Something Borrowed

Chapter 17 - Ayman

The road to KimKim was pretty much damaged by denudation. With the help of my SatNav, I was able to find my way to the Medical Center which was technically few kilometers away from the country's oldest bridge. I parked my car in the parking lot and headed to the ward which was Female Ward 36!

"This building is restricted to females only!" One of the nurses bellowed.

"I'm here to see my sister, she's in 36!" I lied to her thinking she would let me in.

"You heard me, so just leave!" She said.

"I'm not going anywhere..."

"You have too!"

We were arguing when a woman came. She looked pretty much like Zainab. My hunch told me it was her mother, they had the same complexion, height... and they were both chubby – it must be her!

"He's my son" The woman lied.

"Alright then!" The nurse squealed.

"Come, Ayman" The woman said to me.

Thus, I trailed behind her as she walked to the stairs. I didn't stop myself from wondering how on earth she knew who I was. Like seriously? I shook my head lightly and remained calm until we were in the ward. Zainab was on a drip, she had lose weight and she looked dark against her normal complexion which was somehow fair...

"Hi, Ayman" She managed to smile.

"Hi, Beauty" I said as I rushed to her.

"How are you?" She asked.

"I'm... I'm fine" I said taking her hand into a warm clasp. "What happened?"

"I don't know. My mother said I fainted in the bathroom" She cleared her throat and continued. "I've been here for the past few days, I don't really know what is wrong with me. I'm just sick, Ayman"

"Have you undergone any test yet?"

"Several, but the results are..." She was saying when her mother chimed in.

"With Abrar" She said.

"Where is he, please?" I asked.

"He will be here soon, just take your time with her. She needs you" She said.

"Okey, mam" I smiled.

"Good" She said and left the ward. 

"How did your mother know me this much?" I said as I wrinkled my brows.

"She and your mother were friends!" Zainab said as she adjusted her laying position. "Have you eaten? We have food here..." She offered with a smile.

"No, I'm okey" I huffed.

"How's Fadilah?" She asked.

"She's fine, I guess" I said.

Thus, she heaved a sigh and looked me closely. "I used to dream alot about you, Ayman. The one I had yesterday was that we got married and Allah blessed us with twins, wallahi" She said smiling.

I smiled at her as well. "Beauty, I love you alot. I will fight for us. I will make you mine. I believe that dream is not just a dream, but something that will, In Shaa Allah, happen in the future" I said.

"But how, Ayman? You're already going to marry Fadilah soon" She said.

"Yes, but that will not stop me from marrying you afterwards" I blurted out.

"Alright then..."

We kept talking until later on her Uncle Abrar and her mother bounced in. Before I could welcome them the former asked me to come with him outside which I did.

***

"Ayman, there is something I want us to talk about" He muttered not minding to look at me. "You're my nephew, but I have to tell you the truth"

"I'm listening" I gulped.

"When you first told me about this Zainab, I warned you to stay away from her right?" He was now looking at me.

"Yes" I nodded.

"Good, but you still insisted. And now she's deeply inlove with you but she can't get you. Do you even have any idea what you caused? Do you??" He said.

"Uncle Abrar, look... I'm going to marry Zainab and that's a promise" I assured him.

"What promise? That's nonsense!" He yelled at me. "This girl fainted in the toilet, Ayman. Ever since she heard you were going to marry, her life changed"

"The problem is that everything you hear you must fly it to the world, Uncle Abrar. If you hadn't told her about the marriage, her life wouldn't have changed to this!"

"Okey, but if one day she realized you married Fadilah she'd probably die..." He hypothesised.

"If only you are a discipline brother to my mother, this wouldn't have happened because she will have to adhere to whatever you say to her, and I know you won't let me marry Fadilah!"

With that, he was mute for some seconds. "I should have been as you say, but I will not. Uwani is my only sister, and I love her alot. She had went through things, and I respect her even though she's my junior sister..."

"Then please, stop blaming me for everything that has happened. My mother is the captain of this situation, and not me. I will marry Fadilah as she wish, and I will marry Zainab afterwards..." I kept talking despite his attempts to interrupt me. "...hence, this case is closed here, and I'm done talking!"

♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠♠

Serendipity!