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The preparations for Dahlia and Kaveh's wedding were on full swing.
The families were already discussing dates and venues. The ideal time to host a wedding in their country was December, anytime before that was impractical due to the year-round humidity and heat. However, neither parties wanted to wait that long, as the disadvantages of a long engagement were hefty, so a date as soon as the first week of August was being considered.
Dahlia Ahmad was sprawled on her bed, lying on her belly with her legs in the air. In front of her lay several boxes of antique jewelries. Some belonged to her grandmother, some to her mother, now being shown to her as her own day for wearing these pieced was looming ahead.
The rest of her sisters were in the room as well, going through different pieces of ornaments as they chatted amongst themselves. Dahlia found a black and white photo of a woman dressed as a bride. The clothes and the makeup on the girl, not just the development of the picture, told her it was an old memory.
She picked it up and let out a gasp. "Is this Dadimaa?"
Dahlia asked, showing the picture to her mother. Junaina Ahmad nodded in reply. Both Lily and Rose moved to her side.
"She was gorgeous."
"Let me see," Lily said, as Dahlia turned the photo straight again.
"I mean, she still is, but my God; she looked like an old Bollywood actress or something."
"How old was she here?" Dahlia asked.
Junaina furrowed her brows as she tried to recall. "Since this was her wedding, I would say fourteen or fifteen."
"This is what she looked like at fifteen?" Lily cried. "Couldn't she have passed on her looks to me?"
"Instead of her attitude problems." Dahlia uttered under her breath, earning a look from her sister.
"That certainly would have made my life easier, at least," Junaina rolled her eyes at her daughter. "Nargis Khatun was quite a sight back in her day," she continued. "And it caught the attention of all the men in her area. She used to receive so many love letters that her mother was afraid to let her out of the house."
"Is that how she met Dadaji?" Dahlia asked. "Was he one of her suitors?"
Their mother's eyes sparkled as she let out a laugh. "Unfortunately, no. They were in an arranged marriage and they didn't even learn each others' names until their wedding day. But your Dada did not hold back in writing her letters afterwards. I found them in her attic one day, and he was quite the romantic, I tell you."
