THE TALE OF SARAH

Chapter Thirteen

Sarah came out of the bathroom with tears in her eyes. She had to rest. The pain had doubled from all the standing she stood. She raised her head and saw Yusra and Fa'iza standing in the center of the room, both in tears with horrific expressions on their faces. She shook her head. She didn't have the strength to face anyone right now. She proceeded to her bed and carefully lay on it to avoid hurting herself further. Luckily for her, it didn't take up to five minutes before she fell asleep. 

But will luck always be by her side?

Meanwhile Yusra and Fa'iza were scared. Why did Sarah shake her head at them? She was clearly in pain and her face was very pale, screaming tiredness with every passing second. They watched as she fell asleep. They went outside so as not to wake her up. She clearly needed all the rest she could get.

But it didn't take too long before she shot up from her sleeping position screaming. She just had a nightmare. She was about to be gang raped when she screamed awake. Yusra and Fa'iza rushed in from the opposite room. They took positions by either of her side.

Sarah shook her head slowly. "No! No!" She kept saying while in tears. Her head was banging. Her body ached all over. She wasn't alright. She had no option but to cry helplessly despite the migraine she felt.

Yusra put her hand on Sarah's shoulder. "Sarah bismillah calm down."

Sarah flinched when she felt yusra's hand on her body All her body ached. She was breathing heavily. All she felt was pain upon pain. She wished the earth will just swallow her.

"What happened to you? Was it Hamad?" Fa'iza asked, her and Yusra fearing the answer.

Still closing her eyes deeply in pain, Sarah nodded, with a fresh set of tears rolling down her cheeks.

"He hit you?" Fa'iza probed further.

"He raped me."  She replied just above a whisper.

"Inna lillah!" Yusra exclaimed, her eyes wide clearly out of ultimate shock.

"Subhanallahil 'Azeem! Oh my God!" Fa'iza added.

Oblivious to their reactions, Sarah put her head in her hands. They were too heavy. She tipped it back, trying to find a soothing position, but it was all in vain.

"But he wasn't even there this morning!" Yusra exclaimed further.

"Oh my God, Sarah, I'm so sorry. We didn't even know that was what happened." Fa'iza added fresh set of tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Are you planning on telling?" Fa'iza asked.

Sarah shook her head. "Honestly, I don't know what I'm going to do. I just pray Umm Hakeem comes back soon." She shot her eyes deeply again. The just shot up her spine. She gripped Yusra's arm in pain.

Yusra and Fa'iza began crying with her. They just didn't know what do. They had to keep this a secret till Umm Hakeem comes back. They couldn't tell Munirah. What will they say? "Your son Hamad raped Sarah?" It wasn't possible. No matter how much care and love she treated them with, they were sure she wouldn't appreciate such accusation of her son. They couldn't take Sarah to the hospital for checkup either because Munirah, her employer wasn't around.

"How's the pain?" Fa'iza asked after some time.

"Very much." Sarah muttered in reply.

"How about you get some rest. Maybe some sleep?" Yusra suggested.

Sleep was the last thing Sarah wanted but she needed it badly. She didn't want to have any more nightmares. But if she stayed awake, she couldn't guarantee herself that she wouldn't think about it. She was also very exhausted. But her mind was taken off that for a second or two when it hit her.  She mentally calculated her ovulation period using the method Umm Hakeem had taught them.

When she realised they were expecting a reply, she shook her head a no. "I can't sleep." She continued the calculation, afraid that she might be in the high chance of pregnancy period.

"Why? You need to."

"Oh my God!" She whisper exclaimed after some time.

"What?" They asked in unison, concern and confusion etched on their features.

"No, nothing." She whispered again, letting a fresh set of tears to fall. She silently prayed she didn't conceive. It  indeed happened in her high-chance pregnancy period. Life was going to be hell if that happened. She just kept it all to herself.

To Yusra and Fa'iza, Sarah's condition was just worsening. They didn't know what she just discovered. They just thought she needed more rest.

"Sarah, if anything is bothering you, let us know. Let me recite some verses of the Holy Book to you if it'll help calm down." Fa'iza said standing up to retrieve her Qur'an from Sarah's drawer. "Yusra hold her, maybe you should rub her back soothingly."

"Got it."

She settled down beside Sarah on the bed and opened to where she wanted to read."A'uudhu billahi minash- shaytaanir-rajeem, bismillahir-rahmaanir-raheem."  Fa'iza started.

"Yaseeeeeeen. Wal qur'aanil hakeeem." She continued in a slow melodious voice, just the way Sarah loved it.

Sarah smiled and stayed like that as Fa'iza continued, it really helped. She smiled and even cried in glory of God and His words. How wonderful were they? It was really calming. It took only a few minutes before she fell asleep, resting her head on Yusra's chest. When Yusra and Fa'iza noticed her even breathing, they stood up and left the room, not before using the curtains to cover the light coming from outside.

As they stepped out and closed the door behind them, Huda was the first person they met. She was standing in front of them as if she had wanted to enter Sarah and Yusra's room.

"Who's in there?" She asked still in their front, standing in their way.

"Who do you expect to be in their?" Yusra retorted.

Fa'iza rolled her eyes. "Huda just leave our front, we are not in the mood for this."

"Oh please." Huda replied, putting her left hand on her waist and her right hand in front of their faces.

They tried to push past her, but she wouldn't budge. Frustrated, Yusra went back in, removed the keys of the door, then came out back and locked it and put the key in her abaya pocket.

Just then, the Zuhr adhaan was heard from the estate mosque. Although if was faint, it still served its purpose.

"Now you seriously have to move." Yusra said running out of patience.

Although Huda stepped aside, she spoke. "But I just wanted to know what's up with our friend!" She yelled after them.

"Haha, how ironic." Fa'iza called back, as she and Yusra walked down the hallway to her room.

**********

"Congrats man, albeit late, you did it!" Prince congratulated along with the others. They were having another Friday meeting again. Hamad arrived earlier than ever, beaming. All his friends were rejoicing with him. He did it! He could finally take his place again with his friends.

"Thanks man." The fool replied as he rubbed off fake dust from his shoulders.

"So did you have to be in a relationship?" Musa probed.

"Nah, its just this girl." He waved it off as if it was nothing.

"Was she willing?" Jude added.

The idiot shrugged.

"Oh wow." A roar of laughter went round the table.

"Now we could finally take our place again. Let's make a toast." Prince said. He stood up to make the toast.

"To the success of all our members in proving themselves!"

"To the success of all our member in proving themselves!" The rest repeated and toasted.

And then the 'celebration' went on. Unknown to Hamad, Sarah might just have conceived.