Fated

Chapter - 25-Mehndi

Mehndi

One week later

....

He has been watching her closely, making plans to strike at the perfect time.

.......

" Ammara, you are so good at doing henna." I tell her as she is applying beautiful henna designs on my hands.

" Yeah, I wonder what you're hubby, Shahveer thinks of your skillfull hands. " Minahil says, comming by my side.

Ammara's cheeks are red with embrassment.

" I bet he loves it. " Anjali joins in, giving Minahil a high five.

" Shut up, guys. I am not getting married tomorrow, Liybha is,

so I guess all the teasing should be for her." Ammara suggests.

All eyes divert to me, including Aisha and Aliya who were busy setting up the sweets.

Just then Iqra and Atiqa who are beasties were busy flirting with a blue eyed guy in the corner join us, hand in hand.

"Hey, what's going on? " Atiqa asks looking around.

This makes us all laugh out loud,  hysterically.

" I think they are just jealous of my hubby Ahsan." Iqra says comming and fixing my dupatta.

" Why would anyone one be jealous? " I ask her with a smirk.

" Well because he is-" she starts off , but is cut short by Ami's screams.

" Hurry up girls! It's time to start the ceremony !"

"Where is Aiza ? I ask, directing it towards Aisha.

" Don't worry , I put her to sleep myself. " she assures me.

...........

Fairy lights are fluttering on and off all around. A large wooden swing has been decorated with yellow and white flowers.

Bollywood songs are being played in the background, as my friends lead me to the swing.

I sit there, as aunties and other girls come to complete the ceremony. They apply oil in my hair, mehndi on the leaf placed in my hand, haldi (tumeric paste) on my face,arms and feed me sweets.

I asked Ami not to invite too many people ,but being someone who knows a lot of people, she did her job.

My friends are sitting in a circle on the ground, playing a small drum with beat as others are singing.

Just as Baby doll song comes on ,they are pulling each other up and are starting to dance.

My straight face breaks a smile at thier silliness.

But suddenly my mood changes as the Kamli song comes on, taking me back to his memory.

But I manage to glue on a fake smile for all those people who care about me.

.............

My back aches,from the posture that I was unable to move from for hours. I head to my room to find Aiza still asleep.

She is sleeping on her front, one hand under her head and the other hand snaked around her doll.

Just like Hamid use to sleep, his protective hands around me.

I move to my dresser, start removing my bangles one by one.

My tears find their own way ,they shed past the wall I had created.

I fall to the ground, crying silently for Hamid.

I have never missed him like I do today. His reminder his everywhere, the more I try to forget him the more I miss him.

I so badly want him to walk through that door, wipe all my tears away and tell me; its all going to be okay love.

Love, the word he used more than my own name. Their was hardly a sentence without the word love in it.

Yet every time he said that my stomach would flutter. He never hid away his feelings, he told me and proved to me he likes loves me.

This my last night, before I am wed to Zunair. He is a nice guy, but no one can take his place.

I get up, moving towards my closet.  I plan on doing something I haven't done for a while.  It will probably make me more miserable but I need it.

At the bottom of a closet is a small bag, a bag of his shirts. I take out the long sleeve soccer shirt. I hold it close to my self. It seems I can still smell his scent, sweet and salty.

I change into a trouser and Hamid's shirt, slip on the bed next to Aiza.

I imagine his scent circling me, creating a protective sheild around me and Aiza.  Pulling her close to me, I close my eyes and go back to him, this has to be the last time.