Dreams were once an alternate universe that Nicholas ceased to believe in. Dreams whisked into an eternal darkness like fleeting thoughts of hope. Just the thought used to torment his sanity when his heart was his only living organ. The rest of his body was as dead as his mind in those days, and they weren't that long ago. 

Yet today he was in the middle of marrying the one woman that changed his course of life, intertwined her destiny with his, and steered him back onto a righteous path. 

The imam's voice drowned in his ears as his thoughts overwhelmed him, anxiety rising like a turbulent gust threatening to knock his breath away. It was tradition for the bride's family to plan the Nikkah while he would plan for their Walima. His parents' perfect image flew into his mind, but he quickly suppressed the ache in his chest. 

It was his wedding day. He could worry about them later. 

They all sat in a masjid, men on one side and women on the other, all dressed in bright festive colors, eyes glittering in anticipation and wondrous glances searching for the hidden bride. When their eyes landed on Nicholas dressed in his silver tuxedo, vest and white dress shirt tucked, and a lavender tie tightened at his neck, he was every bit the epitome of an American male in his twenties. 

He squirmed under the scrutinizing gaze of judgement and perception. He knew the stereotypes all too well, and he knew the stereotypes of being a converted Muslim rather than a born one. Although there should never be any hostility towards new Muslims, the eyes were the windows to the soul, and many in the crowd did not seem convinced of Nicholas yet. 

They saw a white man thirsting after an innocent, pure young woman, one whose chastity mirrored those of legends, whose reputation in the Muslim community and an aspiring journalist spoke in volumes, and whose beauty allured people into the comforting grasps of her rationality. Although Nicholas was an heir to a wealthy inheritance, he was a mere pauper in comparison to Dina. 

Their eyes narrowed, and Nicholas drew a sharp breath. 

A light clap on his shoulder diverted his attention away, and his hardened blue eyes like steel met familiar dark brown ones, warm with a smile. He saw his reflection in Humaid, saw the silent encouragement to ignore those who judged him unfairly. No words were exchanged as Nicholas understood his friend's silent plea to relax, exhaling slowly when tension coiled his shoulder blades. 

"I'm fine," whispered Nicholas. 

"You best be. You're marrying my sister. I can't have the groom fainting on me now," Humaid lightly joked under his breath.

His comment brought a smile to Nicholas's lips. The previous discomfort vanished while his earlier excitement bubbled within at his growing anticipation. In a couple hours, he would be bound to her in the eyes of Allah, and he would be free from the chains of restraints that clanked against him every time he tried to hold her.

They would be free of restrictions, free to love wherever they went. At that moment, he didn't care about the harsh gazes of some guests. He finally had his someday with a woman he sacrificed his heart to on a silver platter. Interracial couples were an abnormality to some, but it didn't matter to Allah or to Dina.

They were flawless in their differences. 

The crowd hushed as Dina entered the room, voices gasping in awe and surprise as her lehenga (traditional Bengali dress) scintillated in the dimmed lights, dots shining against the silver contrast of her gown, a blend of silky lavender like a clematis bloom and the gems of stars overlapping in spirits of mystical ripples over the layers of her gown. Her hijab and veil emulated the softness of a flower, hues of lavender engulfed her, yet her crescent eyes remained hidden, an enigma to their guests. 

Nicholas froze in his admiration, losing himself to her before he'd even seen her. The silvery-gray veil hid her visage, covering her like a hidden pearl swallowed by the ocean. He couldn't remember to breathe. Trapped under the reign of a fairytale romance, he kept still, thoughts wildly racing his mind and voice mute against the dryness of his throat. 

God forbid when she takes the veil off, he thought, swallowing his impulse. Yeah, I'm a goner.

Her friends quickly ushered her to sit across from him where the girls rushed to sit near the bride, some snapping subtle photos of her elegance and grace. Dina made no abrupt movements and spoke in a soft, lilting voice that he barely heard. It was her intention to keep him or anyone from listening as she whispered to her friends. 

Once everyone settled, the imam began his lecture with a duaa (small prayer) before smiling wide. "Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh."

"Waalaikumsalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh," came the murmur of voices. 

The same imam that oversaw his shahada (testament of faith) would now do the same for his wedding. "I'd like to welcome our fellow brothers and sisters to this joyous day on the behalf of the families of the bride and groom."

If the groom's family ever showed up that is.

"Brothers and sisters, we are gathered here to witness the Nikkah of Nicholas Muller and Dina Younes. Marriage in Islam is fairly easy for us, but before we begin, I'd like to offer some advice to the soon-to-be wedded couple," he said, voice thick in an accent that Nicholas could only guess to be Albanian or Turkish. His light, auburn eyes stilled on his figure, gazing at Nicholas as a father would to his son, full of the sanguine mist of affection. 

Nicholas talked to him every now and then, yet the gaze they held seemed more intense than any other time, the understanding of being judged reflected from his crystal glaze like glancing at a mirror. The imam understood the difficulties of looking like the enemy, of being judged for the sins of his forefathers. 

"Like everything we Muslims do in life, we must approach every difficulty with Allah in our hearts," he said softly, glancing between Nicholas and Dina as he sat in the middle of both of them, a couple feet apart. "Marriage is never easy. It requires effort from both sides, love from both partners, and faith in Allah. This is a different trial that you will both face, a new life essentially where there will be external and internal hardships. I'm not saying these things to scare you, but rather I'm telling you because I want the both of you to remember why you married each other whenever a difficulty arises.

"Remember how Prophet Ibrahim's (peace be upon him) family was, how they were so faithful in Allah that they intertwined Him in every part of their daily lives, how their children were raised to always turn back to their Lord, how their family dynamic reflected Islam," he continued, benevolence resonating through his craft of words. The imam turned to him. "Nicholas, sometimes as husbands we forget that our wives need as much love and attention as we do. Sometimes as husbands we let our pride dictate our actions, and I'm here to tell you to suppress that urge. Be humble. Be kind. Be understanding."

Nicholas nodded. 

"Dina," he started, turning to her. "Sometimes your husband will get on your nerve. You will get frustrated by him, in fact you may even feel the need to scream when he is confused, and I want to remind you of patience. Speak to each other. Understand each other's stresses. Help one another. This advice goes to both of you."

Dina nodded as well, and through the sheerness of her veil, he saw dark, playful eyes sneak a glance at him. The imam's words couldn't have been any clearer. 

The distance between them was vast, their wedding garments a contrast to the cultures they grew up in, their color scheme the duality of the two sides of humanity, timid darkness and outspoken luminosity of intellect. However, the one aspect between them that remained unchanged was their unity under the knots of marriage, of their spirituality, of Allah. 

And that was where their story began. 

----

I have a good excuse for the late update this time, I swear.

I had to read a hundred pages of Crime and Punishment every night for the past week. IT WAS SO FREAKING LONG.

Anyway, after 59 chapters, they've finally tied the knot. Am I forgiven for the late update because the chapter is longer?

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