Living Royalty

47. I truly had started valuing her.

ASIF'S P.O.V

A little over a whole month had passed since Samiha's accident. It had been seven months since we got married. But still, Samiha was showing no sign of waking up. I had stayed at the hospital for a whole month straight. Yes, I was tired. Yes, it was exhausting. Yes, I missed my house. But after putting Samiha through a miserable life with me, it was the least I could do for her.

It had been three weeks since Samaah had regained her memory, and she would tell Arif to insist to me to go home for the night occasionally so that she could come and stay. And I would tell Arif to tell her that it didn't matter and I wanted to be with Samiha. Before Samaah regained her memory, I left the hospital for the night twice only, and Saamih had come to stay the night. But after Samaah regaining her memory, she was extremely persistent and would not agree to my refusal to Arif about her staying the night, so I had given in, and made a deal with Arif. Over those three weeks, I spent one night every week at home, and Samaah came to relieve me and spent that night with her sister.

Normally, when the doctors themselves would be discouraged, and a whole month passes without any hope of the patient waking up from coma, a person may give up. But Alhamdulillah in my case, I trusted Allah and I believed in His miracles. Because after all, all it takes for Allah is to just say "Be", and it is. I knew Allah was going to wake her up and I had full faith in Him. I prayed to Him everyday for that, and if I knew there was anyone who wasn't going to let me down, it was Allah.

The thing was that I didn't want to leave the hospital not only because I owed Samiha that much by being with her, but also the fact that when she wakes up In sha Allah, I wanted to be the one there, and the first thing I wanted her to hear was my apology.

It was nearly time for Maghrib and as much as I wanted to go to the masjid to pray, I couldn't leave Samiha alone because in case she woke up, she would be confused as to why she's in the hospital and might be shocked. Usually, either my mum or her mum were usually there to give me company during the day so I could leave to go to the masjid. Samaah wouldn't be there if I'm inside and that's why she usually spent the night with Samiha once a week when I go home. But today, I was alone.

Then it struck me. I could call Asiyah. She had barely spoken to me all this time, but at least she wasn't giving me the cold shoulder anymore since she realised that if I was staying with Samiha all the time in the hospital even though everyone else was in the comfort of home, then I truly had started valuing her. I dialled Asiyah's number and held the phone to my ear. She answered immediately.

"Hello?" She said.

"Hello, Asiyah! Assalamualeikum. How are you?" I greeted.

"Wa'alaykumsalaam. I'm fine Alhamdulillah," she replied.

"Asiyah? I need a favour," I said.

"What is it?" Asiyah replied.

"Mum hasn't come to the hospital today and neither has our mother-in-law. I guess they both must be busy. Could you possibly come over because I need to go pray Maghrib at the masjid? I don't want to leave Samiha alone," I told her.

"Yeah, fine. I'll be there right away," she said.

I sighed in relief. I had to go to the masjid. I wanted to be there and pray for Samiha. I wanted to be a regular at the masjid, because that's where I found my peace and because as a man, it is necessary for me to pray at the masjid. Although I always prayed my five daily prayers, most of the time, it was never at the masjid but now, I decided to make it a point. Today because no one else was there, I had to pray all my earlier prayers at the hospital but I didn't want to lose my Maghrib salaah at the mosque.