Say,"who can keep you safe by night and day from the wrath of Allah the most Gracious?" Yet they turn away from the mention of their Lord (21:42)
Chapter 23:
Stranger
That night was very long. It was a miserable day for Rima. The surgery took so long and it was quite visible that the two were worn out from waiting and they seemed tired and exhausted. The clock kept on making rounds tirelessly all the way from seven ticking to five in the morning.
Just after praying Fajr,Rima opened her pocket mus'haf and started reading the holy Qur'an. She opened Surah Yasin,she read until upon reaching the seventy eighth verse:و ضرب لنا مثلا و نسي خلقه قال من يحي العظام و هي رميم {and he makes comparisons,For Us and forgets his own origin and creation: he says Who can give life to dry bones And decomposes ones?}
She further proceeded to the next verse which assured that it's only Allah who can give life. She started there and then praying for her sick father who was fighting death at the moment. She looked at how the sun was rising after the darkness had engulfed the sky and it was reassuring her that the darkness in her life would be ridden away from her. Suddenly Iqbal broke her from the world of thoughts that her mind was travelling. She smiled at him and he handed her a cup of tea from the hospital canteen.
"Thanks a lot for being with me during these tough day. It's a lot for a stranger like me and Jazakallah for all your efforts. You seem tired. This is my battle and am tough enough to handle it myself. Go home and get some rest." She said flashing him a smile.
Now it seemed that she had cut his heartstrings with her words. A stranger. He never felt the burden of that word until she spoke up. He was so broken at the moment. He was tired of life which was throwing lemons at him. Bitterness. Life was so bitter no wonder he was a loner up to date. For once,she shouldn't have uttered such words. And to add fuel into the burning fire she smiled. The blaze in his heart grew so fierce that he turned away from her and and a tear trickled down his cheek.
"You cannot thank me endlessly like that. Don't make me feel so high for helping you during your tough days. And suppose someone else was in my shoes,he would still help you " he said dryly sniffing.
"Hey you are crying?" She asked turning around to see his face.
"Why would I cry. Some dust particle has entered my eye,that's all" he answered faking a smile on his face.
The two were professors in faking. She fought her emotions tirelessly to keep her soul breathing and prevent herself from breaking down at that moment. He too was not an armature at the moment. He conquered his weak ends and he was good at hiding his unspoken words of the heart. Truly matters of the heart weren't less than a battle.
As they walked to the chairs outside the ICU, they met a worried Amira who was accompanied by a stressed out Naila and Sajid wrapped in her hand.
"Bhai you go catch some rest. It will be better if you take Rima with you. Both of you seem tired and luckily we are an army here. So just go home."Sajid said. This man he always had his back. Family is family. And if you are lucky then family becomes your Paradise on earth.
Amira stretched out her hand and put her palm on Iqbal's face. She smiled at him and she was on the verge of tears when Rima hugged her and reassured her mom.
"Thank you so much son. Your ammi is truly blessed to have you as her son. You are a good human being. Jazakallah my son" she said half smiling as tears washed her face.
"Wantum aunty you don't worry. Uncle's gonna be fine. We are praying for his quick recovery. Now don't cry. People need you beside them" he said looking at Rima. "Now allow me to make a move. Ma'ssalaam. Allah Hafiz"
He reassured her.
The two walked to the parking zone and got into the car. Strange was the world. For a moment, Rima estranged him from her life and a minute later comes her mom calling him 'son'
He smiled at when the thought came playing in his mind and off the car went to his house.
Just after reaching the house a noisy Jamal welcomed them in the hands of Iqbal's mom. She was a sweet Lady. No wonder the baby was so comfortable in her company.
"Ya Allah my baby I missed you. And look at you. So naughty. You were bubbling to welcome mommy." Rima said as she took him in her arms.
"I hope he didn't disturb you. I know how at times he gets cranky and when he starts crying you just have to cry with him because it's so bad. Jazakillah aunty." She appreciated the mother.
"Aah beta that was nothing at all. In fact your son is a complete sweetheart. I didn't mind having such a cutie pie with me." She said patting her shoulder.
"That's really sweet of you." She said hugging her back.
She got into the house and she'd never felt so warmly even back at her home. Iqbal's family was really sweet. Khamisa,Aisha were very nice and they always had Jamal with them and it was as if they were buddies for eons for the three had a blast.
Rima looked at her baby and smiled. He had found new friends. He was one hell of a baby who cried whenever a stranger carried him and today Mashallah everything was incredible. He was bubbling with the new people around him. It was time for dhuhr and just after praying, the family sat to have their lunch.
The food was kinda different. It was an Pakistani family after all. And why wouldn't it be different. They had lentil soup and some rotis with white rice. She found it difficult to manage but the noisy rumbles of her stomach didn't allow her to escape the meal.
All of a sudden Iqbal's phone rang and all expressions from his face vanished. He dropped his phone and a tear trickled down his face. He said only one statement." Worry not Allah is with us. Am coming right away with her."
His statement signified a catastrophe that had befallen Rima. She stopped eating and put her head on the table fighting millions of tears and swallowing a hard gulp down her throat. Still she managed to put her head up and throw the horrible thoughts that had conquered her mind and asked him politely," what happened Iqbal?"
"Rima,Your Abba is very critical ," he said as the family went to lock her in an embrace.
So that's it. She thanked Allah a million times and blew a sigh of relief. She thought her daddy was dead. But now it was getting worse. He was critical.
They rushed in the car forgetting the taste of food leaving her baby with Aisha and Khamisa. They were accompanied by Iqbal's mom to the city hospital.
He drove like a lunatic rushing and taking all shortcuts to the hospital. Rima's heart grew bolder throbbing in her chest as sweat trickled down her face.
Did this mark the end of her dad? What was happening at the hospital? Was all okay? So many questions jammed in her mind as winds of no answers brushed her red face.
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So that's it. Have a wonderful moment as most of you now are obviously grinning and smiling for seeing Hassan leaving this misery. Hold your horses and wait for more lovely news in the next chap😈😜
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Another Chance✔
SpiritualShe was a miracle to him but her life was cursed. Cursed by a sacrifice she made to her own. He was full of mistakes but the kind of perfect she wanted. She was held by a promise which burned her happiness and withered all the joys of her life. He w...
