All For What!

54

Dedicated to xxFAAxx and ishabdool

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Walking into their home, Sa'eed took Maryam directly to their room and made her lay down on the bed.

She gazed at him lovingly. "How did you manage to convince the doctor to get my discharge papers ready?" She inquired. If she could remember vividly, he was proving adamant. Apparently, he did not trust Saeed enough to take care of her after what happened after his previous warning.

"What could I do? You kept on insisting. I had to practically beg him for that to happen." He replied, massaging his temple lightly.

"Wow! What did you say to make him change his mind?" She questioned inquisitively.

"I told him you aren't happy at the hospital and reminded him of what he said about you getting stressed." He narrated. "He agreed on two conditions though."

"What conditions?" She asked with a raised brow.

"You're not allowed to get out of bed or do anything stressful for the next two weeks."

"What!" She asked with widened eyes. She questioned herself inwardly if she indeed heard him right - two weeks? It would be nearly impossible for her to comply to that condition of theirs. She wasn't used to doing that - it'd be very hard to adapt.

"Yeah. You heard me right. Rules are rules." He shrugged. "I will be here to make sure you don't violate it."

She huffed. "Second condition is?"

"You're going to have to consume lots and lots of vegetables, fruits and folic acid to increase the blood in your body." He replied.

She rolled her eyes. "Don't you think I know all these, habibi? I think you're forgetting I'm a nurse."

Saeed chuckled. "How can I forget? You keep reminding me daily."

He said that in a jocular manner - she knew, but for some inexplicable reason, she felt saddened by the words, but quickly waved it away for she didn't want to ruin the moment. "I can accept the second condition, but not the first." She pouted.

"You have to, unless..." He trailed off for a few second. "You want us to go back to the hospital."

She heaved an exasperated sigh. "Alright. I will try to do as you want."

"Thank you." He smiled.

Maryam closed her eyelids and was about to take a short nap when she suddenly remembered her conversation with Zainab at the hospital. Abruptly, her eyes fluttered open. "Habibi?" She called.

"Yes?" Saeed replied, putting off his shoes.

"I want us to talk." She stated, her voice laced with immense seriousness.

"We're already talking."

"I'm serious, habibi."

"Alright. What do you want us to talk about?"

"About what Zainab said at the hospital."

Saeed looked unsure and nervous? "I don't think it's a good idea, habibty. The doctor-"

"I know everything the doctor said." She interrupted. "And why don't you want us to talk about it? Are you hiding something from me? Are you already married or what? Please just tell me. I won't get angry, I promise. I just don't want to be kept in the dark." She finished and fought back the tears that threatened to escape her eyes. She felt a lump stuck in her throat as she thought of the possibility - what was going to happen to her if that was the case? How would she be able to live with that? - tears prickled her eyes and her lips trembled.