6: The wedding

 

Sania's POV,

The ladies are singing *Geet for me. I'm sitting on a chair surrounded by all of them. One by one the ladies and girls are approaching me and applying haldi on me. I am smiling, but am I?

I see the glowing face of Mamma. She just can't stop smiling. Occasionally, she has tears in her eyes, but that smile, its still there. Guess that's the only thing that's helping me to go on.

It's a ladies function so Daddy isn't here. He's outside looking after the catering. But he still came for a while and applied the haldi on my face. I cried hugging him, eventually staining his new kurta. Stupid me.

There's soo much commotion around here. Soooo much expenses. Why do people even get married? It's soo costly. But still, as we are the bride's family, we have less expenses than that of groom's. They are going to handle the Nikah. I wonder how's it going on there.

Zaheer's POV,

I'm surrounded by women and behind me are my buddies. The women are leaving no chance of covering and rubbing my face, neck, arms and legs with haldi. Its smelly, heavy and cold. Not to forget wet and sloppy. But, its all for her. So I don't mind.

However, all the sugar and sweets they are feeding me, I think by the end of the day I'm getting diabetes.

Tomorrow is Sania's mehendi. Thank God the groom has no part in that. She'll have my name on her hand. Just the thought of it is enough to make me smile. Then, the Nikah and finally, we'll be together.

Sania's POV,

Ugh! It's taking forever for this mehendi to finish. I just took a nap on Aditi's shoulder while the girls applied the mehendi on my arms and legs. Its soo boring.

But that question woke me up. "So where should I write the groom's name?" One of the mehendi-girls asked.

I blinked at her. "His name?"

"Yes, a bride must have her groom's name on her hand. Then you make it search for it during your wedding night" other girl said and giggled.

"Oh" 'I didn't knew that'

"Um, write it at the side of her wrist." Aditi suggested and nudged me. I faked my smile.

'His name on my hand huh. Hm'

The Nikah Day

My head's spinning and there are butterflies in my stomach. Am I sick? My old school and college friends are here too. Its soo good to see them after soo long. The Imam will be arriving shortly. I'm not ready for this.

Ayesha, my friend from school, who's already married, kept a hand on my shoulder. It had been years since I saw her.

"Relax Sania. I know how you feel. And trust me, its going to get worst. But it's alright. Have faith in Allah. He has already planned everything for you. " She said and hugged me as I sat on the chair.

"Thanks Ayesha"

My parents came in. I stood up and both of them just watched me dressed up as a bride in that red lehenga and her jewellery in tears, holding on to eachother. I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"Mumma, Daddy"

"Look how much she has grown-up. She's getting married today" Daddy said.

"You look soo beautiful" Mumma said too.

They both hugged me and we cried.

Aditi came forward and kept a hand on my and Mamma's shoulder.

"Ok now Uncle, Aunty. Save some of your precision tears for her Bidaai. You don't want to ruin her makeup."

They nodded and Mumma kissed my forehead. "The Imaam will be arriving anytime now." She looked at my friends. "You better have her ready by then." She smiled.

Dad to kissed my forehead and they both left the room.

Zaheer's POV,

My heart wants to jump out of my chest. Sania's father is sitting next to me as the Imam is right in front of me in the Mosque. This is it. My Nikah.

Sania's POV,

"Qu- Qubool hai" My voice broke as I said it the 3rd time. With one hand I'm wiping my tears which are clouding my vision and with the other hand I'm signing the Nikah Nama. My hands are shaking. That's it, and just like that, I'm married. I'm no longer Sania Sayeed.

I am Mrs Sania Zaheer Kazmi.

Mamma hugged me, she was crying but, those were tears of joy. That's all I ever wanted.

Alright Allah Ta'ala. I'm ready for whatever you've planned for me. Please just be with me then I'll be even better.

Everyone's lined up at the exit of our building. A car decorated with flowers is ready to take me away, take me to my new home. Take me to HIM.

I'm dragging my feet ahead as everyone's hugging me and crying.

I'm crying too. But I actually broke down when Daddy hugged me. I don't remember how long I cried in his arms. My friends had to pull me back.

He kissed my forehead and said, "Always be happy Sania and keep everyone happy. If you are happy, we'll be happy too"

I nodded and after a final look at everyone, I got in the car.

I reached my new home and I had a special welcome as Zaheer's younger sister Madiha made me step in a big copper thali (plate) and washed my feet wiping them with the end of her dupatta.

I don't know why they do that. Its so embarrassing. Yet she did it with a huge smile and then hugged me.

"Welcome to the family" she squealed excitedly. It made me smile. 'She's soo sweet!' Then my mother in law joint her too and hugged me taking me in.

The wedding night

My heart's going to crawl out of my mouth. It's already that time......

And...... I am scared.

He's going to enter through that door and have his way with me.

Ya Allah..... I don't want this. I'm not ready. But I can't say no. He is my husband now. I remember what Mamma said.

She said that, "Sania, he's your husband now so you have to do what he asks you. You can't say no. It's your wedding night."

Just the thought of it makes my skin crawl.

The bed is decorated with flowers. It's beautiful and all but, doing all that on the first night itself?! I hardly even know that guy.

Ya Allah give me strength to bear all this.....

Zaheer's POV,

I stumble inside the room as my friends pushed me in. Friends can be such scoundrels at times like these. I look ahead and there she is sitting on the bed hugging her knees, her face covered with that long ghunghat.

'God! How do ladies even handle it all day? It looks soo heavy and irritating'

I locked the door with my shaky fingers. I hear a gasp.

'oops! Did I scare her? Well I'm even more scared I guess'

I walked to her and took my seat in front of her on the bed.

"Assalamualaikum" I said.

"Walaikum assalam" she replied in a low voice after a min.

'Ya Khuda, this is soo nerve racking'

I bring up the courage and lift the ghunghat from her face, resting its border over her head to reveal her face. "Subhan Allah" my voice came out in a whisper. I don't know if she heard it. Maybe she did.

She's soo beautiful. She took my breath away. I can't take my eyes of her. Its soo surreal.

'Is this Jannat's Hoor really my wife?'

She's making me fall more in love with her.

Her head is still down.

'What should I do? What should I say?'

"Um-" I clear my throat. My eyes catch her hands, her fingers fidgeting.

'She's soo nervous. I must make her comfortable'

"So Ms Hitler. As this is- um- a special moment. So I-uh- wrote something for you. Like a Shayri. May I-" she looked at me surprised for a while and then nodded. I smiled relieved.

"Alright, hear goes-

Asmaan se aayi aap 1 taare ki tarah

Akhon mein 1 khwab ki tarah

Zindagi mein 1 dost ki tarah

Aur family mein 1 bahu ki tarah?"

Half a minute of silence, and then I heard the musical sound of her laughter.

I started laughing too. As even I knew how lame my Shayari was.

"That bad huh" I asked.

She shook her head. "No just needs a little improvement" she said.

"I wasn't lying when I said, 'zindagi mein 1 dost ki tarah' you know. " I said. She blinked at me.

"I know this all is hard for you. Marrying me, leaving your family. I do love you but I won't ask you to reciprocate that love in a night. It will take time and I'm ready to wait. I'll wait till the day you fall in love with me too."

Sania's POV,

Did he just said what I think he just said? He'll wait for me?

"And I promise, I will make you fall madly in love with me" he said and smirked.

I wanted to roll my eyes but I didn't. Me and love? Yeah right!

But he's such a nice guy. He's ready to wait. He won't do anything with me tonight. And I was soo scared. I couldn't help but smile.

"We'll see" I challenged him.

"Oh really Ms Hitler? Don't you challenge me. Usually girls can't resist my charm"

"Well, I'm not like those other girls" I said.

"Hmm. Um- so till then, can we be friends?" He asked looking at me with his eyes filled with hope.

I nodded with a smile. "Ofcourse"

"Great. Oh Btw, you didn't call me Mr Fancy Pants?"

"Uh how can I? Your my husband now" I said in a low voice embarrassed.

"So what? I like it. It's kinda cute"

I look at him perplexed. 'Is he crazy?'

"Ok ok. Not in public. You can call me that when we're alone"

I looked down at my hands embarrassed. "Um ok"

He was grinning. "Great" and he yawned. "Don't know about you but I'm soo tired. Let's sleep please. Can we talk tomorrow? You should go get changed too that dress looks heavy"

I smiled. "Ok" I went to my bag took a night suit and went to the washroom. When I came out, he had too changed in casual t-shirt and pants. He stood near the bed.

"Ok so right or left, which side?"

"Huh" I said confused.

"Which side will you sleep? Well I can sleep on the couch if you want" he suggested.

"Oh no no no. You don't have to. It's your bed" I quickly said.

"It's yours too"

"But still. Um- I'll sleep on the left. I don't mind" I smiled. He was already soo understanding. I didn't wanted him to suffer because of me.

"Ok" he smiled sleepily and got on the right side placing a pillow in between.

"Just to be safe" he winked. I shook my head smiling and went and laid on my side of the bed.

"Oh I totally forgot" he said suddenly and I turned to him. He opened the drawer of his side table and taking out a palm sized gift box held it in front of me.

"What's this?" I asked sitting up.

"Your gift. I was supposed to give it to you at the beginning but I forgot."

I took it. "Thank you"

"Uh open it." He said excitedly.

I did. There was a small heart shaped diamond pendant with a gold chain. It was soo cute.

"Do you like it?"

"Yes" I beamed. "Its soo pretty"

"Can you wear it every day?" He looked in my eyes.

I nodded and wore it. "I will never take it off"

He smiled a shy smile. "Thanks."

It seemed he remembered something. "Oh and-" he took both my hands in his and my heart did that strange thing again. "Did you write my name in your mehendi?"

"Yes um-"

"Madiha warned me to find it and show it to her tomorrow. " He shrugged. "May I?"

I nodded and stretched my arms palms up in front of him. He frantically started looking for it. His finger roamed over my arms but didn't touch my skin. But still I was somehow way too self-aware.

"Its so difficult. The design is so - complicated" he murmured. Then after 5 mins he spotted it.

"Got it" he smiled victoriously and moved his thumb over it. It made me shiver. 'Why?'

"Congratulations" i said.

"Well thank you. Now how about my present"

"Um, what do you want?" I asked confused.

"How about a kiss?" He said in a mischievous tone.

"Huh?!" I almost screamed and he started laughing.

"Relax, juz kiddin' . Goodnight"

"Goodnight"

   

    He turned off the lights and I laid back on the bed.

'Thank you Allah Ta'ala. Looks like my married life is going to be interesting and not scary'