Laiba sighed. “Yes, I understand, beta. But, it’s still hard, sending a child off to be someone else’s, to live with someone else. You’re our only one, you know.”
Sabah laughed. “Well—”
“We could always have another,” Faisal joked, nudging his wife and winking. Laiba rolled her eyes and shook her head at him.
“I see you’re taking this quite well, Faisal Saab,” she said, smiling at him, even though a blush was rising to her cheeks. Sabah giggled.
“Yeah, Faisal Saab. I thought you’d be more upset than Mama. What with me being your only beti and all,” she teased, crossing her arms in mock anger and pouting at him.
Faisal chuckled. “How do you know I’m not upset? Maybe I’m just really good at keeping it in,” he said, patting his daughter’s head and leaning in to give her a kiss on the forehead. Sabah smiled up at him as he pulled away and muttered a few blessings under his breath.
“Alright, we have to go now, Sabah,” Laiba said once he had finished. Sabah nodded and slipped on the sparkling golden heels Ami Jaan had bought her. At first, she and Mama had both refused to accept them—seeing as she had also picked up the tab on the dress itself—but she had insisted, saying if they didn’t, she’d be “insulted.” So, of course, they had to oblige. And Sabah was glad they had, because the shoes not only went perfectly with the dress, but they were also absolutely beautiful, almost like a princess’s.
“Do you have everything you need?” Mama asked as she put on her own shoes and grabbed her purse from Abba, who was patiently holding it out to her by the door. Sabah laughed and nodded.
“Seeing as I don’t really need much, I’m going to say yes,” she said.
“Okay,” Laiba muttered distractedly, pulling her keys out of her bag and holding the door out for her. “Then let’s go. I don’t know the way to Hafsa’s house too well so we need to leave a little early. We wouldn’t want the bride showing up late to her own function.”
Sabah giggled. “How funny would that be, though,” she asked, a teasing hint in her voice. Her Mother shot her a sideways glare and pushed her out of the house before her. Behind her, Faisal waved goodbye one last time before shutting the door. Sabah shook her head as she cautiously made her way down the driveway towards the waiting car, careful not to trip in her new shoes.
“I bet Abba’s thanking Allah that the mehndi is girls only. He’s probably thrilled we’ll be gone all night. He’ll have the whole house to himself for once,” she said, still smiling. Laiba scoffed.
“Please,” she said, waving her head dismissively. “He’ll most likely end up falling asleep on the couch even before we reach your in-law’s place.”
Sabah laughed, though all the while her mind was stuck on repeat, unable to stop thinking about where they were going. There would be so many people there. All her friends, relatives, people from the center. Everyone. And yet, she could only think about the one person who she might end up bumping into. If he was home, that is.
♥
“Sabah!” Rumi cried, throwing her arms around her friend in barely contained excitement. Sabah groaned and stumbled backwards, nearly tripping and falling over against the door. Her Mother caught her by the arm, steadying her before she could make a fool of herself, all the while laughing under her breath at the two girls.
“Rumaysa Alim!” a second voice called, its tone stern. “Are you trying to kill the dulhan before she can even get married?”
Rumi pulled away from Sabah and turned to face the voice, allowing its owner to come into view. “Hidaayat!” Sabah cried upon seeing her friend. She extended her arms for a hug but Hidaayat’s face remained frozen in a sharp, no nonsense expression.
YOU ARE READING
His Sabah
Romance"You are not--and never will be--my wife." Salim Meer. He smokes, he drinks, he parties, and he couldn't care less about his religion. He struggles to keep his painful past that way--in the past--and often turns to violence and danger to keep his mi...
