MINE (EDITED)

Chapter 21

Gelin (bride)
Kız (girl)
Abla (sister)
Ağabey (elder brother)
Bacım (sister)
Canım (my dear)
Nolur/ lütfen (please)
Kuzum (my little lamb or my dear)
Aşkım (my love)
Damat (groom)
Noldu (what happened)
Sağol (thanks)
Teşekkürler (thank you)
Güzel (beautiful)
Teyze (Aunt)
Hala (Aunt)
Amca (uncle)
Emmi (uncle)

🌼🌼🌼

Whoever says wedding preparations—or being a bride—is easy is either lying or has never done it. It's exhausting, overwhelming, and honestly, emotionally draining. Today is no different.

It's barely noon, and I've been out since 9 a.m. with Ya Meena and Ibty, running from one appointment to the next. Food tastings, meetings with vendors, and errands I can't even keep track of anymore—it's endless. On top of that, my beautician is arriving today from Maiduguri, adding another layer of responsibility to my already full plate. Mammy, who usually handles these things effortlessly, isn't around. She's in Kano for a family friend's wedding but should be back later tonight, insha'Allah.

"Ya Meena, I think Nasreen is hungry," Ibty said, bouncing the crying toddler gently on her lap.

We were in the waiting room of Kathy Anthony's studio, and her words jolted me back to reality. We hadn't eaten all day, and the hunger was gnawing at all of us. I rubbed my temples, fatigue washing over me.

"Here's her milk, please feed her," Ya Meena said, handing Ibty a bottle from Nasreen's bag.

I slumped into my chair beside them, trying to muster some energy as my phone buzzed in my hand. My mind was clouded with too many thoughts, but the sound of Ibty's voice broke through.

"I see you really like him now," she teased, her tone light but prying as she fed Nasreen.

"Ummm... maybe," I replied hesitantly, pretending to focus on my phone.

"Maybe?" she repeated, raising an eyebrow before giving my arm a playful smack. "It's either yes or no, Layla! No in-betweens."

"Urgh, I don't know!" I groaned, burying my face in my palms. My voice was muffled, but my frustration was clear.

The truth was, I didn't know how I felt. It was confusing—new, exciting, and terrifying all at once. But saying it out loud felt like opening a door I wasn't sure I was ready to walk through.

Before she could probe further, Kathy walked in, her cheerful smile a welcome distraction. "I'm so sorry to keep you waiting, ladies. Let's get started."

We exchanged polite smiles and followed her into the fitting room, where the measurements and adjustments felt like a blur. All I could think about was how much I wanted to collapse into bed and forget the world, even if just for a little while.

We arrived home just as the clock struck 6 p.m. Exhaustion seeped into every part of me, but at least the day's errands were done. Ibty had decided to sleep over, and I couldn't be more grateful for her company—it made the chaos a little less overwhelming. Muhammad had also texted earlier, saying he would stop by tonight, which added a small flutter of excitement to my evening.

As I entered my room, I turned to Ibty, who was stretching out on the bed. "Have you talked to Ni'imah today?" I asked, setting my bag on the chair.

"Yeah," she replied, adjusting Nasreen's blanket. "Mun yi magana jiya. They're super busy with wedding preparations too. She mentioned she might come by later."

I nodded, smiling at the thought of seeing her. It had been a while since we'd all been in the same space without the whirlwind of wedding chaos pulling us in different directions.