MILK & WINE

CHAPTER 27: TIE A KNOT TIE A KNOT TIE A TIGHT TIGHT KNOT

It was my last day at college before my nikkah. I had given an application for leave. Honestly, I had just applied it for formality. I didn't care if it got approved or not because I could not attend college the coming day. Unless they would allow me to sit as a bride in the class. 

I came back there were at least a dozen people that I didn't know waiting for me. I said my salam to everyone and sat beside Mom. These people were old friends of Mom and Dad. I had met them at various events. 

They had come here to wish me luck and bless me. Most of them had given me cash the others had given jewelry or clothes, even though I tried to decline they just left their gifts with me. Despite my hesitance, they still fed me all the sweets they had brought. Only when I rushed to the restroom to puke did they stop. 

Despite my insistence on keeping the event as intimate as possible, there were many people who were invited. There was a long list. Aunty told me to invite my class too but who was I kidding I hardly talked to anyone other than Katherine so I just invited her. 

I was expecting Nafisa Khala to come too but she said that she couldn't get the visa as her old one had expired. Now I was counting on Furqan Bhai to come but I wasn't very hopeful as he said that it could be hard for him too. 

When they left another couple of girls came which I came to later were my henna artists and some beauticians.

I wanted to send them all away but I didn't. 

First, they all took me to my room and stripped me, and bleached my body hair then waxed them EVEN IN MY PRIVATE PARTS!!!! Then they rubbed ubtan all over my body then bathed me. After drying my body I was wrapped up in a yellow choli and lehnga made up of cotton. The shirt had short sleeves which made me uncomfortable but they didn't care. Each of my limbs was given to different henna artists and within two hours my henna was done. When it dried, I wanted to take it off but Aunty scolded me sending me to the bed with henna on my hands.

When I woke up for my prayers I had to take a bath again. After fajr, I recited Surah Yousuf and Surah Bai'yanat as Mom had dictated. At seven o clock in the morning, Mom came to my room with breakfast. I could tell she was stressed as she fed me with her hands. She kept on scolding Shamim Aunty. Like my engagement, my nikkah was also an afternoon affair so after I was done with my breakfast, Mom sent me back to bed to take a power nap. I woke up at ten in the morning when Katherine came. I had asked her to come early and get ready at my place because I was getting super nervous. As she woke me up, my dress came too, it was just white embroidered chiffon that was sewed in a maxi style with middle slit till the knees with churidar pajama. It had red buttons on the breasts. My dupatta was red with heavy golden embroidery. It was my Mama's. I had to get it cleaned to wear again. There was Kiran lace on the borders.

I had decided to do my own makeup today. I kept my lipstick dark and my eyes light. I changed into my clothes very carefully. Fearing that foundation might stain the white neckline and succeeded in doing that. When I was about to set the dupatta, I heard a knock at the door. I asked Katherine to do it trying to pin the dupatta on my bun that Katherine had designed. I turned to see who it was to see Aunty coming in with red velvet boxes.

"Take off your dupatta." She ordered placing boxes on my vanity table.

I obliged without a question. She turned to me with a five-layered pearl choker.

"Sit." She gestured to the seat.

I was already wearing Ahmed's gift and mama's locket but mama's locket was under my shirt and Ahmed's locket was covered by Aunty's choker. She made me wear Kangan (gold bangles) , Jhoomar (a headgear), and jhumkay (earrings).