chapter one
I picked up my praying mat as I heard a knock on my door. I had been so anxious, that I had decided to pray.
"Come in"i said looking towards the door.
"Mina!!! Ya Allah, you haven't picked the colours for the tables yet!!!" Yasmin my younger sister said, almost attacking me on the bed.
"Chill,I am just so nervous about tomorrow I don't even know what to do"i said,confused because i really was anxious about everything,i was going to be leaving home soon and it was something i had dreaded all the years of my life.
"Everything is going to be fine,trust me" she assured. yasmin had always been my comforter and i wondered what i would have done without her.
There wasn't much of a age difference between the two of us. She was just 2 years younger and I was 22 and our younger brother was three years younger.
"I am scared that's it"I confessed.
"You shouldn't be"yasmin said putting her hands in mine and sitting next to me on the bed.
"Think of it like you are going somewhere for a lifetime holiday,you are welcome here anytime, it's not like we're selling you, so wipe that tear away"she said.
I dabbed my face gently as the tears threatened to spill.
"Why do you look sad all of a sudden"I asked
"I am really going to miss you!!"she screamed, pulling me into a bear hug.
"You're so lucky, you know"she added
I looked at her wondering what she was trying to say.
"What do you mean"i asked
"You're finally going to be free from all this"
"From what"
"This poverty, I heard the guy is rich"she suddenly said.
"But I am not marrying him because of that,i don't want any of his money because i am one day going to make mine,inshaallah''
"That's not what I mean, but then, I will finally be able to go back to college and zayn will be able to start college this year. you know "she said with a smile.
"By the way, where is zayn"I said trying to light up our mood
"He is with papa, they are making arrangements for the people coming from the masjid"
"Well, that's good"
"So let's talk about something else"I said dabbing the tears off my cheeks .
"Have you picked out your cloth for tomorrow"
"Nope"Yasmin shrugged
"Ya Allah,what have you been doing!!!"I said, dramatically moving to my closet.
"What kind of a sister do I have"
"The best in the world I guess"Yasmin said smiling.
"Do you like him"
I was thrown aback by her question .
"True love starts after nikah you know"I said still searching for a cloth for Yasmin.
"Yes, but what do you think of him"
"From the meetings we have had I think he is the one,i think i am going to like him"
As I prevented myself from facing Yasmin now because I knew I was so blushing now.
"I found it!!"I screamed showing Yasmin the cloth
"It is perfect!!"
I admired the cloth placing it on the bed and sitting next to it.
"I wish mama was here"I said after a moment of silence
"Me too"
"She would have gone on and on lecturing you about how to be a good wife"
"She would have screamed if she had found out you didn't have the cloth to wear hours to the nikah"
"She would have lectured you about getting your beauty sleep before the nikah and how you shouldn't do anything"
"She would have been here telling us how perfect she wanted things to be"
She would have taken care of everything but she was gone”I thought.
"I miss her"Yasmin said, resting her head on my shoulder.
"I miss her too"I added before we both started crying.