My Dunya (NEEDS EDITING)

Chapter 13- Hospital Tendencies

"When all is said and done, the weather and love are the two elements about which one can never be sure."

~Alice Hoffman

CHAPTER 13

        I could hear the consistent beeping from the heart monitor beside me, which began to soothe me in odd ways. The steps of nurses and doctors scurrying through the halls of the hospital also caught my attention. Then it hit me, and a flood of memories from last night came rushing back. My eyes opened slightly and a glimpse of sunlight caught my sight from an open crack in the window curtains. Feeling agitated in the hospital gown that I've been accustomed to over the years, I began shifting in my place anxiously. My mother, who was seated on my bedside, with her head on the bed jerked up at my movement.

"Dunya, how are you feeling?" she asked worriedly, rubbing her eyes from what seemed like a very uncomfortable sleep.

"Okay, everything feels normal, no more swelling or anything," I sighed, thankful for the fact that I did manage to survive last night despite the scare. I was literally on the verge of death, and because of my irregular breathing patterns, it brought me closer than ever. I looked to my side to see another bed pulled up, and on it was none other than Teta lying there peacefully.

"The doctor said they're going to keep you here for another day just to check your recovery, breathing, blood pressure-" she started saying.

"Blood pressure, what's wrong with my blood pressure?" I asked more attentive now.

"Well, in the middle of the night, your blood pressure kept dropping drastically, and your breathing quickened so they had to put you on oxygen again, but don't worry about that now, all that matters is that your numbers are fine, and you feel fine," she reassured me.

I had to stay in the hospital for another day. That thought made me internally cry. I must say, it wasn't exactly how I pictured spending my Sunday afternoon and evening. But Alhamdulillah, I shouldn't have been complaining. I should've been thanking Allah for the fact that I was alive.

Still not having the urge to get up from the bed, I lay there staring up at the ceiling. "So, is it just you two here?" I asked my mom referring to both her and Teta.

"Oh I wish, but no, Adam's in the waiting room with Casey and Cameron," she said exasperatedly. "Casey came the minute she found out this morning but Adam has been here since last night. Cameron, on the other hand wouldn't leave last night until he knew you were okay. Thank God we finally got him to leave, the boy was driving me crazy," my mom laughed and I just chuckled.

"But, he's here now?" I asked just for clarification. My mom raised an eyebrow but just nodded. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Dunya, how naïve do you think I am?" my mom questioned with a sassy expression on her face.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I said defensively although I didn't even answer her question. I knew where she was heading with this just by the way her eyebrows were perched. Eyebrows can tell a lot about a person, I took a psychology class, I should know. She was going to pin me on liking Cameron, but I would never admit something like that. It's not that I didn't trust my mom to keep a secret or that I wasn't close enough to tell her personal things. Really, I was. I just found it pointless to go on gushing about things when in reality, were more like fantasies. It's not like anything could come out of a stupid crush on a guy who I'd never be able to have.

"Dunya," my mom whispered softly.

"Mama please, I don't really want to talk about it." And she indeed dropped the subject, to which I was thankful for. I don't want to make it a big deal. It'll just make it harder to forget about him. Luckily, Teta woke up and distracted my thoughts by telling me what I missed when I dozed off.