Journey of Souls

7. Jewelry | زیورات

Everyone was awake early the next morning. The energy in the air also felt different. It wasn't chaotic, but it also wasn't mellow. It was exhilarating. Seeing my family sit around make jokes and enjoy each other's company helped me understand that for Pakistanis, rather South Asians and the multitude of other cultures, marriage was seen as a joyous occasion. It was unifying force for not just two people, but also two families.

Zoya Mumani called Ammi, Safia Mumani, Nani, and me into her room. She wanted us to look through everything that she had laid out for Qurat-ul-Ain. We found her room filled with boxes of jewelry, bangles, clothes, and other minor things. It was truly a sight to behold. Zoya Mumani herself was thrilled to show her daughter-in-law all of this and hand them over. The wife of her only son. The soon-to-be rani (queen) of the household.

As I looked through everything, my eyes landed on a pair of jhumkay. I was in complete awe of them and even showed Ammi and she nodded her head in agreement. I decided to keep their design in memory so that I could have something like them in the future.

The ladies of the house were all chatting about the clothes and jewelry when Sufyaan Mamoo walked in to inform that Qurat and Zafar had arrived. One by one each woman grabbed a stack of items and carried them downstairs to the main room where Qurat was waiting. The walima dress was to stay in the room covered up as no one was allowed to see it before the actual day.

As I reached downstairs and placed the boxes on the table, I walked over to Qurat and greeted her paying no mind to her brother right next to her. Qurat was dressed more casually than the day before. She had on a fancier kurta with plain trousers and had kept the makeup natural. She still looked incredibly beautiful in her simplicity. Her brother was also dressed casually, this time absent of the model attire. He was wearing a plain crewneck tee with jeans but didn't bother removing his sunglasses.

All the ladies gathered in the room and Badar also joined in. Zoya Mumani picked up the first box of jewelry and held out the necklace for Qurat. She grabbed it and placed it against her neck and looked in the tiny mirror placed on the table. One by one, Qurat and Mumani went through all the boxes seeing which size and style suited Qurat the best. She had many options to choose from.

After they had gone through all of them, Qurat-ul-Ain realized that she had liked more jewelry sets than she could probably wear for the walima and the events afterwards.

"Oh my, Aunty, I have to sort through these now." She paused. "Alizey, help me out. Do you mind wearing the sets too? I want to see how they'd look on someone else so it would give me a better idea of how they'd look on me. I hope that's okay." She smiled kindly.

Turning to her brother, she nudged him to grab his attention.

"Bhai, I'm very confused right now. I want you to look at these sets too and give me your opinion as well."

Zafar sat up straight and leaned forward before removing his sunglasses and letting everyone see his caramel, almond eyes.

Realizing that now all the attention would be on me as I tried them on, I gulped hard. I could feel my hands becoming sticky with sweat and the heat rising up my neck.

Stay cool, Alizey. You're just modeling them. Look at Ammi and you'll be fine.

Zoya Mumani handed me the first necklace. It was a silver diamond emerald set with drop earrings. Ammi helped tie the necklace in the back and I moved the hair back to place my earrings. After adjusting them, I sat up and turned towards Qurat's direction so she could see.

"Hmm wow yes." She pondered and observed for a while before nodding her head to move to the next one.

The next set was a traditional Mughal inspired set. It was heavy and adorned with small bead like pearls. The earrings tugged at my lobes and felt uncomfortable.

Qurat's eyes widened as she shook her head in approval. This one was a definite yes. Zafar looked towards me when Qurat tapped his leg. He looked at the necklace on my neck before his eyes travelled towards my ears and then back down to the neck. I was turning red and I knew it but I played it off. Zafar mumbled in approval and agreed with Qurat.

The last set I tried on was a choker necklace set paired with the same jhumkay that my heart was set on. Ammi helped me with the choker and the support strands of the jhumkay. When she was finished Qurat immediately awed.

"Oh my goodness Alizey, you look absolutely stunning. You really are so beautiful."

Zafar looked towards me immediately. His eyes met mine and for what felt like an eternity, held them in locked in place. I swallowed and began chewing on my bottom lip to calm my nerves. The eye lock broke and he looked away.

"Alizey will you agree to something if I ask you? A small request from your bhabhi?"

"Of course, tell me."

"Wear this set on my walima, I don't think it would suit me as well as it suits you and truly you have increased the worth of this set by a thousandfold. Please."

"Bhabhi, but I don't think I can. All these were made for you. It wouldn't be right."

"I know that Alizey but mashAllah this set looks like it was made for you. Zoya Aunty please let Alizey have this set."

I looked towards Ammi for help and before Ammi could speak, Zoya Mumani chimed in.

"Alizey, I agree with her. You look stunning in it. Please take the set. It would make your mamoo and I more than happy to see you wear it. After all, you are like our daughter too, like Badar's sister as well."

I hesitated and thought about it for a few seconds before speaking.

"Okay if you guys really want me to, I'll wear it. But bhabhi, be warned because after the walima is over I'll be handing it back to you."

Everyone laughed.

Qurat-ul-Ain's selections had been finalized and Zoya Mumani took her upstairs for her dress fitting. I took the box with the set generously gifted to me and set it in a safe place. Everyone showered me with so much love that I felt truly content. It was a blessing and I felt complete.

Everyone had dispersed from the main living area. Ammi was in the kitchen helping out with lunch preparations. I decided to help clean up the area we had been sitting in.

Zafar was in the same position and hadn't moved but had retreated his complete attention towards the phone.

I picked up a large stack of items and had unfortunately picked up more than my arms could carry before the boxes on top and tumbled and fell on the floor.

Zafar attention turned towards the commotion and he looked down at the floor. He sighed in annoyance. I bent down to reach the boxes and just before I could pick them up, his hand grabbed them and he stood up to place them on top of the stack I was holding.

I was only 5'7 and him standing in front of me required looking up to meet his eyes. He had a frown on this face and the lines between his brows were harsh in disapproval. He helped with the rest of the fallen boxes without saying a word.

"Thank you. I'm sorry about that" I said before I walked away from the room, from him.

Zoya Mumani and Qurat had returned from the fitting and lunch was prepared. Everyone gathered around the dining area.

Qurat and Zafar didn't stay for long after lunch. They told us that they had to return back to Multan now that they had finished what was needed to be done.

"I will see you in a few weeks Alizey, I cannot wait to welcome you to Multan."

"Mhmm I'm sure that's not the only reason you  can't wait for the time to pass." I smirked indicating I was talking about her marriage with Badar.

She walked out and everyone began discussing the next steps of their preparations for the wedding. Even Nani Jaan was full of life and instructing her sons on what to do.

The countdown had begun.