𝐴 𝑇ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑤 𝐴𝑡 𝐿𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝐴𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛

𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑓𝑖𝑣𝑒

'falling in love with someone is like handing them aloaded gun pointed at your heart and just hoping they don't shoot'.
~anonymous

"She'll be fine. It's sleep paralysis. Usually, it's when the person suffers from extreme fear or pain in their sleep". Bashir explained to his mothers, stiff sister and brother after checking Rahma.

"Are you sure? When can she move?". His mother asked the question she had asked already earlier.

"Mummy she'll be fine. It will wear off, but later I'll go out and get her medication". His mother nodded and Fatima rubbed her arm to comfort her.

"Let's allow her to rest?". Bashir suggested and reluctantly the two women left the room and Bashir turned to his sister.

"Rahma, it's okay. You'll be fine". He told her as calmly as he could, because he feared any hint of fear or panic in his voice will make her panic as well after getting her to calm down.

He patted her cheek and left her with sudais. Rahma looked at her brother who had been standing at the side without moving since their mother screamed and they came into the room. But she saw the anger in his eyes and felt it radiating from his body.

"Ya sudais..". She started even though she had nothing to say.

"Call if you need anything". He said and left the room.

Rahma sighed and closed her eyes, feeling depressed that even after leaving Ali, she couldn't stay without thinking of him as he had taken a part of her with him.

A knock came on her door and she looked at it, not bothering to reply and it was pushed a second later. Halima came in quietly, opening the door carefully as if any little noise will make her sister hurt.

"Ya Rahma". She called quietly. Rahma looked at the 18 year old as she stood by her bed.

"Are you okay?". Halima asked.

"I'll be fine". Rahma assured her, though she was trying to convince herself too.

She tried moving her feet and hands again, Yaya had said it would wear off in minutes and it's been ten minutes. She felt relief wash over her when she was able to raise her hand.

She sat up and halima smiled at the action.

"I think my presence made you better". She joked to lighten their moods and Rahma laughed lightly.

"Help me stand, my legs feel numb". She reached a hand for halima and the girl took it eagerly and helped her stand.

Rahma waved her off when she was steady and said she'd join them downstairs when she freshened up. She walked to the toilet and closed the door behind her. She felt her knees give away and she slid to the floor, her chest constricting painfully and she rubbed it as she sobbed as if it would reduce the pain she felt in her heart.

When her cries subsided and the pain in her heart calmed, she got up and performed ablution and went out to her room to pray the subh Salah. She prolonged her ruku'u, her sujood and asked her lord to grant her peace in her heart and make everything better. She thanked him for letting her out of Ali's prison before he took all the life from her -- if hadn't already. She begged Allah to not let any other woman experience what she did, because she was in love.

She went downstairs after she was down. Her family were seated in the living room, she smiled remembering she grew up doing this. Her father made it a tradition that everyone gathered after subh prayers and they'll pray together, whether he was around or not.