It's just two weeks until the wedding—my wedding. Ibty and Norah are busy distributing the remaining invitation cards, Ya Meena is following up with the event planners and caterers, while Nabeel is overseeing the photographers. Everyone is making sure everything is on track.

And here I am, sitting in the guest room with Bintu, the mai gyaran jiki. She just finished applying kurkhum to my body, her hands moving with practiced precision as she explained the benefits of the mixture. The earthy scent fills the air, mingling with the faint aroma of scented oils she used earlier. I've been following this ritual for a few days now, and though it's exhausting at times, I can't help but feel a sense of calm and anticipation. It's all part of the preparations for the big day, ensuring I look and feel my best when the day comes.

The lefe will be brought in four days, in sha Allah. Honestly, I can't even begin to describe how I'm feeling right now. It's a whirlwind of emotions—excitement, nervousness, and an overwhelming sense of exhaustion. Everything feels so hectic, and it's as if there's no moment to catch my breath. As much as I'm looking forward to the big day, a part of me can't wait for all of this to be over so I can finally relax.

While waiting for the kurkhum to dry, I picked up my phone and noticed a message from Ni'imah on iMessage.

Ni'imah Yerima: Hey Gelin... how's the preparation?

Me: Hey girl, it is hectic mehn, your side? Na dade ban ganki ba.

Ni'imah Yerima: Ayya, sorry! We have been busy too here wallah... ikr, it's been two weeks since I saw you last.

Me: Wallahi... perks of being a bride. Right now I'm covered in kurkhum... to be honest, I'm so tired of this gyaran jiki. I can't wait for it to be over.

Ni'imah Yerima: Don't worry, it's only a matter of time. In two weeks, you'll be free and officially become my brother's Mrs...

I couldn't help but smile at her words. As exhausting as this process was, moments like these reminded me of the love and support surrounding me.

And that's how Ni'imah and I kept chatting, our conversation flowing effortlessly until it was time to remove the kurkhum after thirty minutes. Bintu expertly scrubbed it off my body, her hands gentle yet firm as she worked. Once she was done, I headed to my room for a warm, soothing shower, letting the water wash away the remnants of the ritual.

Afterward, I slipped into a soft pink bubu that felt light and comfortable against my skin. I gathered my hair into a messy bun, the easiest style I could manage in my current state of exhaustion. Feeling refreshed, I decided to check on Mammy. First, I went to her room, but she wasn't there. Thinking she might be in the kitchen, I made my way there to look for her.

"Anneciğim," I said softly, wrapping my arms around my mother in a warm hug.

"Hi, güzellik (beautiful)," she replied with a gentle smile, planting a kiss on my cheek. "How are you doing?" she asked, her tone full of concern.

"I am so tireddd, Mommy," I pouted, drawing out the 'd' dramatically for effect.

Mammy raised an eyebrow, giving me her classic are you okay? look. I couldn't help but grin cheekily. "But I'm also fine, Elhamdulillah," I added with a playful smile, hoping to reassure her.

I opened the fridge and grabbed an apple to snack on, taking a quick bite before pecking Mammy on the cheek and heading back to my room. I craved some quiet time away from all the commotion.

My room is my favorite place in the house. It's so beautiful and incredibly cozy—everything I could ever want. I still can't believe I'm about to leave it all behind. Oh, my bed, the decorations, the soft lighting... it's like heaven on earth. Goshh!! I'll miss it all. And my little walk-in closet... I will miss that so much! But I tell myself that my matrimonial home will be just as beautiful, especially since I trust Ya Meena's judgment. I'm sure my new house will be stunning.

I lay down on my bed, letting out a sigh as I picked up my phone. Scrolling through Instagram, I saw a message from my cousin on my dad's side, Ruqaiya Hussain. Her dad is my father's younger brother, and we went to the same secondary school. Now, she's studying architecture in Turkey.

Hussain _ruqayya - Leyloş Gelin

Laylahussain- Ruqayyatu, yakike?

Hussain_ruqayya - I'm fine Alhamdulillah, how's the wedding preparation?

Laylahussain - It is hectic mehn...how's school?

Hussain_ruqayya - School's just there. I am coming back next tomorrow inshallah..

Laylahussain - Really? what for??

Hussain_ruqayya - your wedding dumbo, you know I wouldn't miss it for the world.

Laylahussain - Oh, i forgot seff

That's how we talked for a few minutes before I dozed off.

***

I woke up with a start and immediately glanced at the clock. It read 7:14—oh crap, I had missed maghrib. Panicking slightly, I rushed to the toilet, quickly performed wudu, and prayed as best as I could. After I finished, feeling a little more at peace, I made my way downstairs.

Just as I was about to step into the living room, my phone rang. I checked the caller ID and saw it was my fiancé. Smiling, I walked over to the console table in the lobby, sat down, and took a deep breath before answering the call.

"Assalamu alaikum," I said as I picked up the phone.

"Alaikum Salam, beautiful. How are you?" His voice echoed through the phone, the voice I'd grown to love hearing every day.

"I'm fine, alhamdulillah. And you?" I replied, my heart warming at the sound of him.

He sighed softly. "I'm fine too, but work is just overwhelming right now."

"Ayya, I'm so sorry. You should rest. I just woke up myself," I said, genuinely concerned.

"Yeah, I'm heading to Lagos tomorrow, insha'Allah, for a project," he said after a brief pause, as if the weight of his words lingered.

"Okay, Allah ya kaimu, how long will you be staying there?" I asked, curiosity bubbling up.

"I'm spending five days, insha'Allah," he replied.

What?! Five days?

"Okay, Allah ya kaimu, we'll talk later, insha'Allah... Wait... you won't be around for the kawo lefe then?"

"Yeah, I won't be," he said, his voice steady but carrying a hint of regret.

"Oh. Alright. Safe travels," I replied, trying to mask my disappointment, though it lingered in the pit of my stomach.

I sat there for a little while longer, letting my thoughts wander, before heading to the kitchen to grab something to eat. I served myself some dolma, rice pilaf (a Turkish dish), and a glass of cold water. With my plate in hand, I made my way to the living room upstairs where it was quiet and peaceful—just the way I liked it. I switched on the TV and tuned into the Family Channel, where Trolls was playing.

I was enjoying my meal when Ya Muhammad walked in and plopped down on the three-seater couch next to mine.

"Hey, Hafsatu," he greeted casually.

"Ya Muhammad, what's up?" I asked, not looking away from the screen.

He glanced at me for a moment, then asked, "How are you doing?"

"I don't know how I'm feeling right now," I replied honestly, my voice carrying a hint of uncertainty.

"Is it about the wedding? About leaving Mammy and Daddy?" he asked, trying (and failing) to stifle a laugh.

"Maybe," I answered quietly, and that was when he couldn't hold back any longer and burst into laughter.

"It's not funny, Ya Muhammad," I whined, crossing my arms and pouting.

He smiled gently, clearly trying to reassure me. "Don't worry, kuzum," he said, patting my head affectionately. "I trust Muhammad, he'll take very good care of you."

Then, without missing a beat, he grabbed the remote and switched the channel to Eurosport, his attention fully on the screen.

I finished my food and carried the plate to the kitchenette before heading downstairs to the living room. The room was buzzing with conversation—Mammy, Ibty, Norah, Ya Hannah (Ibty's sister), Ya Meena, and my aunties were all talking animatedly about the wedding preparations.

I quietly entered and took a seat next to my Nazlı Teyze, soaking in the warmth of their chatter. Mammy's sisters had all come from Istanbul for the wedding. She has four sisters—one older and three younger—and a brother, and it felt like the house was filled with so much love and energy because of their presence.

"Leyla, you're going to Esma Teyze's house on Saturday," Ya Meena said, giving me a small smile. I just nodded in response, letting the plans settle in my mind.

"Senin sorunun ne? What is wrong with you?" Norah asked, her concern evident.

"Nothing. Why?" I replied, not understanding why she was so worried.

"You look sick," Ibty added, her tone gentle yet full of concern.

I shrugged, trying to downplay it. "Well, nothing's wrong with me. It's just that I'm so tired."

Today was Thursday, and Saturday was the day the groom's family would be bringing the lefe. I could feel the exhaustion weighing me down. I couldn't wait for all of this to be over.

After a while, Ibty and Ya Hannah left, and I walked them out before returning to the quiet of my room. I went straight to the bathroom to take a quick shower and perform wudu. Afterward, I dressed in my night clothes, picked up my long hijab, and prayed Isha.

I recited a few ayahs of the Qur'an, then plugged in my phone and laptop to charge. Climbing into bed, I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep, hoping to find some rest amidst all the chaos.

****

Saturday.....kayan lefe day

"Leyla, wake up," I heard someone tapping gently on my back. Slowly, I opened my eyes and saw Ibty standing there.

"Why?" I mumbled, pulling my duvet up to cover myself more snugly.

"Why? Because today is Saturday, and Muhammad's family is bringing your lefe," Ibty said dramatically, her voice full of excitement.

Oh Allah, I completely forgot.

"Mammy said you should get dressed and go to Aunt Esma's house. It's past 11, fah—Layla, please wake up!" she urged, clearly growing impatient.

I lazily got out of bed and shuffled to the bathroom, where I took a bath using the scented products Bintu had given me. I brushed my teeth and went through my usual morning routine, trying to wake myself up.

When I came out, I saw a beautiful blue Ankara skirt and blouse laid out on the bed, the blouse adorned with a delicate navy blue lace design. Ibty must have picked it out for me. I quickly got dressed, grabbed my things, and stuffed them into a navy blue Prada handbag. After spraying a generous amount of Jo Malone perfume, I headed downstairs.

I greeted Mammy and the rest of the family, and Ya Meena handed me a plate of chips with eggs and sausages, paired with chamomile tea. I ate quickly, and once I finished, we went outside to where the driver was waiting for us.

The ride to Esma Teyze's house wasn't long since her house was nearby. Ibty rang the doorbell, and the maid answered, greeting us warmly. We returned the greeting and asked if Azra was around. She nodded and directed us upstairs to Azra's room.

"Ahh, gelin!" Azra squealed as we entered the room, her face lighting up with excitement.

"Doctor Azra," I said with a smile, stepping forward to hug her.

"It looks like I'm invisible, right?" Ibty said, teasing, and we all laughed.

"Oh, I wouldn't dare say that," Azra replied, chuckling as she pulled Ibty into a hug as well.

Azra is Esma Teyze's oldest daughter and is the twin sister of Omer.

We sat in Azra's room for about two hours, chatting about everything and nothing at all. The time passed quickly, and I was enjoying every moment when my phone beeped with a notification. I checked it, and it was a message from Norah.

"Leyloş, there are twenty designer boxes, and everything inside screams class. Come back home, they've left."

I told Ibty and Azra, and we quickly left. My heart was racing with excitement, thumping up and down in my chest. I couldn't believe I was getting married next week, Insha'Allah.

The car ride felt like it took forever, but we finally arrived home. As we entered the house and went upstairs, I was about to head to my room when Aunty Asmau (my dad's younger sister) grabbed me and pulled me into Mammy's room, where the boxes were waiting.

Ibty and Azra had already started opening them, eagerly checking what was inside, while I just sat on the bed, mesmerized by the beauty of the things around me. Everything was so elegant. The girls opened one box with jewelry, and most of it was gold, diamond, and other precious pearls and stones.

A set of bangles immediately caught my eye—the delicate craftsmanship was so intricate and beautiful, I couldn't take my eyes off them. Everything in those boxes seemed to radiate elegance. We finished marveling at the jewelry and moved on to the next box, which was filled with handbags.

"Allah Allah, they're all designer handbags in here!" Azra exclaimed, her voice full of disbelief and excitement.

Fendi, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Chanel, YSL, Dior, Prada, Burberry... every high-end designer you could think of was represented. Along with the bags, there were shoes that were just as stunning. Ibty picked up each one with care, showing them to me, and finally pulled out a blue Chanel classic flap bag.

"Layloş, look! The Lady D you've been wanting to buy!" Ibty squealed, her voice filled with excitement and pride.

They carefully opened each bag, one after the other, each one more gorgeous than the last. We couldn't help but "aww" and "oooh" at the sight of them. Even I couldn't hold back a silent gasp because they were so absolutely beautiful. Then, they opened the box with shoes, and once again, it was a treasure trove of designer items—each pair more glamorous than the next.

Finally, they opened the makeup box, and the excitement reached a whole new level.

"Oh my God, they're Anastasia Beverly Hills, Charlotte Tilbury, and Fenty!" Norah exclaimed, practically jumping up and down with joy.

"Oh, Sephora and Dior... you're so lucky," Ibty added, her voice a mix of awe and a little envy.

The makeup brands were not only ridiculously expensive but also incredibly luxurious. I knew, without a doubt, that it had to be Ni'imah's doing. She knew my taste in makeup so well, and I couldn't have been more grateful for her thoughtfulness.

I left Mammy's room, still in shock from the beautiful gifts, and went to my own room to process everything. I picked up my phone, my hands still trembling with excitement, and dialed Muhammad's number. He picked up on the third ring, and hearing his voice made my heart flutter.

"Assalamu Alaikum, beautiful," he said, his voice as warm and comforting as ever, making my heart skip a beat.

"Alaikum Salam, how are you?" I asked, smiling to myself, feeling a calmness wash over me.

"I'm fine, alhamdulillah. And you?" he replied, sounding genuinely concerned.

"I'm fine too," I said, then paused for a moment, taking a deep breath. "Everything's so beautiful, Muhammad. Çok teşekkür ederim."

"Anything for you, wifey," he said, his voice growing softer, full of affection. "I hope no one is disturbing you?"

We spent some time talking about how our days had gone, sharing stories and laughs, until I felt my eyelids grow heavy, the exhaustion of the day finally catching up to me.

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