The Wedding

Chapter 3

As much as Laila missed having her family around, this was not the reason she'd have ever prayed for to keep them at home. Her mom hadn't gone to the radio station where she worked and her dad had stayed home too. Her immediate older sister; Zainab had just arrived. Ya Zainab was the career oriented one of the three sisters. After she graduated law school at twenty years; almost six years ago, she had found a job at a once mediocre law firm. Her office was a big deal now and as much as her humble sister would deny it; she knew her big sister's brains had something to do with the gradual fame they had gathered. Together with a cousin of theirs, the two had rented a two bedroom apartment and have lived there for almost five years now. Ya Zainab's busy schedule didn't permit her come home as often as Laila would have wished, hence she missed her.

Ya Zainab had a smile on her face as she pulled her baby sister in for a hug. They'd not seen in each other in months

"How's she doing?" Ya Zainab asked referring to the reason of this get together; their oldest sister; Halima

"She looks okay. She says she's okay..."

"I'll take it as she's not okay" Ya Zainab concluded what Laila was about to tell her

Ya Halima had delivered a stillborn in the early hours of the day. She had gone into labour at about 3am and her husband had called the family to inform them while she was inside the theatre. The doctor had emerged minutes after 5am while Laila, Mukhtar and their parents were there with the husband waiting to hear the 'good' news; they had been sorely dissapointed. It was really sad because in her seven, almost eight years of marriage this was Ya Halima's fourth pregnancy and the first one to not be miscarried. Laila remembered the last time she saw her before today was when she had come home two months ago to congratulate Laila on her engagement to Yusuf when the date was fixed. She had been so excited... the first baby she would give birth to.

Shaking off their thoughts; they both walked into the room that all three sisters had shared once, but belonged only to Laila now. Ya Halima was staying here for the time being; she requested to come home, she needed a change of scenery. She had been confined to her house for so many months; bed rest.

Laila watched her two older sisters' reunion while leaning by the door frame a smile on her face. Her mother came into the room and took seat on the second bed in the room facing the one her sisters' were on.

"I know you came here to get away from...things" Mama spoke "But everyone's heard the news and they're asking about you. They're undoubtedly going to come visit" Mama sounded sympathetic "You'll have to meet them"

Ya Halima nodded "It's okay. I'm fine"

Three hours later Mama's words were proven true. The first guests/ sympathisers were the neighbours. The husband and wife came together, the man was with Baba in the living room and woman together with Mama were in the room with Ya Halima.

After greeting the guests Laila and Ya Zainab went into the kitchen and walked in on Mukhtar who was by the blender; pouring some thick white liquid into two glasses.

"What's that?" Laila asked pulling a seat from the little wooden dining table in the kitchen.

He handed the first glass to Ya Zainab and took the second for himself before he answered the question. "Coconut milk"

"Sounds nice" she said then without warning reached for the glass and took it to her lips. "Tastes nice also. Make yourself another one. This is mine"

Mukhtar shook his head at her and began pouring more milk from the carton into the blender.

They heard footsteps and looked at the door to see Zainab.

"Hi" Laila greeted her, "You just came?"