In Your Love... {Eternal Ishq #1}

Ch-23 The Hero of Costa Atlantica!

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

'Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon our beloved Prophet and Master Muhammad (s.a.s), all his blessed descendents and noble companions.'

-Aameen.

Dedicated to Mosiac for being so very courteous ;)

Chapter Twenty-Three

The Hero of Costa Atlantica!

Her heart throbbing with rhythmic peace, Humaira sat on her Musallah (Prayer Mat) familiarly lost in an intimate conversation with Allah SWT. Those who could not see the beautiful light emanating from her face, can only be said as stone-blind. Yet more captivating was the boy who sat beside her on another Musallah, with his little palms raised towards the Lord of the heavens while fat tears rolled down his cheeks. For Humaira had comforted him by reminding their Ammi's words, "Allah SWT accepts the Duas of children readily..." And after completing the Salah, he had been praying fervently for the recovery of his Saif Bhaiya.

An urgent knock sounded upon their cabin's door and in contrast to his usual springing for the door action, Umar got up reluctantly with a touching wistful expression on his small face.

Some moments later, he shouted from the door,

"Humair Di! It's Raju Bhaiya..."

Humaira, who had shaken herself from the tranquil trance when the knock came, now told Umar to ask the steward to wait until she wore her abaya and Niqaab.

"Ma'am I..." the distraught looking steward began as soon as she came outside. "...I came to know only some time before, and they are saying that Saif sir was ...burnt completely...I went to the hospital but they are not granting entry even to the crew..."

"No no it's really alright, you don't need to worry so... The doctor said he's doing better Alhamdulillah. And that he would allow us to see him tomorrow..." Humaira paused, not knowing how to comfort this stranger who clearly looked shaken. This was the first time she was speaking to him, as it was Saif Bhaiya who usually did that.

"Is that really so? He's indeed alright? Then we could see him tomorrow?" Raju questioned eagerly, with rising hope.

Humaira nodded, looking down at her brother who was listening intently to their Hindi conversation.

After a pause he asked as if he suddenly remembered something,

"You both had lunch ma'am?"

"No we just finished praying..."

"Then I will bring it, there's no need to go to the MDR..."

The thought had indeed crossed Humaira's mind as how strange it would be to go to MDR without Saif, and now upon the steward's words, she felt immensely relived.

"Oh will you really? Thank you so much!"

The steward only seemed eager to please and serve, and soon hurried away still wondering about the wounded hero.

"Humaira!"

Humaira who had turned to go inside, stopped upon hearing Jo's voice.

Soon she found herself enveloped in a warm hug while Jo murmured with overflowing eyes.

"I'm so sorry...we just...came to know and Fred says that they aren't allowing anybody to see him..."

After they went inside the cabin, searching Humaira's face as she raised her Niqaab, Jo asked quickly,

"Are you guys leaving too?"

"Leaving? Where?"

"To the nearest port 'course! Almost everybody's saying that they don't want to remain on a ship that's going to fry them up!" Jo gave a wry chuckle before continuing, "Didn't you see the Coast Guards arriving for help? And the aircrafts came too..."