Better Late Than Never

54

The men and women easily found their seats in the allocated spaces in the Abdulaziz backyard.

They were all dressed beautifully, colours complimenting each other. Their smiles and excitement finished up their looks. There were hugs, handshakes, kisses on cheeks, and excited waves by people who were a little far apart from each other and couldn't walk over to where the other person was.

Ayman's arrival with his groomsmen had a warm, beautiful reception, and while his nervousness was as clear as day, Ayman politely smiled and shook the hands of men before being hugged by his aunts and cousins. He shook hands with the officiating Imam last, smiling even more nervously when the older man chuckled and asked "Nervous much, Ayman?"

Ayman told himself to keep breathing. "You have no idea."

The other man laughed heartily and covered Ayman's hand with his other one. "In Shaa Allah it'll all be a wonderful breeze and happiness will follow once it's all completed."

Ayman held onto the older man's words. "In Shaa Allah."

"Come on, have a seat. I've been told Ayra will be out very, very soon."

Ayman reminded himself to breathe and did as suggested. He took his seat on the other side of the floral partition, balling his hands into loose fists and releasing them in an attempt to calm his nerves. He turned towards the men, taking in his smiling groomsmen who captured pictures of him, and then his family and Ayra's family and all their friends who were doing the same; smiling too and some taking pictures while others simply waited for the ceremony to begin.

At the sense of movement on the other side of the yard, Ayman turned his head in that direction and so did many others. While he couldn't see everything due to the position of his seat and also the floral partition, his heart leapt to his chest at the sight of familiar plum fabric that singled out the bridesmaids.

The words 'Allahumma baarik' and 'Masha Allah' told him all he needed to know; that Ayra had come out. His heart and lungs nearly failed him then.

As they approached the uplift where she would be joined with Ayman as husband and wife, Ayra told herself to breathe through the nerves and focus on the excitement but it was easier said than done, especially with how fast her heart raced.

Her mind zeroed on the fact that Ayman was right on the other side of the floral partition she approached. Her about to be husband was just sitting across from her, separated by a thin covering of flowers. It was exciting to think about, just as it was scary.

She graciously slid into her seat and smiled politely at the Imam, softly offering a Salam that he responded to just as softly as she had offered it. She turned to the partition, catching a glimpse of Ayman as the partition swayed with the slight breeze. She smiled, knowing with every bit of her that he was smiling too.

Just as he'd done before her arrival, Ayra turned to look at every single person who'd come out to witness hers and Ayman's union. She smiled back at those who smiled at her, nearly laughing at how widely Ibtihaj grinned, before she turned back to the partition and focused on the man she loved. She breathed in and out, telling her nervous heart – and stomach – that they (all of her) were right where they had to be.

They were perfectly in place.

On the other side of the partition, as he watched her through the small glimpses he got, Ayman told himself the same.

A long minute passed before the Imam cleared his throat, bringing the microphone he'd been handed to his lips. "A'udhu billahi minash-shaytanir-rajeem. Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim..."