Dear Shumail..

Chapter 24

10th November, 2019

Shumail was gone for 2 hours to get changed into fresh pair of clothes and to offer his fajr salah, but his mind was just revolving around Eram. The moment Shumail stepped out of the elevator with Shahmeer, as it dinged open on the 4th floor of the hospital, his eyes landed on Zain who was coming out of the room where they had shifted Eram. Zain looked up and their eyes met. Shumail gave him a soft smile and looking at Shumail who was walking out of the elevator, Zain's happiness knew no bound as he made a run in Shumail's direction. He ran in Shumail's arms and wrapped his hands around Shumail's waist, hugging Shumail tightly.

"What happened to aapi, bhaijaan?" Zain asked, his voice wavering as he spoke. Shumail slowly moved his hands and wrapped around his shoulder, returning his hug.

"She will be fine. Don't worry." He tried to assure the teenager, caressing his back. Zain pulled back and wiped his tears. He looked up to meet Shumail's eyes and Shumail looked at him with a soft look in his eyes. "Your aapi is strong. She'll gain her conscious soon In Sha Allah."

"Aapi missed you so much. She should wake up and see that you're finally back." Zain had a smile on his face as he spoke, looking at Shumail.

Shumail had nothing to say. Whether she missed him or not, he wasn't concerned about it the least bit. It didn't matter to him anymore.

Nonetheless, Shumail nodded his head in understanding at the teenager. They both walked to the chairs placed in front of the room with Shahmeer following behind them. When they approached Zaid and Aahil, Zaid stood up and gave his seat for Shumail to sit but Shumail shook his head and instead supporting his back against the wall, he kept standing, looking at Eram from the small of the glass window.

"What did the doctor say?" Shumail heard Shahmeer question Aahil.

"They said she should gain conscious soon but they're not sure. They're saying her body is not responding well to the medicines." He heard Aahil answer.

Hours passed by like minutes and the day was going by in the blink of an eye. It was already evening and the doctors were doing their best to make Eram gain her conscious back but Eram wasn't responding to the medicines. Her body had become weak and because of the excess loss of blood in the accident, it was difficult for the doctors to inject her with heavy doses of medicines, which were a threat to her body.

What could be done, was to just wait and pray for her to gain back her conscious.

All the three of them were stuck to Shumail's side, not leaving him even for a minute. Shumail was silent the whole time and spoke only when anything was directed at him. An afraid look was on Zain's face, who was too young to be seeing his sister lying on the hospital bed like that. He was silently seated beside Shumail, who was lost in his own thoughts.

A while later as Shumail looked beside him, he found Zain sound asleep, resting his head on the wall behind him in an uncomfortable position. He looked around and found his friends gone. He couldn't understand where he was so lost that he didn't notice them leaving, but he shook his head and took a step towards him as he bent down and took the kid in his arms and entered the room, walking to the couch and making him sleep on it in a comfortable positon. He turned around and his gaze fell on Eram who was still lying in the same position since midnight with absolutely no movements.

He wiped his hands on his face and walked to the attached washroom to freshen up and make his wudhu. As he walked out, he glanced at the two sleeping, and silently headed out to the prayer room to offer his Isha salah.

His mind wasn't sane. Numerous thoughts were circling in his head. He wanted for her to gain her conscious soon but he didn't know what he was going to do once she gains hers conscious and how he was going to face her. A certain part of him was restless, as if it was difficult for him to breathe. His heart was beating rapidly against his chest and the mere thought of something happening to her was frightening.