Yours

Chapter 21

We arrived at the hospital, my eyes red and swollen as we walked into the emergency section.

Ya Abdul led the way and he spoke to the people at the reception, I was grateful for that because I didn't have it in me to converse with anyone, as long as they weren't my parents.

After he was done speaking to the receptionist, a conversation which I did not hear, he led us deeper into the hospital.

The first familiar sound I heard was Aliya's cry.

I was used to hearing Aliya cry, she always cried, but for some reason it added to my anxiety, my mind made me believe her crying was a bad sign.

My feet moved faster than my mind, I rushed past Ya Abdul, before I knew it I was in front of Hameeda, collecting Aliya from her, I placed her on my shoulder and I silently rocked her to make her stop crying.

She needed to stop crying. It will be ok when she stops crying. Everything will be ok.

"Shh, it's ok." I said as I rocked her, slowly patting her head.

I didn't know if those words I said were meant for Aliya or myself.

Her cries started to subside, and so did the pace of the beating of my heart.

It will be fine.

Her wailing stopped and her little head turned to see who was holding her.

I started to panic because I and her don't exactly get along, so I was so sure she was going to start crying again when she sees my face.

To my surprise she kept mute, she just silently watched me.

I pressed a kiss to the baby's forehead before handing her back to her mother.

I let my eyes access the other people present, Aliyu and Umar.

They probably all thought I was losing it, the first thing I do when I arrive at the hospital after finding out my parents were involved is a house fire is try to make a crying Aliya keep shut, but they don't understand, the wouldn't.

I find a free seat next to where Hameeda is standing and I sit down.

They all seem to understand that I don't want to speak to anyone so they keep mute.

Hameeda gives Aliya to Umar before sitting down next to me and placing a hand over my shoulder.

It was just a gesture but it spoke volumes.

It will be fine.

I hope it will be, I really hope it will be.

I lower my gaze to the ground as I whisper any prayer I could think of, please, the both of them need to be fine.

I know Ya Abdul still confirmed to me that they were alive but I was still so tensed, so tensed that my stomach started to turn, turn with terrible anxiety.

I didn't want to stay there. I felt restricted.

I shot to my feet, making Hameeda's hand fall on the chair I was seated on, without another word I walked towards the corridor we came in from.

I didn't want to follow the elevator like we did when coming, I didn't want to feel trapped, I used the stairs.

I felt his presence before I heard the sound of his shoes.

He kept a distance between us but he followed me down the stairs.

Despite not wanting to interact with people, knowing someone was there with me, in a way of giving me comfort eased my heart.