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Chapter 26: The beginning of a new chapter

6th March 2021

"So be patient with your Lord's decree, for you are truly under Our ˹watchful˺ Eyes."

[Surah At - Tur]

Chapter 26:

The beginning of a new chapter

Every once in a while, there emerged a season in the year where everyone seemed to be getting married. From the best friend you had in college to the old neighbor you grew up playing with, from a distant relative's wife's cousin's daughter to the milkman's son, it looked like every single person on the face of the earth was walking into a new phase of life. The situation reached a point where the announcement of the wedding of an acquaintance you least expected wouldn't even bother you – because, of course, the marriage bug bit them too.

This season of weddings had definitely arrived in Afreen's life, and while there was a time when she loved dressing up and being a part of festivities, after everything that had happened, she had become very selective of the events she made an appearance in. There was always someone eyeing her in pity or gossiping of her past, and as much as she tried putting up a brave front, there's only so much that she could take.

Now, as Afreen sat by a round table, she glanced at the stunning lilies that rested in a glass vase at the center, the reflection of Turkish lamps that hung above in the banquet hall casting shadows upon them.

"Hello Miss, where you lost?"

Turning away from the fresh blossoms, she spun around to gaze at her friend from college, who had been keeping her company that evening as they attended their classmate's wedding.

"Nowhere," Afreen responded, smiling apologetically for zoning her out the past couple of minutes.

"Doesn't Kainat look amazing, ma sha Allah? That bridal glow is mesmerizing," Hiba gushed, and then she blushed.

"May Allah bless her, yes she does," Afreen agreed, and having caught the tinge of red on her cheeks, she asked, "But why are you blushing? Does this mean what I think it means?" She guessed, not even surprised.

"Yes," she nodded, smiling giddily. "I got fixed," she informed, giggling.

"Ma sha Allah, Hiba," Afreen grinned. "Congratulations! And who's the guy who signed up to buy you your endless supply of make-up for the rest of his life?" She joked, for her friend had a record for splurging all her savings in make-up.

"His name is Hamdan," she informed, a genuine smile on her lips. "He works in the States, so in sha Allah I'll be relocating after getting married. The engagement is next week, will be fixing the wedding dates then."

Afreen nodded at the information, and said, "Your parents are courageous to be sending you away that far, being the only daughter after three sons, how do they feel about it?"

Hiba recoiled at the question, her face morphing in sympathy for her parents. "My mum declined so many proposals in the past because she was keen on getting me married to someone from our city. But when Hamdan's proposal arrived, everything about it clicked, and him working in a foreign land didn't seem like a good enough reason to turn him down. So here we are," she shrugged. "It's the Qadr of Allah, our partners are written, and when the time comes and Allah sends them in our life, there's nothing that can stop us from uniting in marriage. It's all about Allah's decree and His timing."

At the statement, Afreen suddenly felt nostalgic. The words that Hiba just uttered held so much weight, and it was a subject she had been reflecting on off late. Back in college, when she got married, so many girls around her felt she was living the dream life. Those who weren't aware of the complete picture marveled at her story, for it was several girls' dream to get married fresh out of college, to settle with the guy they had dreamt about growing up. Some of her friends had also envied her, and some of the Aunties she knew had started turning anxious, worried for their daughters who they felt needed to get married too or it would be late.