Us

Chapter 7: Time of death

'Whaaaaaat?'
'Yes, Ammar, I'm pregnant.'
I was so happy, it can not be simply put into words. Ayesha loved kids and I gave her one.
The happiness did not last long. After a month, she started getting sick a lot. I couldn't ask anybody for help but Maha, she excelled in her field. She comforted me saying she'll be ok, just give her a lot of food but it still wasn't enough. Seeing Ayesha on bed was becoming a habit. After about five months into it, she got better, I asked her if she wanted to know whether it's a boy or a girl. She declined the offer saying that it should remain a surprise.
Her condition did not last long. It got worse, worse than before. My caller's list was flooded with Maha. I got worried over a slight cold. It was winter and she craved for watermelons, God knows why?
It was the end of October. I was at work and I got a call from my maid.
'Sir, Ma'am fainted and I took her to the hospital. If it's easy for you, Maha ma'am has called you. She said it was urgent.'
'I'll be there in 5.' I said with a dreaded tone.
I was breaking from inside. Piece by piece I started falling apart, I was becoming hopeless.
I rushed to Maha's hospital straight into the VIP ward. Ayesha was lying on the bed unconscious. Maha was checking up on her vitals.
'Is she okay?'
Maha got surprised as if she did not want me to be there.
'Yeah, the baby too.' She paused and then resumed,'I need to talk to you.'
'Sure.'
I've never seen Maha this serious before. I was preparing myself for the worst.
Maha and I left the ward. I turned to look at Ayesha. She was sleeping, peacefully. It calmed me down.
Maha took me to the rooftop of the hospital. The wind was blowing hard.
'Yes?' I initiated without wasting a second.
Maha put her hand in the pocket of her lab coat and pulled out a lighter followed by a cigarette.
'And since when did you start smoking?'
'Only during hard times'
'Is everything okay?'
'I miss him' she said as she exhaled the smoke.
'Hi-'
'Don't worry. Ayesha is okay and the baby too, but Ammar-' she stopped as if she was warning me to get ready for a huge news.
She continued,'It will be a tough delivery. The baby is growing fast, and she'll be in before the given date.'
'What do you mean, tough? Maha, I don't want you playing word games with me here.' I got angry to the point that I yelled.
Maha understood my situation and did not further press me.
'Go see him, he'll calm you down. Tell him about everything. He'll talk to you and make you feel at ease.'
I started crying. I have never cried this much before. Maha leaned in and gave me a big hug.
'It's okay. It'll be alright!' She said sobbing. I knew she was crying. I hugged her back.
'It will be, it will be, it will be.' I reassured her but didn't realise I was assuring myself too.
'Yeaaaaah!!!' Maha yelled as she hugged me tighter, 'your wife, Ayesha she is strong, she loves her baby? No? She'll make it.'
'She has to!!' I yelled even louder.
She has to, you have to, promise me you will?
I made a one sided promise with her. I looked up to the sky and the night resembled the night from back then. It started playing in my head.
The 18 year old Ali said:'you'll have the longest hug with Maha, don't worry everything will be alright. It'll be okay and it'll be alright' I did not feel the pressure of his words back then but now I feel it, Ali, I feel it now.
I stayed the night at the hospital by her bed. She was sleeping and smiling. It was a pleasant sight. I held her hand and slept on it. Maha discharged her the next morning. I picked her up in my arms and put her in the wheelchair. Maha saw us off until we left the hospital.
Ayesha payed her gratitude to her with a smile on her face. Her smile was enough for me to forget my worries.
It was almost December and Maha herself started to contact me often preparing me for all the phases.
It was 2nd of December. We both were having an afternoon nap when Ayesha pushed me.
'Aaaaaaaaaaah!!' She screamed.
'Oh my God, it hurts it fucking hurts!' She exclaimed in pain as she clenched my bicep.
She was in labour.
We rushed to the hospital. I called Maha on my way to inform her.
The whole department was under Maha so we as usual got the VIP ward. Maha after checking her up, 'not now.'
'Why?' I asked.
'She needs to dilate more. I'll keep checking her up from time to time. Just stay with her and you can get the ice chips from the canteen. Ah, nevermind I'll ask someone to get them for you. You just stay with her.'
'Thanks!'
Toughest two hours of my life. Ayesha was sweating so much. My hand was aching because she did not let it go even for a second.
Maha came in the ward again for like the 50th time and checked her again.
'It's time.' A cloud of sadness rained over her as she said this.
I knew what it meant. I had called Usama and Ali already and they were on their way.
Just as we were rushing to the delivery room, Usama and Ali came running too. Maha only let me enter the delivery room. I asked Usama and Ali to pray. They knew the situation. As the delivery procedure was set up, and Ayesha started to push, her vitals started to drop.
I had discussed this with Ayesha already. She wanted to have the child even if it meant that she'll die. I protested a lot, all in vain.
Maha was rushing and sweating, trying to stabilise her vitals and the whole room was so chaotic. I was crying over and over again holding her hand,'Don't leave me, you can do this, come on come on Ayesha, please.'
She was barely hanging in. Her eyes were slowly closing. 'Don't close your eyes, listen to me, you promised to not leave me, Ayesha, please don't,stay!!'
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
and a newborn's cry!
Both of the noises silenced the room simultaneously. Her vitals were down to zero. The baby was delivered safely too but Ayesha.....
Maha covered the infant and gave it to me and started to inject some fluids in Ayesha to stabilise her. I looked at my child, it was a boy. A healthy child, my tears were not stopping. I placed him in her arms.
'Ayesha?, it's a boy, he's so cute. He has your eyes. Come on, time to wake up. Enough sleep, open your eyes already!' He was crying in her lap, looked like he was screaming for his mother to wake up. I was hopeless. Dead from inside. I lost my purpose. I lost my love. I lost my life.
Maha sobbed,'Time of death....'

I fucking cried.