ROYAL GAMES

34: Inneundo

She adjusted the blinds minimizing the amount of sunlight that came into the room. She turned on the air conditioner before moving to settle down on her earlier position.

It has been like that for the past one week. He hasn't moved. That has been his position with the oxygen mask on his face giving him hope of surviving.

Nawal looked at the heart monitor then sighed. That was the only thing keeping her sane. The fact that it showed his heart was still beating and he was very much alive.

She's been taking care of him, declining help from anyone. Mai martaba insisted they took turns but she declined saying she could handle it.

At first her routine was the same. go home, take her bath and come back, till she officially moved some of her clothes to his hospital room since it was spacious.

She was going to try something different today. The doctor suggested it but she really didn't give it much thought but she's going to try it today.

She pulled a chair and sat close to his bed then took his hands in hers. She didn't miss how pale they felt against hers but she interwined them regardless drawing intricate patterns on his hand with her thumb.

Nawal stared at him before her mouth started moving on their own accord.

" Don't you think everything that has been happening in our lives so far feels so unreal, like it's been pulled out from a movie or something. How everything changed from that day I decided to play a prank.

"It's so funny how just within a week I found out what you did on my wedding day, that my long lost love still exsist and there is an addition to the family. Don't you think huh?.

"I didn't inform anyone of them yet about Azeeb cause I know you'd want to do that yourself, he's your title he's claiming after all so finding out the truth is your duty. Like you'd leave it for anyone else.

"And that same week, you landed here, this bed and this same position for a week, I mean aren't you tired? Everyone is waiting for you. You owe everyone an explanation". She paused  then stood up to the mini sitting room there. She picked up her crocheting then moved back to where she stood up from.

She has to do something her period of being her, she didn't know where her phone was and even if she knew she doesn't think she'll be able to use it, so she stuck to crocheting. A long time art she used to do back in malumfashi.

"You have to explain to Jamil and Asmau too on my behalf on why I wasn't able to attend her wedding because I wouldn't do that purposely, you have to also explain to Mai martaba why you told him we were safe when we were all but that and needed desperate help from the situation we were in and then there is me". She looked at his pale face that's still unmoving before continuing to talk.

" You have to explain to me too. The meaning of what you said back there. Were you really thinking straight when you said those words?. Do you have any idea that if the police didn't come on time, Habib wouldn't have added a second more before putting those bullets into your head."

"And I'm not bluffing". She shook her head sideways in the process." You saying those words to me was what's going to work his mind into ending you. That's how he has always been. He always says only he had the rights to say that to me.

"You know, during the first weeks of our marriage, I always thought I was unlucky, a bad luck to be precised. Cause everybody that loves me always ended up leaving me.

"First there was Habib who would lay down his life for me if he has to that much I can vouch for him. His type of love was aggressive and wild. He was very possessive and at that time I saw nothing wrong in it, if anything I loved it" she had a look of remembrance plastered across her face. " But when I grew and then Anas came into the picture". Now she has a sad smile on, filled with pain and longing.