NOOR (ON HOLD)

6. N E W S

Hoorain's eyes filled with tears as she tried to pull herself up. She let out a silent scream as pain shot through her abdomen. A tear slipped from her eye, which she quickly wiped away. She sighed in relief as passing nurse notice her struggle.

"I see you're awake now, Ms Sayd" She smiled at Hoorian. Hoorian gave a slight smile back. The nurse walked over to the hospital bed, placing a pillow behind Hoorain's back.

"Water, can I have a glass of water?" Hoorain's throat was dry and scratchy. The nurse smiled as she walked around Hoorain after checking if her IV bag needed replacement. The nurse filled a glass of water from the jug next to the hospital bed, she handed it to her patient,

Hoorain took the cup from her with her shaky hands. The chilly water washed away all the dryness in her throat. She let out a sigh and muttered a small thank you. The nurse nodded as she walked out, "If you need anything, there is a red button under your bed, just press it"

Hoorain closed her eyes as she sighed in comfort, her mind wandered as tragic memories flooded into

Hoorain still remembers the time Asad had first raised his hands on her, It was 2 months before her father-in-law had passed away. She had suffered a miscarriage when her mother-in-law, Saaima, had "accidentally" pushed her down the stairs. Hoorain still remembers how pain had scorched through her, how her heart broke into tiny pieces. They had come home from the hospital. Her body was weak, and her heart torn. Saaima spoke vicious words about her, things that Hoorain no longer wanted to remember. Then Hoorain turned to her husband in disbelief in how he stood quietly as his mother belittled her. "Are you not going to say something?" She had looked straight into Asad eyes, "your mother is speaking such ill things about me and you're standing here quiet." Asad had said nothing, "your mother pushed me down the stairs, she is the reason my baby is dead, she killed my baby, your mother is the murderer of our child and your quiet!" Hoorain had screamed, tears streamed down her face. "Your mother is a kil-" Hoorain didn't finish her sentence as Asad hands came in contact with her cheek. Hoorain had fallen to the ground from the impact, pain had shot through her abdomen as she held onto her cheek. Her teary eyes met Asad, who stared at his hands in horror. He looked up at Hoorain, his eyes were filled with pain and horror as he watched his wife holding onto her cheeks.

Hoorain wiped her tears as she stared at her hands. Her eyes searched around the hospital room. Her heart stopped as her eyes met two figures curled up together on the couch in her room. They have couches in hospital rooms now? Hoorain wondered.

There on the couch, a woman had laid on her brother's shoulder. Hoorain's eyes searched the face of her brother. The face she had searched for almost 3 years. Her big brother, her best friend. Hoorain watched as her brother's eyes slowly opened.

"Bhai?" Umair's eyes widened as his eyes found his sister's.

"Ya Allah, Hoorain" Umair softly laid Naina on the couch, making sure his wife was comfortable, he made his way to his sister's bed.

Both siblings stared at one another. Tears filled both their eyes. A slight sob left Hoorain's mouth. As her eyes stared up at her brother.

Umair shook his head as his arms wrapped his sister into a hug. The warmth of each other was enough for all the wonderful memories and the evil ones to flood into their minds.

Hoorain's mind wondered as she clutched onto her brother. She remembered how brutally her husband and her father had beaten her brother up. It was a memory that she never wanted to visit; it was a grim place in the back of her mind, a place that she stored all her bad memories.

Umair notices as Hoorain began trembling in his arms, he immediately knew the thoughts that were flying through her mind. "Dont think about it, that's all in the past." He held her close as he kissed her forehead. "I made a mistake letting you marry that man" He sighed as he gently wiped his sister's tears.

"It wasn't your fault, Umair Bhai, so stop blaming yourself." Hoorain spoke softly as she cuddled her body into her brother.

"What happened?" Looking up, she saw pain flash through the eyes of her brother. "Dont worry about it, just relax and heal. Everything will be okay."

Hoorain nodded. The siblings sat in silence for another hour, holding each other, trying to forget the memories we're trying to resurface in their minds.

"Umair?" A sweet soft voice brought Hoorain out of her thoughts, scooting away from her brother, she saw a woman sitting up on the sofa. She wore a red and white striped shirt that stretched over her bump. Hoorain watched on curiously as the woman looked very familiar. Hoorain just couldn't remember where she has seen her.

"Naina." Hoorain watched as her brother walked over to the woman, helping her stand up. A smoked crept on to her face as she watched her brother treat the woman like glass. "Hoor this-" the smile washed away from Hoorain's face as the nickname left her brother's mouth, "please don't call me Hoor, Bhai" she forced a slight smile on to her face.

"Sorry," Umair chucked to lighten up the tense room, "Rain, meet Naina, my wife," Hoorains eyes lit up as she realized this was the girl Umair hadn't stopped talking about when he returned from university. "Naina, I've heard a lot about you." She watched as her brother's wife blushed, "so have I! I mean this man can never stop talking." This caused a genuine laugh to leave Hoorains lip.

The three sat around and joked for what seemed like hours, and for a moment Hoorain forgot everything that happened, all the pain, all the betrayal, everything was gone.

"I see your awake Ms.Sayd." The doctor walked into the room. "I just need to do some check ups." She smiled as she began checked the machines Hoorain was hooked up to.

"How are you feeling?" Hoorain looked up at the doctor and smiled slightly, "I'm better, but my abdomen still hurts."

The doctor smiled sympathetically, "yes, that is normal after a miscarriage." The doctor ordered more painkillers, as Hoorain watched the doctor with wide eyes. Her heart broke into tiny of pieces, her heart clenched in pain with the knowledge of losing another child in her womb.

"I was pregnant?"