A Halal Love Story #Wattys2019 - BEING EDITED

Chapter 23

"We have only twenty minutes to get ready and be downstairs Lubna!" Mom exclaims and I laugh because of the situation that we're in right now. I receive a glare from her in return.

You see this is very funny for me since all they have to do is wear an Abaya and they're ready. I decide to wear a maroon and red print maxi dress with a maroon hijab, and a crème cardigan which is opaque, but very thin nonetheless.

Mom and Auntie Lubna are ready before me and both of them are wearing the same Abaya which has sequins on the cuffs, and from the neckline to the bottom as well. We all go downstairs and say Asalam O Alaikom to the men, and then serve ourselves some breakfast.

After we have finished eating breakfast, we all go upstairs to read some Quran for a while and meet up at the front lobby. We all sit down on the couches there, and decide that we'll go shopping first today, and then to the Dubai Dolphinarium.

It takes us a while to get to the Mall of Emirates but that's okay since it is still pretty early right now, which means that there still are some parking spaces available. Once we have the car parked and are inside the mall, we split up so that the boys can do their shopping, and so that we can do ours.

Dad gives mom and I some money in Dubai currency so that we don't have to use our own, and Uncle Nasir gave Auntie Lubna some as well. Right now I had around 400 Dirhams from my own money that I had exchanged, and 650 Dirhams from dad. I know that, that was quite a lot, but to be honest but I didn't plan to spend all of it since we still have 1 and a half weeks to spend here.

I buy 2 Abayas from the mall because the one that I did have at home was pretty much worn out by now and wasn't wearable anymore. I also bought 3 one-piece Hijabs that reached my waist because I like having them for when I'm reading Namaz, and also because I wear them in the house since Hamza, and Uncele Nasir lives with us at the moment.

I then buy a couple of Pashmina scarves because I usually wear them outside the house and plus they will serve as gifts for Saafiya and Umme when I get back home. I also buy a couple of souvenirs for them, like bracelets, key chains, and magnets.

From one of the stores, I buy 2 maxi skirts, and a couple of tops. Just when I think that I'm done all of my shopping, mom drags me into a lingerie store. For a couple of seconds, my ears are gaped, and I feel blank.

"Mom why do I have to be here?" I ask her groaning.

"It's the best time to shop since your dad isn't around and there are only ladies here at this store." I want to mentally shoot myself now but know that she is correct after all.

I end up buying a lot more of everything than I probably needed but mom said that its okay since we're paying by cash and dad won't know that we shopped here. As we are about to leave the store, I shove my bag into one of my other bags even though the store wasn't flat out called Victoria's Secret or Pink which everyone knew were lingerie stores.

We meet up with the men in the food court and I decide to order a small platter from Villa Medina. Dad says that he'll pay so I decide to go sit down with mom and Auntie Lubna.

"Layla you need to buy some jewelry as well Bint (child)." Mom says.

"Yes Layla. Dubai is a wonderful place especially to buy wedding jewelry." Auntie Lubna says and I can't help but agree with both of them.

We spend some time eating food and after we're done, we go pray Zuhr in one of the prayer rooms in the mall and then decide to go to a couple of jewelry stores. From there, I buy a couple of pieces for the wedding which mom pays, and also a couple of bracelets and rings which I wanted myself.