Tears Of Farida

Nine

There, she laid. Pale. But, she still looked beautiful as ever, eyes shut close, a small smile playing on her lips even as she slept.

He moved further into the room having stood at the entrance from where he had been watching her. He relaxed into a seat beside the bed taking her hands in his, slowly and gently caressing them. Thankful she had no injuries. The shock of the incident had caused her to fall into a state of unconsciousness.

'I'm sorry'. He whispered, as though afraid he would be heard by ears that didn't belong to her.

A few minutes later, a doctor walked in. Checks her vitals, tells him she will be fine enough to be discharged the next morning, gives him tips on how to care for her and to bring her in for regular follow ups.

He thanked the doctor and turned his gaze back to her, waiting on her to open her eyes. With each passing second, he grew more and more anxious.

The call to prayer reminder on his phone woke him up from the deep slumber he fell into whilst waiting on her. Just as he made a move to stand up, she opened her eyes closing it almost immediately as a result of the brightness of the room being that she laid in an unconscious state for hours. Slowly, she opens them up again, adjusting to the brightness that welcomed her.

'Noor', he called out with a sigh of relief. Relieved and happy to see her awake.

She grimaced as she tried to sit up.

'Let me help you', he offered, glad she didn't refuse. He positioned the pillow behind her and sat her up to rest her back on it. 'How do you feel?,' he asked tentatively, uncertain of how she would respond.

'I need some water please'. She requested, ignoring his question.

He took out a bottled water and disposable plastic cup from a small drawer placed by the bed and poured some into the cup for her.

'More, please'. She requested again.

After drinking to her satisfaction she cleared her throat in attempt to speak again.
'I want to pray. Could you please ask the nurse to get me a hijab and a prayer mat from the hospital's mosque?'

Oh. Now, she's intentionally ignoring his question. Well, it's his fault she's laying here in this condition so he shouldn't even be complaining he thought to himself.

'Do you feel strong enough to pray?, you can pray when we get home and...',

'I'll pray here'. She cut him off with finality edged in her voice.

With a resigned sigh and nod of his head, he walked out the room.

Later that morning, some police officers came in to question her. As it was that she fell unconscious and was rushed to the hospital after it happened so, the doctor advised they come the next day, today.

About fifteen minutes later of asking questions like they were trying to get a different answer from what she had been giving them, they asked that she be brought to the police station to sign some documents and clear her case.

Afterwards, he paid the hospital bill and signed the discharge papers.

Out in the car park, she was reluctant to get into his car.

'What's wrong?', he asked.

She tried shrugging his hands off her to lean on another car for support.

'Nothing'. She responded.

'Nothing?. But, you're clearly refusing to get into the car.' He stated, trying hard to decipher what the problem could be.