Diamonds & Pearls

Diamonds & Pearls (28)-Complications

Previously in Diamonds & Pearls:

                        “Ash-hadu,” Cole repeated.

                        “An la illaha,” My father said.

                        “An la illaha,”

                        “ilal-lallah,”

                        “ilal-lallah,”

                        “Wa ash-hadu,”

                        “Wa ash-hadu,”

                        “Anna Muhammadin,”

                        “Anna Muhammad-,”

                        “Michael,” My mom cried out all of a sudden. We all tore our eyes from Cole to look at our mother. She had risen from her seat, holding her stomach. There was a soft grimace on her face and tears came to her eyes. A look of fear seemed to overwhelm her. That’s when I noticed that the sofa where she had been sitting was completely wet. I felt my stomach flip as I lowered the phone I was using to record. She looked at her seat and then at my father with bleary eyes. “My water…it’s too early.” And that was the beginning of all chaos. There would be no shahada completed tonight.

Diamonds & Pearls

Before You Read: Hey guys! Quick reminder here! If you're delaying a prayer right now to read this story, stop whatever you're doing and go pray! Don't let anything take you away from Allah. Especially not this story. Now if you're all prayed up, go ahead and enjoy this chapter.

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT-Complications

                Your life can change in less than a second. And on that night, I realized that the most. One minute, everything was perfect. We were about to welcome a new Muslim into our ummah, our family. Then, so suddenly, a whole new life was trying to come into play more than a month too soon. But what I didn’t know was that my life, as well as my whole family’s, would change forever over the course of a mere three weeks.  We were all afraid of what was to come next but never would any of us have imagined the test that we were about to face. No matter whose face I looked at that night, every single one was painted with fear. Cole sat across the waiting room beside Rafiq and even he seemed to be a ball of nerves. I was surprised he was still there. I mean it was already four in the morning and we’d been waiting for hours.  Then I realized that there was no one sitting somewhere worried and waiting for Cole to come home.  He couldn’t go back to where his siblings were and his mom probably wasn’t worried in the least. I let out a deep sigh because it upset me that there was no one to take care of him. I wanted to take care of him but that just wasn’t my job. My dad had yet to come down with news, more than likely because he refused to leave my mother’s side. So we continued to sit and wait. Both Cole and Zayan were supposed to be at work but they would not leave until they heard news.

                Sooner or later everyone fell asleep except for me. I could feel the drowsiness but every time my eyes closed, they involuntarily snapped right back open. After the fifth time, I rose from my seat and wandered down the hall to a nearby vending machine. I stuck in a dollar and fifty cent before pressing the buttons needed to receive a honey bun. It was ridiculous how pricey it was but I needed something to energize myself since I couldn’t exactly get to sleep. As if mocking me, the pastry got stuck right at the opening for the machine. I groaned before trying to stick my hand inside. That failed epically so instead I began to shake the machine in aggravation. The honey bun moved a little and I held my breath but it still refused to fall. I kicked the machine angrily. “Young lady, please be gentle with the machinery.” A male voice said with a chuckle.