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I looked at my mother. “Why is everyone here?”
“To see you, of course,” she replied.
The weight of her words hit me like a ton of bricks. They were here to see me. Me, the girl who would leave her home and never come back. The girl who was going to marry a man she didn’t even love.
I was suddenly aware of the weight of the stares.
My mother smiled. “It seems word of your party has spread. Everyone wants to celebrate with our future crown princess.”
I was about to say something, but Tilila tugged on my kaftan.
“Look, Thimsal!” she said, pointing at the sky.
I followed her gaze and saw a streak of light. Then another. And another. Soon, the entire sky was filled with them. Colorful streaks of light crisscrossed in every direction. Shapes formed and dissolved. It felt like looking at a painting come to life.
Tilila grabbed my hand and squeezed it tight. “How pretty!”
I squeezed back, my heart full of wonder.
We continued. People praised me and prayed for my fortitude. Their words filled me with warmth, and I basked in their adoration. I was grateful for their support, but I couldn’t help but feel like something was missing.
Someone was missing.
My father and brothers weren’t here. And I missed them. I missed them so much.
We made our way to a large tent that had been set up for me. The inside was decorated with lanterns and colorful rugs. My mother led me inside.
“This is for you,” she said, gesturing to a large chair on the stage.
I sat down and looked out at the crowd. Everyone smiled and laughed, and I saw Souhir standing off to the side with Tilila. Tilila danced around, trying to get Souhir to dance with her, but Souhir just laughed and shook her head.
The sound of drums filled the air, and the crowd danced. Shaking their hips and their shoulders to the beat of the drums. The energy was infectious, and I swayed to the music.
“Dance all night under the stars, we’ll be free like we used to be. Before this life weighs us down, we’ll be blessed by the hearts of the town,” I sang along with the band.
The amount of effort that had been put into this celebration truly blew me away. I didn’t know that so many people cared about me. As I looked out at the crowd, I saw the faces of strangers and friends alike. All of them came together to celebrate Midar. To celebrate with me.
“Why do you look surprised?” Souhir giggled as she embraced me. Her perfume was a mix of jasmine and oranges, and it was intoxicating. “Did you think we would forget about you?”
“I didn’t expect all of this.” I gestured to the crowd. “It’s amazing.”
“Of course it is.” She grinned. “You’re amazing.”
Her soft-hearted compliment made my cheeks flush red.
More people danced, and the music got louder. A group of older men grabbed their canes and danced with the children. In a line, they danced around the street. The women laughed and clapped along with the beat.
As I watched them, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia. I thought about all the Midarian celebrations I visited in the past. The ones where my father and brothers would dance with me. The ones where we would stay up all night, laughing and joking around.
Those were the nights that I cherished the most.
The crowd shouted and sang, and the ground trembled with their footsteps. The air was thick with the smell of flowers and perfume.
Souhir grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the dance floor. We danced together, our hips moving in time with the music. The drums pounded in my chest, and I danced harder and harder. I was dizzy from all the spinning, and my head felt light.
I felt alive. I felt happy. I felt free. I felt like I was dreaming. But it was real. It was all real.
At that moment, I realized that my mother was right. These people weren’t strangers. They were my people.
