I had been stabbed and it was bad. He started to laugh as the pain overtook me. He tried to stab me again, and saw the wrench and shoved it in his face. He cried in absolute pain and that was when I got up and ran. I could hear him yelling and screaming, telling me he was going to kill me and to watch my back.
Blood was coming out and I had no way to control it. I took off my buttoned shirt and pressed it against my wound. I was wearing a white tank top which highlighted my blood as I tried to press the wound to control the bleeding.
I kept running, trying to scream for help but nothing was happening as there was no one around.
Then, I saw my brother running after me as he noticed me even from the other block. I then saw an SUV and waved at it for help. He stopped and the next thing that surprised me was that it was Ragheb with Jihan on the passenger seat. Khaled stepped out and was shocked at how badly I was bleeding.
He saw my brother and instantly grabbed and helped me into the car. I pulled my phone and handed it to Jihan, who like my uncle, Khaled, and Louai was freaking out.
"What happened?!" Khaled asked, crying and scared.
***
Khaled's POV
I watched as my little cousin bled out. I held the shirt as tightly as I could but the bleeding was so profuse that Louai had to take his shirt off to help. Anas Bukhash and his little brother Hassan were also trying to help but it was to no avail.
"His brother was who assaulted him" my mom said. "It clearly shows in the video that he was chasing him around with the knife and when he fell down the stairs, it went blank but can still hear the struggle and his brother saying he's going to kill him."
"Buddy, stay with me" I begged.
"Please, I don't want to die!" Omar cried.
Louai had tears in his eyes as he held his hand.
I tried to keep calm, as well as do my best to keep him conscious but he was going in and out, unable to keep his eyes open.
We finally arrived at the hospital and I picked him up and carried him into the emergency room where they immediately put him on a stretcher. The nurse called the trauma team and watched as they took him.
An hour went by and I was getting loopy and impatient from the lack of communication from the doctor and really, anyone here.
This whole situation made me regret a lot of things, like not having stopped him from leaving because had he been with us, he would not have been put in this position. I also regretted how badly I had treated him when he punched Louai. He was not at fault then and he was not at fault now.
He did not deserve what was happening to him. He deserved better and after what I just witnessed, I was going to make sure he was safe and that this never happens to him, ever again.
"Khaled, you need to calm down!" my dad urged.
"I can't. My little cousin is fighting for his life. If only we'd have gotten there sooner, maybe this would not have happened."
"I know but we have to pray that he recovers" my dad said, noticing the tears in his eyes.
"Why would his own brother do this to him?" asked Hassan, Anas' brother.
"He's a drug addict and he's extremely violent when under the influence" I said, coldly.
"Call his mom again" Jihan suggested.
My dad dialed her again and it was obvious she had answered as he instantly started scolding her, telling her what had happened.
After yelling at her outside, he walked in and the doctor came to see us.
"What's going on?" I asked, anxiously.
"He's in stable condition and the wound though deep, did not hit any major organs nor did it hit any arteries. He's going to be fine."
"But he was bleeding profusely. I'm drenched in his blood" I said.
"The stab wound punctured a lot of the smaller veins and blood vessels located in that area and that's why he was bleeding so badly but he's okay. He's out of the woods and once he wakes up you can take him home. But I do have some concerns."
"What do you mean?" asked Louai.
"We took some x-rays and he has a sprain on his left wrist but there's evidence that he has suffered multiple fractures on that wrist, as well as his right arm. These are the classic signs of domestic abuse."
All of us looked at one another and realized we had to say something.
"His brother did this to him!" I finally said. "He's a drug addict and alcoholic, and is extremely violent."
Then an African-American girl ran in, with Holly.
"Khaled" Holly ran to us. "What happened?"
"Santi stabbed him" I cried.
"Is he okay?" she asked, crying.
"Yes" said the doctor. "He's out of the woods but because this was an assault that could have led to murder, I have to report it to the authorities."
"No, Santi has gone too far" said the other girl.
"Francie, calm down" said Holly. "He's going to be okay. He's strong and he will fight through this like he has everything else."
It was obvious that Francie cared a great deal about him and it made me wonder what her relation to him was. Taline still missed Omar and never stopped asking about him, and though she had attempted to move on, she simply could not.
Even though Omar never responded to her Instagram or Facebook messages, or emails for that matter.
I stepped outside for air as my heart was beating a little too fast. Holly ran out with me as I cried my eyes out.
"Khaled, he's going to be okay."
"I know but this should not have happened to him. Not him."
"I know and I am angry too but you have to remain strong, for him because after this he's going to need you."
"I will be there for him. I won't abandon him as his own mom and brother have."
"Good, now use that anger to help him. Don't let it consume you because if you let it, you won't be able to help him."
She hugged me, and allowed me to cry on her shoulder.
"It's going to be okay. But I think you have to take him back to Lebanon because he's not safe here. Not with Santi being this violent."
"I agree. I'm taking him with me and I'm going to make sure he's safe."
"I know you will..." she suddenly trailed off and we both saw his mom.
We walked in and his mom was concerned but was claiming that she doubted Santi did this.
My mom showed her the video, which very clearly showed Santi chasing him around with a knife.
Veronica started crying, shaking her head in disbelief. She dropped the phone, cracking the screen in the process and sat back. It was as if she was finally realizing the danger her own sons were facing. Santi, for being a drug addict and alcoholic and Omar, for always being his punching and therefore, his victim.
"How is he?" she asked, her eyes brimming with tears.
"The doctor said he's going to be fine" said my dad, sitting next to her and placing his arm around her.
"I can't believe Santi would do this" she continued crying.
"How about all the beatings he's given him in the past?!" I jumped up to toss it in her face. "What have you done for him then?!"
"Khaled, enough please" my dad said in a calm but firm tone.
"No, I can't just let her not hear what I have to say! She put her own son in danger by putting Santi in the first place! That's not fair and he was almost killed!"
"Khaled!" my dad got up, now a little bit upset. "I know you're scared for your cousin but throwing it in her face is not going to make matters any better."
"But..." I tried to reason but my dad literally placed his fingers over my mouth to stop me from further talking.
"It's enough!" he said in a now firmer tone. "Your job is to help Omar in his recovery and without any trouble. Please!" he begged, his tone and expression softening.
"Yes, baba...I'll do exactly that!" I said, angrily but realized he was right.
Omar needed me and I was going to be there for him every step of the way for me to be able to do that, I had to keep and cool and leveled head.
The nurse then came out, walking toward us.
"He can receive visitors now but only two people at a time" she said.
I got up, quickly.
"I want to see him!"
"Wait and let his mom see him first" my dad said.
"Ragheb, there's something I want you to do for me" said my aunt, crying.
"Anything" my dad said.
"Take Omar to live with you. Now, I understand I was wrong and he deserves better."
"Oh, we're taking him alright!" I said in an angry and blunt tone.
"Khaled, enough with your attitude. Please!" my dad urged, his expression getting a bit hard. "And yes, we will take him with us. We'll take care of him."
"Thank you. And please, let Khaled come with me to see him" Veronica said. "I can see he cares a lot about my son and I appreciate that."
Then Veronica received a text and then she made a call that seemed urgent.
"What's going on?" asked Jihan, while Anas, Hassan, my brother, and I stood and watched.
"Santi's been arrested. He assaulted someone and they're pressing charges on him" Veronica sighed. "But I'm going to see my Omar first."
"Good, it's about time you put him first!" I snapped without thinking.
"Khaled!" my dad scolded.
"I'm sorry but I'm not exactly thinking clearly, knowing my little cousin's been stabbed by his brother, who should be protecting and not hurting him."
"If I hear one more..." my dad began until Veronica stopped him.
"No, he's right. I deserve that and he's not wrong in feeling how he feels" my aunt defended. "Don't get mad at him when he's right."
My dad sighed and finally, my aunt and I walked in.
As the nurse allowed us in through the large double doors, I saw the different units where people were being treated. Some looked really sick while others seemed to be recovering.
The smell associated with hospitals began to assault me. I hated the smell and it bothered me greatly that my little cousin had landed here, again, after several past visits.
"Khaled..." she stopped walking and faced me. "I'm sorry for how I've been with Omar and thank you for looking out for him the way you have."
"I always will."
"But please, make sure he's safe. I don't know what I'm going to do with Santi but it's very clear he needs a lot of help."
"Why have you not done anything? All of this could have been avoided if you'd have taken it seriously, to begin with."
"I know and for a while, I thought I could get through to him. But after this, I don't know if I can look the other way."
"He's injured him with a knife in the past. The scar he has on his chest?"
"I know and I should have taken it seriously then."
"Well, your lack of action has led to him almost getting killed and Santi would have succeeded this time but thankfully, he didn't."
"I'm not going to make any excuses for myself. I can only hope you and Louai will forgive me and that you will take care of my son."
I hugged her and assured her I would look out for Omar.
"I'm sorry for my attitude and yes, I will look out for him."
"Thank you" she said, relieved, and cleared her tears.
"Entering, she immediately hugged Omar, who was awake and alert.
"I'm so sorry!" she cried as she hugged him.
"I love you mom, but how could you abandon me this way?!" Omar cried.
"I know, I haven't looked out for you the way you deserve to but I promise you that things will be different starting now."
"How so?"
"Khaled?" my mom looked at him, giving him a nod that said there was something important that he needed to tell me.
"Buddy" I walked up and hugged him, crying.
I held him, almost scared that if I let him go that he would disappear before me.
"Thank you, for saving my life" his voice broke a bit, and started crying.
"No problem. You're coming back with us. Your mom finally gave us the okay."
"What?" he looked from me to his mom.
"Yes, I understand now how bad things have been for you and after this, I cannot overlook your brother's actions. I'm still going to help him but I will let him deal with the consequences of his actions."
"What a shocker!" said Omar. "So it literally took him stabbing and nearly killing me for you to take action?!"
"I never imagined he would do this to you" Veronica started crying.
"He has done it to me before. Remember this scar?!" he showed her the scar he showed us when he came clean to us about his past. "He was high out of his damn mind that he grabbed a pocket knife and attempted to stab me but he only succeeded in slashing me. That was when I pressed charges and you got all pissed at me for doing so!"
"I'm sorry. Look, you can go back to Lebanon with your uncle, aunt, and cousins. I will help Santi but I won't bail him out like before. After this, I can't."
"I'm not sure I can go back. Not like this."
"Why not?!" I was surprised.
"Because I'm not looking for anyone to pity me for the crap my mom's allowed me to go through!" he was suddenly really direct and stark.
Even his expression was harsh.
"Omar, think about it. You can come home, with us. I never wanted you to leave – none of us did and neither did Louai."
"I'm shocked" he said sarcastically and I could not blame him because he and Louai never really got to overcome their differences.
He likely believed Louai still held some ill will against him.
"Omar, I know you're angry and I don't blame you. But I'm telling you to go back with your uncle. I now realize I never should have allowed you to be put through this."
"And why the sudden change? Guilty because you've always known shit's been out of control here lately?!"
"Omar, don't talk to your mom like that!" Khaled stepped in.
At this point, I realized I had two roads to choose from. One was staying here but the other was to go back. I had a million responsibilities now. I had a business to run, people that were counting on me, and with all of this, I couldn't just get up and leave.
Then there was my little brother, Kaan, who looked up to me and who I took care of.
The doctor walked in and gave me the okay to go since I was fully treated and could go back to the house.
Though I was still in a lot of pain.