Winged Dreams

Chapter 26: Dream Big

11th January, 2016

"How wonderful is the affair of the believer, for his affairs are all good, and this applies to no one but the believer. If something good happens to him, he is thankful for it and that is good for him. If something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience and that is good for him."

(Narrated by Muslim, 2999).

[Unedited]

Chapter 26:

Dream Big

"How about this?"

Dina ran her fingers on the open page of the mehendi design the henna artist showed her, appreciating the delicacy of the strokes and nodded.

"Yes, this looks great."

The girl holding the cone smiled as she held open Dina's palm and placed it on the cushion in her lap lap and worked on her masterpiece.

It was Naila's mehendi function, which was the other term for all ladies gathering under one roof and coloring their hands with henna. Dina knew she should have been prepared, yet she was flabbergasted at the large family that settled in the house, pouring in from different parts of the country to attend the wedding.

Jawed's family was huge with four brothers and five sisters, and the house was currently packed with chattering ladies and excited children.

"Bilal, do you want something?"

Dina looked up as some Aunt called her husband's name and a small smile made its way to her lips.

She was living with Bilal for a few months now and his behaviour amongst the extended family still amazed her. Contrary to his expressive self, he was awfully silent in between people. He spoke when approached to but otherwise, he wasn't the one to be seen in the limelight.

Whenever you'd hear booming laughter from a group in the house, you'd spot Jawed, his eyes glistening and cheeks puffed. His son, on the other hand, would be seen somewhere in the corner, silently laughing.

The more Dina observed, the more she admired him. She had always felt that standing in the crowd, she was the odd one out. But seeing him, she understood that there were people who weren't meant for crowds. Opposites may attract, but in their case, the similarities complimented each other.

"You ok?"

Dina broke from her thoughts at Bilal's question, and was slightly taken aback when she felt his hand on her forehead.

"I'm fine, Bilal," she whispered, slightly embarrassed with the teasing looks Aunties around casted their way.

"Do you want another sweater?"

"Bilal!" Dina whispered in a chiding tone and he shrugged innocently. She was already wearing a woolen top, a knitted sweater and a scarf over a poncho, not to mention the socks and cotton plugs.

"Are you feeling cold?"

"I'm not. I'm hot."

With the lopsided grin Bilal spotted, she realised her mistake of calling herself hot.

"Bilal, don't even..." she muttered, shaking her head.

"I didn't even do anything," he answered like a little kid.

"I know what you're thinking."

"What? Maybe I'm thinking of getting a thermometer to check how hot you are."

"You're lucky my hands aren't free to hit you," she whispered once again, tilting her head to where the girl was engrossed in applying mehendi.

"Threats of violence don't suit you, Dina," Bilal teased and before she could reply, little Anam approached Bilal from behind, clasping her arms around his neck, his squatting posture giving her enough liberty to do so.