Umaymah stayed back a bit in Samirah's room after claiming she wanted to use the toilet which she did use.
The chatter of the little kids in the other room was loud but she could still hear a voice speaking in a low tone. She couldn't figure out the words the person was saying though.
Umaymah made her way out of the room and tiptoed to the front of the open balcony where the voice was coming from.
She stood in a corner when she saw him sitting on the leather couch with his phone to his ear.
He looked the same.
The only difference was that now he looked kept and groomed, while back on the sidewalk he looked tattered and homeless.
He was dressed in a spotless pure white thobe with his patterned red and white turban on his lap now allowing his wavy brown hair to come into view.
His tinted beard was well-groomed and oiled.
The mustache was no longer there.
Yusuf was the same guy with the half-naked blonde lady.
Why was he with her if he was married to Samirah?
She pulled back and thought of what her next step should be.
"Hey, What are you doing here?" Salman's arms wrapped themselves around her from behind out of nowhere.
She jerked a little.
"Did you think that was funny?" She nudged him lightly on his stomach with her elbow.
He placed his chin on her head.
"Don't tell me you stayed back in the room to read your novel." He spoke sending vibrations down her head.
She shook her head.
She was too busy poking her nose in what wasn't her business that she forgot about her novel for the first time.
She couldn't see Yusuf on the couch anymore.
Salman turned her to face him.
"Did you really think Samirah was some girl who had a crush on me running towards us?"
"Huh?" She didn't understand what he was saying.
She was too busy thinking about who Yusuf was having a hidden phone call with.
Was it the blonde-haired girl?
"You held my hand when Samirah approached us earlier." he tilted his head.
"oh-that," she said. "Reflex, it was reflex."
A mild laugh escaped Salman.
"Ana uhibuki ya Zaujatil 'azizata. " He whispered in her ears as he pulled her into a hug. "I know you won't say it back even though you do too." He smiled and took hold of her hand.
Umaymah's eyes caught sight of Yusuf exiting the balcony while sliding his phone into his pocket.
She wanted to know what he was up to.
Or was the blonde lady his second wife?
Who would revert later in their marriage?
Or was she his non-practicing Muslim wife?
That was it, she couldn't hold it anymore.
"Salman is Yu..." The sound of her ringtone interrupted.
'Akhi'
It was Haider.
"Hello, Haider." Her voice came.
Pause.
More pause...
Longer pause...
"I'll be there right away but what exactly is the matter Haider?" She questioned.
The line got disconnected.
"What happened?" Salman couldn't help but notice the way worry filled her face during her just concluded phone call.
"I don't know, he just says I should come to the hospital address he texted me." she sled into her chat with Haider.
After saying their goodbyes and leaving earlier than expected, Salman drove to the hospital address Haider had sent to Umaymah.
Umaymah became scared, nervous, and worried.
Why did her older brother want her to come to a hospital out of the blue?
Was something wrong?
Did something happen?
The smell of antiseptic and methylated spirit made her slightly sick.
It stung her nose so badly.
Room 5.
That was the room.
Salman opened the door for Umaymah and followed her inside immediately.
The smell of the spirit and antiseptic became subtle.
There were about two nurses disconnecting tubes that were connected to the lady laying on the bed.
"Umma?" Shock immediately overtook her whole body as she noticed her mother on the hospital bed.
Why was she in the hospital?
Was she ill?
"The discharge papers will be ready soon." One of the nurses told Haider.
Silent sobs and sniffs coming from a corner of the room caught her attention.
Basma was on a chair sobbing bitterly with her face in her palms and Haider by her side trying to comfort her.
"What happened Haider?" Umaymah slowly dragged her feet toward her brother.
Her head was filled with negative things.
The thought that her mother was dead came to her head but she pushed it aside.
It couldn't be possible.
Her mother was probably asleep.
She just spoke to her recently, how could she be dead?
Haider simply pulled his little sister into his arms and hugged her.
"I'm sorry Layla," he whispered through sobs. "I feel stupid for not telling you earlier." He sniffed.
Umaymah didn't return the hug.
She just stood still.
What was he sorry for?
"I'm sorry for not telling you Umma had leukemia." He finished still holding onto her.
Umaymah abruptly broke free from the hug and turned her head to her mother whose body was now being covered in white sheets by the nurse.
She slowly dragged her feet towards the bed with little hope in her.
Once she was beside the bed, she stared at the covered body and that little hope in her was extinguished.
Tears began filling her eyes slowly.
The guilt of not regularly checking up on her mother instantly started eating her up.
Her tote bag fell from her hand and she immediately dropped to the floor all of a sudden.
Her tears-filled eyes stared at nothing in particular as her last conversation with her mother over the phone played repeatedly in her head like a broken record box.
She knew something was not right about her mother's voice.
She should have insisted on coming to see her.
Umaymah's face fell into her hands and the downpour of tears began.
She cried uncontrollably making every part of her body shiver.
"I love you too my love, have a peaceful and blissful marriage, my regards to Salman."
Azeeza's voice echoed in her ears.
"In Sha Allah, have a nice day."
Those were the last words her mother had told her.
Salman lowered himself to where Umaymah was sobbing and hugged her shivering body.
"Inallillahi wa ina illaihi raji'un," he muttered. "It's alright." He soothed her head that was on his shoulder.
How was she going to cope with the loss of her only parent?
How would she live now?