The Wedding

Chapter 24

Sunday

6 days to the wedding

"Halimatu!" Laila could hear them from the door. She had been woken up from sleep by Ya Halima fifteen minutes ago and told that the first guests had arrived for her wedding. Laila had ignored her and pulled the blanket over her head refusing to wake up until Ya Halima threatened to pour a bucket of cold water over her did she sit up. She was instructed to bathe and come greet them in Ya Halima and Ya Zainab's room. Now here she was, bathed and dressed but still groggy. "How is your husband?" she heard one of the ladies ask her sister as she pushed open the door to the room but they didn't notice her yet.

"He's fine Aunty" Ya Halima, the ever polite ever obedient daughter was serving them drinks.

"I'm so sorry child" another aunt whose name Laila wasn't sure of said "When we heard the news of your baby's death we wanted to come but Allah did not make it possible"

Laila felt the urge to hiss when the aunt said what she said. This was her biggest problem with extended relatives, they think whatever they say or do is done out of concern for your wellbeing; but all they do is just make a mess of everything. Of course Ya Halima knows everyone sympathises with her on the loss of her baby. And she had listened as everyone sympathize with her when it happened; three freaking months ago! No one needed a reminder

"It's okay Aunty" Ya Halima offered a smile.

"What did you give birth to?" the second one of the three asked. Her name Laila knew to be Aunty Saratu

"Was a girl"

"Poor child" the first one said again. "After so many years of hope; you lose the only one you didn't miscarry"

Okay that was enough. "Assalamu Alaikum!" Laila greeted them with more chirp and excitement than required. She hurried into the room and greeted the three of them, taking time to hug each one as though she was really glad they were there just so she could get them off her sister's case. "How was your journey?" she grinned settling down on the carpet in the middle of the room. "How are the kids?" she had no idea who their kids were or even if they had any "How's Muhammad? I've not seen him in so long!" she had no idea if there was a Muhammad but amongst three aunties; someone was bound to have a Muhammad

Ya Halima slipped out the room and Laila began getting updates on all the relatives they'd left at home. Someone passed his national exams, another dislocated a shoulder, one lost his job, another got pregnant, and another bought a motorcycle! "I am so proud of Muhammad!" Laila grinned; she was right. "He bought a motorcycle with his own money! That's a great achievement"

Finally after what seemed like ages; Laila's mother came into the room right after the maid as breakfast was brought for them. She took that as an opportunity and slipped away; hurrying into the kitchen so they couldn't call her back. She walked into the kitchen to find Ya Zainab, Ya Halima, Mukhtar and Yaseer standing there talking; laughing.

"What are you guys talking about?" she looked at Ya Zainab. The previous day after she'd walked on Mukhtar talking to Zee on the phone; she had asked him what it was about and the man had shrugged it off as though it was no big deal. In a way; it shouldn't have been. A guy talking to his sister's lifelong friend on the phone wasn't such a rare phenomenon. But an oblivious guy; talking to his sister's lifelong best friend who's had a huge crush on him since the beginning of time was a big deal. Because it finally meant Laila could stop pretending she didn't know about Zee's feelings towards Mukhtar and most importantly; it meant Zee's feelings were possibly being returned. Her hopes though had been shattered when after insisting; Mukhtar had told her a colleague of his liked Zee so he was being the middleman for them. That was the colleague they had been talking about on the phone after that huge disappointment; she had gone back to her room just to meet Ya Zainab sitting on her bed waiting for her. She was done crying and ready to talk. Laila apologized profusely for not telling her sister the full story and letting her relationship with Jafar be destroyed without Ya Zainab knowing why. Ya Zainab had forgiven her but made her promise to tell her anything like that if it were to ever happen again. She also apologized for accusing Laila of sabotaging her. In summary; Saturday was a crazy day