THE TOWER OF LIFE

CHAPTER 16: GLORY BE TO HIM

"Come on, let's pray. It's time for Asr Salah!" Amina helped a still sobbing Aina'u up to her feet and lightly pushed her towards the bathroom direction.

After prayer, Aina'u kept crying her eyes out. Amina tried her best to cheer her up but that didn't stop her tears.

Aina'u suddenly stood up after an hour, she walked into the closet and came out changed into a gown and a veil around her.

"Where are you off to?" Amina asked her, she was worried.

"I'm going to see Mum." She said softly, picking up her phone.

Amina wasn't sure if it was a good idea but she decided she would be there for her friend for as long as she needed her. She quickly got ready too and followed her out.

Their Dad was no where to be seen, they found the driver in the security quarters and he drove them to the hospital.

Upon reaching their destination, Amina didn't like what she saw at all. She held her breath as they approached Aina'u's Mum's ward. Junior was crying profusely as he was yelling at the doctor to bring back their Mum.

The door was wide open, their Dad sitted on the floor chanting "Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi raji'un!"

Aina'u walked in slowly unaware of her environment, the lifeless body of her Mum was the only thing that filled her mind. The life support machine was disabled, her body was covered with white cloth.

In order to make sure it was her Mum, she moved closer and opened her face. She staggered back realizing that it was true, her Mum was really gone.

She came back to her surrounding, the Doctor was trying to hold Junior back as he was crying uncontrollably. Her Dad was crying on the floor, a nurse was sadly looking at them, Amina was standing at the doorway and she? She didn't know what to do next.

She sat down on the chair beside her Mum's bed and stared at her, secretly wishing she would open her eyes and talk to her. She hoped she would wake up and hug her, she hoped she would wake up and ask her how she had been all this while. She hoped for many things even though she knew it was close to impossible but she still hoped for a miracle.

Amina had a lot in her mind, the scene in front of her reminded her of when she lost her Mum too. That day was always fresh in her mind, even though she can't remember her Mum's face clearly, she remembered the voice that told her eight year old self to stay away.

"Mummy! Why are you angry?" Young Amina asked.

Her Mum, Maimuna, shook her head "I am not angry, just sad. You know I love you very much right?"

"Of course Mummy! And I love you too very very much."

Amina snapped out of it when the Doctor snapped his fingers in front of her.

"Are you family?"

She nodded "Yes!"

"Can I see you for a bit please?"

They stepped outside "I can't speak to her husband and the children, they seem out of it. I would like to ask when you think the funeral would be done."

Amina wasn't in any way responsible for answering that "I'm sorry but I can't answer that."

"That's fine. Just trying to make sure as we have more patients coming in and since this room would now be available, want to have it cleaned and available by tomorrow morning."

"Can I ask you something?" Amina hesitated.

"Sure!"

"Did you turn off the life support machine because of that?"

His expression changed into a mortified one "Of course not. Unfortunately, she gave up before we could even decide to do it. I'm sorry about that but that's the hospital protocol, the rooms are always filled."

"Oh! I'm sorry, I thought..." She trailed off.

"It's okay. I understand. I'm so sorry about your loss."

"Thank you!" And he left. She walked into the room and closed the door behind her.

The family were sitted together crying at the loss of their loved one. Amina took a seat beside Aina'u and hugged her as she cried her sorrow out.

Their Mum was bathed and buried that evening. Their Dad didn't want her to suffer more and wanted her to get her peace as soon as possible.

Amina took Aina'u home to get some sleep, she was having a migraine and was giving a pain killer and some sleeping pills. Amina tucked her to bed and watched her sob quietly for a while before she finally let the darkness take her.

After Maghreb prayer, Junior and his Dad came back home. Aina'u had woken up, prayed and gone back to sleep. Amina called her Dad to tell him about what happened and that she would be staying the night but he didn't pick up, instead she sent him and her Step Mum a message.

She went downstairs to check up on Junior and their Dad. They were downstairs having a discussion.

"Assalamu alaikum!" She greeted and took a seat.

"Wa alaikumus salaam! Thank you so much for all your help, Amina. You really are like a family to us." Their Dad smiled at her.

"It's no problem, Sir. I am so sorry for your loss. May Allah forgive all her shortcomings and grant her a place in Jannatul firdaus."

"Ameen!" They all chorused.

"I heard what happened from the Doctor." Amina couldn't help but mention that.

Their Dad sighed "Yeah! I guess Allah is helping us instead of making a very difficult decision ourselves."

"Shouldn't you be on your way home? It's getting late. I can take you home." Junior said with a swollen face that needed immediate rest.

"I have already informed my folks that I will be spending the night here, I can't leave Aina'u at a time like this. She needs someone to stay with her."

"Thank you very much for your care, Amina. My daughter is lucky to have a friend like you."

Amina shook her head "No Sir. I am lucky to have her in my life."

"We were discussing about the arrangements for tomorrow, I have informed our families and they would be arriving tomorrow. Since none of our parents are still alive, it would be hectic to leave everything to Aina'u. I would be happy if you could give her a hand."

"Of course Sir. I will gladly help as much as I can."

Amima remembered what Aina'u had told her about their families. As much as how complicated her family is, she believed that Aina'u had it worse.

Her Dad is an only child, he lost his siblings and Parents in a plane crash many years ago. Her Mum's family is the complicated one, her grandfather married three wives so she was the only daughter of her Mum and the other wives had six daughters, one son.

The daughters treated her Mum like trash since her grandmother died when she was still a teenager. When her grandfather died, it became worse for her Mum. Luckily, Allah made her Mum and Dad meet at the time they needed each other the most and they found peace in each other's presence.

Amina gloried the Almighty in wonder as how He does His things. He deserves praise at all time for He is worthy of being praised.