Our Encounter

Chapter 1:Bittersweet.

"Dude your wife is in labour, get it together. She's going to be fine alright" I tried calming my bestfriend down. He might have a heart attack if he continues like this. And I don't think I can handle two patients in the car. I hate the place to be honest but I'll do anything for this two, even if I have to face my nightmares.

I stepped on the gas, while saying a prayer for her. She's been enduring it without a scream. She's calling Allah for help and I feel my body going numb.

She's gonna make it I said to myself.
A loud scream escape from her.
"Ya Allah. You've got this noori, just a little more and we'll be there. Please noori hang in there" my bestfriend sounded unsure of his words.

She was breathing heavily. She winces in pain for a very long time then it stops. After a couple minutes of rest it starts to hurt again. I was over the speed limits. The hospital is located in the city and their house was a bit away. Her water broke before the due date. We wanted to come closer to the hospital two days before her date but Allah got another plans.

We soon arrived at the hospital and they took her in with a wheel chair into the hospital, and with my bestfriend holding onto her. I carried the baby's bag with all the necessities and rushed in. I found him him arguing with a nurse about being with his wife in the labour room.

"Woman don't touch me just let me be there with her, I need to be there with her. Look I swear I'm calm. I've just got to be with her" he looked not in his right mind.

"And why will she let you do that?" I raised my stern voice. My voice is normally cold, so when Im serious it might sound menacing. I know that and many people had said so.

"Look Kamal, I need to get in there but she's not letting me be with MY WIFE." He put emphasis on my wife and I shook my head.

"Orhan, she's in labour. She'll deliver safely with the help of the doctors."

"No you don't understand, I can't breath if she's in this kind of pain" he looked helpless but I'll do anything for this man in front of me. If he wants to be in there with his wife then he will. I looked at the nurse standing a bit far.

"He's just worried about his wife, let him in. She needs all the support she can get, just let the man in" I gently said but it looks like she got scared with my voice and I bet my eyes are red because it's still very early in the morning. Not even time for fajr yet. She nodded very quickly.

"You need to put yourself together if you enter-" and he's gone I inwardly faced palmed myself. I settled aside on the bench. I rested my head on the wall and closed my eyes. My heart beat is at its peak. It won't stop. I might look calm but I'm ravaging the forest inside me on fire.

I started saying some prayers. Continuosly praying for her safe delivery. Thirty minutes later, her family came in running. They all looked worried. Her parents looked haggered. Looks like everyone was having their beauty sleep when I called to inform them about Sophie's condition.

"How is she?" She had gone through thesame pain thrice so its obvious she might know what her daughter is going through.

"They're in there and the doctor hasn't said anything yet." I managed to say

"may Allah make it easy for her. Ouffff my pumpkin"

We sat in the waiting area for two hours. We did our fajr prayer in the small mosque not far away from the building. My heart is still not at ease. It had been like this for the past two hours that I start to question myself. I've never witnessed child birth before nor a woman in labour but here I am. Hearing her screams. Her fighting to keep herself and her baby alive. Another scream echoed through the corridor and I couldn't bear it. I rose on both feet and headed to the garden right outside. The cold breeze hit my face the moment I stepped outside. I exhaled. I kept chanting Allah's names to calm my racing heart.