The lie in my marriage (EDITING)

Chapter 25 (Opening up)

"It was a gift from my father. He gave it to me on my 18th birthday,a year before he died."

"Ever since i always had it on,not taking it off anytime soon".

She added with a small laugh.

"You sounded more like a daddy's little girl now". He chuckled

"Believe me i am not,i am just a daughter who had the best father-daughter relationship ".

"So what was he like,your dad?"

"He was different, never seen someone who loved me like him. I still miss him".
She responded with her face showing some kind of emotion he had never seen on her.

She felt the walls she had built around herself gradually beginning to crumble, ever since she lost her dad she has never spoken to anyone about him. Her heart is becoming softer with every word she speaks about her father. And for some odd reason,she felt lighter and safe as a result of talking with Malik. So she found herself opening up to him.
"He died while i was 19,i year before i graduate. The circumstance of his death was disturbing and his memories still vivid in my head. He used to be playfull but at the same time strict when necessary. He was a good father,the best any child could ask for,he wasn't super rich but he strived to make life very comfortable for us to the best of his ability".

She stopped to gather herself,tucking her veil in as the breeze was doing a good job in trying to take her veil off. He nodded at her urging her to continue. He didn't know why,but the more she spoke, the more his curiosity arisen on wanting to know who she really is,and what scars life has left of her,all of her story.

"It was a normal day on tuesday, i took MJunior to school and headed to my school as i had lectures to. I finished at 2 pm,so i went home before daddy got home from work as his usual time to be home from work is 5pm. That day,he came home earlier than that and complained to my mom of stomach upset,he ate a litte of his lunch and rested before Maghrib prayer time. We had dinner as we always did with daddy and i joking around while Mjunior and mom talk about how their days went on. Little did we know that dad was still sick,he spent the whole of that night throwing up until he became helpless,that was when he called on my mom. At 4:am,an hour before subh prayer,i heard a knock at my bedroom door,it was my mom and she looked all haggered and worried. She imformed me of my father's sick night and she would be rushing him to the hospital,i should take care of the house. That day,my father got admitted to the hospital, his sickness grew worse and worse. It was the darkest day i have ever witnessed in my life,seeing my dad helpless on the hospital bed with no enegy and strength to even say a word. I couldn't go to school as my mind was at the hospital,my mother was trying so hard to keep it together as we watched the doctors make observations and discussed on my father's condition. He grew worse by wednesday night,with the doctors on him,i watched as they reached to conclusion on transferring him to the intensive care unit. My mother held me so tight as we cried our eyes out. We couldn't sleep for the whole night straight, i still remember the final words he said to me,he said "Amal Hameedah, don't cry... i will get well Allah's willing".

The next day was thusrday,that was the blackest and unforgettable day of my life. The doctors ordered for my father's transfer to the Intensive care unit where his heart needed to be monitored. An hour before he was taken,his heart failed. In no time,the doctors came on him and we were all rushed out of the room. The room was made out of bound for anyone other than the hospital personnel.  I watched through the windows as the doctors try all they could to save my father,but unfortunately it became too late and everything came crashing down. I saw the doctors leaving the room one by one in frustration with the exception of one who was still trying to find some heart beat. My mother couldn't handle what she was seeing, so she left the premises and waited for my dad's death announcement. I entered the room and saw my father's lifeless body being covered with a white sheet by the doctor. Malik,for clean five minutes,my emotions, my heart,my legs and everything around me stayed frozen.  I  couldn't comprehend how my life crumbled in just two days. I became a mere skeleton of myself, i couldn't believe that the one person whom i had always looked forward to was no more,my dad was everything to me. From that day,nothing in my life went on as i wanted it,i was just living life but life wasn't living me. My academic performance became drastically low as i was having a hard time. I stopped looking forward to graduation because my father was the only reason why i had always looked forward to graduation. I managed to graduate unceremoniously,i became torn between standing strong for myself and my mother or letting it all out. I still miss him,i miss him so much Malik". She broke down in tears,her walls crumbling to the last bit. Malik felt his heart breaking for her, he could feel her pain through every nerve of him. He had never seen her as vulnerable as this. He felt and wished he had known her longer than this so that he could be with her through the darkest of her moments,but now is the time. He is going to be there for her because like it or not,this young lady has become a part of him now,her thoughts have found home in his heart and mind.