The Perfect Union

Chapter 4 - The Long Drive Home

Ahmed's POV

It was 10.30pm and finally after a whole hour and half of endless chatter it was finally quiet. Ali and Aaminah had fallen asleep at the back of the car and Dad was also dozing off in the passenger seat. I could hear mum and Fatz talking just behind me in a low voice like I wouldn't know what they were discussing.

From the moment we had sat in the car every member of my family had started giving their opinion on Aliyah, her family and how the evening had gone. On the whole everyone had agreed her family were great, she was amazing and she was just right for our family.

During the whole discussion I had stayed silent pretending that I was concentrating on my driving. Whilst everyone else had been chattering my mind had been blank just listening to all their comments and occasionally chuckling at a few things that had happened. But now that it was all quiet, just me, the only one wide awake as I drove along the quiet motorway, my brain was going crazy. I couldn't stop thinking about her.

She was perfect. Before tonight the only things I knew about her was what everyone else had told me. But tonight I got a glimpse of her personality myself and to be honest I couldn't me more impressed.

What my family didn't know was this was not the first meeting I had had with Aliyah. I mean this Aliyah was a lot different from the one I had seen for the first time about 5 years ago. Whilst there had been some improvements some things were missing.

These were the things that had struck me when I saw her for the first time after many years at Samaa's and Abdullah’s wedding. She was now practicing and wearing hijab; two things which enhanced her impression on me but the life and bubbliness that I remembered from the old Aliyah was gone.

When I found out that she was not married I couldn't believe it. I mean it sounds selfish to think that I was happy that she hadn't married that guy she was engaged to but even I could see that something big must have had happened to make such a big change in her as a person.

At first I wasn't going to do anything. What good would it do me to open up my heart and let out all the feelings that i had kept hidden for all these years.

But instead I did the best thing I could. I knew there was a reason why Allah SWT had brought her back into my life, so I made a special pray to ask Allah SWT to send me a sign if Aliyah was meant to be in my life.

It was a few days later when I was at the gym with Abdullah when he started telling me it was time I should think about marriage. He told me that Samaa had a friend who she thought would be perfect for me and her name was Aliyah. I couldn't believe it. This was the sign I had secretly been waiting for.

I then told Abdullah about Aliyah. About how she was the girl I had seen many years ago at a distant cousins wedding but unfortunately at that time she was already engaged. Then I just thought it wasn't meant to be and moved on.

After I spoke to Abdullah he told Samaa that I was interested but he didn't tell her the whole story. This got the ball rolling. Samaa's mum who had become quite friendly with my mum during Abdullah’s wedding came to my mum and spoke to her about the proposal. On further discussion they had found out that my dad actually knew of her family and said they were a respectable family and he had no issue regarding the proposal.

I couldn't believe how well everything had turned out. I just kept saying Alhamdulillah because it couldn't go any better. But it did.

When my sister Fatima had come down to London during the summer holidays my mum found out that Fatima had actually built up a friendship with Aliyah from Abdullah’s wedding and she had nothing but praise for her.

As I thought about all that had happened in the last 7 months I couldn't help but smile. Today just seemed like the icing on the cake.

All around me I could hear the snoring of my family members. I thought everyone was asleep it was only as my mum leaned over to me and said quietly in my ear 'Mashah Allah I hope no one puts nazar on my sons smile' that I realised she was awake.

'I guess I don't need to ask you what you think do I??' She asked ' I will phone in about a week and ask for their answer. Your dad and I are really happy with this proposal Ahmed. However if you want to speak to Aliyah regarding anything especially about her broken engagement I'm sure we can arrange that'.

I was shocked. To be honest that hadn't even crossed my mind. I didn't care what had happened and there was no way I was going to judge Aliyah on what had happened.

'No mum, to be frank I don't care about what happened. All I know is Aliyah is a good person. She comes from a good family and I can already tell she will fit into our family. And that's all that matters to me' I said to her and saw her nodding in the rear view mirror.

It was a few minutes after which the sourness of my mum's question left my thoughts and my mind went back to Aliyah. All I could think of was her beautiful face full of surprise when I had accidently walked into the kitchen. I chuckled to myself as I carried on driving. I couldn't wait get home and get to bed where I could peacefully carry on dreaming about her.