FALLING IN MY ARMS

"Here is her file." I handed George the file of one of our

patients.

It was a beautiful morning today. It had snowed today.

But, the thought of not meeting Daniyal for so long was

making me uneasy. This morning when I woke up Mama

informed me that Daniyal had gone to visit some friends. I

tried calling him once but he didn't receive it.

I decided to make myself some coffee so I walked towards the

cafeteria.

I kept my mug on the hot plate switch and pushed the button

on. It didn't work. I frowned. Did they not get it fixed?

The first time I came here it didn't work back then too. Such a

prestigious hospital and useless coffee machines.

What if the rest of the machines are like it too? The ventilator?

My eyes widened thinking of those patients.

I pressed the button again this time a little harshly.

I walked to one of the tables and sat down. I saw a nurse walk

by and she made herself some coffee from that machine. Yeah,

that's right. The same machine which wasn't working a

minute ago.

I tried it again. I pressed the button harshly. It didn't work.

"Has this machine blacklisted me or something?"

I smacked my palm against the counter and then immediately

regretted it. I turned around and saw him standing there. I

laughed lightly.

He walked past whilst smiling and shaking his head. He

walked up to the coffee machine and simply switched on the

electrical wall switch. The machine started to work instantly

and I stood there embarrassed.

"Are you alright? Is it my presence that makes you forget

everything and lose your sanity?" he asked me with an

amused expression.

I scoffed.

"Yeah right. You make my heart go crazy." I replied

sarcastically.

He chuckled.

I moved forwards and grabbed my coffee.

"How are you doing today?" I took a sip of my coffee and

peeked at him. He looked uncomfortable. He was trying to

adjust his collar as if struggling to breathe. He looked pale.

"Are you okay?" I held out my arms for support. As soon as I

did that he turned around.

"Are you..." He collapsed on me. I grabbed him in my arms.

The mug dropped from my hand.

"Azaan."

"Azaan." I patted his cheek.

No response.

What the hell?

"Azaan." I literally slapped him. By this time a few people had

gathered and I looked around for nurses.

"Can someone please call a nurse or a doctor?" I looked at the

people standing in front of us.

A few nurses bought a wheel chair and I helped him up. He

was heavy. They took him inside the general doctor's ward. I

waited outside.

My mood was already sour because I hadn't seen Daniyal for a

whole day and a half. It wasn't a big deal but it was almost like

he was avoiding me. And now this. What happened to him?

After a while the doctor came out. He informed me that it was

nothing but exhaustion.

I went inside the ward. He was talking to someone on a call.

The curtain was covering him.

"Chill, daddy. Your son is all young and healthy." I heard his

deep and cheery voice. It made me smile.

I shifted the curtain to the side harshly.

He looked up startled.

"You alright?"

"Yeah, perfectly alright." he grinned.

"So, you did that that purposefully?" I raised my eyebrow.

"What?"

"Falling in my arms." I grinned.

He chuckled deeply. His dark locks fell over his forehead and I

reached forward and pushed them back. My fingers lingering

in his hair longer than necessary. He was staring at me

quietly. I stepped away when a nurse walked in.

His hair felt so soft.

"You're really beautiful." I heard him say and I looked up

surprised. But that wasn't meant for me.

The nurse was a lady in her thirties probably. She giggled

softly.

"I am married. My husband is a wrestler." she spoke whilst

giving him an injection.

"I see that I have a tough competition. Do I stand a chance in

front of him?" he grinned and looked at me.

"Must you always?" I asked him angrily.

"What?" he looked confused.

"Flirt with older women."

"Alright, I will keep in mind to flirt with younger women next

time. Thanks for the advice, Romi." he laughed lightly.

"Do whatever the hell you want." I muttered and walked away.

I was drafting a file for George when I heard a knock.

"Come in."

George came in looking exhausted.

"I need you to check up on Mary, Romi." she stared at me

blankly.

I knew why she looked so dull.

"George, I..."

"Leave me alone, Romi." she sighed and walked towards the

window.

"Look, she's not even looking at me." Oliver was crying again.

"Mary, look he's your son." I tried to remind her for the

umpteenth time but her condition kept getting worse.

She was crying uncontrollably.

"She has also developed pneumonia fever." the nurse

informed me.

I saw her elder son coming towards us.

"Where were you all this time?" I asked him almost angrily.

He had not even once attended the visits with her.

He was 17 but he looked older.

"It is not easy, doctor." he spoke whilst caressing Mary's hair.

"Uh, I am not a doc..."

"To grow up without a dad." he chuckled lightly.

"It's not easy to see your mother run around to meet the

expenses of the household."

I sat still not knowing what to say.

"And the on top of that your mother gets sick. She gets

diagnosed with dementia and now pneumonia." he laughed

sarcastically.

"She..." I began.

Mary began to whimper.

"Go call doctor George." I told the nurse.

"Jack." she raised her palms and cupped his face.

"Mother." he smiled.

"Jack." she laughed lightly.

Jack looked at me.

"I always thought she hated me. Apparently, I wasn't Oliver. I

wasn't her perfect son. I was always absent from home. Going

around to clubs with my guys and all." he laughed.

"But, look she remembers me. She doesn't remember anyone

except me. That kind of makes me happy doctor." he smiled.

"Does that make me selfish?" he asked me with tears in his

eyes.

I smiled.

"No, it's okay to be selfish sometimes."

He smiled widely.

"And, I am not a doctor." I giggled.

"Should have guessed. Doctors aren't that pretty and young

anyway."

I stared at him horrified.

"Kids these days." I thought.

The curtain shifted to the side and George walked in along

with Azaan.

"What are you doing here?" I frowned.

"I am here to apologize." he pouted.

"Whatever for?"

"Come with me."

"I am not coming." I stared at him blankly and focused back to

Mary.

I was standing near one of our patient's beds when the curtain

shifted behind me.

I gasped at the sudden intrusion.

Azaan peeked his head out.

"I am sorry." he pouted with puppy eyes.

He was looking like a Chihuahua.

"Hey, what the hell? Do you not understand the meaning of

privacy?" the patient who was a fifty-year-old man yelled

angrily.

Azaan's head immediately disappeared and I apologized while

trying to contain my laughter.

I was speaking to one of the nurses in the corridor when a

large bouquet of roses appeared in front of my face.

Azaan popped his head from the side.

"Here. These are for you." he forwarded the bouquet towards

me. I forwarded my hands. But he ended up handing the

bouquet to the nurse. My hands still midair.

The nurse and Azaan chuckled.

"It's alright, dear. You can have these." she smiled at me.

"No, you can keep it." I smiled politely and walked away.

I was standing near my car trying to call Daniyal.

"Hey, Romi." I saw Azaan running up to me.

"It's Romaisa for you." I spoke blankly.

"Hey, I am sorry."

"But, why?"

"Exactly my question. Why?" he looked confused.

I facepalmed myself.

He copied me.

"Why are you mad at me?" he kept his hands on his waist.

"I am not." I shrugged.

He looked distraught for a second before he began to speak

but my phone call cut him off.

He looked at the caller Id.

Daniyal

Calling...

I swiped right.

"Hey." I muttered slowly.

I was almost mad at him for avoiding me.

"We'll meet at home." he spoke and declined the call.

"Did he just hang up on me?" I stared at my phone.

"Very rude." I thought.

I turned around. He was still standing there looking at his

shoes.

"Will you come with me?" he asked his eyes filled with hope.

"Where? I am getting late."

"Please."

"Fine."

He smiled and took my hand in his. We walked to his car.

His hand was warm.

I tugged my hand back and he quietly let it go.

"We're friends now. You can tell me what's wrong." he told me

once we sat in his car.

"Nothing. And where are you taking me again?"

"You don't trust me?"

"It's not like that." I looked out.

We took a long drive to what seemed like a distant place from

the hustling bustling of the city.

"Where have you bought me?" I asked him whilst tying my

shoelaces.

"Remember I told you about this lake I used to visit with my

siblings."

I looked at the large house in front of me.

"Is this your house?" I asked him feeling excited.

"It was." he smiled.

I looked closely and indeed there was a lake behind.

"Let's race to the lake." I suggested.

"Fine." he smiled charmingly.

Gosh.

His dimples.

I ran as swiftly as I could laughing all the while. I stopped as I

neared the lake. I could see Azaan's siblings over there. I

waved to Zainab and Sarah.

Azaan walked up to me.

"Why didn't you race with me?" I frowned.

"I did. You won."

"Yeah, just like I won at the Thanksgiving party, right? Two

truths and one lie." I scoffed.

"Who told you?" he looked me incredulously.

"Does it matter?" I shrugged and walked over to the edge of

the river bank.

A wooden boat was resting on the river bank. Two oars resting

in it.

"Uh, how do I step in it? Will it flip over?" I asked him unsure

whilst keeping and taking my leg out of it.

I finally gathered the courage to sit in it. He sat down in front

of me. I grabbed one of the oars.

"Let it be. I'll do it. You can enjoy." he reached forward to grab

the oar from my hands.

"No, I want to row a boat. It's cool." I pouted.

I gently pushed the oar into the river.

"Uh how do you do it again?" I asked him unsure of how to

row a boat.

"You are outrageous, Romi." he laughed lightly.

He began and I followed his moves. Soon our boat was

floating in the middle of the water. I could see Zainab and

Sarah giggling while Malik looked distraught.

"Had you told me about this earlier I would have called people

too?" I muttered annoyed by the thought of Daniyal being

absent.

"We can come here again." he shrugged.

It was beautiful. The sun was almost setting down and the

cold win was gushing over my face. I was wearing a woolen,

white sweater, a faux fur pink jacket with black jeans. My hair

tied loosely in a bun.

Azaan was smiling at me.

And, in that moment he was all that I could think of.

Was I developing a crush on him?

Yes.

He made me happy.

Being with him felt so familiar. Like I've known him for a long

time now.

"Romi, stop." he chuckled.

"Stop what?" I was confused.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he smiled charmingly.

I looked down thinking of an excuse.

"I was looking at the sunset behind you." I pointed behind

him. He turned to look at it.

"Right. Sunset." he nodded.

"Romi, can I ask you something?" he looked unsure.

"Sure, go ahead."

"Who's Daniyal?"

I tried to stop the smile that made its way on my face.

"You don't know?" I gasped.

"What happened? "He looked worried.

"He..." I dragged the word purposefully.

"Romi."

I was interrupted by a call.

Daniyal

Calling....

I flashed the phone in front of him.

He laughed and looked away.

"I have to go." I handed him the oar.

"Could you please drop me off at the river bank, Mr.

Fisherman?" I spoke in my best British accent.

"Fisherman?" he raised his eyebrow.

"Oh, come on. Do you want me to call you a sailor now?" I

waved my hand.

"Fisherman. Sure. Whatever pleases you." he nodded.

He rowed both of us back to the river bank. I hurriedly got out

of the boat and stepped out of the river. He still sat still.

"I am leaving." I told him.

"So?" he asked me amusedly.

I looked at him incredulously.

"Drop me off at the hospital. I didn't drive my car here."

"I am not. Stay here." he smiled.

"I have to go back. My mom's waiting for me."

He sighed and got up suddenly he lost his balance and I too

reached forward to hold his hand but it was too late by then he

had already fallen into the river.

The water splashed over me making me wet slightly. I stood

there with a "what just happened?" Expression. I heard

Zainab and Sarah's loud and shrill laughter. And then I finally

composed myself and looked into the river.

He rushed out shaking his head. His hair stuck to his

forehead. He balanced himself with his hands and rose up on

his feet. His clothes drenched and water dripping down his

hair. He pushed his dark hair back and rubbed his face. I

looked away suddenly feeling awkward. However, after a

while I couldn't contain my laughter but I tried hard to.

"It's okay. You can laugh." I heard his deep voice. I turned to

look at him and we both burst out laughing.

"I couldn't even comprehend what happened for a while." I

spoke between my laughter.

We walked back to his car and Malik offered to drive me back.

Azaan stayed back to dry himself.

"So, where did you guys meet?" Malik asked me as we drove.

"At the hospital." I shrugged.

Malik was not much of a talker but he occasionally made small

attempts to make a conversation.

"So, Azaan told me he is 28 years old. What about you?" I

asked him curiously.

"I am 32." he replied gazing at the road in front of him.

"What else did he tell you?" his voice suddenly turned cold.

"Everything. About his life, career, family and of course his

love for food." I chuckled lightly.

"Did he tell you about Asmara?"

"Asmara?" I asked unsurely.

"His fiancée." he shrugged.

"Fiancée."

I stared at him shocked.

I was shocked.

Never in my life had I received such a shock.

Not even when Hamza had been caught with drugs.

Not even when Daniyal had told me about his plan to go to

San Diego.

"I..." I opened my mouth to say something but I couldn't form

sentence. I tried but it didn't work so I shut it and looked out

of the window.

"I am not surprised that he didn't tell you." I heard him say

but I was too shocked to say something.

"We're friends now." his voice rang in my ears.

I had no reason to be shocked or angry yet I was. I couldn't

believe that he hid this form me. Such an important detail of

his life. Had I known earlier I would never be friends with

him. I couldn't be his friend.

"We're here." Malik announced.

I took off my seatbelt and got out.

"Romi, here." Malik handed me a Hershey's kisses pack.

"I heard that you love them. I picked them up when he told

me you're coming for a visit." he said.

I politely refused but he handed me nevertheless.

I lay in my bed that night still shocked. I didn't see Daniyal

when I came home. Thank God for that. I didn't wish to see

anyone.

I heard a knock. I sat up and finger combed my hair.

"Come in."

Daniyal entered with two mugs of probably hot chocolate in

his hands.

"Hey." he smiled.

"You've been avoiding me." I stated coldly.

"Yeah, I've been avoiding everyone."

"Except mum."

He laughed.

"You know I can't avoid her."

"How have you been?" he asked settling himself on my desk

chair.

"I am fine. And you?" I smiled slightly.

"I am shifting to Long Angeles permanently next week."

"Great news."

"You don't seem happy." he eyed me suspiciously.

"I am. Trust me. Did you tell daddy about this?" I diverted the

topic.

"No. And I have no idea how he's going to react to this. I am

scared."

"Talk to him."

"I will. Thanks for the advice."

"Daddy seems worried these days." I added.

"I noticed it too. Mama's worried about it."

"Could you please leave me alone? I am tired." I told him

blankly and adjusted my covers.

"There's something else but I'll let it pass this time." he got up

and picked up my mug from the table.

"Goodnight, Romi." he wished sweetly and walked out.

I got up and took out my diary and a pen.

November 29, 2019

George is upset. I didn't see Hamza today.

Azaan fell in my arms today due to exhaustion.

He took me to the lake he talked about.

We had a boat ride together.

I watched the sunset with him.

He fell into the river afterwards. It was hilarious.

Malik told me Azaan is engaged.

He didn't tell me.

I am shocked.

Why would he hide it from me?

Had I known about this earlier I would never befriend him.

I talked to Daniyal a while ago. He's shifting back

permanently.

I need to get him and Daddy to talk.

I need to get George and Hamza to talk.

I need to stay away from Azaan.

- Romaisa.

I picked up my phone and immediately deleted his number

from it.

Shocked and scarred form today's events I closed my eyes.

His charming face clouded my mind. I saw him smile and then

I heard his deep voice inside my head.

"What should I call you, sweetheart?"

"Are you already tired of meeting me, sweetheart?"

"Look here, sweetheart."