Odyssey... ~/~28- A Friend's Wedding

Farhad, at the same time, introspects that how much this little woman , his mother, who worked and did everything in a hurry all the times, yet had enough time to take care of him and his brother. He can not resist the rumbling of his heart anymore. While Hana is still in her dream world, he walks to her calmly and embraces this delicate woman. Their tears mix up and in the mist of that touching moment, Hana can not hear him say: "Mom, I'm sorry."

Valery tries the wedding gown and the veil in Hana's apartment for the last time. She rains Hana with warm kisses.

"I love it, I love it. I love you Hana." Her exciting scream brings Farhad to Hana's bedroom and for the first time he smiles at Valery.

"You look beautiful Valery. I am so happy for you."

The chains are broken and Farhad finally comes to accept his mother's friend. That night Valery tells Hana that Mario is the best man. She has kept that secret from her being afraid that Hana would refuse to be her mate of honor. It is only five days before the wedding and Hana's forest green, velvet dress is in its final process of finishing. Hana is hurt but understands her friend's secrecy. There is nothing can be done. She does not want to ruin Valery's wedding. So she is going to see Mario again. After that meaningful Saturday night at his house, she has promised herself not to get involved with any man or fall in love again. Now, not only she is going to walk down the isle arm and arm with him, she will also smell the sweet aroma of his cigar. She can not resist to ask a question which she wants to know the answer badly:

"Does Mario know that I am the mate of honor?"

"Of course!'

"Did you all plan this?" Hana looks straight in Valery's eyes.

"No, the truth is that Mario and Mick have been friends for a long time. In fact, I met Mick for the first time in Mario's home. I knew I was going to pick you and when Mick said he wanted Mario to be his best man, I though that would be a good idea to put you two together again."

Farhad finally accepts Valery's invitation which Makes Hana very happy. She is hopeful that Sam will go to the wedding, too, for he is supposed to be home for his time off before the wedding. But when he tells her on the phone that he can not make it and there is a couple of days delay in his coming home, Hana becomes suspicious that her son wants to be left alone and he does not care to attend the wedding.

The wedding day comes. Hana is not sure if her strong friendship with Valery will continue as it is now after Valery becomes a married woman. She has noticed that married couple normally seek friendship among other married friends. What has connected the two women up to today, has been their loneliness and similarities of their experiences with abusive men in their past lives. Being very depressed, she hates to see a probable end to their friendship. Perhaps this is the last thing she will do for Valery, to be in her wedding, and to act normal. She feels that there is no place in the world for single or widowed women like her. In her paranoid mind, she sees herself is being withered while no one left to ease her pain. She looks at herself in a mirror and sees an image of an old, languished woman, whose skin has lost all its moist, and it covers her body like a bumpy road. How did she get there, to that abyss of abandonment?

As a mate of honor, one of her job is to be at church earlier to help Valery for her preparation. It is going to be a small wedding. The only attendants are Mario and Hana and there are only forty of invited people are actually coming. While leaving home, Farhad asks her:

"Why aren't you dressed, mom?"

"I am going to dress at the church. I hate to be in that dress for so long!"

"But it's so beautiful, mom."

"I know, sweet hear, but it isn't comfortable; and besides I must help Valery to get dressed and I don't know what else I need to do before the ceremony begins."

"Are you going to fix your hair?"

She looks surprisingly at her son.

"You've never asked me these kind of questions before. I don't think I'll do anything with my hair."

"Why not? I've never seen you to fix up your hair or do make up!"

"I know, I've never had the occasion."

"Well, today is your chance to be beautiful."

She suddenly remembers her withered reflection in the mirror earlier.

"Do I look that bad?"

"Oh, God, no mom. You're beautiful. It's just most women wear make up and take care of themselves, but you don't."

Hana hugs her beloved son affectionately and says:

"I must go now. I see you at the church."

"What time do you want me there?"

"Well the ceremony begins at two o'clock. What about one thirty!"

To Be Continued