Twice Upon Them

Chapter 7 | Zahra | Masked Emotions

If you still have trouble viewing the last chapter, let me know! I suggest removing this story from your library first then adding it back in again, since that worked for several people who had trouble with Chapter 6.

The wedding will occur within a span of 2-4 chapters. A lot is going to happen!

Please read the note at the end.

Enjoy.

***

"I'm getting so tired of these checkups," my older brother whines just as the doctor leaves the room. He sits back in his wheelchair before he takes a sip of water from the bottle he's holding. "That stupid bastard who ran into my car ruined everything," he mumbles to himself. Before my family and I went to Florida, Zayd was already in his third year of college. Due to his current state, he has to recover fully before he can return back to college and continue taking classes. He seems very upset about it, considering the fact that he'll have a pile of coursework once he goes back to Florida within the next few weeks.

"Watch your language," my mom warns him. He gives her a sheepish smile before scowling again. I've never seen him in a bad mood in such a long time. I personally think that he needs to take what little time he has to take a break from his studies - especially since he's pursuing a career in the medical field.

And no, my parents never forced him to be a doctor, despite the many stereotypes pertaining to Muslim parents.

I walk over to my brother, who doesn't even bother looking up as he pulls out his phone and starts texting furiously. "How ironic. You hate checkups even though you'll be giving them out to people within the next few years."

"Zahra, I'm not in the mood," he says tersely. I sigh as I look at him with a bit of sympathy. Ever since he was younger, he always wanted to be a doctor. He felt the need to cure those who were ill and injured. Especially with what happened to his childhood friend, his desire to be a doctor strengthened him to be this determined and motivated to become one.

I only know little about Zayd's friend, since he barely mentions him. I do know that he was in an unfortunate accident in which he lost some of his memory - and the result was that he forgot about Zayd completely. Zayd was completely crushed, and he eventually lost contact with him with the feeling that it's better to leave his friend rather than bring pain onto both of them. At the time, I tried to assure him that his friend would remember him, if he gave him some time, but Zayd refused to believe me. That was one of the very few times in which I saw him extremely upset, but much more then than now.

"Neither am I. I'm still worried about you. You have the whole summer to catch up, Zayd. At least rest until Ramadan is over. It'll be hard on you if you're going to be studying intensely while fasting simultaneously," I plead with him. I haven't been this protective of him before, so it must make him feel that I'm smothering him. I don't really care at the moment; as someone who's studying medical content, he sure doesn't know how to take care of himself.

"Zayd, habibi, listen to your sister. Your father and I talked to your professors, and they'll allow you to finish your work and submit all of it a week prior to your first day back to college." The tone in her voice tells me that she's more worried than me. After all, Zayd is her son, no matter how stubborn he is being at the moment.

He stops paying attention to his phone, then places it back into his pocket. He then looks up at the two of us. "I'm fine. I get around easily in this wheelchair, and I'm getting my strength back. Also, after four months, I would be in a much better condition now than I was then, right?" He slowly smiles, although I know that it's forced. "I know what my limit is. By the will of Allah, I'll continue recovering. I don't want to worry both of you so much."