When You Were My Sister

Chapter Seventeen (Beauty from ashes)

Neima   

"Neima, Neima." Daddy was calling me. I would recognize his voice even in a crowd. "Neima."

There was blinding brightness around me, everything was white.

"Dad." I called looking around me, but he was nowhere to be found. "Dad."

"Neima." He sounded closer. I turned around and he was right behind me.

"Dad!" I hugged him, because I hadn't seen him in years. "How is it possible?" I asked breaking the hug to look at him. He looked the same as I remembered him, only he was older.

"I am so happy to see You Neima." He kissed me on the cheek. "But you do not belong here."

I was confused. "What do you mean? Am I dead?"

"You have to fight." He continued, ignoring my question. "You need to go back and take care of them for me, your mother, Nola even Mora." He held my shoulders. "There is still some fight left in you."

"Daddy, I really wanted to come home, to see you before..." I choked up subbing.

"It's ok, I know, I know." He put a hand to my cheek. "I love you Neima, but it is not your time to die." He pushed me.

The room around me changed, there were shadows over me, they were unfocused. Everything went dark around me then there were lights, they faded in and out. There were men in scrubs over me, they all looked blurred, I could not make out what they were saying. I could feel my body if felt numb, my head hurt. Everything around me went dark again.

I felt cool fingers on my hand. I heard voices around me.

"How is she?" I recognized this voice, it was deep and familiar, it made my skin tingle in the most delightful way.

"She will be fine, we just have to give the body time to heal its self." The other person that spoke was feminine and unfamiliar.

"And Nola?" the man asked.

"I am sorry I am not able to tell you her status at the moment." The way the woman spoke, did not sound uplifting.

Someone beside me began subbing.

Nola, who is Nola? I wanted to open my eyes but they were heavy. I felt fatigued, my body was like led. I wanted to move but I had no control over it.

"Where is she?" The woman that was subbing asked. She sounded familiar too.

"She is still in surgery." The other woman answered.

"It's been eighteen hours, why are they taking so long?" Familiar woman asked.

"I am sorry but as soon as I have more information I will update you." The other woman said. Then there were retreating footsteps.

There were shuffling in the room and quiet subs. Someone took my other hand if felt manly and familiar, I liked it. He kissed my hand.

"Come back to us Neima." He said, his voice cracking a little to reveal his emotions. He was sad, why did his sadness made me sad?

Their voices faded away as fatigue took over, I drifted into sleep. A man was holding me in bed while I slept, his fragrance made my heart flip-flopped in my chest. He was my husband, James. I remembered him and our wedding day, he was handsome dressed in a navy-blue tuxedo and a dazzling smile. Avery his son stood beside him digging his feet into the grass, the sight of him made me laugh. Our wedding was outdoors on a beautiful spring day, a range of white roses decorated the chairs and spot we got married. Then there was Naomi, red-faced and screaming when I gave birth to her. I watched her as she grew before my eyes, the love I felt for her was unsurpassable. I longed to hold her close to me.