Hold my hand

Chapter /6/

*throwback*

"Ya Salman, miye cancer?" A ten-year-old Yasmin asked her brother, who was using his phone by her bedside.

It has been itching her to ask someone ever since she overheard that conversation between her parents and the doctor three days ago. It was a foreign word to her and she wanted to know what it meant.

He stopped using his phone to reply to her. "It's a type of disease. Why do you ask?" He inquired. He didn't suspect anything as he knew Yasmin to be the curious type.

"Well, the doctor told Mama and Baba that's what I have." Yasmin softly said as tears filled her eyes.

Salmans heart broke right there and then. He climbed the hospital bed with her. He wiped her tears away.

"Ya Salman, am I going to die?" Yasmin looked up and ask him, breaking his heart all over.

"Of course, you're not going to die. I mean we will all die one day but in sha Allah not now. Don't worry yourself okay?" He sternly say and she nodded.

Salman wanted to be optimistic but he couldn't help the negative thoughts that kept invading his mind. For as far as he knows, there wasn't a cure for cancer. Although we believe There is no disease that Allah has created, except that He also has created its cure.

He looked down at her and she was falling asleep slowly. He adjusted her sleeping position and gave her a peck on her forehead. He hadn't realized he was crying until he saw a teardrop on her forehead.

He wiped it off and into the bathroom, he went to perform ablution and prayed his heart out. He prayed to Allah to protect their Mini.

He had gotten admission and he joined the university days ago so he was still getting the hang of things.

And now this.

He had just finished praying when his mother, Imad, and Ahmad entered the room. He looked at his mother one time and the despair she saw in his eyes let her know that he was aware of Yasmin's condition.

"Come with me, Salman." Their mom said and led him out of the room so as not to make a scene in front of the kids.

Salman walked out first and his mother walked out after, closing the door behind her.

There was a bench outside the rooms so they sat down.

"You know, huh." Hajiya Jummai said, fighting back tears.

Salman nodded, his eyes cast down in dejection. "Why didn't you tell us, Mama?" He asked.

"How can I? I don't believe it myself and I'm praying to God every single day that it turns out to be a nightmare." She began and the first tear left her eyes.

"How do I tell you your sister has cancer? She has cancer, Salman. Inallilahi wainalaihi Raji'un." She finally broke down in sobs, Salman wrapped an arm around her.

Most people, some in lab coats and scrubs while some were not, passed. They just are used to this by now. Hospitals are filled with tears of anguish. It is stained everywhere you look.

"She's just a little girl. I try to be strong for her but wallahi anytime I look at her I just want to break down all over. I can't imagine the pain she's going through."

Salman's eyes were red with unshed tears but he had to be the strong one for his family. "Mama, please don't cry. She needs our prayers now, she'll make it in sha Allah."