Jaan-E-Mustafa

THIRTY ONE

We need you.

I need to see her. I need to be with her.
She needs me. Our kids need me.

Ya Allah let them be safe. Don't let anything happen to her or to our kids.

The journey towards the hospital was the most difficult journey he ever went through. There are times when you want time to pass quickly but it ticks at a slow pace making it difficult for you to breathe and that's what he was feeling. He just wanted to reach hospital as soon as possible.

Reaching the hospital he ran towards the operation theatre where his whole family was there. His mother was standing near Maria's mother consoling her with her own eyes wet with tears but the look on dado's face was giving him chills. She was sitting there like a statue with a horrified look on her face.

"D-dado what happened ? H-how did she fell from stairs ?"

Mustering all his strength he went towards her with wobbly legs and asked her the question he was dreading to ask but she didn't replied him back instead looked at him with blank expressions and then she started crying hysterically clutching his shirt tightly.

"History is repeating itself. Jo laiba ke saath hua tha wo aaj meri bachi ke saath ho raha hai."

She was chanting the same thing again and again like a mantra making him frustrated with everything.

"Can someone tell me how the hell did my wife ended up in the hospital ?"

Not being able to control his anger he shouted. He was so angry that he wanted to punch someone on the face.

He was angry that so many people in his house and no one was able to take care of her even for a day. He was angry at himself for leaving her alone.

Osama rushed towards him seeing him and was about to say something when the door of operation theatre opened and a doctor came out.

"Who is the husband of the patient ? We need him to sign the important documents to proceed for the c-section."

Pushing everyone of the way Mustafa went towards the doctor and desperately asked him with tears leaking out of his eyes.

"I-i am her husband. Is everything fine ? Is she okay ? Are my kids fine ? Please tell me everything is okay."

He hoped the doctor to give him some positive news, to give him hope that his wife and their kids will be fine. That nothing will happen to them and the guilt of leaving her alone which is heaving on his heart will reduce and let him breathe. He wanted hope to keep himself sane from breaking down.

"I am very sorry sir. Her condition is very serious and it's difficult for us save all three of them. It's either her or her kids. As a doctor I will try my best to save all three of them but I won't give you false hopes. Please take your decision fast as time is running and we need to operate her soon."

The doctor sympathetically looked at him and patted his shoulder seeing his stressed state. His hair disheveled, eyes red with tears, shirt wrinkled and face filled with worry.

"Pray for her."

He stepped back taking a look at the stressed husband and asked him

"Come with me. You have to sign the documents and if you want you can see her. We will operate her as soon as you are done with the paperwork."

Mustafa was unable to form any word. He was dreading what was about to happen. His heart was beating ferociously, sweat trickling down his face.

Signing the documents required he went towards the OT, where she was lying admist the various operating machines, looking pale and lifeless.
She wasn't his Maria. She wasn't the women he left at home a day ago. He wasn't able to recognize her.