ᴍᴀʏʙᴇ,ᴍᴀʏʙᴇ ɴᴏᴛ || ᴏɴɢᴏɪɴɢ

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 4

Sahar's POV

What's going on? Why can't I seem to catch my breath? Why do I feel like I'm suffocating? Is this the end for me? Oh no, not now, not today... I haven't even experienced the joy of becoming a parent yet... Hold on a second... I'm not even married!

Caught in the throes of an existential crisis, I gingerly pry my eyes open. All I sense is pressure, and then I hear a familiar meow. Wait, it's just Millie?! Oh, how silly of me. I wasn't facing death's door after all. Why do I always have to be so overly dramatic?

I see the time and it reads 5.30. After having fed Millie, I head onto the washroom to make wudu to pray fajr prayers. After prayers I read a little bit from the Holy Qur'an.

Right after I make myself a steaming cup of coffee, carefully measuring out the grounds and pouring the water, I settle into my favorite spot by the window. The air is still, the silence of the early morning surrounds me like a comforting blanket. As I gaze out, the first soft hints of light begin to creep over the horizon, painting the sky in gentle hues of pink and orange. The world seems to hold its breath in anticipation of the new day. Sipping my coffee, I feel a sense of calm wash over me, a moment of quiet solitude before the day begins in earnest. It's in these precious moments, watching the sun rise through my window, that I find peace and inspiration for the day ahead.

As the appointed hour draws near, I take my time to gather my things, bid a fond farewell to Millie, and embark on the familiar drive to my clinic. Though the rain has tapered off to a mere drizzle, the remnants of storm clouds loom overhead, casting a somber hue over the landscape.

Yet, despite the lingering dampness in the air, there's a palpable sense of relief that today's weather is a vast improvement from the relentless downpours of the past few days. Each droplet that now gently taps against my windshield seems to whisper promises of renewal and possibility, a welcome change from the relentless deluge that had tested the resilience of both man and nature alike. With each mile that I traverse, I find myself embracing the subtle shift in the atmosphere, an optimistic prelude to the day's endeavors that lie ahead at the heart of my clinic.

"Good morning, Sahar!" Cady greeted with a huge grin stretching from ear to ear. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of suspicion at the sight. It wasn't that Cady was early – she usually was, to her credit – but that grin seemed to hold a hint of mischief, as if she was hiding something behind it. I squinted slightly, trying to decipher what exactly was going on in my colleague's mind as I returned the greeting with a cautious smile of her own.

"Bruh what's up?" I ask, my voice tinged with a hint of concern but masked with a nervous giggle.

Cady's grin widens as she holds out a box and a beautifully arranged bouquet of flowers. "Well, girl, this is what's up" she says, her excitement palpable.

Wrapped up with a vibrant red ribbon encircling the box, a small note delicately balanced on top reads "HAPPY BIRTHDAY."

"Oh my gosh, Cady, you really didn't have to get me anything," I say, exhaling a sigh of relief.

Cady chuckles, shaking her head. "Oh no, as if I have the money for that. I'm over here trying to pay my rent that was due two weeks ago... So yeah, that's not from me. I found it in front of the clinic, and it said it's for you in the card."

"Oh."

Curiosity piqued, I untie the ribbon and open the box to reveal a stunning necklace... from Cartier?! My mind races with questions. Is it from that person again? And just how wealthy are they? Giving off stuff for a stranger...

Slipping the box into my bag, surrounded by a whirlwind of thoughts, I dive back into my work. Hours fly by, and before I know it, it's already 4 o'clock.

"I'm heading out for dinner with Aiza and Anvi, so that'll be it for today," I bid farewell to Cady and make my way to my car.