Chasing Heart

| Happily Ever After Begins |

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This chapter combines two chapter from the previous 'Chasing Heart', with new content added.

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Iman

"I thought she'd get married in her hospital scrubs." Hamza Bhai teased me as we awaited the Imam for my Nikah.

"Life would be much easier." I nodded. "This dress is too much." 

"Oh, hush!" Mama gently told me off. "You look beautiful, Ma Sha Allah."

"Who looked better, me or Appi on her wedding day?" I teased Mama to calm my nerves.

Hania Appi shook her head as she put the shoe back on Hina's foot. It had fallen up as she'd climbed up onto a chair.

"Okay, genuine question." Hamza Bhai looked thoughtful. "Is Taif okay? He's going to be marrying the daughter of his idol. I'm sure he's shaking with nerves right now."

"Hamza, stop." Appi said. "Leave the poor guy alone."

"I'm the elder brother-in-law." He shrugged. "Of course I'm not going to leave him alone." 

"Hania, sab ko bulao, beta. Pata nahin kahan hain!" Mama frowned.

*"Hania, go and call everyone, dear. I don't know where they are!"

But just as Appi began to leave, Arhaan Mamu and Ahad Mamu entered, with their wives.

"Oh, Mani!" Zoya Mumani got emotional, and rushed over to me, placing a hand over my head. "Ma Sha Allah, our beautiful bride." 

Arhaan Mamu was next. If there was anyone who has been like a fatherly figure to us after Papa, it was him. He ran both hands over my head, giving me countless duas.

The molvi sahab arrived then, and we all took our places. I sat on the sofa between Papa and the Imam, while Arhaan Mamu sat on the other side of the Imam, and Ahad Mamu sat on the chair on Papa's other side. Everyone else was seated in various places around the room.

The Imam began the Nikah ceremony, and before he even began, Mama was sniffing. I fought back a smile. "Iman Fawad, daughter of Fawad Ali, would you accept Taif Bukhari, son of Saif Bukhari, as your husband, with the haq mehr of five thousand pounds?" 

"Qabool Hai." I whispered. People had commented how five thousand was such a small amount, but you don't instantly become rich as a doctor. You had loans and stuff that must be paid, and you had to work years before you can even afford luxuries. I would have been happy with five pounds, but Taif and I had come to a mutual agreement on this amount.

"Iman Fawad, daughter of Fawad Ali, would you accept Taif Bukhari, son of Saif Bukhari, as your husband, with the haq mehr of five thousand pounds?"

"Qabool Hai."

"Iman Fawad, daughter of Fawad Ali, would you accept Taif Bukhari, son of Saif Bukhari, as your husband, with the haq mehr of five thousand pounds?" 

"Qabool Hai." After the third time, the molvi sahab forwarded the Nikah Nama papers, and advised me where to sign them, which I did. My hands shook slightly as I signed the paper, as I realised the significance of this moment.

The Imam made supplications, the words beautiful and giving me goosebumps. He had started with the verse, "And We created you in pairs." It was amazing how that had worked out for me. A medical student, who had found his way to St Michael's, as he was a huge fan of my father's work, has now ended up as my almost-husband, seven years later.