"A collab between your favorites, the queen of romance, Sumaiya Thaseen, and the knight of social issues, Saroosh Malik."
Opposites attract? ✓
Disapproving mother-in-law ✓
Fate bringing them together despite it all ✓
See inside for a detailed syn...
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"Almost there, start pushing, now," Rafa instructed calmly, leaning more towards the front in order to have a perfect view of the birthing mother.
She heard her assisting staff reiterate her words to the delivering patient in an encouraging manner. The hushed whispers of the husband who was accompanying his wife during the labor became a faraway lullaby to Rafa's ears when the woman's contractions grew closer in duration. Fixed on the task at hand, all the other worldly things were blocked from Rafa's mind.
"A little more," she said, her tight voice barely audible, "Push a little more harder."
The patient channeled all of her energy, the sweat beading her forehead like rain drops an evidence of the strength she was applying to push the baby out of her system. The encouragement of her husband motivated her to overcome the wisps of the pain despite her body feeling like it was ejecting half of her mass and her lower region felt as if it was constipated.
"One last push and that's it, push harder, alright? As if you are throwing a ball out of your body," Rafa screamed and the patient obeyed.
At once, a heart-piercing cry left the patient's mouth at the extent of the push and she laid back in the bed with a thud, panting heavily.
Rafa held the baby in her hand and she looked at the couple, showcasing a grin. In her haste of quick happiness, she forgot that she was wearing a surgical mask and her smile wouldn't be visible.
She clamped and cut the umbilical cord, waiting for the placenta to come out, she put the baby over the mother's abdomen. The husband kissed his wife's forehead, holding her hand, tears pooled his eyes at the heavenly cries of his child.
After a moment, the baby was taken away for examination and Rafa immersed herself in the procedures, blocking herself from viewing the love that surfaced in the labor ward after the birth of the child of the couple.
The dull ache in her heart resonated some more. The desperation to have something likewise clouded her vision and she controlled her desires. Allah has time for everything, she reminded herself, not a leaf falls but He knows, then surely, He knew her state of mind, her greed for a life-partner to whom she could shower her love, to whose children she could become a mother to, with whom she could spend her life.
