The Unexpected (Part 2) By; Zaynab Muhammad

The Unexpected

By; Zaynab Muhammad

When we got to the crowded hospital, I brought out my phone and called the stranger. He told us his location we all rushed there, he handed us my husbands belongings, we thanked him, as he immediately left.

We sat on the chair facing the emergency room.

Hajiya held my hand ‘its going to be ok’. We were all quiet, kept on praying deep within our hearts.

‘Good afternoon, are you the patients family’ the doctor asked.

‘Yes, how is he’ myself and Hajiya said simultaneously.

‘Calm down’ he paused and continued ‘Well, we just got out of surgery. He is stable now. His current situation is actually different from how it was then. He is in a coma’.

Click to read The Unexpected (Part 1)

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I grinned ‘how long is he going to be in coma’.

‘We can’t say that right now but we will know when the test results are out’. The doctor ushered us to his ward, there he was, lying on the bed, his eyes closed, as if he was asleep. I stood by the door, I felt a pain in my chest. My eyes were red, my body felt so heavy. Hot tears rolled down my cheek, my heart pounding faster than its supposed to. The situation was too much to take in. Hajiya brought her chair close to his bed crying, praying at the same time. I quickly left the room, sat on the chair that was kept outside. The people down the hall could hear me cry, I just had to let it out. ‘Aunty’ I heard a voice from behind me. It was Faisal, with all indications he came in a hurry because we was still in his uniform. He hugged me and we entered the room together again.

 He greeted umar who has been quiet since, he went to Hajya hugged her and kissed her forehead. After few minutes of silence, Hajiya signaled that I should come. She left her chair for me while they all vacated the room leaving myself and him. I held his strong manly hand that felt weak and hot. Those hands brought back memories of how he grabs my waist at any chance he gets, and plays with it as if it was a basket ball. Those hands that massage my back after a stressful day telling me funny stories about his colleagues at work. I touched his face and kissed his forehead. I couldn’t believe this was the same guy I spoke to last night, the guy that dropped me off at work this morning, the guy that smiled at me before he drove away. The image were still in my head. I just wanted him to open his eyes and look at me, to move his mouth and say how much he loves me, to just wake up from this sleep.

‘Baby’ tears kept rolling down from my eyes. ‘Why did you go to sleep without me, don’t you remember the promise we made to each other to always do things together, my body still shaking. ‘Baby please, don’t do this to me please, wake up so that you can shout at me for not cooking early or for not picking Umayma from school. Babe please wake up so that we can argue on unnecessary things. What ever it is, I just want to see you awake again’. I placed my head on his chest socking his cloths with tears ‘I love you, I love you baby please don’t leave me in this world because I can’t imagine a day without you by my side. I need you, Umayma needs you. Baby please please’ and continued subbing.

I opened my eyes and saw Yusuf stirring at me with a smile on his face. ‘You look beautiful even when you sleep’ he said.

‘Baby’

‘Yeah I told you I will never leave you, I don’t make promises I can’t keep’ he kissed my forehead. ‘I know, I know’ rubbing my face to his, tearing rolling down from my eyes.

‘Zarah’ I heard, I opened my eye and he was still the way he was yesterday. ‘I think you should go home with Faisal, eat and sleep. I will stay with him today ok, Umayma needs you’ Hajiya said wearing a different outfit. I stretched my hands and yawned 

‘No, Umayma can stay with Yesmin. He also needs me. My mind won’t be at rest if I go. You should go home I would leave first thing tomorrow morning’ I insisted on staying so Hajiya agreed to go and later sent Yesmin and Umayma food.

That night I couldn’t sleep, I spent half of my night on sujud [prostration] praying for my husband. Telling God my problems, and somehow I felt inner peace. I felt courageous, strong and was willing to face the situation at hand. 

I was on my praying mat when Yesmin woke me up from sleep. She offered me breakfast but I insisted I eat at home. When I got home, I tired as much as possible not to look around because I knew if do, memories will come back. Even though it's there I try not to recall. After taking my bath, I got out of the bathroom drying my hair with a hand towel. When my eyes landed on my husbands tab which was on the bedside cabinet. I walked slowly to it, held it, smelled it and smiled. He kept it there the night before the accident. After dressing up, I packed some of my clothes and Umayma’s. It was impossible for me to live in the house after all this, I prefer staying close to him. I took some of the things I needed including his tab and drove to the hospital. On my way I called my secretary, told her all that happened that I wouldn’t be in for a long time. 

After packing my car at the hospital parking lot, I put off the car engine and kept the keys in my bag. My eyes staring at the hospital building, thinking of my life and how it has changed within a blink of an eye. I wish it was a dream and everything could come back to normal. I wish I could open my eyes and see myself on my bed with my husband by my side. But not all wishes come true, this is my life now, I have to accept it. When I got close to his room, I realized there were so many people I knew. Close family members, family friend and some of his friends. Including his best friend Ahmad who quickly walked towards me after seeing me.

‘It's going to be ok’ was the first thing that came out of his mouth. I tired hard to fight back my tears but couldn’t, ‘Ahmad, I don’t know what to do’ I said tears rolling down from my eyes. He held my hand and sat me on a chair .

‘Don’t do that, don’t do that’ he paused and continued after handing me a tissue ‘If you do this what do you expect Umayma to do. You are meant to be the one to keep her strong. You have to be strong and prayerful. Pray for him, that is all we can do for him. Crying is not going to solve anything. If you need something, anything don’t hesitate to call me. I’m here for you and Umayma, please don’t hesitate ok’. 

I shook my head. His wife who is also my bestfriend gave me a hug. Aisha tired her best to console me but it didn’t work, they won’t understand.

Yusuf and Ahmad have been friends from childhood, they are more like brothers. They went to the same university but took different courses. He met Aisha during our wedding, they fell in love and before we knew it they got married. When ever I quarrel with Yusuf I call him, in short he was like the judge of our marriage. That was then when we were young and stupid. 

Its been seven days now and everyday we received more than five visitors. He is so lucky to have so many people around him everyday. 

‘I’m taking you to the hospital today’

‘Yeyy, I’m going to see Daddy. I’m going to tell him all that happened today’ Umayma said out loud. 

‘Yeah you should do so, when you are done Faisal will take you to Hajiya’.

At the hospital Yesmin and her cousin sat outside talking and quickly worked towards me after seeing me.

‘What is it’ I said from the way they were acting I knew they had some information to deliver.

‘Aunty Zarah there is this woman that came since morning and she is still in side the room. So many people have left and she is still there’ said Yesmin.

‘Maybe she is his collegue from work or..’ . 

They cut in simultaneously ‘We are talking about 7:30am, she woke us up, at first we taught it was you’.

Her cousin added after checking the time ‘its 4pm now’.

I shook my head ‘ok ok’ and went inside. There she was sitting on the chair pressing her phone.

‘Hey’ I said to her and she responded back.

‘She knows how to dress’ Yesmin whispered in my ears. I hit her shoulder and told them to leave. They left gossiping and laughing.

‘Sorry about that, you know kids of now a days’. She shook her head and smiled without saying a word.

‘I’m sorry but I heard you have been here since morning, are you his collegue at work? because I don't recognize this face’

‘Yes I came as early as I could after hearing the news and No I’m not his collegue at work’ she said, with her hands on her designer bag. ‘I’m his wife’ she added.

What she said made me laugh hard ‘You must be joking, I’m his wife Zarah Yusuf Muhammad, and that's his 6 year old daughter Umayma Yusuf Muhammad’. The woman wasn’t laughing, ‘I’m not joking, I’m serious I’m his second wife’

‘What!!!’ Hajiya shouted. I didn’t notice when she entered. After few seconds the room was full. The woman insisted that she was Yusuf’s second wife. The wife none of the family members know about.

‘It's true’ Umar said after entering the room. ‘Najma here is Yusuf’s wife just like you. There are so many things you don’t know about your perfect husband’ he said giving me a wicked smile.

TO BE CONTINED…

QUICK QUESTION

What will you if you were in Zarah’s shoe?