Chapter 18

I felt like I was floating, I could hear voices around me. My limbs felt like molten lead, I could feel a smarting sensation in my wrist. My eyes fluttered open, wincing at the harsh light before closing my eyes and opening them again, a groan escaping my lips.

"Abba?" Najma's voice pierced the fog around my head. Turning to her direction, everything was blurry.

"Where am I?" I asked feeling groggy.

"Hospital" she replied, my mind was a whirl of confusion.

What was I doing in the hosptial?

"I... what's... what am I? My head hurts" I stuttered raising my hand to my head. I tried to remember what had happened.

Khalifa, the orphanage...

"Yasmin!!!" I gasped. "Where is she? Is she alright?" I sat up, blindly reaching for the blanket and ripping it off me. The increasing sounds coming from the EKG were not helping matters. I wanted it all to stop.

"You have to lie down. Yasmin is okay Abba, she is fine" Najma said softly pushing me back on the bed. A nurse rushed into the room, as I sat on the bed.

"What's going on? I got an alarm from my station that his heart rate is high." She asked walking over to check my vitals.

"He woke up disoriented" Najma answered. "Well you have to calm down, your blood pressure is already high enough, we don't need anything setting it off more." She warned before leaving the room.

"How did I end up here?" I asked.

"Khalifa called and informed me that he was taking you to the hospital. I came as soon as I could."

"What about Yasmin?"

"I haven't seen her but I'll ask Khalifa. I'm sure she is okay." She assured me. I sighed leaning my head against the pillow just as the door opened and Hajiya walked in. She approached the bed, placing a hand on my mine.

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

"Alhamdulillah" I replied.

"Najma can you please excuse us?" She said glancing at her.

"Okay." She whispered and left the room, the door closing softly behind her.

"I'm sorry Hajiya" I uttered. She sighed taking a seat and holding my hand in hers.

"Mohammad called and told me you were sick, then Khalifa called and told me you were in the hospital. Abba what on earth is wrong with you?!!! Starving yourself, your blood pressure is through the roof. You could have died!!!" She cried out.

"I...I can't keep anything down Hajiya, my mind is occupied by thoughts of Yasmin all day and night. I can't... Hajiya it hurts. I... please Hajiya. I want her back. I'll do anything." I said, my voice wavering at the end. She sighed wiping the tears from my cheeks.

"I have never gone back on my words Abba, don't make me regret this." She replied cupping my cheek.

"I won't. I promise" I whispered. She nodded leaning closer to place a kiss on my forehead.

"Thank you" I smiled weakly.

"It's alright. Get some rest." She said. I nodded, yawning as my eyes drooped shut.

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It was evening when I woke up again, Khalifa was sitting on, scrolling through his phone.

"Hey" I rasped.

"Welcome back to the land of the living." He grinned. "How are you feeling?"

"Like shit, God my head hurts" I answered rubbing my temple.

"I guess Hajiya had the talk with you." He said. I nodded pulling myself into a seated position.

"Yeah. She said she was bringing Yasmin back." I replied.

"That's great, but Abba don't you dare mess this up. I took her to the orphanage and I don't ever want to go through that shit ever again. Cut out all the distractions. No more messing up, no more clubbing. None of it. Work, home, Masjid, our house, your house. That's it." He ended.

"Yeah, no more messing up." I whispered nodding. We talked a little more before visiting hours ended and he had to leave. I flicked through the channels and ate dinner before falling asleep.

**********************

"Salaam Alaykum. Hey hey hey" Najma poked her head in.

"Hey" I smiled back sitting up. She opened the door and the smile on my lips got bigger.

"Yasmin" I breathed as she ran up to me.

"Abba!!!!" She cried out. "Hey!!!" I smiled as she jumped up and down trying to get onto the bed. She huffed frowning.

"Here let me help you" Najma said, lifting her up and setting her down gently on the bed. She threw her hands around me and I hugged her back.

"I missed you." I whispered closing my eyes as a multitude of emotions ran through me. Leaning back, I turned to Najma who had a small smile on her face.

"Thank you" I said to her. "It's nothing, I just thought you would want to see Yasmin to cheer you up."

"You just made my entire week" I grinned. Najma sat on the chair, opening a pink backpack and bringing out a purple drawing book. She handed it to Yasmin with a crayon.

"You can finish up your drawing now"

Yasmin smiled at her and flipped the book open, grabbing the crayon and concentrating on her colouring.

The nurse came in a few moments later with my breakfast.

"Good morning" she greeted placing the tray on the over bed table before moving it closer to me.

The tray caught Yasmin's attention and she looked at it, curious. I lifted the dish cover to reveal a plate of scrambled eggs, steamed veggies and toast with a cup of water and some chopped fruits by the side.

"Who is this little one?" The nurse asked smiling at Yasmin who had gone back to her colouring.

"This is Yasmin. Yasmin say hello." I replied.

"Hello" she said barely lifting her eyes from the book.

"Enjoy" with that the nurse left and I got on with my breakfast.

"Who would have thought hospital food would actually look appealing?" Najma asked laughing.

"I know right. And surprisingly it tastes pretty good too. A little salt would have made the eggs taste better though." I answered poking the eggs with the fork. "Lord knows I want a big juicy ass burger once I get discharged." I groaned.

"I could get you one if you want." She offered.

"Nope, the doctor would kill me." I replied stuffing my face with the toast.

"Want some?" I offered to Yasmin who a bite of the toast before making a face. I couldn't help but laugh. It was soggy. I offered her the chopped fruit bowl and I watched as she munched through them as she did the final touches on her drawing.

"What's that?" I asked once she was done.

"Princess Sofia" she answered with a tone that was frighteningly close to mine when I had to state the obvious.

Was I rubbing off on her?!!

Lord have mercy

I pushed the terrifying thought out of my head and finished my breakfast. Yasmin pushed the fruit bowl to me and I ate the rest.

We watched cartoons afterwards and she soon fell asleep cuddled to my side. Najma was curled up on the sofa engrossed in a novel. A smile crept up my lips and for the first time in days I smiled without having to force myself.

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So Abba is okay and Hajiya took pity on him!!!!

Let's hope he doesn't mess it up.

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