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Three months, 4 days, 1 hour, and 43 minutes. That is how much more time that is left until I do my Nikkah with the love of my life.
The day I have been waiting for is nearing and the stress has not decreased ever since the guest invitations arrived in the mail. Today is the day I will be announcing my engagement to Angelo. Everyone will know and people will judge but I have never been happier.
Although, before I send out the invitations, I do think it would be best if I tell my friends about my engagement, so they do not feel betrayed. Angelo and I did not have a traditional engagement. Honestly, we just started calling each other fiance and fiancee out of the blue. The same goes for us saying, "I love you,". I tell everyone I love them when I get excited about something. That's why when Angelo bought me ice cream once I blurted out I love you before registering that he is a man. I repented for my sins all night long that day.
I have been repenting a lot lately since I met Angelo. Only because I befriended a man and before him, I had gone twenty years without entertaining a conversation with one.
Ani and Zoya, my two closest best friends enter the cafe and I smile at them, my heart beating out its chest. Their bodyguards, also known as Elias and Yusuf follow them but sit at the opposite table. My friends know about Angelo and how obsessed he is with me but I may have forgotten to tell them about our actual relationship. I have been so consumed with wedding planning and amma that I blocked out the whole world for a little while.
I am a terrible friend.
"Angelo and I are getting married." I blurt out right when they are about to sit down.
"What?!" Ani yells, everyone's eyes on us. I breathe in and out beating myself up for breaking the news like that. I had it all planned. We would be eating our food, I would order waffles and then I would slowly bring up Angelo. But of course, my brain had a much different plan.
"Inaya, are you talking about William Shakespeare, Mr. 'Any man other than me of course would like you romantically. You are beautiful. When I look into your eyes I'm captivated by how hypnotizing they are. They are like fresh flowers-." I stop Zoya midway and roll my eyes. My friends have been calling Angelo William Shakespeare since the declaration he said to me when we were newly met.
"Yes, Angelo Russo." I look up to see two figures coming towards us, placing their chairs backward and sitting on them. "Eilas, Yusuf." I acknowledge, stifling my laugh. Men don't even realize how invested they are in drama.
"Inaya." They both say at the same time. We sit there in silence for thirty seconds before Yusuf speaks up. "Continue. This is about billionaire Italian William Shakespeare, right?"
I laugh and nod, distributing the invitation to Zoya and Ani. "Yes. The Mehndi is on December 15 but only you four and our family are coming. The Nikkah is on the 16th but it's only going to immediate family, I'm sorry. But the Walima is on December 17 and I really want you all to be there."
