AN INDIAN GIRLS SACRIFICE

Chapter 4

I woke up this morning hopeful for a better day, I get out of bed, shower and get dressed in a three quarter pants and a t-shirt. My grandparents are still asleep so I decide to get a head start on breakfast. I make choc chip pancakes and cut fresh strawberries and whip up some cream.

"How you feeling today Amu?" nani asks gingerly.

"Much better nani," I smile.

We have our breakfast, nanu is full on with his jokes this morning, he tell me about a time when Ammi cried and through a tantrum at the beach for ice-cream, it was amusing to think of Ammi laying on the floor, refusing to move.

After breakfast, I decided to go for a walk on the beach. Nanu didn't join me because he was meeting with some friends for golf.

I plug my earplugs in my ears and head to the beach. I get there and spot Aahil's car, I decide to walk in a different direction but he already spotted me.

"Salaams babes, how you doing today?" he asks nonchalantly.

"Aahil please don't call me that, I'm not your girlfriend."

"Amu, you still angry about last night? I've always called you babes and you never had a problem before."

"Yeah thats before I knew what you were up too and then we were kids."

I take my shoes off and walk towards the ocean, Aahil stands there in the parking lot for a few minutes before he runs after me.

"Amaani I don't want to hurt you but it looks like I have already. I wish I never told you how I feel."

"Well it's too late, it's done... it's best if we don't hang out."

"Come on Amu we best friends, we can't throw away childhood friendship just because one of us developed feeling for the other. I promise I won't let this come between us."

He gets onto his knees and pleads with me, everyone is watching us, I tell him to get up but he wouldn't until I said I forgave him.

"Fine, I forgive you."

We walked together on the beach in complete silence, then Aahil suggests we go for milkshakes, I don't want him to think that I'm still upset so I agree to go with him.

We walked to a restaurant on the beach, we place our order and sit not too far from the counter. Aahil looks at me and I think here we go again expecting him to tell me something intense or do something he will regret.

"So what you say we start over, Amu I have a thing for you, always had and always will, i love you," he rambles quickly with a smirk on his face.

"Oh no, not again... Are you serious? I don't believe I fell for your apology."

I stand up and as I'm about to leave the restaurant when Aahil stops me. He pulls me back into my seat and starts laughing, I look at him with astonishment.

"Aahil I got no time for games," I chided.

"Would you relax, I was just joking, I'm not going there again."

"You really walking on thin ice."

We sat there sipping on our milkshake when my nanu called and told me to come home. I left Aahil in the restaurant and left to go back home. When I got there my nanu said my nani was being admitted in hospital. She collapsed, lucky nanu just got home seconds before she fell.

We rushed to the hospital, the doctors were already working on nani. We sat in the waiting room, silence filled the room while I sat there thinking of my Ammi. As I was falling asleep on the couch Aahil called to find out if everything was okay.

"Amu are you okay?" he says nervously.

"Aahil nani has been admitted in hospital," I say while tears rolling down my cheeks.

"Amu stop crying, I'll be there soon."

He cuts the call before I can stop him from coming. Nanu goes to check if there's any news on nani. Aahil gets here 15 minutes later. He brought lunch for nanu and I.

I'm standing against the wall, he comes to me and hugs me tightly assuring me that nani will be fine. He goes to speak to the doctor to find out what is wrong with nani and what they doing for her. It's been a few hours now and no one will tell us anything.

"Amu nani had a heart attack but she is going to be fine, he says with relief.

"Shukr to Allah."

He is standing in the doorway, I run to him, wrap my hands around him and give him a genuine hug. He takes full advantage of the situation, he puts his hands around my waist and presses a kiss on my forehead.

I move back and reality hits me, what was I just doing? Giving him the wrong signals. I could beat myself up but I had bigger problems to deal with. Nanu came back to the waiting room, this time not alone, my khala and Kaloo were with.

Aahil told them what the doctor said and then they went to see the nani. It's past 11pm nanu told Aahil to take me home and to stay with me.

We get to the car, Aahil opens the door for me, I get in and he closes the door, he gets in and starts the car. We drive off coming to a robot, it's red, I'm sitting there looking out the window when Aahil grabs my hand and squeezes it.

"I'm okay, I'll be fine," I say doubtfully.

We reach home and Aahil switches the car off and marches to open the door for me, he lends me a hand to get out of the car. We go upstairs, I call my mum to see how she is doing and to let her know nani will be okay.

When I get off the phone I go the kitchen and hear Aahil on the phone, he let's his mother know where he is and tells her he won't be home tonight. He got off the phone and grabbed my hand and pulled me towards him.

"You don't have to stay, nanu worries for no reason, I'm okay and I'm sure I'll manage on my own."

"Amu there's no way I'm leaving you alone," he says authoritively.

I don't argue further, I change into my track pants and a tee, we sit in my room because Aahil insists I should get some sleep. He sits next to me on the bed and makes me get in and covers me with the duvet.

I tell him to sleep in the guest room but he refuses to leave my side. He rests his head on the headboard while he holds my hand sliding his fingers through mine.

I wake up after hearing nanu tell khala what a good match Aahil and I make. I open my eyes and try to get up not feeling the weight of Aahil's head on my chest. I think I was too shocked at what nanu said. I slowly move his head off and place a pillow underneath his head.

I sat up on the bed with my legs hanging down the side, I push myself to get up, Aahil grabs my hand and pulls me down, I fall right onto his chest.

"I heard what nanu said," he smiles... "even he thinks we should be together."

"Nanu is not thinking straight right now," I groan.

The thought of almost losing nani hit me before I could get off his chest. I stay still on his chest thinking what would have happened if nanu was not home, if he was few minutes late. I was busy having a good time, not worried at all that nani was alone.

I sprung up and got into the shower, when I got out Aahil was gone out of the room. He had his mother send over his clothes so he showered here and then we went to see nani at the hospital.

My parent's were flying in today, Aahil cancelled all his meetings for today. He offered to fetch my parent's at the airport so I went with him.

My parent's land at 10am, Ammi sees me and bursts into tears.

"Ammi, nani is okay, please don't cry, we can go now to the hospital if you want."

"Aunty Shenaaz don't worry, nani is okay, there are good doctors here," Aahil say reassuringly.

We decide to take my parent's to the hospital before we go home. My mum was relieved after seeing nani and going through her reports.