Chapter 3

"What are you saying mum?" Asked her voice, quivering. "I don't understand what you are trying to say!"

"Well, as you can see, you know that I have cancer already but now, I don't know how come I got the blood pressure". She said avoiding eye contact.

"Mum what brought up this topic now! What happened? Or did you remember Zeenah?". She asked, looking at her.

"No kulthum, I didn't... well I did, maybe just a little bit". She smiled fiddling with her fingers. Something she does when she was always nervous about being scolded by her daughter or husband.

"I just remembered how she used to laugh when she saw your brother doing something stupid". She said with a distant look in her eyes.

"Okay mum" she said, because she didn't have anything to say or ease her pain.

"It's getting late mum, I would like to leave for my room. You know I wake up really early to go to work!" She excused herself.

"Okay umm kulthum sleep well". Well that surprised her, she was definitely expecting some scolding.

"Good night, " She finally muttered and left the living room.

As soon as she entered her room, she let out a long breath that she didn't know she was holding. What has come over her mother that she would be thinking about Zeenah? Maybe something has happened to her. She thought

"Oh lord," She sighed . "Please take care of my mother. She is the only person who knows me in and out. Please save her for me please!" She prayed almost in tears.

After her short prayer, she entered the washroom and did her business then performed her ablution and came out to cover her last missing prayer. After that, she decided to read some verses of the Quran before she went to sleep.

Her alarm went off the next morning, stretching her hand from underneath her duvet, she switched it off. She stood up to offer her tahajjud which she always does every morning. As she finished, she recited the holy book till she heard the adhan for salat al fajr, so she stood up offered her prayer then headed downstairs to help her mum in preparing breakfast.

"Sallam mum" she greeted. "How was your night, hope you slept well?". She asked, tying her scarf securely around her head.

"Yes kulthum I did, are you going to the office today?" Her mother asked, flipping whatever is in the pan.

"Yes mum and I will leave in just half an hour". She answered while helping her. After the silent breakfast, she got up said her goodbyes and headed to the hospital.

"Hey bossy!". Alia exclaimed giving her a bone crushing hug.

" I... I .... can't breathe Alia!". She managed to choke out.

"Oh, sorry I just missed you a lot, that's why. Well how are you, I know you didn't miss me at all?" She feigned hurt.

"Aliaaaaaaaaa!". She exclaimed.

"Okay since you don't want to talk to me then I am off see you later if you wish to see me again." She said angrily then stomped off. Really! She thought. She wouldn't know what was wrong with her unless she told her but she wasn't in the mood too. Realizing she won't come back she went to her own cabin with her personal nurse following her.

"Salmah, do you happen to have any idea where Dr. Neil is? I haven't seen him in a while now?".

"No ma'am, I haven't but he called me last night telling me that he won't be coming to the hospital for a while, and when I asked him why he said he was not feeling good so he won't be coming to the hospital" She explained.

"Really? How.... why...."she was short of words and salmah noticed it so she said

"Well ma'am," she started. "I think he just need some time off"

"Okay you may go. Wait, call Dr. Alia for me. Really what is wrong with this nurse? This is not the first time he is doing this nonsense. He has been doing it for quite a long time now, and I told him to stop and he somehow did, now I don't know what has gotten over him that he is back to his attitude". She complained bitterly.

"Okay ma'am," she said and left.

She was deep in her thoughts and didn't notice Alia standing by the threshold shooting daggers at her.

"Oh so now you want to talk to me right? When I was talking to you, you refused to answer me and now you seek for my presence. Really?" She snapped

"Alia please listen to me first before you jump into Conclusions okay?" She snapped at her which was very unlike her. However, before she could say anything else she was already out of the cabin. Not in the mood to have a fight with her she called her phone and apologized to her before she came back.

"Really kulthum! What has gotten into you? You haven't said a word since morning and you were showing me such an attitude! I was asking you to tell me what has happened to you but you were shunning me Really?" her annoyed voice complained. She looked at her worry marrying her face as she cooled down.

"Hey bestie," Kulthum said dryly. "Well as you can see I am okay and there is nothing that is bothering me okay" she managed to smile but Alia being the girl she is didn't buy that, she narrowed her eyes as if trying she was trying to figure something out.

"Well you don't look okay to me, you have been silent the whole time which is very unlike you".

"And you do know that I don't like talking too much?". Her exceptionally calm voice rang a little bell in Alia's head indicating trouble.

"Yes I know but you are just too quiet today and I guess that something bad is or has happened to you so please tell me will you?" She asked worriedly.

"'Okay! It's my mum..!" Kulthum started but was cut off by Alia.

"What happened to her?"

"Will you allow me to finish first?"

"Sorry, so what's up with her?" She asked

"Last night when I went home I saw her sitting in the living room, so I asked her what happened then she told me the most shocking news of my life. She said she had high blood pressure when she went for her check up!" She briefly explained.

"Oh my God! Alia exclaimed. "How..how.. What really happened to her?" She asked, sitting up carefully.

"I really don't know, but I guess she was thinking a lot about Zeenah, maybe that's what caused it" she thoughtfully said.

"May she recover sooner than we all expect". She popped some almonds into her mouth.

"Aren't you tired of eating all the time?" Kulthum asked.

"What? No, how can I stay fit and perform surgery if I don't eat?" Alia cast a blaming look and continued her task. Kulthum only shook her head and continued working on her computer.

A little while later, Alia stood up and was about to leave when Kulthum asked,

"Alia?" She called and she turned around chewing

"Hm?" She answered

"Have you heard about Neil's whereabouts?" She knew she wasn't supposed to ask that question but she just couldn't help herself.

"No" Alia simply said and walked out.