That Winter You Came (Completed)

Episode 38

_"is that handsome man your brother?" A female nurse asked while handing me a draft.
I looked at Rayan sitting delicately across the hall. Going through papers in his hands.
I gave the nurse a smirk and asked:
_" does that godly creature seem having my same DNA?"
She frowned and then said:
_" i'm crushed here naa! Last time you brought a handsome brother.. But it turned out that he already had a wife. And today i thought my luck smiled for me again.. But it turned out that he's someone else's brother and your dear man! Next time you bring such beautiful creatures they better be potential husbands for me or my weak heart shall never forgive you"
I just laughed and shook my head.
Looking at Rayan .. Even i find it hard to believe that i made such a man wish to have his last day in life with me.
I handed the draft to the doctor. And then i went back to the waiting area.
I couldn't believe he was really there..
So handsome, so smart .. And still like a mystery to me.
I tiptoed towards him trying not to smile so much.
I reached him .. And then i watched him from so close drown in reading those papers that held plannings of houses and complicated measurements.
Looking at his hands i noticed there were many cuts and small bandage around his wrist that was wrapped poorly.
So i sighed and took the seat beside.
He then was startled to notice i was there.
He gave me a full smile and then he said:
_" even these papers seem fun to read when i know you are around. If you were always there with me i would have ranked first in my major."
I just looked at him with half a smile. And then i said:
_" if i stayed by your side at that time you and I would still be stuck in first year in college by now. I needed to get my distance from you to build my way. And you needed that distance to realise i was never a setback in your life"
He nodded.
He leaned his head on the back of his chair .. Closed his eyes and hushed:
_" i guess waiting has its benefits. Are you willing to wait for me a bit more?"
I stood silent.
So he opened his eyes and rotated his head to look at me.
I needed to see that "hope and begging" in his eyes so as i can confidently answer:
_"yes"
Only then he smiled genuinely and looked at me dearly.
Some relationships are like this.
Long suffering .. Long waiting.. For one smile.
I then reached my hand to take his.
He looked at me dumbfounded so i teasingly laughed:
_" don't get so excited.. I'm just going to fix this bad bandage."
I held that hand like if it was my priceless treasure.
And i unwrapped the bandage softly. Freeing his skin.
Holding it palm to palm.. Tip to tip. As if our hands collided.
I then hushed:
_"stretch your hand and tell me if it hurts"
He did.
And he covered mine as if he was meant to shield it .
_" my thumb hurts a bit" he said.
_" it's because you wrapped your hand really bad. Now you watch me do it for you and do it like this in the future"
And then i wrapped that same bandage again professionally.
After i finished i raised my eyes to look at him.
And he was giving me that look that says.. Where ever life has taken us, he'll come find me again when time is right.
That was the first time we ever touched. Skin to skin .. Soul to soul.
Holding hands might seem only natural for some people.
But there's people in this world too who wait a whole life to do it.
And i wondered.. If god wrote our first encounter as my sin.
I'm a nurse .. But i held a man's hand with such desire in my heart.
_"i should go back to my work now" i hushed.
He took his hand away from mine and he nodded:
_"best of luck"
Going back to the examination room the colleague nurse who was covering for me teased:
_" looking at your red face i guess that handsome architect gave you some 'beautiful' words"
_"how did you know he's an architect?"  I asked.
Another nurse shouted from across the room:
_"we know everything"
I was feeling so happy and smiling when Jamal suddenly appeared in front of me and he said with a dark face:
_" we need to talk Nadia"
I forgot all about him.
So i just nodded .. And then i followed him to the storage room.
Walking through the waiting area again. I was glad that Rayan was so busy reading his papers that he didn't notice us walking pass him.
When we reached the storage room ..not even walking inside that room alone with him i said standing beside the door:
_"Jamal .. I really was flattered with your offer but i can't__"
Before i even finish talking he interrupted:
_" i'm not here to hear you accept or reject me. I'm here to take off my offer. When i wanted to marry you i thought that coming from a good family and wearing that hijab meant you were convenient as a wife for me. But looking at you walking around with men and holding hands. Doing only god knows what in a night shifts__"
_"how dare you?" I shouted.
_"how dare i not?" He shouted back. " i was wrong in the first place to ask the hand of a slut".
I dashed inside the room and raised my hand to slap him right away.
But he suddenly held my hand and caged me to the wall.
Looking at me disgustingly he threatened:
_"dare raise your hand at me again and you'll see another face of mine"
He then let me go.
And walked outside the room before i said or did anything.
I was shocked to see his true self.
Such a rotten tongued and dirty headed!
I was terrified .. So i waited until my breaths calmed down and then i went out of the room.
When i got back to the examination room i found Jamal already chatting with the nurse that was hired at the same time with me probably trying to catch a new fish.
Such a jerk!
Remembering that time when i was bullied because of Rayan and i threw a bag full of tomatoes on his back in public and he just stood there taking my assault without doing anything back to me.
Remembering that after so many years i finally admitted that Rayan was a gentleman even in our cold war.
Men like Jamal make me have an answer to such questions like: " why did i keep loving Rayan after so long?"
I didn't do anything to Jamal , nor reported his assault.
In fact i took him as a lesson in my life . not everything that shines is gold.
After lunch time i took a half day leaf. I took off my blouse.. Put on my winter coat and i went to meet the man who waited for me for 5 hours without complaint.
Once his eyes fell on me and saw the smile on my face he said:
_" let's go live this day as if it was our last"
I nodded.
And we walked beside each other.