CHAPTER 12
UNEDITED
The week went by in a blur, mostly because Mama was so frantic about the upcoming city banquet, with planning, calling sponsors, ordering the food, getting the venues all set up etc. Basically, I've been my mom's wingman (or winggirl?) when it came to the banquet and you could say I was just as excited as my mom was, but for me it was because it was soon to be over. Over the course of the week, we over at Cameron's house a handful of times to help Isabella prepare and plan for the big event. And finally, once the day came, I was absolutely ecstatic.
"Mama! They're here!" I hollered to her upstairs as Cameron, Isabella and Maxy were already at our door.
"Darling, you look lovely," Isabella cooed at me and I gave her a little curtsy in my long lilac colored dress. I've always wanted to do that and now seemed like a perfect time.
She was clothed in a knee length black dress accessorizing it with pearl and a black clutch. Her auburn hair was curled to perfection and reached just above her shoulders. She looked elegant and cute at the same time. "So do you Isabella, I love what you did with your hair," I gushed.
I looked down to little Maxy and she was wearing a cute little pick dress and her straight brown hair was pulled into a ballet bun with a ton of sparkles and glitter. "Oooh Maxy, you look so pretty," I told her and she just replied with an open tooth smile.
Then I heard Cameron cough disturbingly loud and I looked at him noticing he was actually wearing a tuxedo. Oh my gosh. I can't. Breathe. If he looked good before, then he looks extraterrestrial now. Honestly, I don't know how it's physically possible to be able to look that good. Him in a tux is just mouthwatering. Wait, did I just think that? Ugh I really need to stop doing that. I only wish it was that simple.
"Um, yeah, hi," I said to him after his purposeful cough attack, trying not to display any signs of infatuation.
"So chaparrita, you complimented my mom and my sister, I'm sort of waiting for mine now," he stood there looking impatient, it was actually pretty funny.
"Yeah, um, I think not," I said wrinkling my nose in disgust and he faked a hurt look.
My mom came down the stairs almost tripping over her heels in a hurry. Luckily I was right there to steady her.
"Hey Yasmin, you look great! Everyone ready to leave?" Isabella asked.
"Wait, isn't Teta coming?" Cameron asked.
"No honey, her and Adam are out with Sumaya doing some future house shopping. The whole formal banquet really isn't their scene. Trust me, I tried," she sighed. "But they said they might some later on and meet us there."
We all were crammed into my mom's car after her insisting we go together to the banquet. I was seated at the far right of the back with Maxy sitting in the middle and Cameron on the far left looking out the window like they do in the movies. Mama and Isabella were in the front. Once we all arrived at the hall, we were pleased to see that most of the decorations were all up and that tables were arranged to fit the capacity of people coming. Every year it's a combination of city councilmen, the mayor, high profile people like police officers, fire fighters, doctors, rich businessmen who are capable of donating big sums, the committee members and their families and a few common folk.
An hour before the event started, a few other committee members came to do touch ups like place the chair covers on, fix table centerpieces, check the mic system etc. I was busy placing all the eating utensils in their proper places on the tables. I would have finished earlier but Cameron kept screwing up forgetting the format.
"You're doing it all wrong," I bugged. "From your left it's salad fork, dinner fork, plate, dinner knife, teaspoon and soup spoon. The knife doesn't go on the right of the soup spoon and the salad fork isn't directly beside the plate," I explained for what seemed like the hundredth time.
Cameron ran a hand through his semi jelled hair, his forehead forming unflattering creases. He sighed in frusteration. "Why the he- (h, e, double hockey sticks) is there two spoons and two forks when they're fully capable of doing the exact same thing?" he asked furious at the extent of etiquette the world has places for table settings. "And what's this smaller knife for?" he asked taking one out.
"That's the bread knife," I whispered seeing how he did have a point. One of each utensil would have surely sufficed, but that's not proper enough for the annual city banquet. It does seem wasteful to me.
"Okay, I think, I think I'm done with silverware for a lifetime," he vowed putting down all the utensils from his hand and going to grab piles of chairs to set up. Thank God, I'd finally be able to finish faster as he was gone. And I surely did. Once the whole hall was ready, we were pleased to see there was still ten minutes left until the banquet started, and our first guests began to arrive. Perfect timing!
As they all started getting seated, my mom stood behind the podium alongside Isabella and Katie Reynold's mom as they thanked everyone for coming. "It's our pleasure to have you all here today to celebrate the success of our city and to promote its further development through all of your generous donations. We'd also like to give a huge thanks to our great sponsors," Isabella rolled off the names of all the sponsors that, as she put it exactly, "made this wonderful day possible". The whole thing is so cliché, but it gets the city pumped, so I guess that's all that matters. The night started off with a performance by the youth violin group who did pretty well for 12 year olds. Heck, to me they were spot on, but I'm not one to play musical instruments, so what would I know?
"Let's give a round of applause for the Faycrest County Youth Violinists," Katie's mom urged colliding her long and thin fingers against the palm of her other hand enthusiastically.
I sat on one of the tables reserved for committee member families, about to fall asleep listening to the mayor going on about how wonderful Faycrest is, and all of its wonderful local businesses and wonderful people that we should all support, and all lots wonderful youth full of potential and how wonderful the opportunities here are. You could say I was getting really sick of the word wonderful fast. Cameron sat opposite to me on the other end of the table perched on an elbow looking like he was trying his absolute best to keep his eyes from shutting close. I was tempted to offer him toothpicks to stretch his eyelids open preventing them from closing like Mr. Bean did in that one movie. I started laughing silently at the thought and Katie, who went to sit beside Cameron shot me a glare. What's her problem? Cameron tilted his head to look at me and faked a yawn, completely oblivious to Katie ogling him. I found it funny, seeing how karma had taken an effect on her. After all she has done to ruin people she found inferior to her, the one thing she has always wanted (Cameron), she couldn't have.
Checking my phone to see the time, the athan (call to prayer) for Asr (afternoon prayer) . Luckily, I saw Ibby across the hall getting up, presumably to go pray, so I got up to follow him.
"Where are you going?" Cameorn asked.
"I'm going to pray," I whispered back to not cause a nuisance.
Katie gave me an unimpressed; "You're going to pray?" she scoffed at me giving me a disgusted look.
"Yeah," Cameron butt in. "It's that thing that thing that grateful people do to thank God and communicate with him," he practically shut her up. "Can I come too?" he asked. I shrugged nodding my head. I didn't see why he shouldn't watch. It's a learning experience. As we caught up with Ibby and an elderly lady who also wished to pray, we found a dormant room and laid extra table clothes on the floor so we could prostrate to God. Cameron went off and sat to the side while he watched us pray. Ibby obviously led the prayer and I was glad he wasn't affected by Cameron's presence considering their somewhat dislike for one another. But he was so calm and collective it was great to see. He's such a great Muslim, it's admirable. It's hard to believe I haven't formed any romantic feelings towards him yet. He's perfect, exactly what I envision when I think of a compatible spouse, well rounded and complete, kind, generous, religious, good looking. So why exactly have I not fell in love with him yet?
Since there was no sunnah (optional prayer) to pray after Asr, we just made du'aa (supplication/ calling to God) and began to fold back up the table clothes that we prayed on. I looked to the side and caught a glimpse of what looked like Cameron making, du'aa? He had both palms up, one hand under the other, and his eyes were closed. A fixed expression on his face showed he was concentrating on what he was thinking. I was flabbergasted at the sight I saw. The completely beautiful sight I saw of what I thought was Cameron making du'aa. Maybe he was starting to find peace with God. And maybe, just maybe, I had a little part to do with that. It brought a smile to my face and I couldn't help forget the world in that moment. He looked so perfect praying to God, like he was meant to be. As creepy as it sounds, I wouldn't mind spending a day just watching him pray. He had such an intense and determined look, like he was begging God, for whatever it was. He was so into it, and lost in his own world. It looked like he was at ease, at peace. It was something like I've never seen before on him, and I have to admit, I was internally swooning.
Once we all finished, we headed back out to the hall where it was our version of a cocktail hour, featuring a lot of mingling, appetizers and mini treats. No alcohol, not to worry. I was just glad the mayor's speech was done.
I tried a few hors d'oeuvres and some cucumber sandwiches, but couldn't help wait for the actual dinner to get started, because in all honesty, I was famished. I was standing there talking to Cameron when Katie showed up with a tray of tarts in her hands.
"You guys absolutely have to try one, these are just soooo delicious," she stretched out emphasizing how good they were. "I just had to steal the tray from the waiter," she giggled. It was shocking to see how nice she was being, but I guess it was just an act to impress Cameron. He picked up a pink one asking if it was strawberry and Katie nodded. I was about to pick up one with blue swirly frosting but Katie suggested otherwise.
"Dunya, you have to try the kiwi tart," she cooed. "It's sooo good, trust me," she added and I had to admit, it did look good. So I picked up that one instead and immediately licked the dallop of green frosting right off. It was good, and I began nodding my head in agreement as I swallowed. In a near instant, the back of my my throat felt scratchy, dry and tingly, and I knew right away. I began to panic, hyperventilate. This was not good, not good at all. I should have known, I'm so stupid.
"Dunya, are you okay? What's going on?" he asked concerned.
"Water, I need water Cameron," I almost yelled and he looked just as panicked as I did. He ran to get me water and helped me guzzle it down. That didn't prevent my lips from swelling, and hives began emerging on my face.
"Pistachios," I said, and kept repeating it to myself as Katie began laughing.
"Whoops, I must have mixed them up by accident. Pistachios, kiwis, eh, they're both green. But my, look at your face Dunya, I knew that clear skin of yours would never last. You want Proactiv to help clear that up?" she asked with a smirk on her face. I couldn't believe it. I just couldn't.
"Katie, you ******* gave her nuts?" Cameron barked at her, fists clenched and jaw tightly fixated. Katie looked at him with a sort of exasperated look, as if she was expecting him to just laugh it off with her.
"What's the big deal?" she asked annoyed by his tone of voice.
"The big deal is that she's anaphylactic Katie!" he yelled. "What's wrong with you?" And with that he turned around escorting me away from her.
I rummaged through my purse trying to find some Benadryl to ease the effects but came up short of nothing. Then I remembered that my mom always kept a spare Epipen in her car. I tried calling her but she didn't answer. She probably had her phone on silent, and I couldn't see her anywhere in the hall.
"Cameron, I need the Epipen right now," I panicked.
"I'll go get it, stay here," he said and ran off. I tried to find someone I knew to help, but everyone in front of me were strangers. Everyone I was looking for, where nowhere in plain sight. Mama, Isabella, Ibby; they were nowhere to be seen. Cameron came back with the Epipen in hand sprinting to get by my side.
"How did you get it?" I asked considering my mom's car was locked.
"Let's just say I owe your mom a car window," he said sheepishly handing my giant needle.
"No, I can't do it, you do it," I begged knowing I wouldn't have the guts to stab myself in the thigh with the foot-long needle. I ripped the cap off and handed it to him. He looked at it like it was an alien unsure of what to do with it.
"Blue to the sky, orange to the thigh," I remembered the little jingle I was taught as a kid on how to use the Epipen in case of an emergency. The last time I ever used it was when I was at school in the second grade. A friend and I were switching sandwiches, but least did I know, hers was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Cameron looked baffled for a second but then took the needle and jabbed it in my thigh. I inhaled quickly, trying to mask the pain that the needle gave me, but figured there was no point. The hives kept growing, and were travelling down my throat, a very scary sign indeed.
"Now what?" he asked worriedly.
"Now I have to go to the hospital," I urged and he registered the concept.
"Oh God, okay," he stammered. "Let's go."
As we were going to headed to his car, (which he had Chase drop off incase he wanted to leave early), I could feel it getting harder and harder to breathe. My throat was now swelling up rather quickly.
"Cameron, it's getting hard to breathe," I looked at him panicked and he swore under his breath. Then he proceeded to put an arm beneath my legs and an arm under my neck as he scooped me up bridal style and made a run for it. Normally, this would never be tolerated, being seeing as I was almost on my deathbed, and that this was an emergency, it had to be done. I was actually surprised at how fast he was running like I weighed a feather, and the fact that he was wearing a tux. That surely would have slowed anyone down. As he raced to get me into the passenger seat of his car, I sat down taking deep breaths as he turned the car on and reversed it instantly. I could see a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead as he sped through the semi-busy streets of Faycrest.
"Are you okay? How's the breathing?" he asked giving me a quick glance before turning a sharp corner.
"Not well, it feels like my throat is getting smaller and smaller," I admitted croakily. His grip on the wheel tightened as his knuckled turned white, and he accelerated the speed as he pushed the gas pedal further.
"We'll be there in a minute," he reassured although he himself seemed to be unconvinced. "Hang in there Dunya," he pled. Just then, I saw a faint glow of blue and red lights accompanied by roaring sirens. Cameron cursed again.
"Cameron, pull over," I beckoned but he refused.
"No way on earth, I can't compromise a second," he said and kept weaving through traffic with a few cop cars trailing behind us. It just made it easier because all other cars went to the side to make way for the police cars. I gave a better clearing route for Cameron to travel on faster.
I felt like the world was closing in on me, as my breathing become heavy and weak. I didn't know how long I'd manage before God knows what. I started making internal du'aa asking Allah to forgive my sins, to let me live, I begged him, I begged him, and I started crying. I was scared; oh man I was scared as heck. This could've been one of the last moments of life. Who knew if I'd make it to the hospital in time? What if I didn't have enough time to tell my family that I loved them? What if I wasn't ready for death? Thoughts kept racing through my brain and I felt weak, not only mentally, but physically. With the police still behind us thinking we were trying to get away, Cameron raced through one of many red lights and turned into the hospital parking lot.
"We're here, Dunya, we're here," my heart beat picking up as he rushed to get me out of my seat, not bothering with seat belts for the both of us. He picked me up once again and ran me into the emergency department barging through doors. It was quiet inside, with a few people seated in the waiting area and secretaries filling out forms.
"She can't breathe!" Cameron yelled. "Someone get her into the ER now!" Paramedics ran to my side to help me get onto a stretching up to the ER. We didn't bother with paperwork or anything; it was just straight to the hospital bed. Well, thank God for that, because I didn't think I could take another minute of prolonged agony. As I lay on the stretcher, the paramedics began asking Cameron questions about what happened and he told them everything about my anaphylactic reaction, and all the symptoms he saw. I was barely able to speak at this point, so I was grateful he was there to answer just as quickly as I would have. I was then rushed to a hospital bed where nurses quickly hooked me up to some IV and other medication. I could feel the liquids shooting up my veins as the nurse injected fluids into my system to help ease the reaction.
I lay there thanking Allah for helping me make it to the hospital in breathing sanity. The nurses calmly asked Cameron to leave to hospital bed seeing how we weren't family, and that it currently wasn't visiting hours. Cameron refused and put up a pretty good fight, but they ended up threatening to call security, so he said he'd leave after making sure I was okay.
"I tried calling your mom but she didn't answer," he started telling me at my bedside. "I even tried Teta and Adam, but I was stuck with voicemail," he sighed. "But it's okay Dunya, we got this, alright? You're in good hands now, and once that stupid banquet thing is over, I'm sure your mom will answer my calls and/or notice you're missing and call," he joked. I didn't have any energy to laugh along with him, so I mustered up a small lopsided smile. Then, as he tried to start cracking jokes to ease the tension, I could my head getting heavier and heavier. My eyelids were beginning to close in on me, and I could feel things begin to fade slowly.
"Hey Dunya, What time is it when you have to go to the dentist? Tooth-hurtie. What's the best part about living in Switzerland? Not sure, but the flag is a big plus. Okay, so I was at a game the other day and I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger. Then it hit me. You know, when you get a bladder infection, urine trouble. The other day I was thinking and dwarfs and midgets have very little in common. In my opinion Atheism is a non-prophet organization. How did the hipster burn his tongue? He drank his coffee before it was cool. You want to hear a pizza joke? Never mind, it's pretty cheesy."
Alright everyone!!! Here is chapter 12, the chapter I have been awaiting, so what do you think? The next chapter is going to be a continuation of it, incase you were wondering, so yeah. How'd you like Cameron's cheesy jokes? Thoughts on Katie? COTE + VOMMENT, you guys are the best! We're at 33K reads and I can't believe it, woah, you all bring me such joy :) I update once a week, so expect one next week. In other news, school starts tomorrow here, so that's a real bummer :'( But yeah, other than that, there's not that much going on. Thanks to @wowstylinson for the super cool cover to the side :D
By the way, whoever writes the best comment will get the next chapter's dedication, and I'll feature it before the chapter! Good luck, let's the games begin :))) xxx
~S