True Purpose

c h a p t e r 4

"Zaynab, honey! Let's get you dressed up! It's time for us to go out!" Zaynab's mother said.

"We're going out, mummy?" Zaynab asked, looking at her mother with big eyes.

"Yes, sweetie. Lets go, come on! Let's get you inside this dress!"  Her mother replied.

"Okay, mummy," Zaynab said, happily. Her mother dressed her up and took her downstairs, where her father was waiting.

"Is our Zayni ready?" Her father asked.

"Yes, daddy. I'm ready! We can go out!" Zaynab replied.

"Okay, Zayni," her father said, smiling at her. He turned to her mother. "Honey, let's go!"

The three of them stepped out of the house, when all of a sudden, Zaynab's father's face contorted, and he clutched his chest. He moaned in pain, and Zaynab's mother gasped.

"Sa'ad! Sa'ad! What's happening to you?" Her mother exclaimed.

"I...I...can't...bre...breathe!"  Zaynab's father wheezed out.

"Sa'ad! Ya Allah! What do I do?" Zaynab's mother cried, tears streaming down her face.

Zaynab looked up at the two of them in confusion. What was going on? Why was her mother crying? And why did her father look like he was in so much pain?

"My...chest! Safaa, ca...call...the...the...am...ambulance!" Her father gasped, his hand on his chest.

Her mother rushed inside the house and Zaynab stood there, looking at her father, wondering what was going on.

"Daddy? Daddy? What's happening?" Zaynab asked.

"Zayni...I...love...you, baby!" Her father managed to heave out, as he collapsed on the ground.

His wheezing stopped as his eyes shut. His arm clutching his chest became limp and fell to the ground.

Zaynab looked at her father wide-eyed. How did this happen? He just fell down out of the blue!

Zaynab's mum came rushing out.

"Sa'ad, I've called the ambula-" she said as she rushed out but stopped when she saw her husband lying on the ground with his eyes closed. She rushed over to his side and grabbed his hand. She placed her thumb on the underside of his wrist, and Zaynab wondered what she was trying to do.

"Mummy, why did daddy go to sleep?" Zaynab asked, as she walked over to her mother.

Her mother did not reply. Zaynab looked at her mother closely, and her mouth was wide open as tears streamed from her eyes. Those silent tears then broke into loud wails.

"Ya Allah! My husband! Why? Why me?! Sa'ad! Wake up, Sa'ad! You can't leave me like this! Sa'ad!"  Her mother shrieked.

"What happened to daddy, mummy?" Zaynab asked her mother.

"He's gone! Your daddy's gone! He's left us, Zaynab! He's gone!" Her mother sobbed.