Road to Jannah

Chapter Nine • Baby It's You

I was elated as well as deeply embarrassed at the same time, I couldn't even carry myself and she had to support almost half of my weight over her shoulder. I always wondered how tall she was and by how I had to lean low before my arm was balanced over her shoulder, I realised she was around a head shorter than me, just like my mom's height.

Speaking of Mama, I was actually more than glad that she wasn't home. Since our plans for "mother and son's special day out" didn't work out, I figured she needed a "mother's day out alone" instead and I forced her to spend the day pampering herself. She had spent three months doing nothing but stressing and worrying about me and just like I have found peace these past few weeks, she deserved to find some too.

Immediately we had arrived into my room, Harrison had tried to call her but I stopped him before he dialed her number. I didn't want to get her on edge again after she had just had a moment to breathe and relax. She shouldn't need to worry about my worthless ass being so stupid that it couldn't even get itself out of the rain. I was already blind, so a cold and fever wouldn't make things any more worse than they already are.

And besides, there's already someone hovering over me and fretting. I don't think I can deal with two women doing that at the same time so Mama better stay where she's at and leave that to Asiya.

My head is threatening to fall of my body but I ignore it and try to sit myself up, resting my back on the headboard. I reach my hand to my left on my cupboard and feel around for the cup. When I find it, it's so hot that all I did was touch it before withdrawing my hand immediately.

"I know it's hot Ahmad, but you need to try and drink it." the way Asiya had said that, I almost mistook her for my mom.

"That will-" I was interrupted by a sudden sneeze that made me feel like I had emptied my brains on the floor. "-be hard." I finish up after I had regained myself.

"I'll help you." the worry laced in her tone couldn't be mistaken and was it wrong that I didn't care that little by little, I was losing my machoness? I just care that she's here with me?

I heard footsteps retreating and the door to my room open and close but thankfully, it wasn't her and even more thankfully, Harrison had left, finally. If she's here, he's not of any use.

"All you have to do," Asiya started when she had secured the cup handle in my hand. "is hold the handle firmly with one hand, then spread out the fingers of your other hand over the rim of the cup so that way, you can hold the cup steady and make out where to place your lips without having the contents spill on you."

I did as she told and it actually worked. I took slow sips of the hot drink that excited as well as soothed my taste buds and my throat without it burning my lips or spilling on me. The ginger made it strong and pleaseantly spicy and the lemon made it fragrant and just as pleasantly tangy. Every sip I took made me feel better and better, it awakened my senses and made my head feel lighter and refreshened my whole body. And the best part, I had been drinking it myself thanks to Asiya. If I had known about this trick earlier, I wouldn't have had to have Mama helping me drink my tea with a spoon.

As I took the last sip, I felt heated and comforted all through. Not only because of the drink that was warming my insides, but because of the woman standing somewhere beside me and warming my heart.

The empty cup was kept on the cupboard and that was when I took a deep breath and sighed it out, as if freeing myself from that wicked cold that had caged me.

I turned my head to the left, to Asiya and was surprised to hear how clear my voice had gotten when I said to her what I wanted to say ever since she had found me in the rain.