Accepting You

Chapter Twenty Seven

"Yusuf! Where are they? You're not the bride! You're not allowed to be late!" His mum screamed from the living room.

Yusuf adjusted his collar. "Adam said they were five minutes away."

"That was over five minutes ago!"

"Mum, they'll be here. It'll be fine," Yusuf said.

"Chup." His mum wagged her finger in his direction. 

"Just one day!" she wailed as her feet blazed across the living room. "You're never late! And out of all the days to be late for it's today! The one day you're not meant to be late! You're not the bride! Ya Allah! What will her family think–"

Their flat buzzer tore through his mum's speech.

Yusuf's mum sprinted into action. She tossed a few items into her bag without looking at them, threw her hijab over her head, yanked open the door and rushed out.

Yusuf lagged behind, performing the checklist his mum had for the first time neglected in her haste. 

Stove? Off. Windows? Closed. Bathroom door? Shut. Lights? Off. House keys? Check. Phone? Check. Rings?  Yusuf patted his hands over his pockets, his heart nearly erupting when he felt the hard structure of the ring box.

"Yusuf!" His mum screamed. "Hurry up!"

Yusuf locked the front door and skated down the stairs after his mum.

"Asalamu alaykum bro." Adam held up a fist that Yusuf spudded.

The passenger window wound down, revealing a cheeky-looking Dawood. "Look at what we procured," he said in a haughty voice, "just for your wedding week."

Yusuf eyed the white car. "A Porsche Taycan"

"That's right," Adam smirked as he patted the hood. It can go from zero to sixty in less than five seconds."

"Men and their toys," Yusuf's mum tsked. You can't even put them down for my son's wedding day? Huh? Adam? Dawood? All that speed, and you still got here late! What time do you call this? The masjid is a half-hour drive!"

Adam lowered his head. "Asalamu alaykum, auntie," Adam said quietly while Dawood mumbled, "Sorry, auntie."

His mum tutted, but a smile tugged at her lips. "How fast did you say this car can go?"

Adam's head pricked up. "Sorry?"

"Ya Allah, Adam. Do not make me start worrying about you. How fast does the car go?"

"Fast. Very fast," Dawood said excitedly.

"Good," Yusuf's mum nodded.

"Yusuf." She pinched Yusuf's side, causing him to curl sideways and over. "Get in the car."

-

Why do weddings cause so much chaos? Yusuf questioned inwardly. 

It didn't matter how small a wedding was going to be or how long it had been planned for; weddings always seemed to cause chaos.

Every wedding related task was treated as though it was an emergency. Yusuf's mum had been rushing about all morning, scattering her way through their flat like she was looking for something she had misplaced. 

His aunt Zulaihat hadn't stopped calling their phones. Every time Yusuf or his mum put theirs down, aunt Zulaihat seemed to pick hers back up and dial.

Even the aunts, who had said the word wedding like they were referring to a funeral, had treated his mum's flat like it was a revolving door all week.