A Tale Of The Broken

Forty Eight

"Hey bro!" Saif called out to Yusuf who was rushing out of the ward Yasmin is staying at, looking disoriented as hell. It also seems like he didn't heard his friend calling out to him.

"Earth to Yusuf!" Saif tapped him on the shoulder to bring him back to reality. And he anxiously run his hand over his face.  Relax! It's just Saif, your best friend.

"Is she this bad?" Saif questioned examining his buddy's condition. He's looking awful, as if he have received an obituary. But understandably, his wife was admitted in the hospital and Saif doesn't know about her condition. His wife was called this morning and they're informed about her being in the hospital, but no one said anything about her condition.

So it could be worst, he thought. With the way Yusuf appeared to be, Saif can guess much. It seems to him that his dear friend is just in need of space to grief, and that's pretty worrisome. He haven't seen him like that in the longest time.

"Hey, you're here." He said sullenly.

"Yes, I just dropped Ikram. How is she doing?"

"I don't know," he strugged, thinking of what he have just left. As much as it hurt, he knew she doesn't want to see him. "But she is going to be okay."

"In sha Allah, are you going somewhere?" Saif inquired concerned at his friend gloominess. And if he knew him very well, then he's sure something is wrong,  somewhere. Except if his wife is dying inside that room, which is not the case. Since his wife is not calling him crying on the phone.

"Yes, I am going home."

"Okay, I will take you. It doesn't look safe for you to drive, just give me a minute to give this to Ikram." He raised his car keys at Yusuf and immediately vanished inside.

Yusuf have been awfully quiet since they left the hospital, he have been rearranging his memories for hours now, yet nothing. And the thought of his wife not wanting him, is slowly getting eating him up. That he can't help but wonder for how long, it's scaring him not knowing. Just then when he was beginning to drown in his trance clouded with sorrow, Saif's cell phone started ringing which brought him out. And he look up at his dear friend as he answer the call.

"She woke up just now, should we go back?" Saif said briefly looking at his friend, after ending the call. It was his wife, she told him her cousin is awake now. He thought that'll excite Yusuf given his sour mood, but no, only a small smile brace his lips. And he look even more gloomy, like when he was a teenager and having a troubles with his family, so lost and confused.

"Don't bother, I know she would. It is just me, Saif. She doesn't want to see me, so she woke up after I left." And Saif thought he wasn't going say to anything. Although, clearly his buddy was hurting badly, it's not just his wife being sick. And with that added to his suspension, Saif is now certain that things are beyond what they see.

"It's going to be alright, bro." He assured him with smile.

"I don't know, Saif. Whatever it's, it is very complicated and my marriage is at stake here."

"So, something did happened."

"Yeah, a lot. I was going to be a father, that's one of them." And that smile on Yusuf's face, is the fakest Saif have ever seen.

"Congr....."

"I said WAS, Saif, was." He interrupted sadly, looking straight at his front and the brightness of day, dazzled his eyes.

"I am sorry, I should have listened attentively."

There were so many times that he have been left stranded in so many occasions, yet somehow he always find his way out. But this time, the smoke was too thick that Yusuf can't see anything. He sent another silent prayer to Almighty, to make them pull through. The Almighty being has always been his hope. And it wasn't going to be any different now.