Pieces Of Aamirah

Chapter forty-two

Nigeria, Abuja.

***

Pain. Emotional, hard, triggering pain shooting through his chest so big he is gasping for air.

He can't believe they got away with this right under his eyes. Right, in, front, of him.

They hid it, so good he had no clue this was going on. He had absolutely no idea Ya Zeezee was going through this much, or feeling this way, or reacting this way. It has always been, I'm fine, Alhamdulilah. Doses and doses of lies to him in the name of protecting him. In the name of not worrying him or having it under control.

Khaleel can feel her pain shooting up his hands, he can experience the short shoots of life leaving her body and the uncomfortable weight on top of her. He glance down at her hand in his, it looks so pale, extremely white and rough. Ya Zeezee has never looked this way! Never. Not even when she was pregnant with Salmah who gave her such a hard time or when she comes crawling out of a traumatizing, hard, cry worthy marriage. She has always been her.

This time, she is not Ya Zeezee, not at all. Khaleel can feel the tears stinging his eyes. Without warning, he let them fall so hot and fast. Here he is, holding unto his sisters not so like hers hand, feeling the life dripping away from her body, her strong words of wisdom, comforting him!

Baba is seating on the couch, with a rosary in his hands looking at them overly concerned. Baba rarely leaves the house and now, here he is, seating in the hospital room with his pregnant daughter fighting for her life and his only son crying his own life out. He felt overly defeated.

Ya Maamah, who is turning a mug of hot tea in her hand, glanced at Khaleel worriedly. She knew something like this will happen! No matter how strong Khaleel acts, it takes only the smallest things to make him cry and lash out. One of the things being seeing his sisters in any sort of uncomfortable life. She predicted this! Infact, she saw this coming.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Khaleel asked suddenly feeling angry with them for hiding this away from him.

"Because.." Ya Maamah took a deep breath handing the mug of tea to Baba. "Zeezee is so stubborn! She made me promise not to tell anyone"

"But.." he trailed knowing very well how stubborn Ya Zeezee is. "Baaba, even you?"

"Ibraheem, it will be fine"

At the moment, Khaleel wanted to stand up and challenge Baba against that. He wanted to yell, so hard, on top of his lungs and say, "No! It won't be fine! It's not going to be fine!!" Not at all. He remembers years ago the pain he went through when Mama died, he is not ready to go through it again. Not in a million years to come.

Ya Zeezee gently caress his hand, "Khaleel, it will be fine"

No!

No, it won't!

"Ya Zeezee you come before anyone to me"

She smiled at his words, "Be careful, Aisha is sitting so close, she will get mad"

He rolled his eyes at her attempted joke. "I'm serious. You are my one"

"You are the best, best, best, brother anyone could wish for. You are smart, so smart and intelligent, caring, soft.." she trailed but Khaleel can't bring himself to hear more. Why does it sound like her last words to him? Impossible. He refuse to sit down and hear her talk so he stood up. Abruptly.

"I have to go" he announce blinking the tears away.

Ya Aisha took a deep breath standing up. "Me too, I have to check on the kids"