Parting Clouds

Chapter 5.

I looked up as I heard the door of the hospital assigned room open, and in entered a girl wearing all black, her head was down, and due to that I couldn't look at her face.

She was wearing a Hijab, and a long black Abaya.

I was a bit shocked to see that the person who changed my sheets every day for the past five months was a girl and a Muslim at that too.

Seeing that, instead of greeting her with a 'hello' or 'hi'.

I said, "Asalam O Alikum sister."

She raised her head, and my heart stopped beating.

She have become more beautiful, she have matured.

But her midnight brown eyes were the same. They reminded me of the night I found out about my cancerous sickness, and when I finally breakthrough.

She gasped, and whispered in such a low voice, I almost didn't catch it, "Joshua."

My heart started beating again, but this time it was beating too fast. My palms turned sweaty, my breathing quickened, my mind went in overdrive, and I felt like I was about to faint.

This was the first time her lips let go of my name that was trapped in their. They shaped it, and I fell in love with my past English name.

She quickly averted her eyes again. I died a little right there, but the respect I had for her increased another notch.

The next words that came out of my mouth were so unexpected they shocked me more than her.

"Rabab, I love you, and I converted. I am a Muslim now." I uttered.

Her head snapped up, and her eyes widened to the extinct of almost popping out of their sockets.

The next thing she did, almost took my life away.

She turned on her heels, opened the door, and sprinted out of the room.

I stumbled, and took hold of my bed for support. I sat down and closed my eyes, and turned my head towards the ceiling.

Letting years of withhold suppressed pain of unconfessed, and unrequited love out in the form of tears that spilled from the dam that cracked when the confession finally happened and the little bit of weight finally lifted. But the love was still unrequited.

I didn't know if the tears slipped out from that pain, or relief, or disappointment, or from just the plea of forgiveness from the All Mighty for not lowering my gaze.

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The next day at five in the afternoon, my nurse came in and told me that there was a couple who wanted to meet me; they were calling me by my past name Joshua.

I didn't know who they were but nevertheless, I told the nurse to let them in.

I looked up when the door creaked open.

Their stood in front of me a man, with blackish brown hair; he was looking behind him for a few seconds. I couldn't see his face, but I could see the beard that was the same color as his hair.

He then entered, and looked up.

The familiar vibrant blue eyes burned intensely, almost scorching my stormy ones.

I scanned him from head to toe. He was wearing baggy jeans, and loose black shirt. His face had matured from his teenager boyish looks.

His eyes were still that same vibrant blue, but his beard shadowed them with piety and modesty.

Seeing him like this, I couldn't help but compare him to the Velma he chose to dress up as for Halloween.

He changed. He has converted.

The person standing behind him entered too. She came and stood beside him, her small hands were clasped in his humongous ones.

I drew the conclusion that they were married. Seth didn't have a sister.

The girl raised her head.

It was Rabab.

I felt as if someone dropped a brick in my stomach.

He let go of her hand and approached me, he sat beside me on the chair.

"Asalam O Alikum brother." He said.

"Walikum Asalam Wa Rahmatulla brother." I replied.

When he raised his eyes to look at me, I saw tears there.

My tears leaked out.

"I am sorry for every single thing, Muhammad Mujtaba." He said with nothing but pure sincerity tinged with guilt.

He used my current Muslim name. Letting me know that he was here now.

And I knew that he was truly sorry for everything. For not figuring out that I loved Rabab. For leaving me when I needed my best friend, when I needed him beside me. For loving Rabab himself. For marrying Rabab. For not knowing that I had cancer. For never even trying to contact.

Truly, for every single thing he was sorry.

I smiled, and gave his shoulder a squeeze.

"Seeing as how Allah SWT forgave you, than who am I to not do so? I forgave you my brother in Islam, and I am sorry too, extremely sorry." I said with a pure smile, and shame filled eyes.

He smiled through his tears, and nodded. Indicating that the apology was accepted.

I heard slight sniffing. I located the sound when I looked over at Rabab.

She was crying.

"Asalam O Alikum my sister in Islam. JazakAllah Khair for bringing my brother back to me." I said to her. I was truly grateful to her, and to my Allah SWT.

She nodded her head.

My heart did ache when I said the word sister, but I quenched it.

She was my brother's wife. She was my Allah's slave. She was my sister in Islam.

I would not let my emotions rule me, and bring her down from the high pedestal I placed her at.

I looked over at Seth, and he was looking over at Rabab with love pouring from his eyes.

I released a sigh of relief, and directed my smile towards my God, my Allah SWT, the One I love, the One Who loves me more than me myself, much more than my own mother.

Seth and Rabab turned their heads towards me, and I then smiled at them.

After that I said my Shahaddah out loud, and closed my eyes once and for all.