Falling Innocently

Chapter 13 -Farewell Festivities

Chapter 13 -Farewell Festivities

"To fall in love is a disease and its cure is to marry the person one is in love with (to stay in love)."

- Ibn Al Qayyim

The house was filled to the brim with love and laughter. Little children's laughter rang through the passages and in every room in between. Aunties of all shapes and sizes pushed their way through the throng of family members and friends that filled the house, muttering angrily about the family's inconsideration. Nobody paid attention to them as they carried various snacks to the cars that lined Waliya's driveway. On the green grass outside, fairy lights hung from the roof illuminating the house and adding additional colour to the street, while men sat around in circles chattering away happily. The night sky cooled the air and gave off an amiable air.

However, despite how joyful the air outside was, inside Waliya's room was another story. She was a butterfly who was stuck in a tornado of emotions. She paced around in a beautiful purple lehenga, her long scarf that was part of the outfit dragging on the floor, while she tried to calm herself down. This was her last night in her mother's house. The last time she would be a single woman. Tomorrow this time, she would be Mrs Khan.

"Waliya, please, for God's sake, sit down!" Tina said, slightly agitated. "You're going to wear a hole through your mother's porcelain tiles!" Her agitation wasn't directly directed at Waliya. It was more a projection of her emotions that she couldn't properly display. No one truly wanted to admit that it was final and that the deal was sealed. Their little lamb was finally headed to the docks. The late lamb was quickly growing up -and without their permission, but definitely with their approval.

Things in Waliya's life were suddenly on fast forward with not enough time for them to catch up on and accept. From being the girl with no boyfriend since birth, to suddenly being married in a couple of weeks. No one could just accept it. However, they were beyond ecstatic that she had someone like Aahil in her life. And, if they had to choose someone for her, it would only be Aahil. He was ideal in every aspect for Waliya.

She was a determined little girl and once she set her mind to something, she worked towards it. Aahil would be perfect for her because from what they saw -and the one secret meeting they had with him, without Waliya's knowledge -and heard about him, they knew he was able to be strict and firm with her, but not a tyrant. He had the perfect balance in him to deal with her in a manner that said he was in charge, but enough gentleness that he never made it sound like a command. He knew how to make his words sound like a meringue -the perfect balance between sweet and sour.

She had the ability to talk for hours on end -if she was comfortable with you -and he was the total opposite. He was more of the listener type, only speaking when necessary. Or he would only speak if it were beneficial to those around him. When they had cornered him that one day in the mall for their interview, Jade saw all of those qualities come out in him. She saw his patience even when he felt like killing them. It all started playing out in her mind, like an old movie, making her smile to herself as she narrated the story for Waliya.