3 months later.
"There's no family history of abnormalities, and her echocardiogram, lung X-ray and CT scans showed no abnormality either." A nurse said walking beside Muhammad as he read a patients report on an iPad.
"Did you perform gastroscopy and colonoscopy?" He asked without looking up.
"Yes, and we found nothing also."
He stopped and looked at her "Do a fecal immunochemical test and also a stool culture then report the results to me."
"Okay doctor."
"What about the patient in room 7?"
"He is still under strict observation. He has tachycardia and acrotism."
"Inject 5ml of C-14 after 30 minutes for the whole day in him and tell me the result." He turned and started walking to his office. "Okay doctor." She replied and also walked away.
He entered his office and sat on the sofa letting out a groan. He massages his temple and looked back on the screen to finish off what he had started. Deep into it, a knock sounded on the door.
"Doctor Muhammad, you in there?" Haisham asked. "Yes, come in."
A man in about his late thirties pushed open the door, holding two cups of coffee. "I grabbed us some coffee." He raised the cups and gave one to him. "Thank you I needed it." He said and took a sip.
"So how is your patient?" Muhammad asked looking at tired haisham. "He has just been discharged Alhamdulillah. It thought I would finally be able sleep but I've got another patient now. Gosh, I'm so tired." "I would have covered your shift for you if I wasn't so busy."
"Yeah I know. Being a doctor is so not easy. It's totally different from what they show on tv." Haisham said and sipped his coffee. Muhammad chuckled and nodded. "True."
He continued studying the report and sipping coffee occasionally. Haisham also pulled out his phone from his pocket to read his own patient report.
"You know my brother said he doesn't wish to be a doctor." Muhammad said. He looked up at him chuckling, "Why?"
"That you won't have enough time for yourself." Haisham smiled and shook his head saying "Gaskiyan shi." Muhammad also smiled and went back to his work.
Things have been hectic for Muhammad over the past months, he returned to Abuja and went back to work almost immediately. Because just like Muhsin said, doctor do not really have rest.
He broke up with mimi about a month ago, turned out her parents had someone else in mind for her, and she knew it yet she still dated him.
They have gotten closer with Maryam. He is back at work, and she is back to school.
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Maryam has just stepped out of class with three of her friends beside her. She looked tired and exhausted, as she twist open a bottle of la casera. "I'm pretty sure this man hates people." One of her friends husna groaned and rolled her eyes, sipping a mouthful of water. "He is just plain cruel." She added.
Maryam glanced at her and shook her head. Then turned to Ummita; her Coursemate. She has been texting throughout the morning in class. "God!" she scowled at her phone.
"Something up?" She asked tucking her book away in her bag. Ummita made a huffing noise and shoved her phone away. "Men."
"Oh, men," She agrees, not really knowing what she means.
"Anyone in your life at the moment?" she asks, and Maryam shook her head saying, "no."
"What? Are you serious?." She perked up raising her eyebrows. "Yes, yes. Now we have to hurry. You know Mr. Msalu wouldn't let us in if we are even a second late."
"Yeah whatever." She groaned and turned her attention back to her note book. Maryam grabbed her phone from her bag, and plugged in her air-pod.
Right on cue, Khalifa called her. "Hy dear." He greeted. "Hy, how are you?"
"I'm good, you?"
"I'm tired, you know I just finished the morning class, and I'm headed to my next class at the moment. It's so exhausting."
"I'm so sorry, I know how it is. It's just a matter of time insha Allah."
"Insha Allah. Alright I have to go now, I will call you later."
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She was back in her dorm room resting whilst a class was taking place at the moment. The stress was too much for her to handle. She has to try and cope with baba not being in her life, and also all she has missed at school.
Sometimes she cries herself to sleep and wake up with the most terrible headache. And to add to it she suffers an attack of migraine. At some point she thought of quitting school and just isolating herself until she finds herself again but her family, Muhammad, Khalifa and her friends convinced her against it.
If you look at her, she looks just fine from the outside, but inside she is in a state turmoil. She changed from cheery Maryam that everyone knows and likes, to a quiet type.
She breaks down at even a slightest slip of baba. People think that she is the most affected by his passing.
After months, she finally opened up the most to Khalifa. They started off as strangers, and now they are really close friends.
"Maryama!!" Sadiqqa pulled at her blanket to get her attention. She came in to her dorm room, knocked and knocked but didn't get an answer so she let herself in. She found Maryam laying on the bed staring into space as always. "Uhmm —oh sidd when did you get here?" She quickly wiped her eyes and looked at her.
"Please...please maryam, stop! Stop doing this to yourself. At this point, you might become depressed." She looked away saying, "I'm okay sidd, really." She faked a smile and pulled the blanket to cover herself again.
Siddiqa yanked the blanket and sat her up. "No, you are not. Seriously stop doing this to yourself, to me, to your family. Who do think loves seeing you like this?Not me." She held Maryam's hand and tried to look into her eyes but Maryam kept avoiding her gaze.
"Ke look at me -" she demanded and Maryam looked up. "We all love baba and all he needs is our prayers. Didn't you hear that the more you cry, the more pain is inflicted on baba? She tightened her hold around Maryam's shoulders. "Just pray for him Maryam, if you keep doing this you will ruin your life."
Siddiqa furiously wiped her tears and looked Maryam in the eye, "do you think if he was here he would like what you are doing to yourself? Huh? Tell me." Maryam meekly shook her head and saddiqa continued hoping she would listen because it's as if whatever has been said to her enters through one ear and leaves through the other.
"What do you think he would say if he saw what you are doing to your self." As much as she tried to be bold and hold back her tears for Maryam, she just couldn't. Maryam is slowly destroying herself.
"He would tell you to stop and breath for him. Do what you always wanted to do, smile, laugh and live. Maryam please come back to us - please." She hugged her as she cried. Maryam also hugged her back and they cried together.
After a long time, Maryam pulled out and smiled as she wiped her tears and said. "Thank you crazy girl." Siddiqa laughed through her tears and hugged her tightly again.
"I missed you so much."
"I know. I know."
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Allah sarki our maryam.
YOU ARE READING
Kindred Ties
Spiritual"There are a lot of things you don't know about me." She raised her eyebrows. "I love fish, I catch cold very easily, I dislike pets and I like you." She stopped eating and looked at him wide-eyed. "What?" She started coughing. "Sorry." He passed h...
