Destined To Be.

Epilogue

Ayla,

My nerves are shot to pieces! I'm a trembling mess!! My tummy coils and uncoils with tension and anticipation! My heart is beating erratically! All this turmoil is due to on man and one man only!

James bloody Dean Hudson!!

Everyone has left, I'm upstairs in our bedroom . The girls have done a fantastic job of doing it up, from the colour theme, the canopy of flowers around the bed, the scattered roses and candles everywhere.

I'm standing in front of the mirror, my eyes are shining with emotion, I take in my appearance . My lilac wedding dress is modest and elegant. It's almost bordering a cross between an abaya and an evening dress. The boat neckline is conservative, I've adorned a delicate white gold necklace that's incredibly beautiful gifted by Afsan's mother. No words were needed when she adorned it around my neck. It was her way of letting go and wishing me a happy wedded life with the only man who is worthy of being my husband aside from her darling son.

I refuse to cry, the emotions are there, the memories once again want to ignite and resurface, but no!!! I can't be disrespectful to James ! It's not fair!! This is a new chapter in my life, an equally exceptionally and memorable moment. I will cherish this too!

I decide to take all my jewellery off. I guess I can wait for James to do the honour, but my body is on edge and I need to busy my mind. My hands shake with nerves. One by one I take it off , the earrings, then the tikka, the creamy, laced dupatta. My mother's when she got married to my Abu Jan. I fold it with care.

Once again I look in the mirror. My dress is tight at the top and then flows out at the waist , my sleeves are made of lace with tiny buttons from the wrist to the elbow, a matching material is sewed underneath so my arms are covered for modesty, however the design of the dress is stunning . I like the woman staring back at me . For once I can look in the mirror and appreciate the woman staring back.

I attempt to open the zipper , nope!! My tight sleeves prevent it. What!! I attempt again!! No, no, no, no!! Please don't create this in to some cheesy Bollywood scene!! I will not participate , in fact I'll get one of my sisters to come over. Yes James still hasn't got back yet from dropping Tommy off at Farren's.

I quickly look for my phone,tapping in Inaya's number I let it ring, and ring and ring. Why is that madam not answering , she practically has her phone glued to her hands!

I attempt again and again. Now I'm really on edge . James will be her soon. I can't have that sexy, arrogant bastard seeing me like this, he'll have a field day. He will take extreme pleasure in helping me out my dress. My breathing is erratic, my face feeling hot .

Okay, there must be something here that I can use . I look around the spotless room, nothing,nada, zilch!!
I cross over to the chest of drawer and open the top one. I'm surprised at how neat and tidy everything is. Wow!! James Dean Hudson a neat freak! I smile to myself almost swooning.

Pull yourself together woman!!

I mentally chide myself. Focus!! I open the second drawer and instantly stop in my tracks. My eyes land on the tikka, the tikka I wore on my wedding day with Afsan. I pick it up with trembling hands, it's kept in a clear box. My eyes then land on some photos, I pick them up and look through them all.

It's a whole lot of pictures of James and I, from when we young as kids, through our teenage years, birthdays, school years , Salwa and I together . So many memories, each photo with their own story to tell. There's this one particular photo of James and Azlan together. Their arms around each other, Azlan looking straight at the camera, he's beautiful blue eyes shining with happiness , James on the other hand seems distracted, a small smirk on his lips, I know why, he was admiring my middle finger when Abu Jan was taking the photo . He had riled me up when passing and who was I to let him get away with it.