Loving You

chapter nineteen

Dr. Nichols offered him a pitiful smile, her eyebrows furrowed in concern. Looking at the uncharacteristic warmth in her expression and voice Yusuf instantly knew. She didn't believe in using first names with her staff and she wasn't the doctor operating. There was bad news. "Is ... is my baby okay?" He breathed.

"She's holding up." She turned to Yusuf, "For now. She's got a smaller frame, so her internal bleeding has caused relatively more damage. I heard from Dr. Mavis that she's got Down Syndrome. As a physician yourself, I'm sure you're aware she's high risk for congenital heart disease which significantly worsens her chances. Fortunately, you got her here in the nick of time and we're keeping her stable but this stability is going to be shortlived," she paused. Yusuf hadn't said a word, even his face hadn't moved a muscle.

Dr. Nichols was never good with emotions, but she loved her job. Just not this part. But she felt she owed it to Yusuf, he was more than a patient's father but a mentee she'd grown fond of over the past year.

"I'm not normally this forthcoming with patients and their families. Usually, it would be the operating surgeon — Dr. Mavis in this case."

"Dr. Faaris?"

That snapped him out of it. Yusuf blinked and nodded, trying to swallow every word she was saying.

"But I need you to be prepared for the worst. We need blood."

"I'll give mine!" Yusuf interjected immediately.

Dr. Nichols shook her head. "I'm sorry. We went through your records as well, since you were hospitalized fairly recently, less than 2 years ago, you were in the system. It saved us time. You are not a match. She's O-, you're A-."

Yusuf felt his heart sink to the pit of his stomach. He knew better than anyone how low the inventory for O- was. He knew how low the chances were.

"Her mother. It's likely she might share a blood type." She had noticed the child's mother wasn't around, and she knew the question might bring up unfavourable sentiments but Dr. Nichols couldn't help herself.

It always came back to Rania. Everything always came back to her. Yusuf couldn't help himself from seething. Their daughter was fighting for her life and Rania got to live a worry free life, living in ignorance is bliss.

"I haven't been able to reach her in about a year." He muttered, exasperated. Exhausted. "I would try to contact her if I could, but I wouldn't know where to begin." He didn't know why he was telling his Chief all this but he could feel the emotions simmering, coming to a boil, threatening to spill over.

"Do you know anyone else that would be willing to get tested or have their blood type on hand?"

Maybe his big family would finally come in handy.

***
"Hey Yus-"
"What's your blood type?" Tasneem froze. His voice was heavy, a little raspy. Had he been crying?
"Hey are you oka-"
"Answer the question, please. There's no time."
He was scaring her. She spoke quickly. "I'm B ... I don't remember if it was negative or positive. Is everything okay?"
"It's Hamsa." Yusuf didn't offer further explanation. "Would you know anyone who is willing to test or has O- blood? Any friends? Also send everyone at home over. Maybe Burhaan or one of the twins or anyone else might be a match?"

Before she could respond or react to what had just happened, he had hung up.

Yusuf dialed his older brother, maybe him or his wife would be a match.

Wife.

Durdanah.

Yusuf wanted to hit himself, he'd texted and called anyone who would be willing, but forgot about Durdanah. She would do it in a heartbeat. He hadn't even bothered to bring her with him. She must be worried sick.

He dialled her number and waited, growing impatient ring after ring, but to his dismay, the call never went through. Why wasn't she picking up?

After about 5 minutes of calling, he begrudgingly called his brother, lamenting the time he had just wasted.

***

Durdanah was going to sob. Her phone had dropped from the balcony when she had returned to grab her book after noting the heavy clouds indicated that there might be rain coming and got distracted deliberating whether or not to call him. When her phone rang loudly, she was startled and the phone had slipped from her hands. Now, she had no way of even contacting Yusuf. What if he had important news and she just never responded.

Durdanah's heart pounded, desperately scanning the ground below for any sign of her phone. Raindrops began to fall, mingling with her tears of frustration. She cursed her forgetfulness, realizing the consequences of not having her phone in this critical moment. He was going to be so angry with her if he had called her, and she didn't pick up. She was terrified. Why was she so clumsy? She had spent so long wondering whether or not to call Yusuf, but she had hesitated, scared she would be an inconvenience, the interloper fulfilling her role. But in her caution, she had inadvertently made matters worse.

She wasn't going to just sit around, though. She was going to take matters into her own hands. Even if he had forgotten about her, she was still Hamsa's caregiver too. She deserved to be there too.

Durdanah hurriedly ordered an Uber and directed the driver to take her to Yusuf's workplace, assuming that was the hospital he was most familiar with and likely to be. The car weaved through the city streets, the tension mounting with every passing second. Durdanah's heart pounded in her chest as she imagined the worst-case scenarios.

Finally, they arrived at the hospital. Durdanah practically sprinted through the entrance, her eyes darting around the bustling corridors. She approached the nurses' station, desperation etched across her face.

"Excuse me," she said, her voice trembling. "I'm looking for Hamsa Faaris. Her guardian is her father - he works here. Dr. Faaris."

The nurse at the station, recognizing the urgency in Durdanah's voice, quickly scanned through the records on her computer. "Ah yes, Dr. Faaris is off duty right now, but I'm afraid I cannot give you sensitive patient information. Are you her guardian?"

"Yes. Dr. Faaris is my spouse."

"But your relation to the patient, are you their guardian?" The nurse reiterated.

Durdanah was confused. Wouldn't being legally married to Yusuf designate her as Hamsa's guardian?

Sensing her frustration, the nurse elaborated that step-parents were not considered legal guardians unless appointed by the court with permission from the biological parents.

Durdanah couldn't point out why, but this hit her like a ton of bricks. Neither her husband was truly hers, nor her child.

She asked if she could at least know where he would likely be, but it wasn't protocol. 

Feeling defeated, Durdanah nodded and sat down in a waiting chair, regretting coming in the first place. If only she hadn't dropped the damn phone.

And then it hit her. The phone!

She went up to the nurse again. "I'm so sorry, but I was hoping you could let me borrow the phone?" Durdanah gestured to the landline on the table. 

The nurse smiled, "Yes, of course. That I can do. Please go ahead."

She waited a moment, and then heard a click on the other end. He had picked up! 

"Hello? Yusuf?"

But there was nothing but silence on the other end.