BOUND TO MY NEMESIS

2⃣ - BEREFT

BEREFT

♡2♡

I pulled away wiping my tear streaked face, "Mom, right here "

I muttered poking at my chest "You hold a place no one can lay claim of," she nodded and held my hand tracing the henna design that was drawn on it late last night.

"We can't be sobbing on a day like this cheer up" she urged her face breaking into a smile.

"You and Amdan might have succeeded in cancelling some of the wedding events but this walimah won't be called off" I opened my mouth to protest but she held a hand up shushing me before I could even come up with a word.

"Hush" she shook her head quirking her lips to the side "I really don't understand the youth of this generation, back in the days we didn't have a say in anything related to our weddings,  everything was left to our parents and even the parents shied away most  times, things were left in the hands of the family.  Who were we to object then?." she asked rhetorically.

"With the youth of today God help me." she bemoaned, hysterically holding the back of her hand to her head.

I bit my lips  to hold in my laughter, Mom won't be mom if she wasn't hysterical.

She looked around the room probably trying to find fault with something and complain then abruptly turned around holding my chin between her thumb and index finger,  her eyes squinted I'd have sworn she had some kind of microscopic device for eye lenses as they slowly travelled over my face,  "Did you apply the turmeric mask today?" she finally asked the sides of her lips dropping in a slight frown.

I nodded to avoid speaking, mom had a knack for catching in on our lies.

I wonder the kind of glow she wanted my skin to have, I have been having a back to back spa treatment for the past weeks not masking my face with the turmeric paste just today won't hurt anyone; besides, the one I'm being beautified for doesn't even care of my existence.

She scrambled to the bathroom like she was being raced, I rose from my gigantic bed and trudged to the middle of the room slumping heavily on the two-seater couch situated there.

I buried my face in the pillows that had been stacked on the right arm.

Tonight is the night I've detested  since finding out my betrothed was a monster.
He neither loved nor liked me and blood ties did nothing to minimise the hatred.

"You are not asleep are you?" I slowly turned to where her voice was coming from my eyes slightly closed, her face scrunched a bit, I vehemently shook my head and propped on my elbows "Your water is ready, make sure your skin reeks of the perfume in it before you get out of that tub" she more like warned squinting her eyes and quirking her lips to the side.

Today must definitely be a squint  and quirk lip day.

Mom has a way of making her words get to home. She is all sweet inside but can be tough when she wants to, especially to Amdan. I clenched my eyes when I remembered him I was being pruned and beautified for him, yet he had not even an inkling of love for me.

I heard a snap sound and opened my eyes "Chalo, go ahead and start your bath before Mufeeda and Fareeda get here."

****

I dragged my unwilling body to the bathroom.
The ethereal scent that engulfed the room had me inhaling deeply , I exhaled feeling like a major part of my problems had flushed along with the air I breathed out.

As if in a trance I hypnotically walked to the bubbling water that was calling to my body, all thoughts of Amdan, the wedding and my uncertain future temporarily forgotten when I finally eased into the liquid of  therapeutic healing.