OCTOBER 10TH

TWENTY TWO

ABUJA, NIGERIA.

Mahnoor got a call from the hospital that her husband has met with an accident, blood pumping throughout her body with extra liter, she rushed out of their home and straight to the hospital. Running inside the reception, she asked the receptionist about the recent patient they've admitted caused by accident.

"He is currently in the operation theatre, Ma'am. The doctors are with him so if you can sit there and wait for them." The receptionist explained after checking the computer in front of her with nimble fingers.

Overwrought, she sat down at the waiting area on a chair the receptionist gestured with her hand. Her heart beating so loud that she could barely hear anything or keep focus on what is going on around her. She's been paranoid the whole day, not knowing what is going to happen but deep inside she knew things are not good which was why she called Asad earlier. But what caused the accident? Why did he bother thinking about coming back home because she's fell down and hit her bum? She should've known not to do something like that with Asad, he is always scared that something bad might happen to her.

Fretfully biting her lower lip, she waited for what seems to be the longest thirty minutes of her life. A doctor walked out shaking his head to the other friend who gave a sigh and shrugged his shoulders. Mahnoor furrowed her brows and went to them in a hurry, her sandals almost throwing her off but she steadied herself and stood in front of them. The men stared at her first with something close to admiration to her beauty then raise brows at the same time, it's almost comical. If not for the situation at hand, she would've laughed.

Swallowing a thick gob of sputum, she opened her mouth to talk feeling her throat strangulated and parched. "The man that was brought it? Is he alright?"

The men looked at each other before one of them spoke. "You are Mahnoor then?" She nodded hastily waiting for him to continue, not even wondering how he knew her name. "He just woke up and wants to see you now but I'm sorry, he is in a bad condition and... Well, don't keep him waiting." He gave a tight lipped smile and gestured to the door. Looking at him suspiciously, she accelerated to the door without turning back to give them another second glance.

"They are a young couple." One of them commented with a shake of his head, sadness glinting in his tone even though he is used to seeing such heartbreaking scenes in the hospital but that never stopped him from sympathizing time and time again.

The other one that's still looking at where Mahnoor disappeared to said. "You don't remember her?" He asked and his colleague shook his head negatively. "She is Aman's wife, Aman Ajuji. Oh, she was. Now she is married to his twin brother, Asad. She lost her son last year and can you believe who killed him? His own father was batshit drunk and killed his own son."

"Don't tell me she was the one shown all around the television few months ago from Bauchi?" His eyes are wide, looking at the door to Asad is in as if waiting for her to come out so he can confirm it. "Damn, this woman will really have to be strong. Such traumatic experience one step to the other, strong tawakkul is needed."

"That was why I did my absolute best to try something but there is no going back. We all know, even he knows that there is no much time." Both shoulders sagged with congeniality, the doctors left the premises muttering to themselves.

Mahnoor's eyes were on nothing but the man lying down on the bed with his head raise high on a pillow as he stared up at the pale ceiling. She could think of nothing, smell nothing or see anything other than her husband looking so wrecked, like he's been thrown beneath a trailer. Her eyes filled up with tears, she took several small steps closer to the bed before he acknowledged her presence and he looked down with a small smile gracing his lips. She tried returning one of her own but she couldn't, not with the way her heart is pounding in her ears, lurching itself to her throat in need for escape.