Healing

39.

The day was finally here.

Our nikkah was going to happen today.

After all the headache we had agreed to a small nikkah with only really close friends and family.

I slowly get out of bed and open my curtains to let in some light and pray Fajr. I make dua for today to go well and ask for Allah ﷻ blessing on our marriage.

From the other room I can hear my brothers movements. His footsteps echo through the house until he opens my room door.

He stared at me for a moment before saying," Looks like the younger sibling is getting married first."

His voice sounded deep since he had just woken up but his eyes held a tinge of redness to them.

"I mean you've always one upped me in everything so I had to do it just this once," I reply.

"Maybe," he said thoughtfully. "Fatima's here by the way."

I nod and get up. I was going to get ready at a parlor before going to the venue since the nikkah started at 10. It was currently five which meant we had all five hours to get ready.

I had taken a deep shower yesterday so all I had to do was skincare and brush my teeth which I finished in all of 15 minutes.

I made it to the car waiting outside by 5:30 and we got the parlor by 6.

As soon as I stepped foot into the building I was rushed to a chair and around five women started doing different things at the same time.

I was instructed to change into my dress first so that I didn't have to put on my dress after my makeup was on and have the chance of ruining it.

I had opted for a white theme for the nikkah. My dress was white with gold accents on the pearls sewn throughout and so was my jewelry.

After it was on, a women put my hair up in a bun and another started prepping me for makeup.

I had asked for very light and natural makeup but with a pop to the eyes which they accomplished using kohl and Dior 3D eyelash primer plus Diorshow mascara.

They all kept on talking animatedly about how amazing my day was going to be, about how beautiful I looked, about anything and everything related to my day ahead.

I had a feeling they were trying to make me feel pumped up and happy for the following day as I had been stressed when I had initially walked in.

Maybe that had caught on and we're trying to help. And honestly it was working. I fell into the conversation and got more and more relaxed.

At around 8, Fatimah comes in holding a Starbucks cup in one hand and a bag in the other. "I got you coffee and a blueberry muffin since you haven't had breakfast yet."

Around 8:30 my makeup artist tells me she's done.

"Okay my turn to take over," says an elderly women that had been sitting off to the side. She took out the white dupatta that went with my dress and started pinning it in different places to make my hijab as close to the picture I had shown her from Pinterest.

After she was done I was told to close my eyes.

"You can't look until we say you can," another one instructed. "Camera dude come over here."

I laugh to myself as the camera man set up in front of the huge mirror that filled the entire side wall.

"Okay don't open your eyes until we say you can," and I did as I was told. She took my hand and lead me to the front of the mirror.