The usual antiseptic smell of the hospital hit Asma's nostrils as they made their way to the receptionist desk.
"Hello, How can I help you?" Asked the strawberry blonde lady behind the desk with a smile
"Uhmm we have an appointment with Doctor Amir Al-ameen "
stated Ahmad looking at Asma who was clad in a Navy Blue hijab holding the strap of her bag tightly as her dull calculative eyes scrutinized her surroundings
"I am coming,let me check" came the lady's voice behind the desk as she goes through the desktop in front her.
"Name please"
"Asma Muhammad Zaeem"
said Ahmad her full name.
Nodded the blonde as her gaze went back to the computer
"Sorry sir but Doctor Al-ameen won't be available this week for some personal reason"said the receptionist apologetically,
Ahmad let out a frustrated sigh as his hands went through his already messed hair.
" Oh lord, how could this be, it took me five volumes of 'James Patterson' to bribe this girl here" muttered Ahmad slowly as he look at Asma
"Regardless you gonnah fulfill your promise" uttered Asma giving him a side glance
"Of course I am, am not a jerk you know" turning back to the receptionist he asked
"Can we make a new appointment with any available psychologist or therapist please"
"I really have no information if there's another psychologist or therapist,but let me call a nurse from the department and ask her about it"
"Please do so"
"Excuse me please"
said the receptionist dialing some codes on the telephone,using her hand to block the speaker she said to Ahmad
"It might take some time,can you please have a seat over there"pointed the blonde
"Come on"Ahmad led them to a seat opposite one couple who were openly acting all lovey-dovey
As they wait for the receptionist Asma started reciting some surahs that she memorized inaudibly as she look passed the couple opposite her.
"Ya Allah!"exclaimed one bubbly voice in panic as she made her appearance in the reception
" Oh Lord how am I this late? I definitely know I missed it. Okay I was busy sleeping Fateema asked and answered herself at the same time. Looking around she spotted Asma together with Ahmad seated on a bench.
"Asma is not mad at me right?No she can't be, No she won't be I know,Yes she is not" she chanted to herself as she made her way to where they sat.
"Salam alaikum Asma , Ahki Ahmad" greeted Fateema while sitting close to Asma.
"Walaikum salam"they answered in unison
"Am not that late right?" Asked fateema with a not so confident grin
" yes,you're not because the appointment couldn't hold due to some reasons"Explained Ahmad while assessing her peach colored hijab that matched with her caramel skin. 'The color really did suit her' said Ahmad in his mind
"Astagafurullah" he muttered slowly as he looked away
"Don't loose your chance" came Asma's voice which was heard by both Ahmad and Fateema
"Waiting for the perfect time"he whispered only for Asma to hear
"You might loose it"
"I won't insha Allah" he let out a sigh with a dreamy look,lost in the world of love.
"Hey! What are you two discussing in such hush tones without me"pointed fateema accusingly
"No...Nothing" his face turned red and started stammering.
"Ha! You're stammering that means there's definitely something going on" she scoffed looking at him with a raised brow.
"By the why,why is your face all red"she pointed out again
"N..no you're wrong,let me go ask the receptionist if there's any update about the appointment" he quickly stood up scratching his nape nervously and sprinted away to the receptionist desk.
"Humph! He is definitely hiding something"
"Asma can you tell me what you two were discussing please " she turned looking at her with hope filled in her eyes
"When the time comes,you will know" uttered Asma still looking passed the couple up to the painted walls of the reception
"This is high level of cruelty Asma"chastised Fateema huffing out a sigh of defeat
They sat there silently for about five minutes waiting for Ahmad who showed no sign of returning any time soon.
"He is surely taking his time" thought Asma looking up at the ceiling before her sharp dull eyes quickly looked down at the couple when she noticed the guy's gaze fixed on her
"Hey !!what are you looking at"the girl beside the guy uttered out loudly catching some attention.
"Excuse me?"Questioned Asma tilting her head to the side.
"You're looking at my boyfriend aren't you?" Said the brunette girl with a look of mockery. Folding her arms to her chest.
"No I am not" replied Asma not interested in the conversation
"Yes,you're" she pushed back
"He's the one shamelessly looking at me" the girl turned to look at the guy's smug face.
"I wasn't looking at her"he quickly said
"Lies" Asma bluntly uttered out.
"You see ,you're definitely the one looking at him"
"Stop imagining things"
"Are you kidding me,I 'Imagination'" she scoffed loudly looking around and turning back to at Asma with widen eyes.
This mere action of hers caught many attention of the people around the reception except one shiny black leather shoes that continued to walk without care to divert his attention to the commotion that's about to erupt. His assistant holding enormous amount of folders glancing back and forth wanting to witness the ongoing scene at the same time not wanting his boss to vent his spleen on him.
"Oh Lord!, make me witness this drama" prayed the assistant
"Imagination is the only weapon in the war with reality"
stated the dull voice of Asma, the utterance of this sentence made that certain black leather shoes to make a pause.Turning around his emerald green orbs graced themselves with navy blue hijab ,pale skin and hazel eyes that held emptiness , the hollowest set of eyes he had ever seen that held no sign of emotion this made a frown to find it way to his perfectly shaped brows.
"And in reality your boyfriend is not even worthy of my single glance" muttered Asma with narrowed eyes.
Fateema couldn't help it but chuckle loudly at utter misery in Asma's voice "sorry" said Fateema looking at the few gazes that were cast upon her trying so hard to control another chuckle from escaping. The brunette became so flushed with anger gritting her teeth with force while the guy sat there enjoying as everything unfold
"You!! Are you crazy" she blurted out,her voice coming out in a screech.
"I'm not crazy my reality is just different than yours" Asma replied in a flat voice not meeting her gaze,just looking ahead.
"Nice diction" muttered the black leather shoes to himself with delight dancing in his emerald green optic.
"You! You! How dare you insult me" the girl charged furiously ready to attack Asma with her abhorrent yellowish nails but before that the guy beside her that had a scrawny physique and a protuberant Adam's apple caught her.
"I deeply apologize no her behalf about her childish behavior"the man said and bowed down his head to show how sincere he's.
"Let me go!!! Edward I got show this lady here not to ever mess with me again"struggled the girl in his arms
"That's enough Cynthia,stop embarrassing us" he bowed down again with a sheepish smile and dragged her away.
Seeing that the lady in navy blue didn't utter another word the black leather shoes walked away as his already happy assistant that witnessed the exchange tailed behind him.
"That was really an awesome reply Asma" Fateema beamed "I was flabbergasted" she added
"You really did a good job for holding up child,she was really trying to embarrass you because you're a hijabi,segregation still exist" uttered an old lady in black hijab as she passed by Asma's bench.
Seeing everything has settled down, and a fight hasn't broke out everybody went back to what they were doing.
"What happened here" asked Ahmad as he as he made his way back to their bench holding a receipt in his hand
"Nothing out of the usuals,one girl picked a fight with Asma and as always Asma got her way out with her words, amazing right?"narrated Fateema enthusiastically
Ahmad looked at Asma who's already lost in her thoughts and said nothing.
"Let's go, I got us another appointment with Dr.Hameed tomorrow insha Allah" He said raising the receipt.
They finally left the hospital with the intention of coming back the next day...
"Sort out the files according to their colors, the special ones,the emergency ones and the normal ones" instructed Hameed as he made his way to his desk
"Yes sir" replied the assistant
"And please London don't make any unnecessary mistakes like last time" he warned
"Yes sir" London the clumsy assistant who once exchanged an emergency file with a normal one and made Hameed signed a surgical sheet for a five year autistic child that was only in need of counseling and medication ,this led the parent to pay a huge amount of money for the surgery .before the surgery took place the papers must be cross checked by the Head of the department and that's when the mistake was pointed out,the head of the department was so furious because the parents of the child wanted to sue the hospital for this. Hameed went to the parents and apologized then promised to refund back their money and offered to check their child for free that was when they decided to retrieve the complaint.
"I am done sir"called out London
"There is only one red file that's 'special' that need frequent therapy and attention
Four black ones 'emergency' that are needed to be signed for them to be taken to the psychiatric and 10 green 'normal ones' that are only in need of counseling and guidance. That's it all for today and tomorrow sir" explained London standing in front of the desk looking at Hameed who sat behind the desk with a thoughtful look.
"Okay good job, pass the red one to me" London quickly handed over the red file to him.
"I'll sign the emergency ones today and for the green ones make it till tomorrow Insha Allah , I will go through this now and attend to it first thing tomorrow morning okay?" He said raising the red file.
"Go make arrangements and prepare the glass room for tomorrow "added Hameed
"Yes sir"
"You're excused"
"Thank you sir!" He bowed his head slightly and made his way out of the office.
Hearing the click sound of the door closing his emerald green eyes made there way to the red file in his hands.
Girl of 21 age suffering from Dissociative/psychogenic amnesia which led to Alexithymia/schizoid personality disorder. He stopped reading out as his thought drifted back to navy blue hijabi girl 'why couldn't I read her eyes'He thought 'they seemed very cold and distant, it's like there's a block stopping me from passing through ,why does this report synced with her? Reading this report is making me think of those hazel eyes' he shook his head wanting to get rid of the irrelevant thoughts and went back to the file.
She underwent two Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) which detected traumatic brain injury, went for therapy session twice held by Dr.Amir Al-ameen. Hameed continued to scan through the file for about five minutes.
Lastly he turned and looked at the file name.
"Asma Muhammad Zaeema" he said out her name which rolled out through his tongue perfectly
"Just who are you"....