying this she kissed me on my cheek and left. My friends helped me with sitting on the bed as my ankel still maimed.Sitting there I started praying to Allah to help me live up to the expectations of everyone and most important Omar's. Omar's Nikah ceremony will be carried out in Masjid and after that they will come home,to have lunch and dinner at my place. It is always ladies first,when asking for marriage in our religion.All the ladies from Omar's side who were close to the family were here. They came to my room to see me. All the relatives leaving Omar's mother and his three sisters,went downstairs after examining me, if I am good enough for the family, mainly in terms of beauty,maybe.My friends left too. Giving the privacy that I wanted with my 'going to be family'. They all introduced themselves to me. Noora Abdullah the eldest of all, was married and blessed with two sons, Ameen and Aziz. The second, Safia married with a beautiful daughter, Maryam. I had seen them for the first time as Noorah livied in Dubai and Safia in Qatar. The children were not here.They were at Omar's place. Should I start calling Omar's home, mine?,maybe, soon enough,only more 15 minutes,as a single. The youngest of all Saimah, seventeen years old, in l2th grade. I found all of them every friendly. They all had dressed up soo perfectly, all in floor length gowns, designed in best way to bring out their well toned body. I wondered how Safia and Noorah managed their body so well after pregnancy. I thought of asking so that I could tell Aaeyma, thinking it to be too early I just led the thought to veer off. Their dresses complimented their good looks making them the prettiest ones. Even Hareem aunty was so well dressed. In white saari,a designer piece,surely. I had already make out that it was from her, that they inherited the genes of beauty. I had still not seen Omar's father, my father in law,Mansoor Abdullah.
Ammy,Zara,Sameera,Arzoo,Aaeyma, Sadia along with my paternal and maternal aunts came in. My in laws left the room and Zara adjusted my dress while my friends wore their hijabs. After few minutes Dad,Hamza,Maaz along with the Qazi and my paternal and maternal uncles entered the room. Qazi began to recite a few verses from the HOLY QURAN, and mentioning a few things and Mahr (a gift to bride from the groom),he turned towards me and asked, "Do you agree to this marriage?". All of a sudden my past was in front of my eyes, one scene after another rolling like a movie in my mind,the events,the painfull words, sleepless nights,I could not feel or hear anything. Tears began to fill my eyes,my heart beating fast. "Do you agree to this marriage?",again the Qazi asked me. I closed my eyes,tears went down rolling,a face came in front of my eyes. I said........