The Nearest Heaven

Part 34 - Children

 Part 34 – Children

"At that Zakariyah called upon his Lord saying, 'My Lord, grant me from Yourself a good offspring. Indeed, You are the Hearer of supplication'."

~ Surah Al-Imran, verse 38

Fadiyah's heart thumped loudly, like wild mustangs running freely in a field as she drove to Aaban's home. Her mind tried to imagine what had happened to Aaban, but she had no idea as her knowledge of congenital heart defects were limited. As much as she researched Aaban's condition before, it didn't help in a situation when she had no previous knowledge of what an attack may be like.

Driving through the quiet town of Sunnington, she broke every speed law, took stop signs as suggestions if the road was clear and drove as fast as she could to her Nani's apartment blocks. Haphazardly, she parked her car and running, she keyed her car fob to lock. A massive part of her cared very little for her car when it compared to Aaban's life being threatened. It could get stolen or broken into and she wouldn't bat an eyelid. Aaban needed his mother, and his mother needed Fadiyah to look after her other children more than Fadiyah needed her car. Her car was materialistic. It was replaceable. Aaban was not.

If... anything happened to Aaban, Fadiyah would hate to see the effects it would have on Faraaz and her. How would they continue to live their life without their little ray of sunshine?

Aaban was not their biological child. He was not even adopted by them, but that meant nothing to either Fadiyah or Faraaz. As far as they were concerned, Aaban was their family, and they would do anything for him.

"Mummy! Aunty Fadiyah is here!" she heard Armaan scream as she climbed up the stairs.

Nazia met her at the top stair. She looked horrible. Her brown eyes were sunken and red-rimmed, her normally dewy skin looked pallid and tears scrolled down her face in streams as she tried to remain calm in the storm that Nazia was facing. Nazia's usually beautifully tied scarf was thrown on randomly as it clashed horribly with her outfit. A khaki coloured scarf and a raspberry red dress made one horrible combination, yet Fadiyah barely blinked at the sight that greeted her.

"Assalaamu alaykum, jazakallah for coming so quickly," she greeted and thanked Fadiyah all in one breath. "I don't know when I will be home. If you want, you can take the children to your home if it will be easy for you. I'll let you know what happens with my baby," she told Fadiyah as she rushed down the flights of small, narrow stairs.

Smiling, Fadiyah looked at Armaan with a calm expression. She could already see the lines of stress in his furrowed forehead, the dark look in his eyes and the hard set of his mouth. Although only a boy, Armaan was trying to be a good role model for Safaa and Sabah, his younger sisters by the set expression in his eyes. "Assalaamu alaykum, big man," Fadiyah greeted cheerfully, despite every fibre in her body fighting against the upbeat hopefulness she tried to show. "How are you?"

Nervously, Armaan stepped closer to her and hugged Fadiyah tightly. His mumbled greeting meshed with her stomach. "I'm scared! Aunty Fadiyah, he couldn't breathe this morning! He went blue like a Smurf!"

As her heart raced in panic with his words, Fadiyah forced herself to remain cool and calm. Armaan needed someone to lessen his worries, not add to it. "It's okay to be scared, love," she reminded him gently as she rubbed circles into his back. "It is okay to cry and be worried about your brother, Armaan. But I need to see your sisters, please."

Holding onto her, Armaan leaned heavily into Fadiyah's aching side and walked with her into the house. "I don't want anything to happen to Aaban," he sobbed.

"I know, Armaan, I know, love," Fadiyah murmured calmly. Immediately, Fadiyah noticed the state of the house and only then had it sunk in just how terrified the whole family must have been. "In Shaa Allah, we will make dua for him and he will be better. Before you know it, Aaban will be home and bothering you like always."