The Corridors of Love (3)

The door was opened. The doctor on duty with a couple of nurses were bustling to check her up. When the routine done, he asked her,” Tell me, where does it hurt?” She replied by pointing to her head and chest. She also signalled her left hand and both her legs.”Ok, we need you at X-ray. We’ll get you ready for that.” The doctor went away after giving some instructions to the nurses. Dr Sakeenah and Joey came in. They both took turns to kiss her. Dr Sakeenah was checking her up. “InsyaAllah, you’ll be fine soon. Listen to the doctors now. She…been drinking Dr Ronke's water, K? “Yes, Kak Sakeenah.” “Rest now. We’ll take you home in no time, insyaAllah,” Dr Sakeenah assured her.

It had been a week. She made tremendous progress. However, her head and chest still hurt a lot. Walking on crutches, she approached the hospital window. “Want to take a walk? Its lovely out there isn’t it?” Katrinka smiled.

“You always know what’s on my mind. Can be scary sometimes.” She replied.

“Come let’s put on our hijab.” Sure enough, it was such a beautiful morning. The climate in Kokarsa never failed to entice her inhabitants to venture outdoor. No, wonder the people was a robust lot. Like Ziyad. Why hasn’t he called or seen me, she thought. That was all she wondered ever since she was out of the comma.
He is doing it on purpose! He likes punishing me this way!
She could almost hate him!

“Hey, a penny for your thought?” K butted in her thoughts about Ziyad. She laughed. Katrinka didn’t know what she was thinking this time?

“Must be about Ziyad?” She probed. Ooops…I spoke too soon, she thought. “Why hasn’t he visited me yet, you think?”

Katrinka looked at her discerningly for some while. “Probably, he’s tied up with consistently urgent matters.” trying to console her heart.

“I see, I’m not the slightest urgent.” She said warily.

“Do I detect some feelings of hurt? Missing him somewhat?” Katrinka probing further. “Don’t be ridiculous!” she was indignant. Walked away on her own. Katrinka had begun to worry. She did not wish to see her sliding into a similar state of depression when she lost her husband and children. She turned silent for so long. Kept everything inside her. Her face showed every bit of deep suffering. Katrinka wish not that she underwent any unhappiness at anytime in her life again if she could help it. True, why had Ziyad not visited her?

The Corridors of Love (2)

Joey left some instructions to Katrinka, who immediately found her way to her room. “Oh, dearest….” the utterance immediately when she was visible. “You must be in pain…What do I do? Please wake up soon. Don’t die on me this way. You promise you’ll be back Thursday. You can’t do this to me! Please, oh, please ya Allah, save her.” Katrinka cried. Held her hand to her cheek and kissed it.

Like she was not hearing anything. Her fingers were cold, but she was still breathing. She looked like she was in a very deep sleep. Like she was having a really long dream, not particularly unpleasant. Katrinka looked around. Then unpacked the luggage she brought. Kept the room in order. Then sat again beside her. Kept on talking till she drowsed and let her head fell on the bedside.

“Assalamualaikum”.

“Wa'alaikumussalam, Joey.” Katrinka responded. It was already two days.

“Still no change?” Joey inquired. Katrinka shook her head.

“Have patience. We’ll continue to pray. The doctors say that there’s hope. Here, Sakeenah insists that you give her this when she wakes up.” Joey produced from her bag, something that looked liked a bottle of mineral water.

“ Give her three times a day with warm water, ok.”

“What is it?” Katrinka’s turn to inquire. “Something Dr Ronke suggested. He’s a good friend of Dr Sakeenah.”

Some hours went by. Katrinka heard a sound and stopped reading the newspaper in her hand. “Sayang? Is that you?” She threw down the paper and gently touched her hand. Sure enough, she had awaken.” Alhamdulillah, you are alive, sayang.” Katrinka gently stroke her cheek. She turned her faced toward Katrinka, opened her eyes weakly. “Dearest, I am here. Been waiting for you to wake up. How are you feeling? Does it hurt?” She tried to nod weakly. Katrinka pushed her cell phone button to call Joey.

The Corridors of Love (1)

She lay motionless on the hospital bed. It was a miracle that she survived. Joey and Katrinka had just arrived. They saw Ziyad. They had never seen him looked in such a terrible state before. Lost was his cool, competent, confident image. He was sitting alone at a corner of the hospital's VIPs waiting room. He was looking into nothing.
“Assalamualaikum, Ziyad,” greeted Joey.
Immediately, he looked up, tried to smile with difficulty, “Wa’alaikumussalam.” He narrated the events. Admittedly, no one knew yet, whether it was sabotage.
“I thought she died…” he didn’t finish his sentence, both palms in his face. “It’s good that both of you are here. I need to attend to some things…”.
“Of course, Ziyad. We’ll take care of her. I think Farid will personally come soon. He says the pact will go on as planned.” Joey explained quickly.
Ziyad nodded. Then, with a salam, he left them, still looking like a man unsure of his destiny.

Matters of the Heart

"Love has a vast following; I believe, it transcends Palestine, a geographic area. It reaches and touches those who allow it to seep through; often unnoticed. It begins with comprehension of the hearts, then sacrifice (sometimes untold ones). There will be misunderstanding and pain of sorts; love overcomes that somehow. Sadly, there could also be love lost."

"We will do the same things over and over again for that heartfelt love that we believe in. May Allah bless all the love that we feel. May it be a means to further strengthen His way within us and our resolve for islah everywhere and anywhere."