Khudgarzi

26

Ayla POV

Beep beep beep. I could hear these sounds around me, I tried to focus on opening my eyes but I couldn't. I needed to know where I was and what was going on. I focused all my energy on my eyes to open and when they finally did, bright white light pierced through my eyes. I blinked a couple of times to figure out where I was and I came to the conclusion that I was in the hospital. The door swung open and a middle aged women walked in, to check on my IV when I made eye contact with her and worded out water.

She immediately, put her clipboard aside and helped me drink some water and went off to get the doctor to run some tests on me. I was trying to remember what had happened and then it all came back to me, all at once. I, instantly choked out a loud sob and burst out into tears. Doing this, triggered a pain at the back of my head and I kept my hand on it find it bandaged. The doctor came in at this time and relaxed me down and ran a few tests on me.

I was then told to wait and a senior doctor was to come meet me. No one in this time frame was to meet me, because this was a case of domestic violence, they needed me to be okay and give my interview to the police without any pressure. I really wanted Salaar to be with me but I understood protocol so I waited. To my surprise, Dr. Audrey walked in. She was the woman who broke the news about baba's death to us. She came and asked me how I was doing and told me the entire procedure. She was to check my body for any forms of abuse and then report to the police officer. I was a bit reluctant in doing so but she assured me that what I tell her today would only remain between the both of us and she'll just write a report to submit it to the police.

Every bruise she would point out, would give me a flashback of how my life was in the past year and I would burst out crying. With a heavy heart, I told her what happened with every bruise. After she left, I was given space to get dressed and when I looked at myself in the mirror, my entire body had faded bruise marks, some were fresh from today. I burst out crying in front of the mirror. All I could think about was how ugly I was now and how this would've never happened if my parents were, the way they were and if my husband was there for me. I was truly in a foreign land with nobody.

There was a light knock on the door and an unfamiliar voice called out to me, I quickly wiped my tears to get dressed again. I thought it was the doctor or someone but to my surprise, when I opened up it was Rozina aunty, Salaar's mother. The minute she saw me, she instantly hugged me and all I could feel was motherly love in that hug so I broke down yet again.

"Mera baccha, its okay stop crying, I'm here", she said whispering in my ear
(My child)

She directed me towards the bed and help me sit there and poured me a glass of water, I drank it and got back into my senses, when I asked her

"Aunty, aap yahan kaisay, weren't you in England?", I asked
(Aunty, how are you here? Weren't you in England)

"Beta Salaar called me last night and I took the first flight to Toronto, I just reached an hour ago", she said, whilst smiling at me and running her hands through my hair

"Aunty woh uh Salaar theek hain?", I asked
(Aunty is Salaar okay?)

"Jee meri jaan! He just has a slight burn warna woh bilkul theek hai", aunty said
(Yes my love! He just has a slight burn otherwise he's all fine)

"Did he get burnt be-because of au-aunty?", I hiccuped out with tears threatening to spill

Rozina aunty looked down as if she was embarrassed to answer me, but she gave me a slight nod. Oh God, here comes the waterworks again. She just hugged me really tightly and said,

"Mera baccha don't take stress, it will get better soon!"
(My child)

The nurse then came in to change my IVs and I soon fell into a deep sleep knowing I have at least Salaar and Rozina aunty by my side. I was woken up the next morning to find out that I was being discharged and now here came the big question, where was I to go? I didn't have a home, if you think about it, not in Pakistan and not in Canada. I was truly all alone. Confused about what my next step would be, I heard Rozina aunty call out to me and right next to her was a nurse pushing a wheelchair.