Chapter 93: "Soaked in Tears"

Post your reactions as you read!🥰

Salma waited outside the Operation Room for as long as she could, but in the end, she had to go pray Dhur because delaying it any longer would have meant missing it. The prayer was agonizing. Not only because prostrating before the Lord of the worlds when she was in pieces totally shattered whatever self-control she was exercising over her emotions, but also, because the physical searing pain in her gut was becoming harder to ignore. Salma wept unhindered in prostration. She had wanted to pray for her professor's life, and ask for healing for everyone mourning Louisa, but once her forehead touched the ground, she just wept. Not a word was uttered. Not a plea made, or a prayer whispered. It was just her wounded and bleeding heart channeling it all in form of tears as it lay exposed and vulnerable at Mercy of it's Creator. Salma cried till she was exhausted, but even then as she raised her head up, she felt Louisa's death, and Professor R.K's life hanging by a thread, hit her like a cannon, pressing her down, pulling her under.

Salma pushed against her palms to stand up and continue her prayer. A stab of excruciating pain set her stomach on flames. Gasping, Salma stilled, then keeled over. Flashes of light blinded her as bruise pulsed. For the briefest instant, the physical pain chased away the agony of her searing heart. Salma pushed against her palms slowly, sitting up, somewhat crouched, to finish her prayers.

Salma had trouble getting up. The muscles in her stomach wall were so bruised and swollen that straightening up was no longer possible. She was hunched forward, at best. Crying in agony, Salma massaged the bruise, trying to ease the knotted muscle fibers so she could move. A swollen mass of lumps could be felt underneath her shirt and abaya. Salma pushed up. An anguished cry escaped her lips as her stomach seared. It felt like the tissues were tearing up at the ends of the bruise. Salma tried again, straightening up bit by bit. Tears of pain oozed out of her eyes. The bruise burned, as if her abdomen was set in fire. Once on her feet, she leaned against the wall, hoping the sharp pain would subside a little. The door opened just then and a few women entered.

"Assalam o alaikom," they greeted before choosing a spot to offer their prayers.

Suppressing the pain, Salma discreetly wiped her eyes dry and nodded, whispering a reply, "Wa alaikom Assalam."

Barely had she finished greeting back when the door opened again and in stormed Spogmae, her sharp eyes already zeroed on the women who had started praying.

"Are you done?" she asked Salma, still searching the small prayer room for potential threats.

Salma nodded, hoping to appear normal.

"I'll be out in a minute," she muttered, asking for a moment to collect herself.

Giving her a scrutinizing stare, Spogmae threw one last distrustful glance at the women before stepping out. Salma figured she had seen the women enter the room and had wanted to make sure they were not tasked to strangle Salma.

Salma followed the Green Coat after a few minutes, doing her best to appear normal and keep a straight posture. However, barely five steps away from the prayer room and the pull in her swollen bruise forced her to bent-double.

"I'm alright! I'm okay," Salma said through gritted teeth as the searing continued. She had stopped to lean against the wall with an arm around her painful stomach again. "I just need a minute . . ." Her breathing was heavy. "I need a minute."

She felt steady hands grab around her shoulders securely.

"What you need," Spogmae said as she pulled her away from the wall. Salma winced in pained, but Spogmae supported most of her weight against her, "is a doctor."

"No, I—"

"It was not a suggestion," Spogame interrupted firmly. "Your father is going to be here first thing after he's finished with the mess outside. You want to deal with him in this condition?"

Salma chewed on her lips, feeling her heart sink a little. She had a fair idea her father finding out about Toryal kicking her square in the stomach was not going to be pleasant.

"We're getting it checked," Spogmae announced, leading her away.

"I'm fine," Salma mumbled nonetheless, feeling a little relieved because the pain was becoming unbearable.

***

"My God . . ." the doctor muttered as she inspected the bruise that stretched across the length of Salma's abdomen and had turned a nasty shade of purple. The inflamed blood vessels and muscles were knotted in places, forming visible lumps around her belly button and under the diaphragm. Even Salma was surprised to see how angry the bruise looked.

Salma's concerned gaze quickly shifted to the Green Coat, who was standing like a statue behind the doctor with a hard scowl directed at the bruise. She looked alert, concerned, angry and very ready to attack, should the doctor give her an excuse by making any threatening moves.

"What kind of an animal have you been dealing with?" the doctor continued as she titled her head to the side to see how far left the bruise was stretched. She straightened up and looked Salma in the eye. "You reported him, didn't you?"

Salma hesitated. She exchanged the briefest glance with Spogmae but the doctor caught on and turned to the Green Coat.

"Look, this kind of violence should not go unreported or unpunished!" the doctor cried. "Domestic abuse is a serious matter –"

"It was not domestic abuse," Salma quickly replied, making the doctor turn back to her. "It was here, just a few hours ago. I ran into the man who is believed to be the imposter that posed as a doctor to assassinate a patient."

"Dear God!" the doctor exclaimed. "There was an assassination attempt? What has the world come to. An assassination attempt and a bomb attack all in one day! You're lucky you got away with just a kick –"

"This is absolutely not okay!" Spogmae snapped, taking the doctor and Salma by surprise.

"No, I mean, of course this is not okay – look I'm sorry," she said with a sigh. "It's just a really hard day for all of us. That blast was horrific. I heard a young girl lost her life. I said the wrong thing."

"It's alright," Salma muttered, looking away as Louisa's lifeless body covered under a white cloth flashed past her mind. Salma wondered what the kind doctor would think if she found out, Salma personally knew the old man who was targeted, and his murderer, witnessed the explosion, and also knew the victims of the blast. It was almost as if all these tragic events had a common denominator. Salma. "I understand," she whispered, blinking back tears

Nodding apologetically, the doctor turned towards the box on the side-table of the examination bed. Salma hastily covered her bare stomach with her arms. Realizing Salma was feeling embarrassed, Spogmae blinked and quickly averted her gaze elsewhere. The doctor was searching through the medicines available and writing a prescription so Salma figured the examination was over and started pulling her shirt down.

"No – hold on," the doctor stopped her. "Let me apply some of this gel so you can at least straighten up a little. Then, later you can get the rest of your prescription from the pharmacy."

Salma nodded. The doctor finished writing the prescription then grabbed a tube and squeezed a generous amount of gel on her finger tips. Salma jumped in pain, biting back a wince as her fingers gently massaged the medicine on her bruise, making a pulsing pain throb everywhere she touched. Gritting her teeth to not make a sound, Salma stared at the doctor to distract herself as the painful massage continued on her right side. She was a beautiful woman, with jet black pulled into a tight bun, fish-lips that were painted red and, mono-lid eyes.

"There," she announced, much to Salma's relief, capping the tube. "Take one muscle relaxant and a painkiller," she said as she started putting the pills into the tiny pill-cup, and then rolled away on her chair to get some water from the cooler. "Also, I advice bed rest, and recommend an ultra-sound to ensure the injury is only superficial."

"Internal injury is a possibility?" Spogmae asked, looking concerned.

"With this kind of impact, yes," the doctor said as she handed the prescription to Spogmae. "But she's showing no symptoms so far. I'm just recommending it as a cautionary measure."

Salma started getting up. She had been away from the OR for almost an hour now. The anxiety of how professor R.K was doing now was eating up at her insides. Did he make it? Was he out of the OR? Were they still operating on him? How bad were his injuries? She did not know what to expect once she returned and her gut churned uncomfortably, knowing anything was possible. A hand rested on her shoulder, stopping her from moving.

"Lie down for a bit," the doctor said. "Let the medicine work. Once the bruise is rested, you'll be in less pain."

Smiling at her, the doctor nodded at Spogmae and walked out of the examination room. Salma avoided Spogmae's eyes as she continued trying to get up.

"Don't," the Green Coat warned.

Salma glanced at her.

"You're resting like she said you should," Spogmae said.

Salma was anxious of disobeying the no-mess Green Coat, but she was too worried to rest.

"I want to see my professor," Salma cried, as Spogmae helped her recline without putting too much pressure on her abdominal muscles.

"I understand, but there isn't much you can do right now while he's being operated on. It's better that you rest here than wait there and get worse," Spogmae replied.

Salma rested against the pillow and closed her eyes, allowing the injured muscles to settle. Tears escaped her closed lids. She sniffed.

"I just can't decide what's worse for RK. Living with the loss, or losing his life. My heart breaks for him," Salma whispered through tears as her resolve broke all over again. The pain of Louisa's death attacked her full force once again, crushing her heart under its enormity, squeezing her chest within. "I can't imagine what he would go through when he wakes up and realizes that his daughter . . . his daughter is –"

Salma broke up. She covered her eyes with her hands, letting it out once more as her professor's heartbreaking situation stabbed at her chest again. A consoling hand rested on her shoulder. Salma wiped her eyes dry. She was not the one that needed consoling. Professor R.K did. He had lost his playful, little, energized child. "It just scares me so much! How's he going to deal with it all alone?" Salma whispered. "She was his only family. How's he going to survive this loss?"

"The loss of a child is terribly agonizing, but – may Allah grant your professor shifaa – she was not his only family," Spogmae replied.

Salma removed her fingers from her eyes, and turned to her with tearful eyes, confused.

"She was the only family living with him, but he has more family." Spogmae explained.

"Who's left?" Salma asked, suddenly feeling a bit more hopeful that maybe professor R.K will have a hand to hold onto as he navigates this loss. "His wife died from colon cancer three years ago and Louisa was an only child."

"True and not true."

"What do you mean?"

"What do you know about Louisa's situation?"

"That Louisa's mum died, and she had a bit of a wild episode after that, which got her into Derek Hilton's mess. Zayn stepped in to help her out. She hated him for trying to control her life, and decided to deal with her problem herself, starting with learning self defense. However, she warmed up to Zayn once Sarah bridged the gap between two and he helped her out. Zayn and RK were her only family."

"Alright, so most of that is true except her mum's death," Spogmae said. "Her mother is alive."

"What?!" Salma whispered, her heart sinking a little for the poor lady.

"Louisa's parents divorced when she was ten and Louisa left to live with her mother," Spogmae explained. "She was her mother's only child, but R.K. already had a son from a previous relationship. Ken Krest is two years older than Louisa. R.K married Ken's mother, Elisa, and it was her who died from colon cancer, three years ago."

"Then how did Louisa end up living with R.K? And where's Ken?" Salma asked.

"Ken left for college a year after his mother died," Spogmae explained. "That's almost a year before you took any courses with R.K so it's only fair that you had no idea he existed. Louisa, on the other hand, had come to live with her father when she was fourteen, before Elisa died. As easy going as RK was, Louisa's mother was not. She is a bit of strict, no-mess, perfectionist and the always-up to-mischeif Louisa decided she wanted to move in with her easy-going father. She had developed a very warm relationship with Elisa and Ken and R.K. When Elisa died and Ken left for college, Louisa suffered a loss of much love and support, and had ample of misguidance and manipulation. Wanting to protect her family, and ashamed of what she had gotten herself into, she kept her Hilton problem a secret from Ken and R.K, and that's where she met Sarah and you and Zayn. All of you were her family and all of you will have to learn to live with her loss."

Salma wiped her eyes dry as she continued weeping silently. Louisa really was her family. A little sister she did not know she loved so much.

"How do you know so much about her?" Salma asked.

"You don't prod around because you like to keep to yourself. I have to find things out because it's my job," Spogmae replied.

It made sense, Salma thought. Anyone interacting with her had to have their backgrounds check to assess if they were planted, or a threat, otherwise. Who knew, the sweet little brat would end up bearing the brunt of interacting with her instead of the other way around.

"Has her family been informed?" Salma asked quietly.

"Ken is here," Spogmae replied. "He arrived fifteen minutes ago. Maurice, her mother, is flying in from Florida. She'll be here by tomorrow."

"I hope R.K makes it," Salma prayed. "I don't want Ken and Maurice to suffer more loss, especially Ken. He's already lost his mum and sister. He can't lose his dad too!"

Salma's heart seared for a man she had not known existed, just a few minutes ago. Spogmae looked away. Salma could not tell if she was tearing up, but the glimpse of her face that she had caught was a deeply miserable one.

"I pray Allah grants him strength and peace of heart as he lives through this agonizing storm," she whispered.

"Ameen." Salma muttered.

The two were quiet for a while. Each following their own train of thoughts.

Spogmae's phone beeped. Salma glanced at her as she read the text, her brow knotting into an annoyed frown.

"Everything alright?" Salma asked.

"Toryal has slipped past the eyes again," Spogmae replied with a sigh. "Unless he can be located, it's a high alert."

Salma felt a ripple of fear course through her.

"Is he behind all this?" she asked, dreading the reply.

"We don't know yet, but until we do, he's the prime suspect," Spogmae replied. "Initial findings are bad. The man who attempted to assassinate Zayn's grand father looks like an accomplice of Toryal. But we are not certain yet. In the CCTV footage, he kept a sanitary mask on. As did Toryal. They are not seen interacting anywhere and arrived and left separately, but, we know," Spogmae heaved another sigh. "Everything about him is of a man known to us who does all of Toryal's dirty work."

Salma felt her inside turn to ice.

"Is he also the one behind Louisa's murder?" Salma asked, terrified.

"We don't know yet."

"Is that a possibility?"

"It's too early to say. Look, we are trying to catch the culprit and find out what's going on, but until that happens, your safety is the top priority."

"But why would he target Louisa and RK? What have they done to him?" Salma cried. "They are the most benign people I've known. Why would anyone –?"

"We don't know," Spogmae repeated, reaching for her hand. She had realized Salma was panicking over the possibility. "We don't know if it was him. It could be that pervert she had trouble with. He had already tried to take her out before."

"Does Zayn know?" Salma asked. "About – about Toryal's possible involvement?"

"Don't think so," Spogmae replied. "We'll have to sit him down and talk to him once things have settled a bit. Right now, it's bad. He's in no condition to attend to anything else. Let him grieve his loss."

Salma felt her heart clench with pain. Her eyes watered again.

"Lou was like his baby sister," she whispered through tears. "He dotted on her so much. I can't imagine what he's going through right now." Salma wiped her eyes dry. "I have to see him!" she said suddenly, lifting her head.

"Rest," Spogmae was quick to put a restraining hand on her.

"No –"

"Salma –"

"I have to see him, now! He lost his sister and I haven't seen him since they wheeled the body out!" Salma argued, crying freely now.

Spogmae looked at her worriedly, but did not budge.

"Please," Salma cried. "I'm better now."

And it was not a lie. The medicine had kicked in and she could already feel the agonizingly stiff muscle having eased up a bit. The stabbing pain was still there, but the knotted fibers of the bruise were no longer pulling onto the stomach walls, forcing her to lean forward.

Salma pushed against Spogmae restraining hold to prove a point.

"I can move now. It doesn't hurt so much," she said, wiping away tears.

Inhaling a deep breath, Spogmae nodded and removed her hands.

"Alright," she breathed out. "But you tell me when it gets bad and you rest when I tell you to."

"Yes, Ma'am," Salma quickly agreed, eager to get out there and find Zayn and inquire about her professor.

Her stomach twisted in an anxious knot, making her hesitate a bit. What if there was more bad new waiting for her?

Shooing that thought away, Salma carefully stepped on the footstool and slid off the examination bed.

Author's Note:

It's been a while. What do you guys think? Do you think Professor R. K would make it? Also, who do you suspect blew up the car?

Post your theories.

Vote, comment and share!

Visit my Patreon page and support Lost.

Lots of love

J.