So close, yet so far

26

KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA

As Sa'eed rushed out of the house, Hauwa's unconscious body cradled in his arms, he felt a sense of desperation wash over him. He didn't need a soothsayer to tell him that she was pregnant, and that she had been planning on sharing the news with him when the unfortunate incident occurred. The pregnancy test strip, the baby clothes, and the blood - it all added up to a nightmare scenario that threatened to tear his world apart.

Sa'eed's heart was racing with fear as he hastily made his way to the car, Ya Aisha following closely behind with a look of concern etched on her face. "Sa'eed, calm down," she urged, trying to reassure him as he gently laid Hauwa down on the backseat. "We'll get her to the hospital, and the doctors will take care of her."

But Sa'eed couldn't calm down. He was consumed by a sense of dread, his mind racing with worst-case scenarios. What if Hauwa lost the baby? What if she didn't make it? The thought of living without her was unbearable, and Sa'eed felt like he was drowning in a sea of despair.

As he drove recklessly through the streets, Ya Aisha's voice was a constant presence, urging him to slow down, to calm down. But Sa'eed couldn't hear her. He was too busy praying, begging Allah to spare Hauwa's life, to protect their unborn child.

The hospital loomed ahead, its bright lights and sterile atmosphere a stark contrast to the chaos that was raging inside Sa'eed's heart. He screeched to a halt outside the emergency entrance, leaping out of the car to scoop Hauwa up into his arms once more.

Ya Aisha followed close behind, her voice firm but reassuring as she urged the hospital staff to hurry, to take Hauwa in immediately. Sa'eed didn't notice the flurry of activity around him, his eyes fixed intently on Hauwa's pale face.

As they wheeled her away, Sa'eed felt like he was being torn apart. He couldn't bear the thought of being separated from her, not even for a moment. He tried to follow her, but Ya Aisha's firm grip on his arm held him back.

"Sa'eed, you have to calm down," she urged, her voice soft but firm. "You have to be strong for Mai Jidda, for your baby. They need you to be strong."

Sa'eed took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. But it was hard, oh so hard, when all he wanted to do was rush after Hauwa, to hold her close and never let her go. He felt like he was losing his mind, like he was trapped in a never-ending nightmare from which he couldn't awaken.

As they waited for what felt like an eternity, Sa'eed's mind was a jumble of emotions. He was scared, he was angry, he was desperate. He felt like he was losing control, like he was powerless to stop the events that were unfolding around him.

But then, like a lifeline, he remembered Hauwa's words, her promise to him that she would always be there, that she would never leave him. He held onto those words, onto the love that they shared, and slowly but surely, he began to calm down.

He took a deep breath, his eyes locked onto Ya Aisha's concerned face. "I'm okay," he lied, trying to reassure her. "I just need to be with Hauwa. I need to know that she's going to be okay."

Ya Aisha nodded, her eyes filled with compassion. "We'll get through this, Sa'eed. We'll get through this together as a family."

Soon, Ya Ali, Ya Jamila and Adda Bahijja arrived, followed by Fahad, Mahmoud, Rahma, and Ya Mubarak. Jannah, Safira and Safina, stayed back at home with their nieces and nephews.

Ya Aisha, despite her own pain and worry, put on a brave face, trying to reassure everyone that Hauwa would be okay. "Everything will be alright," she kept saying, her voice calm and soothing.

But Adda Bahijja saw through her facade. "Aisha, you're hurting too," she said gently, putting a hand on Ya Aisha's shoulder. "It's okay to cry. You don't have to be strong for us."