Tears Of Summayah - Episode 70

 

Uthman had to dial his mother’s number the moment he got out of his sentimental state. To say Hajia Hadiza was happy would be an understatement, she didn’t wait for him to finish talking when she ended the call and called Maryam, telling her to get the hot water flasks ready, they’re leaving for the hospital. Summayah had regained back her consciousness, even saying that brought a wide grin to her lips.

She went over to where Noor was silently playing with her feeble fingers and lifted her up, the little girl smiled, as if she was aware of the improvement she had gotten in her life . Hajia Hadiza had to wipe a tears away from her eyes, this is a blessing, she’s hopeful her family is back again. Summayah completed her family.

They arrived at the hospital, she rushed into the room Summayah was in, fixing back a scooted Noor on her shoulder so the little girl wouldn’t slip off. Uthman rushed to her and held Noor into his arms, smiling widely.

“Good evening, Mom. She was injected with a sedative and she’ll sleep for hours. Hopefully, when she wakes up, she would be finer than before.” He informed gingerly, hushing some air into the little girl’s ears, and she giggled. It felt like a melody to his ears.

“I’m so happy, Uthman

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. Ya Allah, I still can’t believe this, are you sure she was awake minutes ago? Like you guys talked?” She was looking between a peacefully sleeping Summayah and an ecstatic Uthman that wasn’t able to close up his lips.

He chuckled. That deep husky chuckle that unnerved souls, it was long since he did that. He looked at his mother and placed a hand on her shoulder, “I recorded a video for you, Mom. I know you would be frantic over this, relax. Your Summayah is safe and out of danger, Insha Allah.” She guided them to the floor were a lush carpet was spread upon, and they sat down, with Noor cradled on his laps. He showed her the video he took while she was being sedated.

“She was really the one! She was holding Hayat! Alhamdulillah.” Tears had pooled the brink of Hajia Hadiza’s eyes, she was smiling with a flow of tears.

Thirty minutes later, Hajia was beside Summayah looking at a sleeping Uthman and Noor over the carpet. “Uthman, when is she waking up? The doctors have said something right?” She tended to forget that Uthman was a doctor himself, whenever it was a matter pertaining to Summayah. Because he himself tend to forget that.

“Mom, you should just leave, she might take hours. And it’s getting late right?” He looked at his wristwatch and stood up, the bags under his eyes screaming louder than a scream could ever erupt out of his tired lips.

“You’re the one that needs home now. Leave, take a good bath, eat and sleep, Uthman. Help Fadila for school tomorrow before you come here.” She collected Noor from his hands without waiting for any explanation.

Uthman opened his mouth to protest but she was quick in cutting him off. “No buts, Uthman. You need rest, leave.” Her eyes turned to slits, and he knew so well not to object.

He sluggishly walked over Summayah’s sleeping figure and looked at her for a while, a smile adorning his tired lips. “I wish you a quick recovery, Summayah. Goodnight.” He hushed to himself and bid Hajia Hadiza goodnight before walking out of the room.

Maryam and Azeezah sat silently in the corridor, they were so eager and couldn’t hold their happiness when they learnt of Summayah’s recovery. Nonetheless, they silently waited to see the wonders of Allah. 

Hadiza watched as the babies slept peacefully in their crib, if she could say, today even the rhythm of their breaths was different, everything about the girls was serene and peaceful. As if they knew their mother was alive again.

She waited all night without a flick of her eyes to see if Summayah would open her eyes but she hadn’t. It wasn’t until her tired eyes gave in to oblivion that she got some sleep and woke up during the first proclaim of the subh adhzan. She woke Azeezah and Maryam up before they walked to the mosque, leaving Azeezah behind to look after the babies and even Summayah herself.

Hayat started squirming in her crib, and Azeezah moved forward to take the girl out, that’s when her eyes landed on Summayah’s squinting eyes. She almost let out a shriek! She rushed towards her, Summayah’s eyes were already wide opened.

“Summayah is this you? Is this real or a dream?” She asked with tears rolling down her cheeks, she couldn’t hold them back.

“AZ...” Summayah slurred with a rueful smile on her lips.

“It’s really you, Summayah.” Azeezah bended down and planted a peck on her forehead, she was still in tears.

The gesture, although she was used to getting affection from Azeezah, but it left her speechless, what had she done to deserve such a loving and loyal friend like Azeezah? She wished Allah uplift her rank in Jannah and make her successful in whatever it is she desired. She was the sister she never had.

Azeezah ran towards the door to call the doctor when she almost bumped into Hadiza and Dr. Maryam at the same time. Hajia Hadiza was the first to enter the room, but before she could speak a word, Dr. Maryam had interrupted her and started asking Summayah some questions, whole dilating her eyelids and what not.

“I’m fine, Dr. I’m with my family after all.” Summayah smiled widely, and asked for her bed to be lifted. It was done by Dr. Maryam before she wished her a quick recovery and walked out to go for the ward round.

Hajia Hadiza thanked her profoundly and rushed to Summayah’s bed, where Summayah’s eyes were tiredly staring at her with a painful smile. She had missed this woman.

They stared at each other for a moment before Hadiza broke into soft tears. She walked and embraced Summayah so tight into her body, none of them was able to talk nor were they able to break the hug. Hadiza mustered the courage she had and broke the hug, lovingly looking at Summayah. 

“You see what life had done to you, right Summayah? You see the gift Allah had bestowed upon you? Two cute girls that look exactly like you. I told you, you will be successful in this life and hereafter insha Allah.” Their hands were entwined, they have this soul connection that even a mother and daughter could hardly share. That was enough, the hand entwine was enough to transform their feelings and emotions.

“I don’t even know how to thank Allah, Alhamdulillah.” Summayah slurred and looked at her babies. “Can I have them?” She asked, looking at them with teary eyes. Is this some kind of a dream? Or it was real? She was the one, the frail and shattered Summayah with two babies not even one? Indeed Allah is the greatest.

“Yes yes! Azeezah help us with Hayat and Noor.” Hadiza stood up to help with one of them and they brought them together to Summayah. She lifted her hands but wasn’t able to hold them due to the burn.

Azeezah placed Noor so close to her chest and Summayah embraced the little girl. She felt tears rolling down her cheeks and a wide grin embracing her lips. It was too much, the happiness was too much for her heart to hold it up. 

Hayat started crying and Azeezah rushed to the babies bag and brought out their feeding bottle, but she was stopped by Summayah. “Can I feed her, AZ?” Her voice was barely audible.

“Can you? I mean...your hands, Summayah.” Azeezah hesitated before she asked, and Summayah nodded with a small smile.

She was about to take Noor from her when Hadiza interrupted. “You need to ask the Doctor first, call Dr. Maryam, Azeezah.”

Azeezah answered and went out to call the doctor, and they came back together, Dr. Maryam was the first to enter the room. Hadiza stood up immediately and asked. “Her hands are burnt, and she wants to feed the babies, can she? That aside, is she in the right state to feed them?”

“She needs to be cleaned first, to get rid of any possible infection or bacteria to affect the babies. She had been unconscious for long.” 

They waited until Summayah was cleaned up and her hands were dressed and bandaged. Summayah was so eager to feed her baby, and Hadiza helped carefully in placing Hayat on her hands in a comfortable way without hurting neither the mother nor the baby. 

Summayah looked at Hayat with a smile and started feeding her, she was feeling all this like a dream, as if someone would tap her shoulders and ask her to wake up that she had been dreaming for two or three weeks. She was finally experiencing motherhood. And god! It was a such an angelic feeling.

Hadiza looked at the young mother before and she mirrored a reflection of herself years ago, only that she was a coward. And here, Summayah was strong willed and determined like she had ever been. If she was been as half as strong willed as Summayah was, she wouldn’t have made that mistake. She wouldn’t have left her baby. She looked away to make room for her tears.

Summayah’s voice brought her out of her tranced, she looked around and was faced with Summayah’s curious and inquisitive eyes, she shrugged them off with a smile. 

“I’ve been talking for long but you weren’t responding, Mom, are you fine? Or do you need some rest?” Summayah asked, she wasn’t convinced with the smile on Hadiza’s face.

“I’m fine, Summayah. I was just carried away, let’s get her laid on her crib.” She had noticed the girl had already fell asleep, and she used that as an excuse.

Summayah wasn’t convinced, but she kept mum as Hadiza took a sleeping Hayat off her body and placed her on her crib. She helped Summayah lay comfortably on her bed and looked at her. “You should sleep, Summayah. You need some rest.”

“I’m not sleepy, Mom. I need some time with AZ, we have a lot to catch up!” Her voice had a bit tone of excitement, that was long. She couldn’t remember the last time she was excited about something. May be before the incident happened.

“No, Summayah, you shouldn’t be talking much, your body needs rest.” Hadiza retaliated, and Summayah made a puppy face Hadiza would never dream of saying No to. She pinched her cheeks and left the room, asking Azeezah to enter because her friend needed to see her.

Azeezah was on the tip of the needle, she and Maryam were the ones taking care of the babies and the house keep that she didn’t had the time to talk to Summayah since when she was brought to the hospital. Happy that she could finally get to chat with Summayah, she increased her pace and walked inside the room. Oh her dear Summayah.

She walked beside Summayah’s bed and sat on the chair facing Summayah. They entwined their hands and their faces broke into smile. Summayah looked carefully at Azeezah and began ranting questions on her, “AZ I hope you’re fine? Has she hurt you that day? What happened after I dashed out? She wasn’t successful on whatever it is she intended right? AZ I hope you’re fine?”

Azeezah’s eyes swelled with tears, she looked at how small and frail Summayah had became. This was the person that was hurt the most, but despite not being able to even talk so much, she was still asking of her well-being. She couldn’t voice it out, she only nodded her head to assure her friend she was fine.

Summayah wondered what was wrong that would make Azeezah cried this hard. She scrunched up her face and asked again “Tell me the truth, AZ, are you hiding something from me? Are you fine?” She did it again, because Azeezah burst into another series of tears.

“I’m not hiding anything from you, Summayah. I’m just overwhelmed, I was afraid that I would lose you. Every time I saw you on this bed without being able to lift up a finger it freaks me out, I was so afraid that I ask Allah of nothing but your health. Why are you so selfless? Why do you always put my life first without thinking of yourself or even your babies? If something had happened to you, I would never forgive myself. 

Why would you accept Jennifer’s conditions, Summayah? What if Uthman and the neighbor hadn’t came in time? I would’ve lose you that day, I would’ve lost a love that cost eternity to be found. Tell me, what’s so special about me to be loved that way, Summayah? Why do you love me this much? Please...Summayah...” Azeezah’s words were coming out in hiccups, she wasn’t even seeing Summayah’s face anymore, all she could see through her eyes was Summayah’s figure the day that incident happened. What if she wasn’t saved? Subhanallah!

Summayah smiled, as if putting her life at stake wasn’t a big deal for her. She managed and began wiping away Azeezah’s tears with her left hand, and Azeezah cupped the hand in her and continued crying, planting a smooch on Summayah’s hand.

“AZ are you crying because I did something that if it was you, you would do tenfold of it? Are you crying because I saved you from being raped by those hefty men and you’re safe now while I’m on my sick bed? May be even dying? Cry not, AZ, we have lots of happiness to share.

Are you feeling guilty because I put my life at stake to save yours? What if something happened to you that day? What if it was you and we lose you? Your mother that tried so hard and made sure you stayed with her, with what eyes do you think I could look at her with the most horrific message she would ever receive in her life? I’m happy it happened to me, I wouldn’t have been able to forgive myself.

I’ve never regretted my decision of standing before you and that incident, AZ, I’m proud and happy that you’re fine and safe, Alhamdulillah. This frail lady that turned to a mother had experienced more pain to pay heed to the kind of spasms this pain gives. I’m a woman now. Cry not please, free your soul and stop feeling guilty, we have happiness to share, and babies to take care of. Should I even gift you one?” She ended her words with a chuckle and a flow of tears between her eyes.

Azeezah softly smacked her shoulder and placed her head on the bed, crying so hard, painfully and happily, the kind of crying she had never done before since she was born. It was a blessing having Summayah in her life, she was sure even her sister wouldn’t do what Summayah had done for her.

Fadila takes you as a mother, do you know how a child feels when his/her mother is hurt? What if she had seen you in that condition? She would engrave the picture with her till the end of her life. I’m not glad it happened to you, because I wasn't able to stop a child from being mentally traumatized for the end of her life.

Is it even permissible to get this kind of love from a friend?

Summayah smacked her head and spoke “You need to stop those tears, AZ, or you want me to call those guys back and do whatever it is they want to? You’re filling my eardrums abeg! I’ve been unconscious for long, I should wake up to some sweet sounds not the annoying grunt of your cries.”

Azeezah lifted her drenched face up with a smile and tears all amalgamated on her face. What would she ever done without Summayah in her life? Like the girl had filled any void space in her heart, she was everywhere. 

“I hope you know you’re a wicked soul right? My amazing and melodious cry is what you call annoying grunt? Fear Allah Summayah, I know you’re jealous!” They chuckled at the same time, their eyes filled with love and happiness.

“If I am to start crying, you know the whole patients in this hospital would have to beg for my voice to be tapped and have it as their healing mode. The girl has an amazing voice, someone should die with jealousy!” Summayah flipped her imaginary hair from her shoulder and laughed, it was soft, silent but filled Azeezah’s heart.

“Ya Rabb! What would I have done without this crazy girl in my life?” Azeezah palmed her face in fake annoyance.

“Probably jumped into an ocean and died! Who wouldn’t die for a beautiful and amazing soul like me? Excuseee meee!” She laughed, so hard now that tears started spilling out of her eyes.

“Over my dead body, is your soul me? Is my soul you? Is you my soul? Or me is your soul? I’ll pass on that please. You’re jejely making yourself feel like a queen, when you can’t even qualify a maid in any kingdom! What a pity.”

Summayah’s eyes dilated, she looked at Azeezah and laughed, “That hurts so much! What a nice pick up line for an insult. You insult perfectly between.”

“You can’t qualify a maid because you have a whole kingdom you rule, who would take a queen as a maid? No one, Babeh!”

“I’m feeling myself...” she said in a singing voice.

“Cheers to the bond of our friendship! To the best babe! The bestest of friends!”

“AZ! Bestest isn’t a word for god sake! I’ve been correcting you for all the years of my life.”

“I know babe, I love you so much. Don’t bother saying you love me more. I know that.” Summayah’s words were muffled by Azeezah’s tight embrace.

*****
Salam Alaykum warahmotulah wabarakatuh guys.

I hope you are in the best state of health.

Eid Mubarak to you all, I am so sorry for not updating for a whole month. I have been so busy with work, Ramadan and so many other things.

I really appreciate you all for being patient with me. Believe me when I say your comments makes me happy. I am glad to have started this journey with you all.