𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟓𝟒

ARZO

I feel my heart stop the moment Faizan’s eyes close.

I don’t know how they carried him inside or how I got myself to follow them. But I remember Finn telling me that I can’t go with Faizan.

It isn’t fair.

The nurses take me to the bathroom to change me out of my clothes and to wash my hands that are stained with Faizan’s blood.

The bathroom door opens and closes with a thud.

A shot rings in my chest.

Then blood. Blood. So much blood.

The nurse washes the blood from my hands and some that stained my body through my clothes.

I must have stayed in the bathroom for a long time because the clothes the nurses hand me are api’s.

I change into the shirt and sweats, wrap the hijab around my head then exit the bathroom to go back to the waiting room.

Abbu’s and baba’s faces are the first ones I spot.

Abbu reaches in two strides and wraps his arms around me in a hug. I close my eyes then regret it because Faizan’s bloodied wound flashes in my mind.

So much blood.

“Everything will be okay.” Abbu whispers.

I look up at him, “what did the doctors say?” I can’t help my shaky voice.

Abbu stares at me for a while, his eyes shining in emotion and I realize that he hasn’t heard my voice in 15 years.

“They’re operating on him.” He tells me.

“He’ll be okay, right?” I ask, desperate to know he’ll survive. He has to.

“In Sha Allah.”

I swallow then say, “they won’t let me go to him,”

“I know… you have to stay here.”

“It’s not fair.” My voice cracks, “He’s always there when I’m in trouble. Why can’t I help him?”

“You did.” Abbu tells me, “He needs your prayers right now. He needs you to be strong, okay?”

I nod, “did you talk to Shoaib?”

“Yes. He’s outside right now.”

“Okay.” is all I can say right now.

Abbu leads me to the chairs and tells me to sit. I do and start making dua for Faizan to be okay.

Ya Allah, please  save him. Ya Allah, please. I can’t lose him. Please.

The environment in the waiting room becomes tense every second that passes.

Every passing second that I don’t know what is happening with Faizan, it gets harder to breathe.

Farhan is sitting by the wall, his hands shoved in his hair as he recites something. Ryan and Finn pace the length of the room. Jack stands by Farhan, giving him reassurance. Zahid bhai stands by the wall, looking puzzled. Abbu and Baba keep glancing at the way Faizan was taken.

Henry came a while ago. He talked to baba, said something to me for reassurance but I don’t remember his words. He talked to Ryan next, discussing the incident that happened at the cliff. They mentioned police, investigation and that he will take care of it.

Do you know why I call you amar?

My body freezes at the sound of his voice in my head.

No..

It’s because you always bring comfort and happiness to me..

I squeeze my eyes shut as the ache in my chest grows.

And because.. I forget about all my worries.. When you’re around.

I force myself to breathe.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Breathe.

When the pain gets harder to ignore, I get up and ask one of the nurses if they have a prayer mat. Thankfully, they do and they also lead me to a room where I can pray.

Placing the prayer mat on the ground, I stand on it and start offering Salah. The words leave my mouth in a shaky manner.

After I’m done, I raise my hand and beg Allah to save Faizan as tears stream down my face.

“Ya Allah… please save Faizan. Please. I can’t lose him. I’m ready to do anything. Give up anything. Just please… please save him.”

Tears continue to stream down my face till I think there aren’t any left in me. I continue to pray and beg Allah to save him.

I don’t know how long it has been when I finish my dua, wiping the tear stains on my cheeks.

I get up and fold the prayer mat to go out and see if the doctor said anything-

The door of the room bursts open, making me flinch.

“Sh- sorry, I scared you,” Farhan quickly says.

“It’s okay.” I say, “Is everything alright?”

“Yeah." He nods, "Faizan did it. He survived.” He says, a smile spreading across his smile.

“Ya Allah, Shukar.” I breathe out, placing my hand on my chest as the ache disappears. “Can I go see him?”

“They’re shifting him in a different room, then you can.”

“Okay.”

We both let out a relieved chuckle.

Ya Allah, thank you.

ᯓᡣ𐭩

Baba tells me to go see Faizan first.

My heart pounds loudly in my chest as I make my way to his room.

The sound of machine beeping hits my ear as I step in. Faizan is laying on his bed, staring at the ceiling, his heartbeat showing on the monitor.

His head turns towards me as I walk towards him.

“Hi,” I breathe out.

“Hi,” he softly says.

I swallow, nervously ending up holding his finger, “are you okay?”

“Yes.”

I nod, not sure what to do so I stare at my hand holding his finger while feeling his gaze on me.

“Don’t do that again.” My voice cracks.

“Save you?”

“Risk your life.”

“I’d do it again if it meant saving you.”

A tear escapes my eye even when I don’t want it to.

“Why are you crying, amar? I’m okay.” He says.

“I was so scared,” I sob, “they didn’t let me see you. You were bleeding. It was so scary.”

“It’s okay.”

I sniff, “why did you have to direct the gun at you?”

“I wasn’t really thinking about anything except for saving you.”

I look at him, “I’m not sure if I like this bravery of yours.”

He chuckles, my chest warming with the sound.

“I love you.” I say to him after a moment.

He smiles at me, “I love you, amar.”

I let myself smile.

ᯓᡣ𐭩

The doctors say that they’re going to keep Faizan here for a few days till he’s ready to go home. They allowed everyone to come and talk to Faizan as long as they didn’t stress him.

So while everyone checks up on him, I leave to get him some water.

Farhan joins me when I finish filling up the cup.

“Hey,” I say.

“Hi,”

“How are you feeling?” I ask.

He chuckles, “I should be the one to ask you that.”

I give him a small smile, “You should be checked up on as well. I know how close you and Faizan are.” And I noticed the way his hands were shaking while we waited outside in the waiting room. He was as shaken as me.

He nods and releases a shaky breath, “that was scary.”

“I know…”

“Your husband is a show off.”

I let out a chuckle.

“Although… that was really brave what he did.” He says, “the man really loves you a lot.”

I smile, “I love him too,”

“Good to know.” He nods, “I feel pretty single but good to know.”

We both chuckle.

The sound of running footsteps reaches our ears and just then Rose and Bree run in.

“Oh, my God, Arzo!” both of them exclaim before they wrap me in a hug.

“I’m out,” Farhan says, turns and leaves.

The girls pull away, their face full of concern.

“Dad just told us what happened,” Rose says.

“Are you okay? Is Faizan okay?” Bree asks.

“Yeah. We’re okay.”

Rose and Bree freeze.

Rose blinks, “Did you just-”

“Oh my God, you just talked!” Bree points out.

“Oh, yeah, I do that now.” I nervously chuckle, “The experiment wasn’t fun but I talk now.”

“That’s.. Great.” Rose says, “I mean, it’s still scary what happened to Faizan but I’m so glad you can talk now.”

“Yeah,”

“Are my brothers here?” Bree asks.

“Yeah, them and Finn. Ryan is the one who drove us here.” I explain, “they’re with Faizan, right now. I’m going back there.”

“Oh, okay.”

I take the girls to Faizan’s room. I hand him his glass of water while the girls ask how he’s doing.

I interlock my fingers with his and release a soft breath.

He’s okay.