DECE-P-TION

DXLIV

Alya's point of view.

"Do what you want." I shut the door, stepping out of the room to get some space away from Lateefa. She's been anything but bossy and annoying since she came back. She wants everything to go as she likes it even at a time like this. I walk into the waiting room feeling frustrated and angry. I take a seat to cool down, closing my eyes.

"You came back here?" Lateefa asks making every nerve in my body shout. "Mhmm." I take a deep breath so I don't blow up on her. "Okay." She sits two seats away from me, seeming to know how I feel towards her presently. The suspense, the wait, it's excruciating. It's been a month already and there's no improvement. With each day it makes me wonder whether there would be any at all but I don't want to accept it. That incident can't be the time I say goodbye to him, at least not that way.

I open my eyes to look at her. "You left baba alone?" She opens her mouth to say something but I don't wait and rushes to his room. Any explanation is an excuse when it comes to Lateefa so I better. I open the door to see falah standing beside baba. He glances at me then looks back at baba. I sigh in relief that at least he wasn't alone.

I shut the door, walking over to baba to check his vitals and such. The room so silent the heart monitor sounds so loud. I scribble down the vitals on the book I've kept specially for it to keep track. Like I said, it's exactly the same.

I put the note back down, looking at falah who is staring at baba. If there's one thing I've always known about falah is he always looked good in a suit. Neat, exuding confidence and cocky stance. I can't say the same now. He looks disheveled and out of it. It has been a month but it seems more when you look at him. He has lost weight and exhaustion showing on his face.

"I thought you would consider not visiting." I sit on the chair, holding baba's hand in mine. He doesn't respond, making me raise my head to look at him. "Falah." He stares at me coldly. "Alya, not today." I scoff, feeling baba's hand holding mine tightly. I stare at it in shock. My body freezing to do anything else but talk. "Falah."

"I'm not in t-". I raise my head to see him looking at our hands. I grin, feeling tears in my eyes. "I'll call the doctor." He rushes out while I stare at baba to see whether he'll flutter his eyes open. "Baba? Please wake up," I hold his hand tightly.

The door slides open as the doctor walks in with falah, Jaffar and Lateefa. The doctor takes out his light and opens babas eyelids to check it as I stand up. "How is he?" He puts his light back in his pocket. "He's responsive which is a great sign. He should be awake at any time now. You should let him rest some more." I nod excitedly, glancing at Jaffar and Lateefa. "Thank you." Jaffar smiles, shaking haleem's hand.

************

I stare at baba like a vulture, waiting for him to open his eyes. The news of him waking up at any time made any sign of sleep disappear from my eyes. I'm not going to get angry at him, I'm going to enjoy every second I spend with him. I've learnt my lesson. The door opens to see lateefa. "Anything?" I shake my head, looking back at him.

"Soon insha Allah." She mutters loud enough for me to hear. Her foot septa approaching the bed. "With the news, I thought of you and falah going back to baba's house and getting the things he needs or what's. You know, use in a day to day." I raise my head to look at her before she shrugs. "It's not like I know. Neither does Jaffar. Hey, I wish I do." She sighs. "I'm not going with him. I'd rather go alone." I stand up.

"You're going with him, I've told him already." I take the keys from the chiffonier. "Tell him
I've left already then." I walk towards the door when she stands in front of me blocking my way. "Hey. I'm tired of your attitude, okay? I'm done putting up with all the snide remarks and judge- mental stares you've been giving me the minute I walked in." She raises her voice, gesturing her hands in frustration.