Not your everyday Wedding (Yemeni)

Back home

We arrive 4 hours later and Ahmed carefully walks me in. I'm greeted by his sister and mother with smiles on their faces.

His sister grabs my hand and begins to run but I hiss in pain and she stops, her frown disappearing. "What's wrong?" Reem asks in her mother's presence.

I don't do the talking; Ahmed starts telling them what happened. I don't stay to hear what the full explanation is since I walked away.

I went to Reem's room to pick up some clothes so I can shower. I take off my clothes and start shuffling through the bags. After I pick the clothes out, someone knocks on the door.

I put on a loose long shirt and some baggy leggings and open the door assuming it's either Ahmed or Reem. You can guess my luck was not on my side today when I saw that it was Ibrahim at the door. I sighed but didn't bother to change my attire since we are family and I'm dressed somewhat modestly.

He gives me a look before he hugs me. I don't hug him back but just enjoy it. Then he pulls away and asks if I'm okay.

"Yeah ,I'm fine. Just tired." I say as I take my hair off the rubber band and make it into a messy bun.

He then puts his hand in his pocket and pulls something out. "Here." He says handing me money. I laugh.

"Why would you give me money? Is that how this culture works?" I ask mocking.

"What? No! Haha ,you're dad send you money yesterday. We were actually gonna head up here today to give it to you. Here." He says handing it to me. I think for a moment. This isn't the first time my dad send me money since I came to Yemen but it is since I got married. I take it knowing I won't be using it for myself only.

"Sorry." I apologize. "I didn't mean to yell at you. I'm just really tired and am in pain."

"Oh no ,you don't have to apologize. I totally understand." He says as he gives me one last hug and leaves.

I close the door after him and then sit down with my back to the frame. I start to close my eyes but then my phone starts to ring. My phone? I'm surprised it survived, I think to myself as I go to my bag and get it out. Adam is calling via FaceTime. I answer without covering my hair not really caring at all at this moment.

"Damn you look like shit!" He says. I force a smile and say thanks. "What's wrong?" He asks.

"Nothing I'm just tired." I say as a yawn escapes my mouth.

"Did you get my present?" He asks.

"Yeah. Thanks. Oh can you tell Maha thanks as well." I say getting up with a blistering headache. I groan as I go to my medicine bag and take out some Tylenol that I brought from America. I pop two pills in my mouth and drink it with a bottle that I had saved in my room. I didn't really consider the fact that Adam was watching me the whole time.

"I thought pregnant women can't take medication." He says curiously.

"They can't." I tell him.

"But you just...didn't you? What is going on?" He asks.

"God thought it wasn't time for me to have a baby. Or maybe he didn't trust me since I'm too sick. Or maybe he knew that if I stood any longer without my medication I would have gone crazy." I say running my head up to my messy bun and taking the band off. Why am I blaming God? Do I not trust his judgment?

"Damn mama take a deep breath. Breath." He says taking it all in. "Are you okay?" He asks.

"Yes...no...I don't know." I say putting the phone down so that he can't see me. Then I start laughing.

"What?! What happened? What's funny? Hey! What's wrong with you?!" He says panicking.

I pick up the phone and look at him. "I can feel happy. I mean I can make myself. I have xanny(my nickname for Xanax)." I say.

"What do you mean? How?" He asks confused.

"My therapist gave me a few just in case I needed it for a stressful trip. I haven't used any of them." I say with a smile on my face.

"No." He says getting very angry. "You're not gonna get addicted to drugs. At least while I'm not there with you."

"Why do you have to be there with me?" I ask.

"So I can have some too." He says with a smile.

"You little...I thought you were gonna say something sweet like so you can take care of me. Bye!!" I shout and hang up the phone but not before hearing him apologize and say it was a joke.

He starts calling but i don't answer. I head over to my medicine bag and look at what I need. It's either xanny or diazepam. Even though they are both equally bad I decide that the diazepam is better. I pop two pills and go to the bathroom and shower.

Wearing a long dress shirt that goes below my knees and some loose black leggings, I get out of the bathroom with a towel on my head. My luck still not being on my side, causes Aaron to be walking in the same hallway as me. He stops and walking and stares at me. The only thing that was really showing that shouldn't was my bare arms but other than that I don't know why he looked surprised. "You okay?" He asked.

"Yeah. Thanks. I'm gonna go to sleep." I say walking past him and heading to Reem's room. I open my door to see something I was not expecting Ahmed and Adam FaceTiming each other. "What are you doing?" I asked Ahmed.

"I came in and you weren't here and your phone kept ringing. I thought it was your mom but it was your (boy) friend." He said making a strained face he said (boy) friend. In Arabic similar to Spanish, words have genders so when he said friend he had to say (boy) friend.

"That didn't give you permission to answer!" I yelled. I don't know why I got angry. "Do you not trust me?" I asked. He walked closer to me having hung up the phone by now.

"Of course I trust you. He just wouldn't stop calling. I thought it was an emergency. What happened anyways? He looked so relieved when I answered." He says as he comes closer barely a foot away from me. "I'm sorry if I made you feel that way." He apologizes.

"I'm sorry for getting angry. He's just worried about me." I say as I lay my head on his chest and yawn.

"Are you sleepy? Have you prayed yet?" He asked.

"I can't pray remember? I'm bleeding." I say. "But I am sleepy." He then moves away a bit.

"Do you want to go to my room to sleep or do you wanna sleep here?" He asked. I told him here and he made me a bed on the floor with the blankets. I wanted to sleep in his room of course. But I'm too embarrassed to tell him that.

After he makes the bed, I go and lay down. I cover myself with a blanket and start to drift off to sleep forgetting that he's here. "Can I lay down next to you?" He asks.

I force my eyes open. "Why?" I ask.

"To be honest I'm scared." He admits. "I'm scared that you might hurt yourself. My mother has had many kids and many miscarriages. Every now and then she would get pregnant again and since she's getting older, her body can't handle it well. But even though she's had many miscarriages before, she falls into a deep depression when one occurs." He then gets down and lays down beside me.

"I'm betting it's worst for you since it's your first. And if your friend was worried about you, then I should be twice as worried and I am." He then pulls hugs me lightly. I'm almost fully asleep when he says, " I just wanna make sure you're alright."

I smile and I don't know why but by accident say, "I love you." I fall asleep right after not knowing what his reaction was.

***
Here y'all go. 🤗
I'll try to upload the next chapter later today or perhaps tomorrow. I don't want y'all to think I'm not taking this blessed month for granted, because I am. I only right when I'm making the baby sleep.

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