THIRD PERSON'S POV
KING'S CARE HOSPITAL
"I'm sure you're all aware that she has anxiety disorder, right?" The doctor questioned as he took a seat opposite the family.
Most of them shook their heads because they found it hard to believe. "Yes, I know she does. But how did you?" Kubra asked the female medical doctor that also bagged a diploma and masters in psychology.
The doctor smiled then fixed her spectacles. "I noticed some symptoms of it whenever she comes to visit her grandfather and the first day she came here. I think her sister is a psychologist herself because she seemed to have taken good care of her. That's you right?" She pointed at Aliya because she looked just like Aliza.
Aliya smiled a bit then shook her head negatively. "That's my twin sister, she's late."
"Ohh." The room went quiet for a minute as their thoughts drifted off to when Aliza was still alive. She would have never allowed anything bad to happen to her. "Well moving on, she has anxiety disorder. She has also been diagnosed with PTSD. Then moving on to the last one, Mrs Khaleed is depressed."
"Depressed?" Daddy inquired because it couldn't be true. The girl is the bubbliest person he knows. She's all cotton candies and rainbows.
"Yes, Mr Mahir. Your daughter is depressed."
"She recently lost her sister, that must be the cause of her depression." Mrs Mahir stated because it seemed to be the best possible option.
"I don't think you understand, Mrs Mahir." She rose up to her feet tucking her hands into the pockets of her lab coat.
"Please stop speaking in riddles, Doctor Sofia." Arif raised his voice because he had only little patience left in him.
"As I had analysed the scars and cuts on her body, I could tell that she's been doing this for a very long time."
Mrs Mahir and Amma stood up almost at the same time. "What cuts?" They asked in unison. Doctor Sofia glanced at Farooq. "You didn't tell them?" But she got no reply. All he did was give them a blank expression then slipped his hands back into his pockets. Truth be told, he blamed them all for whatever happened to her. But he can't deny the fact that he may have been the reason she cuts herself at home. Of course he clearly remembers how he treated her like shit, he would do anything to rid her away from those awful memories.
"You can all come in, the room is really spacious." As they walked into the room she was hospitalised in, Doctor Sofia raised Sabrina's hospital gown up for them to have a clear view of what she's been doing to herself.
Betty, Kubra, Aliya, Arianna, Mimi, Jannah, Harisa, Amma, Mommy and Amma burst out into uncontrollable tears as they saw all the scars on her lap and thighs. Arif couldn't bare the sight of it so he sauntered towards the window, he used his thumb and index finger to cover his eyes to halt the tears from escaping.
"My daughter..." Abi burst out into tears as Amma tried to calm him down though she herself was still in tears.
"Your daughter, engages in self harm. Self-harm is when you hurt yourself as a way of dealing with very difficult feelings, painful memories or overwhelming situations and experiences. Some people engage in it to turn emotional pain into physical pain, express something that is hard to put into words, or to express suicidal feelings and thoughts without taking their own life."
"Are you saying that our daughter is suicidal?" Dad's eyes widened slightly, placing a hand on his chest.
"I can't speak for her. Only she can answer that question when she's regained consciousness. What I do know is that Mrs Khaleed has been depressed for a long time. And I'm not a fool to not know that the root cause of it all is her family. Believe it or not you all did this to her, if she were to have lost her life tonight, then you are all to blame for it." Doctor Sofia was a naturally blunt and brutally honest woman. She didn't feel little in the presence of such influential people neither was she afraid to express her feelings and anger directing to them.
Probably why she gets along with Farooq a lot.
"Sadness is a normal emotion and generally comes about when something bad happens. Sadness usually goes away after a few days. But, depression is a persistent sadness that can last for weeks, months, or years. Depression's impact is much more significant than that of sadness and can change your personality, interests, and how you view the future, it can even impact your memory.
With sadness, most people can continue their daily routines and responsibilities. But, depression makes it hard and even impossible to get out of bed, bathe, prepare and eat proper meals, etc. It can also be extremely challenging to focus on work, school, and other tasks when you're feeling thoughts of despair or like there's no point in trying." She closed the file she was holding on one hand then adjusted her spectacles once more.
"Explaining in simple terms— Mrs Khaleed is or shall I say has gone through a lot. I would see her walk in and out of this hospital every week with a warm smile on her face but who could've known that the ever lively girl was a victim of not only one mental disorder, but three. I'd advice you all to treat her with more kindness than you formally did. And oh, Mr and Mrs Mahir, show her a little bit of love. Even if it's pretence." With that being expressed she sauntered out of the room leaving them all dismayed, distressed and guilty.
That was her main goal.
She knows so much about the girl that most people don't and she chose to keep quiet for now in order for peace to reign. One thing for sure is that her so called family and friends do not deserve her. Not in the slightest bit.
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My silent screams go unnoticed,
My darkened dreams unchecked;
This emptiness is all consuming,
Will it steal away my breath?
Everything around turns to grey.
I'm not sure if I should resist;
As color slowly fades away,
This numbness only persists.
Silence can be so much louder
Than any spoken word;
So all these days will pass me by,
My thoughts still left unheard.
I thought my only option left
Was to end my precious life;
So I planned to step off of a ledge
Or make friends with a knife.
As I lay upon the blood-stained floor,
I wonder what I've done;
The devil looks in through my door
And steals another one.
(Published by Family Friend Poems June 2014 with permission of the author.—-This poem wasn't written by me)
Sabrina didn't want to leave the empty white place she visioned herself in. It was all white. It was quiet and somewhat serene to her distraught soul but some good things must meet an end. She flickered her eyes open to see herself in a hospital room with her family littered around the place.
Opposite her was a mirror where she could have a clear view of herself. She feels numb. She looks disbanded, her hair was now all over her body because it grew longer and was so rough. Her pupils were smaller, her lips were dry, her body was pale, she didn't touch her thighs but it hurts so badly but she could feel the bandage on it, her wrist too was wrapped with a bandage. She prefers everything that way. This way, her appearance can move in sync with how she truly feels in her heart.
"Sabrina, you're awake!" Kubra exclaimed sauntering towards her.
"How do you feel?" Mrs Mahir inquired with so much concern in her but got no response.
"We're sorry for what we made you go through." Mr Mahir began with his waterworks. Sabrina didn't say a word as her eyes pierced into the mirror opposite her.
"Why didn't you tell us you were depressed?" Jannah and Harisa cried as they held her hands but she didn't move neither did she utter a single word. Why should she have told them about her depression? What would they have done?
"'My princess you cut your self? You didn't think there was need to approach anyone for help, why would you do this to yourself?" Arif exclaimed but in a calm manner. He hates himself for what they made his sister go through.
The girl was just twenty years old but had already gone through a lot. The root cause of it all was their nuclear family. And that's undeniable. Their parents being the seeds of all her troubles.
"My daughter, the doctor said you have three mental health issues, I'm worried sick I don't know what to do!" Amma cried her heart out laying her head on the hospital bed Sabrina was sprawled on.
"Are you suicidal, Sabrina?" Mrs Mahir questioned so lowly, she was so afraid of getting a positive answer because she'd never forgive herself for it. She knows her daughter hates her and there's nothing she could do about it. For twenty years, she's been nothing but a cruel and awful mother. But you can't blame her, can you?
Sabrina didn't open her lips to say anything instead she blinked and blinked till she could stop hearing their voices and focus on her face. Successfully, she blocked their voices away and focused on the empty space. She felt nothing. She was alive but dead at the same time.
"At least just say one word, please Sabrina. Just a word!" Kubra sobbed clutching her hands.
"You can shout at us, you can vent out your anger, please just speak! Anything, anything!" Amma pleas were pointless because she couldn't even move her lips or any part of her body.
They spent more than thirty minutes trying to get a reaction out of her but all was in vain. They had successfully taken away the little sanity she had left.
"Khaleed! What did you do to yourself, foolish girl?" Coach barged into the room with Mimi and Farooq trailing behind her. The moment Farooq informed her about Sabrina's condition, she took the first cab to the hospital.
Not caring about what the people in the room would think of her, she sat next to Sabrina on the hospital bed. She stared at her for a long time before blinking back the tears that threatened to spill. All the energy had completely been drained, there was no glint of the former Khaleed she loved, the girl sitting next to her was a broken soul that needed healing.
Slowly, she enveloped her in a hug. She couldn't hold back the tears any longer, Coach's tears dripped down her gown. She wasn't the emotional type neither was she the a fan of physical contact but here she was hugging her.
If it was on another day, Sabrina would shout like a crazy person and flaunt it to the whole world that Coach hugged her but that girl was far from gone. She didn't move any part of her body, the only thing she managed to do was rest her head on Coach's shoulder. She loved the woman so much. And nobody can ever change that.
"You're not alone, okay? We'll go through everything together. I promise you." She placed a kiss on her forehead because she got no response from the former.
The second coach rose up to her feet, Sabrina tilted her head sideways to see her husband. She read through him. She could see everything in and out of him. His orbs stared into hers not wavering for even a second, he would do anything to rid her away from the pain she's feeling. She doesn't deserve this. She doesn't.
PTSD, Anxiety Disorder and Depression.
It was all almost impossible to believe. Sabrina wasn't one to hide her feelings, she says whatever she feels whenever she feels like. Strong minded and heavily aggressive. It hurt him more because the implication of her self harming, is that she didn't think she could open up to anyone about it. Not even Aliza or him.
He sauntered towards the bed when she pressed her knees on the bed, wrapping her hands around him. She didn't want to be with anyone but him. He's all that she needs. Her addiction was way more powerful than her numbness. She wished to be away from everyone and be locked away in another world just with Farooq.
He was her light. The only light that didn't go off after she blacked out.
"You'll hurt yourself, lay down." He unwrapped his hands and gently pushed her back. Doctor Sofia said she'd have to use a wheelchair or crutches for a week before the injuries on her legs heal, it would be hard for her to walk considering her last cuts were extremely deep.
"Mimi, the food?" He politely inquired it almost sounded foreign to the family's ears. He formed a bond with Mimi over the past two months. The two were almost friends, he isn't all grumpy and arrogant with her, she was his potential sister-in-law. That is if Abdallah doesn't mess up.
Coach, on the other hand, got along with him the second they met. They had one thing in common, they both were eager to see Sabrina brought down at some point, the girl's ego was too large for them to handle. Good thing he's friends with Coach now.
Farooq being polite to someone? That's just absurd. Amma stared in amazement as he fed Sabrina the food spoon after spoon. The way he cared for her was way too obvious. Who is the man because it certainly isn't her son?
The Farooq she once knew would never glance at Sabrina not even if her heart was bleeding, but here he was feeding her and treating her like a princess. From the angle they could all see, he would do anything to make her happy again.
"Let's go, I've signed your discharge papers." Mimi brought the wheelchair she would be using then slowly helped her on it. Mimi leaned down and hugged her but all she did was lean on her shoulder. She was the only close friend she had left, she can't ever let go of Mimi. Never.
Pushing the wheelchair, the two ambled out of the room.
"Her psychotherapy will commence next week, I've gotten a very good psychologist all the way from Dubai, one of the very best." Mrs Mahir stated searching for the person's number in order to pass it to Farooq.
"I'm not letting any psychopath near my Adila! And that applies to all the ones in this room." He deadpanned sending daggers their way.
"She needs help!" Amma shouted.
"What she needs is healing. And you people will only bring more distress into her life. Don't you think you've contributed enough already?"
"We are her parents." Daddy blurted out.
"Since when?" Farooq scoffed slipping his hands back into his pockets.
"I don't repeat myself, you all know that. So I'll say this once and make sure it sticks to your thick skulls. Stay away from, Adila."
"But she's my—" Aliya was cut short by the glare sent her way from Farooq. He clenched his jaw and fists then deepened the glare more into her skin. If commuting murder wasn't a sin, the first person he'd kill would be Aliya. That doesn't mean he'll let her go scot free. God forbid, he won't be able to forgive himself if he allows her be. He's patiently waiting for her to give birth then he can attack.
"Sorry." She ducked her head down because her only wish was to be buried underneath the ground. His mere presence frightens her more than anything.
"You two are the only persons I can tolerate at the moment so take this!" He tossed two flash to Arif and Betty.
"What's this?" Arif analysed the flash he threw his way.
"It's evidence. You can have a clear view of what really transpired between Adila and Aliya." He managed to get the footages from the CCTV cameras at the mansion.
"May God have mercy on all of you because I surely won't. And I'm not even excluding the three parents here. You'll all pay for what you did to, my Adila." He spewed venom then he moseyed out of the room in all glory his head stuck straight above.
"Just to make it clear, you people's energy doesn't correspond with Khaleed's so I suggest you stay away from her, okay?" Coach added hers.
"I'm her father, Khaleed Mahir." Daddy cleared his throat.
"Ohh, the famous Khaleed. Not really nice to meet you, I've heard a lot about you frown Kha—Sabrina." She controlled her tongue from referring to her as Khaleed.
"Who are you?" His brows knitted.
"Mrs Mahir, why don't you tell them who I am." Coach walked up to her pinning her gaze on her. Mrs Mahir stared at her for some seconds then looked away. She felt too ashamed to be in her presence.
"Come on, Mrs Mahir. You're acting like you weren't the woman that tried bribing me in order for me to kick Khaleed out of the basketball team in UCLA."
They all let out a gasp. "How could you, Aisha?" Kubra's mom stared at her best friend in disbelief. Bribe? What has become of her best friend because it certainly isn't the woman that she knew twenty years ago.
"I'm Coach Camila. Sabrina's Basketball Coach. My Khaleed is a fighter and she'll fight through this. If you don't believe in her then that's not an issue because I'll root for that girl till the day I breathe my last breath."
"I think the one that needs a therapist is you Mrs Mahir, after all, you're really rich. While you're at it, get yourself different colors of clothes because white doesn't move in sync with your personality. Not in the slightest bit." She slammed the door behind her and exited the premises.
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Days went by, weeks and eventually it reached a whole month. Things had changed, for better or for worst? One could barely tell.
Mufid and Jannah had eloped together along with few of their entrusted relatives and got married in Saudia Arabia. They have been in Saudia Arabia for almost two weeks now. The two refused to return back to Nigeria as they all feared Mr Al-Qasim's wrath. He wasn't going to take it easy on his daughter nor his now son-in-law. In the meantime, the new weds performed Umrah and spent some good quality time together before it's time to come and face hell. They were both weren't ready for it.
Aliya had put to bed two weeks ago. The naming ceremony was simple and not as grand as it was supposed to be. The family had been disbanded. The chances of everything going back to the way it was, was so slim. Her husband gave her the cold shoulder after Aliza's husband—Captain baby—informed him of his wife's heinous action towards her sister. He was dissatisfied by her actions.
Captain Baby and a certain secret agent have been digging through into Aliza's murder case but it was almost as though their efforts were in vain but that didn't stop them. Only few people knew that she was murdered so they hope to uncover the truth as soon as possible before the word gets out.
Mr and Mrs Mahir buried theirselves with nothing but work. Maybe it was their way of healing or maybe they just didn't care. Work always came before anything.
Ashraf was away in Spain. He was at the brink of losing it. He didn't know how he felt about everything that had transpired within the last few months. He was hurting so badly. What hurt the most was he knew who murdered both Saif and his dearest Aliza but he couldn't do anything. He felt like a coward. He knows everything but still couldn't stop it from happening. He was losing his mind. He constantly prays for the day Baba Kaka will regain consciousness again because only then can everything be unravelled. Only then will mountain be set on fire. The day the man regains consciousness will be the day all hell will break lose.
Kubra and Arif's relationship was improving because they were both grieving. But they still managed to help theirselves. Farooq had stopped the guards from letting anyone who isn't Coach, Mimi, Captain Baby, from stepping foot into his house.
Sabrina had been meek and numb for a whole month. She doesn't go to work, not that she wanted to but Farooq wouldn't even let her step foot outside.
She still doesn't talk. All she does is nod her head or shook her head negatively.
Doctor Sofia suggested that she only wears small clothes from now on because she was still healing and wasn't completely sane. For safety measures, Farooq picks out the clothes she wears and she isn't even bothered about it. All she wears was mid thigh length dresses, shorts, camisoles, tank tops,mini skirts and anything from above the knee.
She didn't care about anything. She was patiently waiting for the day she'd eventually return back to her lord. That was all she hoped for.
She's tired of everything.
Farooq had tried so hard to get her to speak but she made no attempt. He didn't give up though, he kept trying. And one day, she smiled—not just a smile—she giggled. It was the day he attempted to bake for her but ended up burning the pot.
It was that disastrous.
"You chuckled?" His lips stretched upwards as he walked up to her. Her chuckle turned into laughter as she saw flour all over his gorgeous face.
"You're laughing?" He chortled as he saw the glint on elatedness in her. That laugh he missed for a whole month. The way her lips, dimples, eyes, nose and teeth moved in sync whenever she laughs was too perfect. He adores her so very much.
She nodded still with a smile on her face then slowly wiped away the flour that was on his moustache. She was seated on a stool her legs spread wide apart. She was wearing a maroon triangle mid thigh length dress. He moved closer till their thighs rubbed against each other. Slowly, she wrapped her arms around his waist laying her head on his chest. It was her comfort zone. His body was the only thing she found comfort in after him.
"I miss you, Adila." He murmured into her ears placing a kiss on her jaw. It sent shivers down her spine but she maintained her balance on the stool.
"I miss me too, Farooq. I really do."
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END OF CHAPTER
HEY GUYS! I'm so sorry for giving you a short chapter. It's because of the comments I got that made me write this. Because honestly, school is hectic and I'm so tired but I have to give my guys what they want 😪❤️ I love you all so much!!!'
The next chapter will be longer than this.
Zira🫶🏼💕