Chapter 27: Chapter 27

Dashtan lowered Rakia’s body when they were inside the bridal boutique. Rakia was a little dumbfounded at the bridal gowns displayed in this boutique with various models complete with groom’s suits.

“Hi, Ash! How are you?” greeted a bespectacled woman wearing a black blazer and a knee-length pencil skirt the same color as her blazer. Her blonde hair was neatly curled behind her head. Rakia just stared flatly at the woman’s interaction with Dashtan which she felt was quite close. They gave each other a brief peck on the cheek. Rakia couldn’t guess the woman’s age so she just kept staring at the woman, guessing.

“I’m fine, this is Rakia my future wife,” Dashtan said, touching Rakia’s heart when he said ‘my future wife’. Rakia smiled and wanted to shake hands but the woman with her friendly smile immediately gave Rakia a quick peck on the cheek.

“Oh, finally, I can do something special for you. Are you ready?” she asked Dashtan, he smiled and then looked down for a moment to hide his shyness and nervousness. He looked back at her with a big smile.

“I have to be ready,” Dashtan said later, while Rakia did not understand what the two people were talking about, she was busy looking at the wedding dresses on display. Rakia memorized the numbers for the dresses here and it gave her goosebumps. The woman motioned Rakia to follow her into the interior of the boutique. They passed by the side of a staircase leading to the open door of a room.

“Jeni, call Nolan, he will take care of this spoiled boy,” said the blonde-haired woman whose name Rakia didn’t know until now. Jeni, who was about Rakia’s age, quickly walked out of the room and said to Dashtan, “Follow me, sir. Nolan will measure you.”

Dashtan walked away, leaving Rakia and the blonde woman behind.

“Come in, Rakia,” the woman said as she motioned with a hand gesture for Rakia to enter. A little awkwardly, Rakia entered the room that was both a changing room and a measuring room. The woman picked up a body meter and motioned Rakia to stand where she wanted her to. She began to measure Rakia.

“I hope you can accept him for who he is, he’s a grumpy, selfish, jealous and a little crazy type of guy,” the woman said as she went about her business. Rakia just smiled. She already knew some of what the woman mentioned except for being angry and a little crazy.

“Maybe all men are selfish,” Rakia said. The blonde woman smiled and nodded.

“That’s right, that’s why I chose a career over a partner. My sister, Dashtan’s mother chose to marry a soldier when we were still living in Pakistan, but a demonstration incident killed him and she decided to move with me to Dubai because it was unsafe while she was pregnant.” The blonde woman rambled on while busily measuring every inch of Rakia’s body. Rakia just listened attentively. She realized that this blonde woman was Dashtan’s mother’s sister.

“She met her current husband thanks to a fashion show I organized back in Dubai. Well, that’s a little story about your future husband’s family. I think you have a beautiful figure and butt, this dress will be perfect. Do you want to wear hijab?” she asked. Rakia pondered for a moment about that last question, then she said, “No, but can you make this dress less revealing? I hate wearing clothes that make me look naked.” Rakia said and the blonde woman smiled.

“Well, try this on.” The woman quickly moved away from Rakia to a dress displayed on the only mannequin in the room. Rakia held her breath for a moment when she saw the dress, her heart was beating so hard she immediately clenched her hands at her sides. Rakia looked down to control the emotions that were overwhelming her at the moment. The wedding dress made her nervous. The blonde woman helped her put on the dress in a small room that was only covered by a thick dangling cloth.

Beads of sweat began to appear on Rakia’s forehead as she put on the wedding dress with her shoulders so exposed, she squeezed the front of the dress. As she stood in front of a large mirror that showed her entire body wearing the dress, dizziness immediately hit her, she blinked several times so that her slowly blurring vision could soon normalize but it was in vain. Rakia looked down to take a breath and normalize her suddenly shaken state.

“How is it? The dress looks perfect when she wears it,” said the blonde woman to Dashtan who had just arrived and saw Rakia wearing the wedding dress. But their attention immediately focused on Rakia when the woman was heard making the sound of someone vomiting something, Rakia covered her mouth with both hands, and the next second her body fell to the floor with her eyes closed, but Dashtan quickly caught her before she hit the floor.

“Rakia... Rakia....” Dashtan lightly patted Rakia’s cheek as she laid her down on the long sofa in the room. The blonde woman named Hamira returned with aromatherapy oil in a small bottle then pulled up the wooden chair at her sewing table.

“Have you done anything to her?” asked Hamira sharply Dashtan who was currently trying to wake Rakia up with the aromatherapy oil that she held close to the woman’s nose. Hamira sighed loudly, she closed and opened her eyes with a furious look on her face.

“Ash!” called Hamira in a hostile tone, right after which Rakia also showed movement on her forehead then slowly raised her eyelids. Dashtan breathed a sigh of relief. Hamira also showed the same reaction as Dashtan. The man helped Rakia to sit up straight.

“Everything okay?” asked Dashtan when he felt Rakia was starting to communicate. The woman nodded and said, “I just have a headache.”

“Are you pregnant, My Dear?” Hamira’s question surprised both of them. Dashtan’s goosebumps seemed to leave his body but he remained silent as he snorted loudly, Rakia raised her face and looked at Hamira with a dazed face. Then Rakia turned to stare at Dashtan who was only staring half blankly at the surface of the wedding dress she was still wearing.

“I don’t-“

“Answer honestly,” Hamira cut in quickly.

“She is not pregnant, My dear Auntie.” Dashtan managed to say that with as low and calm an intonation as possible. Hamira exhaled harshly then looked at the two people.

“Don’t do stupid things like time,” Hamira said again. Rakia’s brow furrowed and suddenly asked, “That time?”

And Dashtan was again attacked by the tension he had felt a moment ago.