Eternity

Chapter 43

As-salamu alaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu

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As Ayzal prepared to leave the hospital, the weight of everything that had happened hung heavily in the air. Zayan had been distant, wrapped up in his own turmoil, but her mother-in-law had remained a constant presence, her support unwavering despite the chaos that had erupted in their lives.

While she changed into her former clothes, Zayan’s mother approached him in the waiting area, her face etched with concern. She had been watching the tension between him and Ayzal, sensing the turmoil that lay just beneath the surface. Her voice was soft but insistent as she finally spoke, "Zayan, have you spoken to Ayzal about the baby yet?" The question was loaded with unspoken emotions, and Zayan felt the weight of it settle on his shoulders.

He paused, running a hand through his hair as he tried to find the right words. The truth was, he hadn’t known how to approach the topic, not with everything that had been unraveling around them. His eyes met his mother’s, and he could see the worry in her gaze. "No, I haven’t told her," he admitted, his voice quiet but steady. "There has been so much going on… I just didn’t know how to bring it up."

His mother sighed, a mixture of disappointment and understanding in her expression. "She deserves to know, Zayan. This isn’t something that can wait," she urged gently. "You both need to face this together, no matter how difficult it is. She needs your support now more than ever." Zayan nodded slowly, the reality of the situation sinking in.

He knew she was right—this wasn’t something he could keep from Ayzal any longer. Yet, the thought of bringing up the pregnancy amidst the chaos and pain of everything else felt almost overwhelming.

“I know,” he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. “It is just… everything is such a mess right now. I don’t want to add to it, but I know I have to tell her.”

His mother’s expression softened, and she placed a comforting hand on his arm. “I understand, Zayan. But you can’t keep this from her. She is going through so much, and this baby is going to change everything. You need to be there for her, not just as her husband but as the father of her child. She needs to hear it from you.”

Zayan exhaled deeply, feeling the weight of responsibility pressing down on him. The image of Ayzal’s pale, exhausted face flashed in his mind, and he knew that she deserved more than the uncertainty he had been offering her. Despite the anger and bitterness that had colored their relationship, there was a new life at stake now—something that neither of them had expected but could no longer ignore.

“I will tell her,” he said, his voice firmer now. “I will talk to her as soon as we are back home.”

His mother nodded, a small smile of encouragement on her lips. “Good. It is important that you both face this together. And remember, Zayan, no matter what has happened between you two, this baby is a new beginning. You have the chance to make things right, to start over if you choose to.”

Zayan’s chest tightened at her words. A new beginning. It sounded so simple, yet he knew that the path ahead would be anything but easy. But as he looked into his mother’s eyes, he felt a flicker of determination. Maybe this child was the key to healing the wounds that had torn them apart, a chance to rebuild what had been broken.

“Thank you, Mom,” he said quietly, his voice filled with a mix of gratitude and resolve.

With a nod, his mother squeezed his arm gently before stepping back. “Go to her, Zayan. She needs to hear this from you.”

Zayan watched as his mother turned and walked away, leaving him alone. He stood there for a moment, gathering his thoughts, before making his way to the room where Ayzal was resting. As he approached the door, his heart pounded in his chest, knowing that this conversation would be a turning point for them both.

Taking a deep breath, he opened the door and stepped inside, his eyes immediately finding Ayzal. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, her hands folded in her lap, her gaze distant. She looked up as he walked in, but her expression remained guarded, a reflection of the deep hurt and betrayal she felt.

“Ayzal,” Zayan started, his voice soft. But she didn’t respond, her silence a stark reminder of the tension that had grown between them. He could see the exhaustion etched into her features, not just from the physical toll of everything but from the emotional weight she had been carrying alone.

He hesitated, unsure of how to begin, but he knew this was something she needed to hear from him. “There is something important I need to tell you,” he said, his tone gentle yet firm. He took a few steps closer, watching for any sign of a response, but she remained silent, her expression unreadable. “It is about the baby.”

Her eyes flickered with confusion, but she didn’t say anything, just continued to look at him with that same distant expression.

“You are pregnant, Ayzal,” he said, feeling the weight of the words as they left his mouth. “The doctors confirmed it after you fainted. That is why they have been so concerned about your health.”

Ayzal’s eyes widened slightly, the shock of the revelation apparent, but she didn’t speak. Zayan could see the conflict in her gaze, the mixture of emotions she was trying to process. He knew she was upset with him—furious, even—and he couldn’t blame her. He had kept so much from her, treated her with a coldness she didn’t deserve, and now this.

“I should have told you sooner,” he continued, his voice filled with regret. “I am sorry for keeping it from you. I was just... trying to figure out how to handle everything, and I didn’t want to make things worse.”

Still, she said nothing. The silence between them was heavy, and Zayan could feel the sting of it, knowing that his words couldn’t undo the pain he had caused. She was clearly hurt, not just by the news but by the fact that he had kept it from her—just as he had with the letter.

Zayan sat down beside her, keeping a respectful distance. “I know you are angry with me,” he said quietly, his voice tinged with guilt. “And I know I have hurt you. But I am here now, and I want to be here for you—for both of you.”

Ayzal turned her gaze away, staring at the wall, her lips pressed into a thin line. She was listening, but the walls she had built around herself were still very much in place.

Zayan sighed, feeling the weight of his mistakes. “I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but I am going to try to make things right. You don’t have to go through this alone, Ayzal. I am here, and I want to be part of this—part of our child’s life.”

Knowing that Ayzal wasn’t ready to speak to him, Zayan made the difficult decision to step back. He understood that she needed time to process everything.