Broken Hearts, Hidden Secrets

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Aftermath.

Azhar walked out with Zianna and got into his car to take her to the hospital. Thankfully, his father and mother came with his brother Azaan and his wife Saira.

"Hang in there, Zia. Don't fall asleep. I will take you to the hospital and then your brother will join us," Azhar said as he fastened Zianna's seat belt.

He looked at her and could see the bleeding from her head. Azhar then walked toward the driver's side and got inside.

"Thank you for saving my life even if you didnt have to..."

"I will always save your life. You want to know why? It is what you do when you care for someone and I care about you more than you know, Zia. Now let's get you to the hospital to get you checked out and then, your brother will get your things from the house."

Zianna didnt say anything and just stared out of the car window. With tears flowing from her face, she didnt believe that Azhar had witnessed her being beaten up by her stepmother.

It wasn't the first time that Nadia had done that but it was the first time that she was ever caught by Azhar and Tayyal.

What would Mrs Hayat say about me? And even Mr Muhsin? I wish that I stayed home make this would have been avoided but Allah knows best, Zianna. My sister, brother and his wife are too stubborn for me to say no to. And now I dont want to be a burden for my newly wedded brother.

Within half an hour, Azhar parked the car in front of the hospital and got out of the car. He walked into the hospital leaving Zianna feeling confused but that changed when he walked out with a wheelchair and a female doctor following behind him.

He slowly opened the door and the female doctor helped Zianna to get out of the car and sit on the wheelchair.

"Zianna, this is my sister Iman and she will help you with everything. I just need to call your brother and explain everything to him, okay?" Azhar explained.

"Okay," Zianna nodded.

Iman wheeled her inside leaving Azhar behind to make his phone call.

"I am sorry to have been so much trouble for your brother..."

"Dont say that, you did our family a favor by being his secretary. He needed to break the rules and have fun. Now let's get you settled, while I call my colleague to check up on you," Iman explained. "I am a gynaecologist, not a physician," she added answering Zianna's silent question.

Iman wheeled her into the room and got her settled before leaving to get her colleague Doctor Suhaila.

"Asalam Aleikum, I will be your doctor. You can call me Doctor Suhaila. It is okay if I asked to change into the hospital gown? The bathroom is right there. You can also take a shower before we get started on the checkup," she said smiling.

"Waleikum Salaam. Okay."

Zianna got up and wobbled toward the bathroom and got inside. She then closed the door.

She turned to see herself in the mirror and saw the bruises forming, and the blood on her lips.

She took off her clothes and placed them on the floor. Doctor Suhaila told her to go ahead and take a shower, so that's what Zianna did.

After a few minutes, Zianna walked out dressed in the hospital gown plus her torn hijab that Suhaila provided for her. She then took a seat on the bed.

Suhaila explained what she was going to do about the bruises and if Zianna felt any type of discomfort.

"I think we should do an ex-ray to rule out any broken bones or ribs," she explained to Zianna and the nurse who was taking notes.

Meanwhile, Azhar was pacing in the waiting room and couldn't understand why a human being like Nadia ever existed.

Why doesn't Mr Hussien do something to stop his wife's behaviour toward his daughter? Even when my Mamma met my brother, she loved him. How could someone be so cruel?

Iman saw how her brother was and knew that this situation needed someone, like Hayat to calm Azhar down as the doctor was still checking on Zianna.

She walked toward him and placed her hand on his shoulder. Azhar turned to see his sister.

"You should seat down..."

"I cant do that while she is suffering because of her parent's mistake. I know that Mamma never treated our brother like that, why should someone like Mrs. Nadia do it then?"

"Because our mother has a kind heart. She is unique, Azhar. She also had a stepmother, remember when she explained to her when we saw the old scars on her arms? I am proud to be her daughter and you should be proud to be her son, dear brother," Iman said. "Not everyone is like our mother," she added hugging him.

"I am proud to have a mother like ours. Alhamdulilah," Azhar said taking a seat on one of the chairs.

He wanted to say something but when he saw Doctor Suhaila approaching them, he immediately stood up and waited for her to give him the news.

"Doctor, how is Zianna?" Azhar asked before Suhaila could say anything.

"Well, Azhar. I found many old fractures and some are new. The recent one was a few days old and it was still healing. What happened to this poor girl?" Suhaila asked. "She needs to stay in the hospital for observation and according to her medical records, it seems that she has a bad heart. That's one of the reasons why I want to keep her for a few days," she added.

"Can I go see her?" Azhar asked.

"Yes, you can but don't ask anything that happened tonight. Azhar, she needs stability to heal and being angry, wouldn't help her in this situation," Doctor Suhaila explained. She then told him the room number she was in.

After Suhaila left, Azhar looked at his sister who had a sad smile on her face.

"Go and see her. Assure her that she has your support and remember that she is vulnerable now," Iman said. "I need to go my rounds before leaving to go home," she added, hugging her brother.

Azhar took a deep breath and walked to the room where Zianna was in. He knocked and opened the door.

As soon as he opened the door, he saw Zianna lying on the bed staring at the wall with tears on her face. Azhar walked slowly toward her and took a seat near the bed. Zianna had a brand new hijab on and it was thanks to Doctor Suhaila, who saw how hers was torn.

"You should leave. She is right, you know. I am worthless and useless..."

"I don't think she is, Zia. She wants a scapegoat for her already failed marriage. Even if it wasnt you, someone else would come along and take your place. Zianna," Azhar said. "When you walked into the office for the first time, I didnt expect you to be an important part of my life. My Mamma approves of you even though I haven't told her anything. Zianna, I will stay with you, through it all and if you let me, I will always be here for you even if you don't want me to," he added.

"You are lucky to have your brother, Zia. He is willing to protect you and so am I, that if you let," Azhar continued, Zianna turned to face him.

Her face was swollen and bruised due to the beating.

"You have rules, and I don't follow rules. What will happen then?" She asked.

"I will break my rules just for you and only for you," he answered, smiling. "And I promise never to break your heart," he added.

Rules are meant to be broken when the right person comes along. They would be more important than any rules their loved one keeps.