The Courtyard

13.

~ 2 months later ~

It was officially wedding season. The two months went by so fast that I didn't even realize. Today was my mendhi night. The house was decorated with streamers and flowers and balloons all complimentary to the traditional colours of yellow, orange, and green. My wedding time aligned with month I get off from the hospital so that was great. Apart from everything else, the apartment Sara and I rented was not needed anymore since I would have to move in with Izhar's family and Sara was done her undergrad. So the past few days I was even busier cleaning out the apartment and moving stuff back to the garage.

We had decided that the mendhi would happen at my house and that it would be women only. It would be more comfortable for both our families since we had more guests coming from abroad. I was currently getting my makeup done My this make artist that Alishba found for me. We agreed that for my wedding I should get professional makeup done since pictures would turn out better. The girl doing my makeup was so sweet and would chat with me hear and then. I had the top of my dress on and once the makeup was done I put on my ghagara. My mendhi dress was a four genius golden yellow colour. It has golden shisha and zardozi work on it. The ghagara was a yellow orange colour with the same work along the bottom. Alisha and Sara were with me and they helped me put the flowers my amma ordered from Pakistan in my hair.

Once I reach home phupo instructs me to go upstairs right away. She said she would call me down when all the guests have arrived. As Alishba walked out of the room to talk to phupo, amma comes in. She looks at me and eyes eyes widen. Behind her I see abba walk in as well. Both of them approach me with slight tears in their eyes.

"My jaani looks more beautiful every time I see her," she said softly.

"Amma, brace yourself. There are still two more days to go," Sara says hugging amma.

This time abba come next to me and pats me on the head. "You look wonderful, my beti. Stay happy always," he says kissing my forehead.

Phupo comes in the room, "Syra's in-laws are here now." And that was our queue to head downstairs. Sara and Alishba and all the rest of my cousins held the sides of a gorgeous dupatta and held it over my head. We slowly made it out of my rooms and downstairs to the living room. There was a wooden swing, my mother had delivered from Pakistan, set in the middle of the front wall. There is Pakistani music playing in the background and kids running around with mouths full of mithai.

I slowly make my way to the swing while saying salaam to all the guests. Ammi, Shanzay appi, Alisha, and Ayesha some up to me and hug me as I sit down. They were all dressed beautifully, wearing different hues of yellow and green. Even little Laiba was dressed in a small Peshawari dress with flowers in her hair and bangles on her wrist.

Ammi had all the furniture moved to the side so there could be a dholki playing in the middle of the room. Khala was really good at playing the instrument while Sara sat with her at hit a spoon on the drum, both creating a beat. The girls and ladies sit around and clap to a beat to match the song they would sing. I would laugh when they would sing something funny and go red in the face when they sang anything to do with Izhar and I.

"Oh my god, Syra! Bhai is gonna be so jealous that he can't be here," she says after taking a selfie of both of us. Now sending the picture to her brother. I laugh as a response and continue to talk to Laiba who was sat in my lap. She was talking to me about school will having bits of ghulam jamun.

Slowly, one by one, the elder women and younger ones alike would come up to be an feed me sweets. They would set some money on the tray which would go to charity.

Ammi and phupo set the food in the kitchen and everyone makes there way to eat. I wasn't very hungry so I stayed where I was. Alishba came into the room and saw that I wasn't eating anything. She angrily made her way to me.

"You need to eat something. Get something in your system. You barely had anything to eat this morning as well," she said to angrily.

"I've been eating so much sugar this entire time, Alishba. As bad as that is, it's made me feeling sick and I don't wanna eat anything," I tell her.

"Exactly, that's not real food! I'm gonna go get you something to eat and you have to eat it," she instructs me.

As soon as she gets up and makes her way into the kitchen, amma walks in varying one of the twins.

"Are you okay, jaani?" she asks me worryingly. I don't think I was. It was already my mendhi day and tomorrow was my nikkah. Was I ready for this? Was I ready to enter this chapter of my life?

"You're going to be okay, jaani," she says sending my nerves. "You are the most hardworking and dedicated young woman I have ever met. There is no doubt in my mind that you will carry this relationship with integrity and respect."

"I know," I tell her, "it's just that this is the one thing that is so different for everybody. Not everyone has the same marriage experience and I'm just scared going into it blind."

"That's how every woman feels when she is about to get married. Your experience with marriage will depend on how you make it. And I am confident you will do great."

The rest of the night carries on and everyone enjoys themselves. Singing and eating and dancing was all that took place. The kids ran around and some of the aunties even gossiped. All in all it was a typical Pakistani mendhi but there was nothing on my mind apart from tomorrow.