Veiled Against All Odds

17.

On my way out, I pass the kitchen and tip-toe towards the front door. Unhooking my handbag from the hook nail behind the door, I hear my mother.

"Maryam, you are leaving? Without a word?" she stands underneath the arch in the kitchen wall with a scowl on her face.

"Laa, Ma. I was just fetching my bag." I shake my bag and she smiles.

I start rummaging through it looking for nothing in particular to distract myself from the sudden presence of my mother and I start to wonder why she hasn't left me already.

As if she can read my thoughts she says, "Don't worry. I was just wondering if you'd like me to drop you off at Nuha's? That is where you are headed off to, right?" I laugh at her and think about who else I could possibly visit other than her.

"Yes. I'll be home soon." I reply.

I know my mother is waiting for an answer on whether or not she should drop me off or not but, I stay silent till she decides for me.

"Okay so, I'll just grab Abees' car keys and then, we can go." She turns on her heel and I can hear her humming to her favorite nasheed down the hallway.

I stand to put on my niqaab in the mirror and stump my toe in excitement. The pain and my excitement, does not go with eachother and I have to, mentally, scold at myself for being so stupid!

I lift the veil and position the slit exactly over my eyes and then, remembering Nuha, I tie the two sides at the back of my head, tight.

I pull and tug at the material to make it sit on my face to my liking and I'm suprised at how good it looks for my first try.

I don't want to give myself much credit because majority comes from watching Nuha fix hers.

I hear a sniffle and then, a faint sniff coming from behind me. Turning to see where the sound is coming from, I see my mother and father standing a few feet behind. Abee has his arm wrapped around Ma and wipes his eyes with his hand on his free arm. My mothers' face is streaked with tears of joy and I am overwhelmed by the state of my parents.

"Ahh guys," I say and walk towards my parents, "group hug?" My mother grabs me and both of them embrace me while faintly, sobbing.

"I am so proud of you, Maryam. Wallah you've really grown up to be the best Muslimah you can possibly be. May you be rewarded, In shaa Allah." My father says after wiping his tears and stiffening in his position. "We're proud of you."

"Shukran Abee.. Ma?" My mother fixes her hijab and then, walks over to the door. She carefully swipes the surma underneath her moist lids and sighs. "Lets go.. you don't want to be late for your niqabi party." I laugh as I exit the frontdoor and quickly pull out my cell.

*7 text messages from Nuha*

I open the tab and peak her text messages. All of them are just excited emojis and a few hearts. I smile at them and lock my screen.

This is it.