Forever Yours

Chapter 40

40| Nawal

Ahad looked so stressed that I was certain he would end up crashing the car somewhere. The roads were empty, given the hour, so he pretty much planned to race to the hospital until I asked him to slow down and focus if he wanted to reach the hospital as a visitor and not a patient. Everyone had already arrived, as we were informed, and only we were being waited for.

As soon as Ahad parked the car, he ran out and inside the hospital, leaving me to follow him. He asked the receptionist about his sister and we were guided to the second floor where Sameer bhai was pacing back and forth in the hallway with mom sitting down and reciting some duas as her dupatta was draped over her head and dad was sitting next to her, comforting her. We greeted everyone and I sat down next to mom and copied her actions. Ahad was so tense and he couldn't even sit still so he just resorted to walking, like Sameer bhai.

"Excuse me, who's the husband of the patient?" A nurse came out of the ward where Zoha Appi was. "Me. I'm her husband." Sameer bhai attended to her and we all stiffened up with worry that something might be . "She's asking for you inside." He nodded at us then followed the nurse inside as we all were left to deal with our curiosity.

"Ahad, sit down!" I whispered at him through gritted teeth when he was close enough and he wordlessly sat down next to me, head in hands.

"You're worrying too much, her and her baby will be okay." I rubbed his back to reassure him as my mind drifted off to my own thoughts. He was so worried for his sister and nephew/niece, I wondered how his condition would be if it was his own child. The possibility of our own child didn't seem too far away with all the things happening with me.

"Can I get you both anything?" Ahad was obviously not in the right state of mind to be considering his parents right now but I could care for them. Mom gently shook her head at me and patted my head lovingly. "Thank you for the offer, beta, but just look after Ahad for now. He seems to be losing his brain right now." She shook her head and I looked towards the opposite side at Ahad who wasn't even mentally present here to hear our conversation.

A while later, Sameer bhai came out, looking completely distraught, making my heart drop with worry. Ahad noticed too and got up to talk to him about what's going on because something was definitely not right.

"The doctors said they might have to go for an operation due to some complications." He sat down on one of the metal chairs and closed his eyes. Anyone could see that he was trying to be strong right now when he was definitely breaking apart.

Childbirth was difficult and a very sensitive concept. Even the most minor complications could be fatal for the mother or the baby so I understood why everyone was so worried right now. We could only pray that Zoha Appi and her baby would be safe and sound.

"Nawal, can you please call Rumi and inform her? I didn't want to disturb her in the middle of the night because she's newly married but I know she'll be upset if no one told her." I nodded at her and went off to a corner to call bhabhi. Her phone rang but I didn't get an answer so I tried bhai's number.

"Nino? Is everything okay?" Why is he always worrying about me?

"Yes, bhai. Can you please give the phone to bhabhi? I called her first but she didn't pick up."

"Give me a second." I could hear faint sounds of him waking her up before she came on the phone.

"Bhabhi? What happened? I'm sorry I couldn't pick up your call."