Suraya

Present day

Five years later.....

ZAYYAD
'Bye! My Abba's here. See you tomorrow!' I heard her voice say as I come down from my car.
'Abba Abba!' Ummu came hands open ready for a big bear hug.
'Hello cupcake' I said coming down to her level to hug her properly.
'And hello to you too Abba' she said cupping my cheeks as a lifted her up.
'How was school? Did you get into trouble again?' I asked buckling her car seat.
'Nope' she said popping The p.
'But I did get two stars today for less noise'
'Uhumm. So what do you want for not getting into trouble?' I asked.
'Cupcakes! Ice cream! Pizza!' She screamed.
'You know you have to choose one of those right? I don't want you to have a tommy ache' I told her looking at her through the rear mirror.
'Okay, I want ice cream, vanilla this time. Please' she said.
'Not a problem' I answered and continued driving.
We got to the ice cream parlour and ordered a small cup of vanilla ice cream for her and a medium chocolate for me.
'Happy?' I asked when I paid for them.
'Yep' she said reaching out for my hand to hold or more like a finger.
We sat at a table outside the parlour facing the beach.
I started into nothingness as I thought about how life has changed in these past five years that has passed.
Ever since Ameena died. I too care of ummul Khulthum. I had to stop going for work for about three four months, to take care of my little cupcake. Her grandma, my mom has been coming home to check on us too. It became a routine for us. She comes on Mondays to Thursday. While I stay home on Fridays to Sunday's.
I never thought about marrying someone else even tho my mom kept on nagging about it every time we take the shifts.
She complains I have dark circles and that I'm loosing weight. I always assured her I am okay, as long as my baby's fine, I'm fine.
I was there for her first steps, words, smile, everything a mother would enjoy. I was there for her every step of the way.
I made sure her bottle was always filled, I made sure she had her bath every morning and evening, made sure she ate her food, made sure her diapers always changed and clean, made sure she says Bismillah and Alhamdulilah before and after every meal. Made sure she knew about the Islam and I also gave her stories about the prophets.
Ummu wasn't a hard baby, she was picky but she wasn't hard. She rarely cries unnecessarily, she does obey the rules but I don't seem to know why she keeps on punching kids at her school.
But if it's one thing she doesn't like is clingy ness and the hospital. The clingy ness is an obvious thing about her. If she likes you you would know but if your going over the top to gain her attention, she's going to inform you about her discomfort.
I actually don't have an idea why she doesn't like the hospital but I don't blame her, ever since Ameena died I became too scared to go to the hospital that if I am sick I got to the nearby pharmacy or I go home to my mother, she has the antidote to every sickness.
My phone chimed but before I could pick it Ummu read it out to me.
'It says, Mr Muhammad, that's you, there's an emergenky, did I pronounce it right?' She asked looking at me.
'Nope, it's emergency, day it with me e-mee-gen-cy' we said.
'Okayyy. Mr Muhammad, there's an emergency at the office we need you for a few minutes please, this is from a guy or girl named Elliot' she said.
'Emergency? Give me the phone please, thank you' she was true. An emergency? What can possible happen now? I thought.
'Okay then, pick up your cup and let's go' I said standing up from the chair and putting my phone into my wallet.
'Cupcake, I need to go to work, I'll drop you off at your cousins and I'll pick you up as soon as possible, hmm?' I told her opening the car for her.
'But Abba I don't want to go to Khadija's, I want to go to work with you please' she begged.
'And why? I thought you loved going to Khadija's home? You know, Sahil's there, your big sister Najma's there. So why don't you want to go?' I asked.
'Because....'she didn't answer, she just crossed her hands in front of her chest and pouted.
'Because?' I pressed.
'Because any time I go there they play games that involves Abbas and Amma's and your never there and...' she sniffed.
I sighed and gripped the steering wheel tighter, knowing what she meant. I was a fire fighter and we had shifts, so it's not everyday that I get to spend the day with her.
'Okay, you can come to work with me, I only if you promise not to cry and not to get into trouble?' I told her looking at her through the rear mirror.
'I'm a strong girl Abba, I won't cry no more, but trouble? Hmm? I've got to think about it first' she said scratching her imaginary beard.
I smiled shaking my head at her funny quirks. She was one tough girl alright.
Once I reached the fire department, I dropped ummul at the nursery we had in the building and went straight to the office.
'Be quick, the fire is getting worse and wilder, we need to get there before it's too late' My boss Elliot said.
I nodded and went to change into my proper uniform. He should have said there was a fire out break in the text instead of saying it's an emergency.
'I'll be back before you know it cupcake' I kissed her fore head and left with the others.
The fire was nothing we expected in the middle of the day. The whole house was on fire.
We split into three teams, the first were the people going inside to check if there was any one left inside, the second who were speaking water and the third which I was in, we were making sure no one goes back in and everyone is far away from the house.
There was a particular lady tho that didn't budge, she stayed putt in front of the house, We didn't know what she was doing but it did look like she was holding back tears.
'Excuse me ma'm But you need to step away, for your own safety, if there's anyone inside the house that you are waiting for, my team will make sure he or she is out safe and sound. But please step aside' I told her but she wouldn't even listen.
'No, you guys can't find him, he is in the attic, he's sleeping, he doesn't know what's happening, I'm not leaving till he comes out' she said blinking rapidly.
'Hey Mark! There a guy in the attic, check it out, this lady says he's still I. There!' I shouted to him.
'Please ma'm we would find him, just step away so you wouldn't get hurt' I told her
'No, I won't get out till he is out, no' she said sternly
'Ma'm my team is trying their best to bring him out, just go sit on the truck bumper if you can't wait longer, but we are sure we would get him out safe and sound. Trust us' I pleaded with the lady.
'Yo Zayyad! There's no man in there, it's empty!'mark shouted back at me.
'No he is! If you guys can't find him, I will!' The lady shouted and ran into the burning house.
Oh good Lord! I thought and ran after her. 'Ma'm please wait up, ma'm' I shouted but she didnt hear me.
We got into the house, and I searched for her. I found her bent over and coughing.
'Ma'm please go outside, I promise you I will bring him out, just please go out' I pleaded with her, one of the team memes came and took her away while I stared at the steps that lead to the attic.
I climbed up and saw nothing. It was pitch black. I put on the pocket flash light I hand and looked around.
There were a lot of photos up in here and it was dusty. The fire caught the staircase and I searched faster for the 'man' she claimed was inside.
I didn't find a man but I did find a small boy not younger than Ummu hiding behind a cupboard.
'Heyya little fella, whatcha doing here?' I asked my voice calm not to scare him.
'Err, uh, we, we were pl playing haha hide and se seek and I g got lost. A-and n now there's a fire and I'm to s scarred to c come d down' he stammered.
'Well, I'm zayyad the fighter fighter, it's okay to be scared okay? Now all you've got to do is hold onto me tight and don't look down Okay?' I said stepping closer to pick him up.
He nodded and I picked him up, his hands around my neck.
'You can close your eyes if you want to' I told him. I looked at the stairs which was partly on fire and took a deep breath before going down.
Just three more steps to go and the stair case came crashing down on us, luckily the boy didn't fall down cause we were caught by my team mates but I did fall in the process of giving them the boy.
I fell onto my right arm but I didn't wait long to push my self back up. My hand was burning but I panted it down with the other hand and ran out before any other parts of me gets injured.
The crazy lady got the kid and finally went to safety and we could finally get the last bits of the home.
I went to the hospital with the rest of them so I could check up on my hand cause it was still burning but not literally.
The nurse rubbed some ointment on the red spots and rapped it up cause apparently it was swollen.
We got to the station after five and I thought it was time to go.
I changed and went to pick Ummu up. She to tell you that seeing her sleep made me feel happy?
At least I wouldn't get to answer her up coming questions if she sees my arm.
I lifted her up with my good hand and said good bye to everyone.
We went home and I ordered takeout for dinner so I wouldn't have to cook.
Just before it arrived I woke her up so she could have her bath and pjs on for dinner.
'Can I ask you two question?' She asked as we went into the dining room.
'Sure cupcake, what do you want to ask?' I told her.
'One, what's for dinner? Two, what happened to your arm?' She said taking her seat.
'One, Chinese takeout, two, I saved a little boy your age from a a home that was on fire' I told her.
Her eyes widened and she made the O face she makes when she's surprised.
'You did? Your my hero!' She said hugging my neck.
I chuckled hugging her back 'I am aren't I?'

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