Better Late Than Never

52

Between Friday October 21st and Wednesday October 26th, everything left to be cleared before the wedding was taken care of.

Attendances were double and triple checked. Accommodation points – from the Abdulaziz and Adeola homes in Plum Boulevard all the way to the Bello homes in BIA – were intensely cleaned and made ready for guests. Décor items were delivered to the events' locations. Medical checks were carried out for Ayra and Ayman to be sure that they were still as fit and healthy as they'd been since the first medical check they did together in mid-September. Ayra got the contraceptive shot too. Their Spanish visas were granted that same day and their passports returned from the embassy.

Guests began their arrival, none as excited as Ricky who stuck to Ayman's side like glue and blushed so hard when he was finally introduced to Ayra. Vendors gave their assurances that they'd provide their contracted services as planned.

The rest of Ayra's things – except the box of lounge wear and lingerie that she guarded with all her might – were moved and arranged in her new home, and nearly every newly purchased item by both she and Ayman were arranged too.

Everything was taken care of, the wedding as good as ready to be held; leaving both families and all their friends excited, and the bride and groom with nervous knots in their stomachs and an excitement that bashfully bloomed.

On the morning of Thursday October 27th, Ayra made sure to get some extra sleep after Fajr as she knew she'd need it with all the plans she and the ladies had for the day. She had not wanted a henna party so they'd booked out a beauty salon in Monwict that offered all the services they'd need; hair, spa, manicure and pedicure, and even henna. The salon had a spot for tea and relaxation and it was everything Ayra needed.

At exactly 8AM, Ibtihaj – the contracted alarm clock – pulled the covers off her best friend's body. "Oya o!" She grinned when Ayra whined, rolling over and trying to reach for the blankets Ibtihaj held. "Will you stand up?! Me that did not go back to sleep, am I mad? Abi you want us to leave you?"

Ayra kept her eyes shut, knowing the windows were already open and every single light in the room was switched on. She wouldn't put it past Ibtihaj. Her voice came out raspy when she spoke. "I think we've told you more than enough times that you shouldn't shout, for the sake of baby Faris."

Ibtihaj, despite how her heart warmed at the concern, reached for a pillow and used it to hit Ayra's face. "Madam, get up! Mayah is already on the way here. Ibro is dropping her off. Your werey husband-to-be is on his way too to drop Aneesa, Amna, and Aabidah off since they all slept at their parents' houses last night. Adil and Ricky are following them behind."

That was all it took for Ayra to get off the bed and rush to the bathroom. Ibtihaj hissed. "I woke you, you did not stand up. But for me to mention Ayman's name, see how you flew from the bed. It's not your fault o. It's not your fault at all."

In the bathroom, Ayra moved to the mirror once she finished relieving herself. Her hair was a mess of loose curls, falling past her shoulders and while there were dark circles underneath her eyes, it was nothing too prominent; nothing concealer couldn't fix. She only hoped it didn't get worse although it was unlikely as she needed more than a day's sleep to catch up on the rest she needed.

Unfortunately, that was not possible until after the wedding so she had to hang on until then.

With a tired sigh, she held onto the edge of the sink slab for a moment longer before she exhaled and got started on brushing her teeth. Just as it had been in December 2020 when she'd been getting married to Ibrahim, her bathroom was bare; essentials in small tubes and containers, each one to last her until she had to leave for her new home. It made her smile nostalgically and for what had to be the trillionth time, she was grateful that being with Ayman helped in replacing a lot of her previous memories with even better ones. Being with him made her extremely happy too and each day proved better than the last.