Islamically Ever After

Chapter Thirty Three

• Bismillahirahmanalrahim •

Please if you guys haven't prayed yet make sure you stop reading, pray and return. This story can wait but Allah (swt) only knows that time doesn't.

Enjoy reading and May Allah (swt) grant all those reading this firdous.

Salams,
Your Sister In Islam
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Ihsan's POV
Post-nikkah was a weird feeling I tell you. Although technically there was unlimited access between Yusuf and I, I didn't want anything to happen between us. For that reason I was trying to avoid him and marriage preparations gave me just that excuse.

Currently I was dress shopping and tonight I would start the 'great bake' of my wedding cake inshallah. I had finished the fruit bar last night whereby guests would be able to pick their desired fruit which would then be blended to the smoothies of their choice. It worked out to be cheaper then the usual dessert bar and a lot healthier too so Alhamdulilah that was great. Also as wedding favours I had bought the tiniest little succulents which were individually packaged in tiny gold pails. They were to die for and with each one I printed out little tags that spelt 'Watch our love grow. Yusuf and Ihsan 07.11.1436' Other than that, with only 3 days to go it was a relief to have crossed so many things off my checklist Alhamdulilah.

But the dress??!!!???!!!?! Oh my Allah it was killing me! I had been to around 5 shops already and hadn't found anything that I liked, it was getting pretty ridiculous. I mean there are only so many stores a girl can go to without losing hope. This one is too tight and that one is too loose, that one doesn't sit right and this one is too expensive, this one is too cliche and that one...just yuck! However, I decided to give it one last go at the last ship in the area, Frocks and Gowns Boutique. Hmm...that didn't sound too bad.

I walked in only to be smacked with a pungent smell of every flower under the sun. I mean come on there is a limit people. But then I realised something...if I walk out of this shop, particularly considering I'm probably going to be in here for a while, I'm going to smell like perfume. And as the hadith goes, (along the lines of) if a woman wears perfume, walks out of the house and a man smells her and is attracted to her then she gets the sins of an adulteress. Talk about deen over dunya...there are no more shops left! My wedding was in 3 days! What could I do...?

As cheesy as it sounds, I thought to myself...what would Yusuf do and instantly I turned back. Allah (swt) would suffice for me, I had given this up for his sake and He (swt) wouldn't let me down. With that thought in mind I almost skipped to my car when I was toppled to the ground by some sort of boulder. Argh! I shrieked as I struggled to get up. "I am SOOO sorry! My pram just rolled and I couldn't stop it. I-" the lady rambled. "Ilham??" I questioned.
"Ihsan?"
"Oh my-"
"Future sister in law in two days!!! How are you Hun?"
"Alhamdulilah. Just doing some final wedding shopping."
"Ooooh! Whatcha buying?"
"My...wedding dress?"
"Oh my Allah! Are you kidding me Ihsan? You haven't bought your wedding dress yet? Why didn't you say anything?! I thought you had already bought it!"
"Yeah well I didn't want to trouble anyone"
"Trouble? Girl are you crazy?!"
"Slightly."
"Yeah about my brother I already know that...the feelings mutual habibti"
"Ilham!!!" I blushed.
"Oh you guys are soo cute, I just can't wait to see your babies!"
"Next subject please."
"One second...yes I've decided. I'm going to buy your wedding dress."
"Umm...what?"
"Yes I guess I didn't make myself clear enough...Yusuf is going to buy your wedding dress."
"Ilham WHAT?!?! Are you out of your mind?! Yusuf couldn't even decide with those little gift boxes let alone my wedding dress. No. Way!"
"Yeah well what other option do you have. Knowing you you have already searched up all the wedding dress shops in the district and considering you didn't even see my pram ram into you then you've had no luck. You have three days till your big day. Sister you ain't got anything better"
"You're good"
"What can I say?"
"I'll...I'll...figure something out. No way Ilham! You okay...but Yusuf?!"
"I would Habibti but I can't with little Yusuf and all."
"Oh yeah actually where is he?"
"I just dropped him off at Tawfeeq's parents house but I use the pram for shopping. That's bedsides the point, Yusuf has good taste in clothes, I grew up with him. Just think of it like a little trust exercise"
"Little trust exercise?!"
"Put it this way...if you don't let him do this then I won't come to your wedding!"
"W-what?! You wouldn't..."
"Try me!"
"Uuukkhhh!!! Fine but you know if it's not absolutely beautiful I will slaughter you...in your sleep. Got it Ilham?"
"Love you too darling. Now I've got to go make some phone calls. Salams!" Waving she walked away leaving me in a daze.

What did I just get myself into...?

Yusuf's POV
'I need to see you ASAP' was the only information I received in a message from Ilham. After coffee and some heart wrenching news, she basically told me that I would be designing Ihsan's wedding dress. Having taste in clothes and designing female wedding dresses were two completely different things, but not to Ilham of course.

That aside, I was currently sitting at my desk trying to figure out how to design this dress. I decided to start with what I knew...

• I didn't want a traditional white wedding dress, so maybe a soft pink or beige which really went well with her complexion.
• I wanted lace, the elegance suited Ihsan.
• Although it was a segregated wedding, I wanted her to wear her hijab, so that meant the design should be lower on the dress rather than on the chest.
• No heels. I liked her height, it was adorably short. And I didn't want anyone checking her out.
• No frills, sequences, diamonds or glitter.
• More form fitting up the top (which won't be seen by anyone but me inshallah) and a flowing bottom.

Looking at my list, I think I did a pretty good job and so I began to draws wife's wedding dress.

Ihsan's POV
I woke up at 6:50am sharp...which was VERY unlike Ihsan Khaleel. Although I was a morning person, I loved my sleep and after a sleep deprived week, the weekends were usually my 'make up for all that loss of sleep' time so having awoken at 6:50am was strange. There must be something going on...OH MY ALLAH ITS MY WEDDING DAY!!!!!!!! I yelled causing myself to fall backwards on to my dressing table.

"Is everything okay?!" Mama ran in and frantically asked.
"Yes yes mama Alhamdulilah, I'm fine. Mama guess what?"
"What Habibti?"
"I'm getting married today!"
"Oh my daughter. What am I going to do with you. Okay now all the food has been taken to Yusuf's grandparents house, the cake looks amazing if I do say so myself dear. The make up artist is coming in around two hours so I suggest you have a shower and then she'll do our makeup, we'll get dressed and go!"
"Okay wow. Umm...okay let's get started then"

Yusuf's POV
Today. Was. The. Day. Alhamdulilah.

As Tawfeeq fixed up my bow tie I couldn't help but think how surreal this was. There were struggles along the way, but after two agonising years almost I was going to be able to marry Ihsan Khaleel. She would me mine. All mine...Alhamdulilah.

I just hoped she liked her dress...