Part 57: Janaah Charow and drama

The week went by so quickly and before I knew it, it was the morning of the Janaah Charow. My mother acted like the whole of Port Shepstone was coming to inspect the house and eat.

She and Dadi started straight after fajr, cleaning top to bottom, corner to corner, left to right, side to side, under and on top, around and inside! Just watching them, made me tired! I was also kinda glad that I'm pregnant and wasn't roped in to help. By the time the maid cane at 8am, it didn't seem like there was anything left for her to do.

After my mother berated her for 15minutes about how late she was, they sent her of to wash windows, shine the veranda and sweep the driveway! Really? Was all this even necessary?

I volunteered as a taster in the kitchen as lunch and snacks were being made and by 9am my mother was after Sabera to get done.

"Mummy, you do know that they only coming after 1, right?, there is still plenty of time!"

" mummy stop fussying, you making me nervous!"

"mummy, just leave me, Im fine!"

Sabera was starting to get on my nerves too, she was so laid back and lackadaisical about everything and mummy was running around like a headless chicken. I finally asked Imraan to take me to the mall for some last minute things but unfortunately he was expecting a very important international call and couldn't.

So, I asked my father. My father seemed relieved to have an excuse to leave the mad house for awhile and he didn't even complain when I dragged him between shops. It was nice to spend some alone, one-on-one time with him.

As we drove back home, I studied him from the passenger side seat. I was taken aback at how old he looked. His face had changed, he looked run down and tired. While we busy growing up, we don't really notice that they growing old. I think my parents could do with a holiday after the wedding, they need to sit back and relax abit!

Once we got home, I put the finishing touched to the tables and went off to change and then check in on Sabera.before we knew it, the boys side had arrived and the formalities began.

Luqmaan's family seemed really nice and Sabera was very relaxed. She seemed to be enjoying herself. After lunch, the boys side left and I went to admire the kunchaas they brought.

The gifts were very unique and different, a chefs hat, apron, baking utensils and a recipe book set in a gaint cupcake tin, was one.

A blank canvas with paint brushes and paint, made up another gift.

 Tea cups with a variety of teas, sugars and biscuits, set on a tray.

A picnic basket with sparkling grape juice and fresh strawberries. I was so impressed!Luqmaans family was very creative.

My father retired to his room and by Magrib he still hadn't emerged, my mother went to check on him.

I was in my room, finishing my salaah, when I heard my mothers terrified screams down the passage, I rushed out to see what happened just as Ahmed ran into my parents room, my mother  hurried to explain to him, as I listened in shock...
"it's daddy! His just laying there, his breathing is so shallow, his covered in sweat!", mummy said close to hysterics.

Part 9- Family scandales and skeletons

I was seriously getting home-sick now... I missed my parents and sister and I had the most intense craving for the Chicken Tikkah pizza that one of the local food outlets in my hometown makes.

I must talk to Imraan about going to Port Shepstone after Eid, it was long overdue and quite frankly we could do with a sea-side break.

Most Guji DiLs go home for their first Ramadaan, at very least for a few weeks, but Imraan's family was paranoid and I didn't want to drag up any old ghost, especially after I noticed that Sumaya too, doesn't go home for Ramadaan. She did go for a week before though, brought back lovely savouries from her mum and nice things from a butchery in laudium.

Before I got married, Imraan told me about Bilal's first wife Farzana, she went home for her first Ramadaan and then decided she's not coming back. Nothing Bilal or my in-laws said would change her mind. 
I also heard that sumaya and farzana got along really well, like sisters almost, so when the trouble started, Bilal accused Sumaya of causing some if it. (that may explain why Sumaya has taken so long to start warming to me.)

After a long drawn out dispute and trying to make it work living apart, Bilal and Farzana eventually decided to divorce. Much to my MiLs horror! She couldn't stand the tainted reputation and whispers, I'm sure.

Shortly after the talaaq, Bilal married Shiraan in a small Nikkah and backyard walima, nine months later...out popped the twins.

Shireen is my MiLs sisters daughter, at the time she was fending off a stigma of her own...the community was buzzing over her broken engagement after her fiancé called it off to make secret nikkah to the 'madragee' secretary from his office. Shireens mother was in a panic, Shireen was already 25 at the time and Imraan's Kala didn't want her daughter to be sitting on the shelf.

The two unfortunate situations made Bilal and Shireen a perfect match in every bodies eyes and my MiL had always had a soft spot for Shiraan because she and Bilal had been born a week apart, their mothers had confinement together. It was ment to be for then, apparently...(to bad they don't act 'ment to be,now') 

Wait, wait...i stopped my self, backspace that thought...never judge anybody's relationship no matter how it looks from the outside, least you be wrong, worse if a similar situation should befall you, too.

Not like I didn't have my own fair share of time in the rumour spot light...when I met Imraan, Nasreen had just gotten engaged and rumours were flying around that I was jealous and trying to break off her engagement, after all, she's 6 months younger than me and getting married first. The rumours almost ruined our friendship, but good thing Nasreens so level-headed.

More than a year ago, when Nasreen heard that a boy from Port Shepstone was coming to see her, she immediately phoned to ask me if his name was familiar, I told her I had had a classmate by the same name, if it was the same boy, we were sort of friends in school and he was very nice, super intelligent too and cute! But I wasn't sure, I hadn't seen this boy in ages. Nasreen didn't mind, she was glad to have a positive vibe because this prospect did sound promising.

Things worked out for Nasreen... Muhammad was a "hunky, quantity surveyor" who grew up in Port Shepstone but studied, worked and lived in Durban. Nasreen never wanted to be a live-in DiL so for her, that was a real plus. The fact that Muhammad's parents lived almost an hour away, didnt hurt his rating either. She really makes me laugh.

At her engagement I immediately recognized Muhammad as the same one I had meant now with a designer beard.
When I went to congratulate the shy couple, Muhammad recognized me and the three of us fell into easy conversation, I think Nas&Mo were kind of glad to have a mutual buffer. Ofcorse the gossip mongers' watched on, eyes wide open...
The very next day the damaal started. I was accused of jealousy, conceit, lies etc it was very stressful because my relationship with Nas was on the line as well as her engagement.

Nas was understandably upset and full of doubt, luckily I managed to convince her that whatever school day comradeship Mo and I had was long in the past and it would never match to the relationship she'll have with him as husband and wife. Plus, I would always respect the boundaries of that. Nasreen is very level-head and once the rumors died down, things were fine.

Luckily Imraan had heard this whole damaal straight from me before he even proposed, ah...Imraans proposal, now that's a story!... But, for another time...too bad I didn't keep a diary back then...