Barakah

- Reputation

I don't normally check my reads or views so guess how I felt when I checked it and realized I'd hit 23k! Grateful for every single read. This is the longest chapter I've written in awhile, over six thousand words.

6.06.2023.

Jalal

"We're going to be late. That's what brides are for. Not grooms." He  snapped at the groom—his cousin—who was occupied with his reflection.

Mahmud grinned at him from the mirror despite the lack of humor in his eyes, "I'll only get married once. At least, I hope so."

"You're already married." Jalal reminded him.

Mahmud looked like he was about to guffaw, "Nonsense, I'll only be truly married after I've been with my wife."

AJ howled at their side along with a couple more cousins and friends. Jalal felt the reflexive churn of his stomach. His face occupying a grimace he couldn't swipe off. No matter how hard he tried.

"Cease it. All of you. We need to get to the event before my sister." He instructed. Because that was a conversion he would rather go deaf than engage in.

They still arrived much later than the bride. And he couldn't find his wife with the bride or her train. The separation was starting to gnaw at him. She was offended that he wanted them to separate for the wedding. Just for three days. And she never minded going angry for long periods of time. So unlike him. There was groveling he needed to do. But he needed to find her first. He wasn't going to go in with the groom and bride.

Slipping by his sister's side, "Where's my wife?"

"You haven't said anything to me as your sister and the bride. You're just worried about your wife?" Asma'u was cheerful with her accusation.

"She's sort of the person I'm going back to tonight. My reality is going to snap back. Don't you feel sad for me? Your idea didn't even melt her toe, let alone her heart." He accused.

His sister's laugh was sharp and short, "How would I have known she's not a sucker for flowers? I only worked with the material you gave me. Besides, you're way ahead of me in life to not know how to properly grovel."

It was Jalal's turn to laugh, "Asma'u, you look the same as usual. I won't miss anything because I'll still be the next best thing after Mahmud. It's always been like that. Now, your older brother hasn't met a woman in his life he'd needed to grovel for. Not until your sister-in-law."

They shared a brief glance. And he watched her get teary eyed. How many times in their lives had he glanced at her the same way, for the right reasons? Countless. The look was old as their blood ties. Encompassing a lot of their lives. What made them brother and sister. Jalal and Asma'u: I'll have your back. I'll have your ear. Don't ever hesitate as long as I live.

He really didn't need to say anything. The both of them had never needed to really say anything. But when she did, it didn't catch him off guard. Being her wedding and all. But it still warmed him.

"You're the best thing in my life. Everything whole about me is because of you. I think I can kill for you. I'm never saying this again." They laughed off her confession, in face of the deep sincerity they had shared.

"I better get to crawling and fawning over my wife. I haven't even seen Farouk."

"You should. I think I'll take this page out from her book."

Jalal snickered, "Good luck with Muh, you're too infatuated with him now to realize how slow he is with women. Sweet and thoughtful but horrendously slow."