36| Nawal

2 MONTHS LATER

My arm and other injuries healed just in time for my brother's wedding functions. I was still advised not to lift heavy weights from that arm or do any excessive work that could cause my body to hurt and I followed that strictly, even if it was a wedding house where work never seemed to end. The past week, I was spending much more time with my family than I was with Ahad because I had to manage a lot of things. Mama and I had went out to purchase all the clothes and accessories for the bride and groom and things for the house as well, especially bhai's room. It had to be modified, not much, just enough so it didn't look like the room of a bachelor. Mama was so excited to get his room decorated for when Rumaisa bhabhi– mama insisted I call her that– was finally brought here that she asked me to personally help her do it. She didn't want anyone else to do the work and I happily agreed. Unlike my wedding, we decided to do a mehndi function for bhai's wedding. This function usually takes place at the bride's house, if not in a marquee, but my mother requested for it to happen at our place instead since the nikkah took place at the bride's house and she wanted our house to be decorated too. Trust me when I say she went all out. She contacted decor managers two days before the function and got fairy lights put up all around the outside of the house, some hanging inside too, to really get into the feels. I'd be lying if I said it didn't excite me, it was my only brother's wedding, after all.

However, it had been three days since I had seen my husband. Sure, we did call each other every day but it wasn't for long since I was busy managing things here and he was busy with his own family since he was the only son and it just wasn't the same as physically being with him. I missed him so much that I was scared when I finally saw him at the function, I would forget about the groom and bride and spend my entire time with him in my room. I tried to video call him the day before yesterday but that idea completely flopped as we both were walking around the entire time and he hung up, asking me to focus on what I was doing so I don't end up falling from somewhere again. 

Today, on the day of the mehndi function, I ordered the flower jewelry from the place Sarah had recommended and called her over as well. She hesitated to come because she was six months pregnant and wasn't sure if her in-laws would allow since they were pretty conservative but I practically begged her to come and asked her to bring along Faisal bhai as well, if that is what would get her to attend. I didn't let her do much work of course but she mainly helped me with putting in her opinion on how the stage should be set. It wasn't something too excessive, just flowers here and there and yellow decorations to get into it. We all planned to wear dresses of any mehndi color except yellow because that color was specifically reserved for the bride so she was wearing a loose green kameez that had golden embroidery on its front with matching trousers and a yellow dupatta draped over her shoulder. Her dress was relatively simple compared to one because she didn't want to feel uncomfortable and I totally understood. Her hair was in a braid too and I added some small white flowers to her braid to enhance its beauty and teased her about how Faisal bhai would crazy over her.

My own dress was in an olive green shade. It was a long frock that stopped a little below my knees and had a lehenga skirt underneath it, giving it a double-layered maxi look. My dupatta was mesh and had a block print in green, orange, pink and yellow with golden lace lining the perimeter of it. Originally, I wanted to put my hair in a braid too but with time, I ended up wrapping the braid into an updo with flowers decorating it. Now, I sat with one hand up to my ear as I confirmed last-minute invitations with my one hand in a girl's lap where she applied henna on it. The other hand was already done earlier in the morning but I didn't get time to do this one so I left it for later.

The time for the function was 7 in the evening and it was already 7:05 so the guests would be here any moment now. By guests, I meant the bride's family and guests of their side because ours had already arrived. I gave trays of rose petals to some cousins and friends of mine and asked them to stand in two rows along the entrance to the house as I went outside to welcome them when I heard the car horn. I was the groom's sister but I was also the sister-in-law of the bride so I had to play my part, especially because Zoha Appi was nine months pregnant now and her due date was ten days away from today.

I walked outside, holding my dress up, and helped Rumaisa bhabhi out of the car and held on to one side of her as Zoha Appi attended to the other. The bride was looking beautiful in a yellow, full length dress that faded to pink towards the bottom. Her dupatta was set over her head and an additional pink and golden dupatta was pinned on each of her arm after going around her back. I hugged all my in laws in greeting and smiled at my husband before taking bhabhi inside under the shade of a red dupatta that was held by the men of her family.

We sat her on the couch decorated for the bride and groom and I quickly, yet carefully, ran up the stairs and into bhai's room who was standing in front of the mirror, fixing his hair. He looked very handsome in an all-white shalwar kameez with a green waist coat.

"Are you done? You look very handsome, Masha Allah. We shouldn't keep bhabhi and the guests waiting for too long, let's go." It was solely my job to get him downstairs and to his wife as mama had said so I hooked my arm through his and led him downstairs.

"You look beautiful too, Nino. I'm sure Ahad wouldn't be able to handle it, especially after the three day hiatus you both had from each other." He cheekily smiled and I slapped his chest and blushed. It reminded me of how I had done a very cheesy thing when getting dressed up. I was supposed to wear the flowers jewelry in my hands and ears but I had skipping the hand one because I wanted Ahad to slide it into my wrists when he came over.

"Bhabhi's looking very pretty." I whispered into his ear as we walked and he muttered 'Masha Allah' under his breath when he finally saw her.

Everyone was just getting settled in right now so we didn't start the actual function. Someone put a hand on the small of my back and I would have been startled if I didn't recognize his touch. I turned around to face him, only to find him lovingly looking at me.

"Do you have some time for me right now?" He politely asked, causing me to blush as I nodded and he led us inside the house as the entire set up for the function was done outside in the lawn.

The inside was completely empty as everyone was outside with the bride and groom so he placed both of his hands around my waist and kissed my forehead as I closed my eyes. I took in his clothes which were a green kurta with white trousers that I had bought for him when I got my dress.

"I missed you." I let my head fall to his chest and wrapped my arms around him as he hugged me back.

"I've been going crazy ever since I saw you tonight." He raised my chin with a finger and leaned in to connect our lips. It had been three days only but I missed him beyond words and the kiss relieved me as I sighed in between. We stayed in the position for a while before separating and I looked around until I spotted the basket of jewelry that I had set aside. I took his hand and led him to the basket where I handed him two bracelets.

"I didn't wear them because I wanted you to put them on my wrists." I shyly told him and averted my gaze.

"You're so romantic, jaan." He took one of my hands in his and smoothly slipped the bracelet over my hand and repeated with the other hand, all the while maintaining eye contact with me that made the moment so much more intimate.

"We should go outside now. Everyone must be wondering where we disappeared off to." He clasped our hands together and took me outside where Zoha Appi gave us a knowing look and I looked away. Her dress was an orange version of Sarah's dress, except her dupatta was almost the same as mine.

Mama put a leaf each in bhai and bhabhi's hands where everyone came and put some mehndi into it before feeding them some sweet with a spoon.

When it was my turn, I had to go with Ahad as we were both a couple but I barely got by as the smell of the mehndi was too strong for me and I had to scrunch my nose in order to not gag. It had no chemicals like the one we apply on our hands so the smell was very raw and it got to me. I tried to get done as quick as possible and stayed away from it for the rest of the night. Anyone who noticed looked concerned about my reaction and I just shrugged them off, saying it was nothing.

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(A.N): Ring the wedding bells for Rumaisa & Rauf! Please vote and comment, thank you <3