A Vow Of Love (Book #2) (Completed)

Chapter 27: A Big Day

EMAN HASHIM

"Mani, tmhara makeup ho gya ho to makeup box suitcase mein rakhna h." Nikhat walked into my room, holding the skirt of her purple gown. Her hair was up in a bun on the side of her head, three big roses pinned into it. Her brown eyes met mine in the mirror as she frowned, the shimmery purple eyeshadow on her lids sparkling. Mani, if you're done with your makeup, I need to put your makeup box in the suitcase.

"Almost done," I replied as I opened the brown lipstick and applied it on my lips. This was my favorite lipstick. I loved it because of its texture but after today, applying it wouldn't be the same somehow. I couldn't explain why but it was going to be different.

"Tariq and his parents are on the way. Ahvi, Ren, and Jace are here. And you're not ready yet." My sister clicked her tongue as she walked over to me. Glancing at the cosmetics and jewellery strewn across my dresser, she facepalmed herself. "Ridiculous." She muttered under her breath.

If it was any other day, I would have asked Nikhat to leave me alone if she was going to click her tongue every time I didn't do something like she would have done. But I couldn't bring myself to fight with her. I couldn't speak at all.

"Mani?" Nikhat's voice was softer when she spoke again. I blinked as I looked at her, shifting my weight so I could get comfortable in the heavy lehenga I wore. It was white with gold embroidery and border. I had loved it the moment I saw it in the shop. It was a little costly but Ammi had insisted that I buy it.

"Hmm?" I forced the sound out a moment later than would have been considered appropriate.

"Theek ho na tum?" Nikhat put a hand on my shoulder, her eyes seeking mine like only a sister's could. Are you okay?

"Haan." I nodded. Yes. I was okay. I was happy. I was excited. But at the same time, I was scared. I was shaking inside and out. I was nervous. It was a weird combination of feelings.

"Lao idhar," My sister said after regarding me for a long moment. Give it to me. She took the brown lipstick from my hand and tipping my chin up so she could see my face better, began applying it gently. "It's okay to be nervous." She spoke as she worked, wiping the excess from the corner of my lips before putting the lipstick back on the dresser.

"This is a big day for you. And I know you are happy. There is that rosy glow to your cheeks." She patted my cheek gently as she picked up the tikka lying beside my setting spray. She smiled as she put it on my forehead, tilting my head so she could secure it to the back of my head. I had already pulled my hair into a bun so all I needed to do now was to put on the tikka.

"But I know how daunting it can be, the prospect of leaving your parents' house." She added gently as she secured the jewellery in place with a bobby pin. I couldn't find any words to say because never before had my sister been so tender with me, so loving. We were always at each other's throats. We were fighting every chance we got but something seemed to have shifted today.

"You know, Mani, when we went to India three years ago for our vacations," Nikhat continued, moving on to my earrings. I wasn't going to wear a necklace because my hijab would cover my neck and chest anyway. "Our relatives told me all these horror stories about marriage. They said that if I didn't marry the man my parents chose for me, I would be unhappy for the rest of my life. They said that if the marriage failed, it would be my fault and that my in-laws would never respect me."

I looked at my sister with surprise then because I had no idea people had said that to her. Our parents came from North India, from a small city called Lucknow. It was a beautiful, bustling city but some people tended to steal from the beauty of it with their mentality. It was not the case with everyone but we had gotten relatives who were narrow-minded and frankly, stupid.