I had filled in two fields on that form...1. Bride's representative, 2. Contact number...
The following weekend, Imraan's family drove up to meet me.
I was so glad that at least I kinda knew Sumaya. She was quiet and 6 months pregnant, but at least she was a familiar face, oh and Talha, who was so excited to be visiting Fatima ma'am at home. I think he was shocked teachers even had a home, he must have thought we live in school, lol.
I never had an engagement party, shortly after my proposal, Nani took ill...she had too move in with my Kala amidst wedding preps for Nasreen, things were hectic.
One weekend while we were in Durban, Imraan, his mother and father, sister and SiLs came to my Kala's house, we set a date for less than a month after Ramadaan. They put a gold chain and that same ring on for me.
My Kala then whipped out some Mithia she had left from Nasreen's kunchaas, and just like that Imraan and I were engaged.
Even though we chatted before our conversations now were different...less vague and light hearted, it was deeper, more honest and a bit shyer. He wasn't as bold as he had first appeared. He said he was relieved I was not as aloof as I had appeared.
We decided to limit our contact to one chat every evening and supervised visits every second weekend...we didn't want to get so familiar that we lose the true muhabaa and magic of marriage, this was our halfway point and it pleased our parents.
With Nani so sick and Nasreen's wedding on the horizon, my own wedding prep was getting left behind.
Imraan and I decided on a Nikkah for a Friday after Asr in Port Shepstone, no reception, a walima in Durban on Sunday.
My parents ended up having a huge lunch after Jumuah at the Marburg Hall for everybody. It wasn't fancy, I wore an abayaa and scarf like everybody else.
My friends from campus took over my wedding plans, they scheduled and made bookings for me, planned shopping trips etc, it was a huge relief.
Nani was in and out of hospital and getting weaker, Nasreen's wedding became the first family function that Nani wasn't directly involved in.
After Nasreens wedding, Nani took a turn for the worse. Nas cut her honeymoon short and came back home early.
About five days before Ramadaan, Nani woke up suddenly in the middle of the night, I sat up next to her...she had barely spoken recently, "Nani you okay?" I asked her?
I quickly switched on the light.
"kaa che garjaal?" I pointed to the bedside clock, its half past 3 Nani.
Nani started getting out of bed, i rushed to help her...her breathing was laboured and wheezy...she felt so small and frail in my arms, its hard to believe that she once use to carry me around on her hip.
"must make wudu, must make wudu, fajr ke suru, fajr ke suru"
I didn't know what else to do so I helped her into the bathroom and helped her make wudu, after she was done I wiped her face, hands and feet while she sat on the chair. She slowly tied her downy, still muttering about fajr time, her eyes seemed dazed-like she was far away, I wondered if she even realized I was there.
I quickly opened her musalah and faced it towards qiblaah, I was trying to turn her chair when she said, put me on the floor Fatima, I want to make sajdaa on the ground.
As soon as she began salaah, I rushed to my mothers room, in tears I told my mother Nani was reading fajr now, before time...
"Don't worry, don't worry, let her...come i'll make us some tea..."
I checked on Nani she was sitting on her musalaah still making dua. Soon Kala and everybody else woke up for fajr and mummy told them Nani had woken early to read, one by one they went into see her while she made dua.
When I finished pray my fajr I realized Nani had been in sajdaa for very long now, when I went near I couldn't hear her wheezy breath anymore...I ran to the door shouting "mummy, mummy!!!!!"...then everything went black!
I awoke to my mothers voice," its okay Fatima, its okay..."
Tears filled my mothers eyes and spilt over, running down her face...
It wasn't a dream then, I knew...I squeezed my eyes closed.
"She's gone batchoo, she's gone...she lived long and she had such a beautiful death, it was all she ever wanted baby, you have to be strong", my mother said to me.
I kept shaking my head, She didn't understand.
"I was right there mummy, right there...on the other musalaah...she never even made a sound."
My mother looked at my Mamajee,
When did he get here?
He will make Nani better, I know he will!
"I think she needs something, doc..."
My mamajee nodded,"Already on it Mumtaz".
I felt a pinch and once again everything was black.
I woke up two hours later feeling stronger , I had a dream of Nani, surrounded by a beautiful garden. I knew then, that she was in Jannah.
I showered and changed, I wore my most beautiful abayaa. No doubt many ladies thought I had lost it, I looked like a rainbow in the sea of black.
I read and made Dua for Nani, I refused to talk to anybody while the Janaza was in the house. Lots of people whispered about me, no doubt thinking I had had a nervous breakdown.
"shame...so close to her wedding too."
Imraans SiLs and mother came, I acknowledged them with a nod.
After the funeral I phoned Imraan, in a quiet corner I broke down and told him it all...he quietly listened and made Dua, after that, I felt a bit whole again.
That Ramadaan was a blur. A few weeks after Eid was my wedding day...Thank goodness for lutfi and Kat...I wouldn't have got anything done if it wasn't for them!
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