NURA

Epilogue

"How do I look?" Nura asked in a faux-confident voice that did nothing to conceal the nerves currently wreaking havoc through her body as she stood in front of a full-size mirror.

The rational part of her brain was telling her that there was absolutely nothing to be nervous about, but the other part, which was at the core of her past anxieties and insecurities, was fighting it.

The doubts were coming back, as they did in the last week leading up to this day, and she wondered if she was doing the right thing.

Well, it was not so much as doing the right thing, as if Nura deserved to have all that she did, a man like Nate to love her and want to marry her.

"Perfect, love. Nate is one lucky man." Aria said, and her soft voice and the sincerity resonating through her words made Nura beam at her reflection before rushing to the brunette to crush her in a bear hug.

"Thank you, Ari, but I am definitely the lucky one here," she said once they separated and looked down to their feet, feeling an inexplicable need to voice what had been going through her mind since Nate had popped the question.

"I know that I seem confident and like I don't have a care in the world, but you know that that is just an act. To have a man like Nate, who loves me for me, after everything that happened, I... I don't know what I did to deserve that." she finished and shook her head as her eyes started to burn.

Aria's hand slipped into hers, squeezing it lightly as the girl crouched down a little so she could peer into Nura's eyes through the fringe of her hair that was falling into them.

"You didn't do anything, Nura, which is exactly why Nate loves you. You've just allowed him to see the real you, and being your best friend, I know that once the person gets to know you, that's it...They will love you forever because you, my African drama queen, are an amazing creature."

"Stop! You are making me cry!" Nura exclaimed while tapping the corner of her eyes, even though it was pointless. Aria's words had hit every one of her worries and doubts and disregarded them in one fell swoop, leaving her a shaking mess of raw emotions.

She hugged Aria again, trying to show her without words just how much her presence meant to her.

"I know I've said it before, but you really are the best 'best friend' in the world."

~

Nura checked her appearance once again, her hands shaking as she soothed out the non-existing wrinkles on her white wedding dress and resisted the urge to run her hands through her styled hair for what seemed like the umpteenth time that day as she waited for Mehmet's signal to get out.

Having calmed down after her talk with Aria, Nura was now feeling more than ready to just get out of the room and marry the love of her life.

There was a small knock on the door before Mehmet's smiling face came into view, a small dimple appearing in the corner of his mouth as his smile grew bigger at the sight of her.

"Well, aren't you a heartbreaker!?" he exclaimed as he stepped into the room, closing the door and leaning his back against them.

Nura smiled and winked saucily, all the nerves leaving her as the presence of her brother soothed them out.

"Of course. Did you honestly expect anything less?" she said haughtily while lifting her chin in a poor imitation of a snobbish aristocrat, only breaking the act at Mehmet's hearty laughter.

"No, I did not," he said as his laughter transformed into sparse chuckles before he sobered up and stood up straight, leveling her with a serious gaze.

"I have something for you, a gift of sorts."

"Oh? Well, give it here!" Nura said, excited to see what Mehmet had come up with, but her smile soon transformed into a frown once she noticed the way Mehmet still stood by the door rigidly with an anxious look on his face.

"I am not sure if it was the right thing to do, especially today. Maybe I should have arranged it a few days before, but it's too late now," he said.

"I don't understand," Nura said barely above a whisper, as a strange shiver started at the top of her head and ran down her back at Mehmet's words. But instead of answering, he just took a big breath before stepping away from the door and opening it.

Nura could swear that her heart skipped a beat, and all her breath left her as her eyes fell on the person standing on the other side, a person she never thought she would see again. As the time slowed down and their eyes connected, a harsh sob escaping her throat without permission, she also realized that it was the one person she was desperate to see on this day above all others.

"Auntie..." she whispered, and then she was enveloped in her aunt's arms, her curly, black hair filling her mouth and nose, the smell of citrus and dates everywhere around her. Her soft sobs were in Nura's ear, and only one thought on her mind as she finally hugged her aunt back.

Home, Nura was home.

~

A piece of soft music started playing as Nura stepped out of the building, Mehmet and Ben joining her in the next moment and offering her their hands, which she gladly took.

"I am so proud of you," Ben whispered in her ear, smiling at the sight of her, and then kissed her forehead before the three of them slowly started to make their way through the meadow stretching out behind the rustic Inn Nate and she had chosen as the perfect place for their wedding.

Nura's heart skipped a beat at seeing Ben smile for the first time since that horrible day back in November, as she had believed that she would never see Ben truly happy after John's betrayal.

All the guests stood up and turned around as they walked past them, the familiar faces of friends and family smiling at her, but their presence quickly fell into the background as soon as her eyes fell on Nate.

He was standing at the end of the aisle, clad in a black suit that made him look more handsome than ever, with a smile on his face so big and beautiful that her heart stopped.

He was looking at her as if Nura was the sun itself, his only reason to live, and Nura knew that the same emotions reflected in hers.

He took one step forward as Nura stopped before him and offered his hand, which she eagerly took. She looked up at Nate's smiling face just as the man bent slightly to whisper in her ear,

"Ready, Habibi?"

She took a big breath and kissed his lips softly before whispering back,

"Ready, Habibi albi."

###

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Thanks!

Tijana