Taking the cookies from Khaled ,Abida trotted away not before beaming at him .Khaled smilingly glanced back at Mr Rahman who walked towards him with first aid box in his hand. Handing Khaled  first aid box ,Mr Rahman sat across him and said ,

"La bd 'ana hadha yahtawi ealaa 'adwait albard walhumaa....ladayk wamin thna ymknaa 'an nusli Isha alsalah 'huna li 'ana alwaqt qad han tqrybana, baed dhlk tastarih hataa yahin waqt alkhuruj"

(This must have medicines for cold and fever ...you have it and then we can pray Isha salah here as it's almost time.,.after that you rest till it's time to go out)

"Sanusli huna walakun madha ean almasjid aldhy mararana bih 'athna'  mujayayina 'iillaa huna....'alsyat hadhih almintaqat aminatan huna mae jaysh altamarud almdny"  (We gonna pray here but what about the mosque we passed by while coming here ...isn't this area safe here with civillian rebellion army?)_Khaled asked frowning.

Mr Rahman heaved a sigh as he said,

"Kama aietaqadna dhlk hataa qabl thlatht 'ayam eindama hajamatuna min alsujana' ' athna' salah almagrib ...qatal jaysh sayfilian likunahum aydana  'ashkhas eadium mithlak wamithali  wa ' aslihatahum la tuqarana bihula 'alrijal alqadhirin....laqad ' anqadhuna walakun maat alkthyr min alnnas ka shaheed...waleadid min aldahaya 'arsalana bijahid kabir 'iilaa Al Firdous"
(We also thought so until three days ago when during magrib salah ,a prisoner group attacked us...civillian's army fought back but they are also normal people like you and me and their weapons is nothing compare to those filthy men carries...they saved us but many people died as matryers ..and many casualties which we with so much effort sent to Al Firdaus ) Mr Rahman gulped down the lump that had formed in his throat before continuing,

"Lm natamakan min fahum sabab hujumihim ealaa almasjid ealaa 'anah ma ymkn 'an yasruquh min almusaliyn....alnaas aldhyn hamaluu jawaharat al 'iiman almahabat Allah ....walakuna baed dhlk qam rijal jaysh almadaniat bitanwirina li 'anahum 'akhbaruna 'ana hadhih qad takun khutatan hukumiatan limane alnaas min altajamue li 'ana hadha sayamnae alnaas min alaitihad wa 'an yusbih jaysh altamarud 'aqwaa...lidha fa 'iina ahd ahdifihim alrayiysiat Alan hi na'zubillah almasajid 'aw 'aya mintaqat yumkin lilnaas 'an yajtamieuu fiha"

(Intiallly we couldn't understand why they attacked on mosque as what they could steal from the people praying ...people who only carried jewel of faith and love for Allah ....but then men of civillian's army people enlighten us as they told us this might be government plan to stop people gathering as this will prevent people to unite and rebellion army to become more stronger...so one of their main target is now Nauzubillah are mosques or any area where people can come together...so they asked us to only make call for Salah at mosques but pray at homes ,until they become strong enough to defeat all prisoners groups......as they can't protect and attack at the same time ...)

Khaled clenched his jaw in anger and then exhaling hard he said ,

"Mr Rahman 'urid mink merwfana...hal yumkinuk min fadhlik tanzim tariqat ma lileawdat 'iilaa almustashfaa li 'ana alaistimae 'iilayk 'asheur 'anana bihajat 'iilaa 'an nakun hunak akthar min 'ayi waqt madaa...hayath yahtaj alnaas 'iilaa khadamtina aihtama binafsiin kthyrana walakun 'araa maratayn 'ana Dr Emaan yataearad lilkhatar...la 'urid  'an 'aghtanim 'aya  furas ukhara...lidha yumkinuk 'an tajid tryqana amnana lilaewdat 'iilaa mustashfa Al Firdous"

( Mr Rahman I want a favour from you ...can you please organise some way to go back to hospital as listening to you I feel we need to be there more than ever... where people need our services..I wouldn't have care much about myself but seeing twice  Dr Emaan getting in danger....I don't want to take any more chances so can you find some safe way back to Al Firdaus hospital....)

"Ymknny altahaduth 'iilaa bed afrad aljaysh almadanii limurafaqatikuma 'iilaa almustashfaa...sa 'atasil bihim baed salah wa 'araa ma 'iidha kan bi 'iimkanihim musaeadatana bitariqat ma...sa.'ahdhhab wa 'atsil bisalah fi almasajida ....hataa dhlk  alhin ladayk diwa 'watatawadaa...'eindama 'aeud ymknna 'an nusli alsalat meana....alhimam hu 'awal bab fi almamar" (I could talk to some civillian's army members to escort you two to hospital...I will call them after Salah and see if they can help us in some way....I will go and make call for Salah in the mosque....you till then have medicine and make ablution when I come back we can then pray salah together ....the washroom is the first door in corridor.) Saying it ,Mr Rahman sauntered out of the house .

Khaled opened the first box and finding the medicine he needed ,he gulped it down with water in three sips. As he was keeping the medicine back in the box ,his eyes fell on a medicine tube .He took it out and then looking at it ,he brooded for a while before keeping the tube back in the first box. Closing the box ,he stood up and tentatively walked towards the direction Mr Rahman had told him.Opening the first door of the corridor ,Khaled heaved a sigh as relieved of not ending up at the wrong door .Taking off his shoes and putting his left leg first inside the washroom he whispered the dua ,

Alhumma innee A'ozubika Min -al Khubuthi Wal Khaba-ith ( O Allah ,I seek refuge with you from all evil and evil doers).

Performing the ablution ,Khaled stepped out of the washroom and recited ,

"Ash- hadu 'an  laa 'illaaha illallahu wahdahu laa shareeka lahu wa ash -hadu 'anna Muhammadan 'abduhu wa Rasooluhu "(I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah alone , Who has no partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad is HIS slave and HIS messenger )

(Narrated Hazrat Umar Ibn Khattab RA ,he heard Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)say,

None of you makes wudu and completes the wudu and then say: I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah ,Who has no partner ;and I bear witness that Muhammad is HIS slave and HIS messenger , except that all eight Gates of Paradise are opened for him , so he may enter by whichever he pleases".[At -Tirmidhi ])

Khaled had just finished reciting dua when Mrs Rahman walked into the corridor with a set of clothes and Abaya in her hands .Seeing water dripping from him ,she quickly kept the clothes on the console table kept adjacent to the wall of corridor while saying ,

"Raza is so careless sometimes...knows you are not well...didn't gave you towel.....wait here Dr Khaled..I will bring towel and prayer mat for you....."Saying it ,Mrs Rahman smiled at Khaled and turned around and walked away while muttering to herself ,

"Raza ....tahrijn dayimaan ...eindama tataealam Raza" (Raza ..always embarassing me ...when you will learn Raza").

Khaled smiled slightly and leaned a bit on console table to wear his shoes .Wearing his shoes ,he had only walked a bit away from the washroom door when he heard a voice from the door he stood next to ,

"Yes ukhti.....are you sure he not a prince ?"

Khaled smiled listening to the question but thinking it to be indecent to be listening to someone's private conversation,Khaled decided to move away but he stilled when he heard the next voice ,

"He is just a simple doctor " Khaled quirked his eyebrows and crossed his arms as he thought ,

Interesting

As Khaled heard the sound of chuckling on the other side of the door ,his eyes fell on the set of clothes that Mrs Rahman had kept on the console table and leaning on the higher probability that clothes were meant for Emaan ,an idea flashed his mind. He brisk walked towards the drawing room and taking out the medicine tube he had seen earlier ,he walked back to the corridor and swiftly kept the tube in between the piles of clothes. As he walked back to the door he heard again the voice ,

"....looks like one ...he is brave ,gentleman ,somesome".

"You mean handsome Abida ".

Khaled smirked as he heard Emaan chuckling.

"Yes that... and and..."

Khaled scrunched his eyebrows as he couldn't heard next what Emaan said but then he again heard the voice of one of the twins,

"What Dracula means ukhti "?

Khaled raised his both eyebrows and looked at the door as he thought,

Did Dr Emaan called me a Dracula ?

When he again heard the voice of the one of the twins ,

"Is Dracula name of some big prince ukhti?"

So Dr Emaan did call me a Dracula!

The thought had just swirl in Khaled's mind when it came to a abrupt stop as he sneezed. And as he opened his eyes after the sneeze only to find Mrs Rahman standing before him with towel and prayer mat and a look of apprehension painted over her face. She quickly gave him the towel as she said,

"Uff Allah ...if only Raza had told me I would have warm water for you on stove for ablution ...poor child....sneezing so much ".

" It's okay Mrs Rahman I am fine.....you don't need to worry about anything and Jazakallah khair for this " Khaled said gesturing at the towel.

Before Mrs Rahman could reply, they heard the voices of Abida and Adila behind the door,

"Let me open the door Adi ".

" But I touched the knob first Abi ....so I won so I will open the door".

"It's okay don't fight ...why don't you let the door remain closed only..I think it's better that way " Emaan chimed in slowly making Khaled smirk which he eventually hid with the towel while dabbing his face with it.

"NO UKHTI..." Abida and Adila said together.

Mrs Rahman huffed in annoyance as she moved towards the door while saying,

" Ymkn 'an takun hwla 'alfatiyat hufnat fi bed al 'ahyan ....my poor Emaan"  (These  girls can be handful sometimes).

Saying it , she clicked open the door to reveal twins glaring at eachother making their blue eyes turn into darker shade of azure while Emaan who was helplessly looking at them ,at the opening of the door looked like a rabbit caught in headlights.

"See Adi.....because you Ammi opened the door". Abida huffed in annoyance and looked away from Adila while Adila also mirrored her action.

"Adila and Abida how many times I have told you not to fight with each other ....but you don't listen....but you are my good girls so both of you shake hands and do friendship".Mrs Rahman said crouching down before them .

Abida puffing her face nodded her head in negative & turned her face away while Adila who was thinking of reconciliation ,seeing Abida also turned away mirroring her action.

Mrs Rahman heaved a sigh as she said ,

" Okay your wish.....I thinking to give you cookies but now you won't listen to me....so I will give it Emaan and Dr Khaled ....you will love have it Emaan and Dr Khaled ".Saying it , Mrs Rahman looked at Emaan and Khaled respectively as they nodded their head fervently.

Seeing this ,Abida and Adila wide eyed looked at everyone and then turning quickly hugged each other as they said together ,

"Ammi we friendship.....please give us cookies..we wont fight".

Mrs Rahman smiled as she said ,

"They are kept on kitchen counter ....go before Emaan and Dr Khaled take it ".

Listening to this ,Abida and Adila quickly nodding their head trotted away .Mrs Rahman stood up shaking her head in amusement while Khaled and Emaan had smile plastered on their face.

Standing up ,Mrs Rahman moved towards the console table while Emaan avoided looking at Khaled purposely. Picking up the set of clothes Mrs Rahman had took out for Emaan ,she walked back to Emaan and handing it to her ,she turned to Khaled as she said ,

"Dr Khaled kahvah is ready....drink it before praying.. it will give warmth ....and in sha Allah help in cold....and also tell me you both what you want dinner ?"

" No Mrs Rahman no need for dinner ".

"No Mrs Rahman dinner is not needed ".

Khaled and Emaan spoke at the same time making them look at each other and the one look was enough to ascertain each other that they were thinking the same. Their thought of refusal of food had sprouted from the notion that they didn't wanted to burden Rahman family who were already in this time of crisis were going to such an extent of not only fulfilling their stomachs but hungers of many. They could get food back at hospital but the people who depended on Mr & Mrs  Rahman's kindness had only one source and Emaan and Khaled didn't wanted to bleaken that source if not widen.

Listening to them ,Mrs Rahman scowled as she said ,

" Why .....Raza said no deny food ?"

" Mrs Rahman your delicious refreshments was enough to fill our stomachs ...and we have surely no apeptite for more...so Jazakallah khair for your kindness but please heed our request too".

Listening to Khaled ,Mrs Rahman shook her head in amusement as she said ,

"I am sure your mother would have hard time make you drink milk...if you say so nicely who could say no to you ". And Emaan couldn't agree more but she couldn't understand the reason behind vanishing of Khaled' genuine smile into a fake one after listening to Mrs Rahman and his quick departure from the corridor.

Geniune smile and Fake smile....seriously Emaan....congratulations you have officially gone insane .

" Daughter you change...I go see these naughty twins doing ".

Emaan smilingly nodded her head and walked back into the room . Sauntering into the attached washroom ,Emaan entered whispering the dua and was hanging her clothes when a tube fell from them. Scrunching her eyebrows, she picked up the tube to find that tube was an ointment for bruises and cuts. She looked at the palms she was holding the ointment in as she thought,

I didn't told Mrs Rahman about my bruises...then how she knew about them?......Maybe she might have seen it when she was sitting beside me in the drawing room ..

She smiled at Mr Rahman's concern while tears brimmed her eyes as her life after her parents death was like a barewalk in the scorching heat but these moments of kindness from her Rab through her kind creations were momentary shade and drizzle of heavenly water that soothed her burns and replenished her faltering strength every time. Quickly changing into clothes which were quite loose to her ,Emaan wore the Abaya and wrapped hijab around her head. Making a fresh ablution & applying the ointment on her palms ,she walked out of the washroom to see Mrs Rahman helping Abida with the hijab while Adila was sitting on the chair with a hijab nicely wrapped around her head. Seeing Emaan ,Adila said smilingly,

"Ukhti came ...let's pray together now ".

Listening to her ,Mrs Rahman turned and smiled as she said,

" Come Emaan ...ahh you already wore abaya ?"

" That Mrs Rahman because I get uncomfortable around non mehram without Abaya ".

Mrs smiled and moved towards her and patting her cheeks lovingly she said,

" Your parents did beautiful job in raising you..I pray that my daughters grow up and be like you".

Emaan turned slightly pink at Mrs Rahman's compliment and said ,

" Don't worry Mrs Rahman ....in sha Allah they will be much much better than me...as they got you & Mr Rahman ".

"Dr Khaled and you ....are same ....both say beautiful words and make people feel good ".

Emaan awkwardly smiled at Mrs Rahman but in her heart she knew what Mrs Rahman said was anything but true as for her she and Khaled had nothing of similarity between eachother rather they were inhabitants of different personalities. He was the sea that had both calmness and storms residing in him while she was a river trying to flow amidst the obstacles life sent her way, carrying her own sets of pain and burden of past.But no matter how much different sea and river were , in the end they were destined to be with eachother, with sea embracing the river to let it's calmness seep through the river while the river melts into the sea and soothes it's raging storms .But oblivious to her destiny ,Emaan looked at Mrs Rahman and said what she wanted to say to her whole while ,

"Mrs Rahman JazakAllahu khair for this ointment ...it means a lot to me...but when did you saw my bruises ?"

Mrs Rahman frowned as she said ,

" But daughter I don't.....I not gave ointment..it was in first aid box I didn't take out from it ...but where bruise ...show me "

Listening to their mother ,Adila and Abida also holding on to their forearm crutches walked towards them .

"Allah! Allah!.....it must be paining....sorry daughter....my eyes not good...I couldn't see so ".

"It's okay Mrs Rahman ...I am fine especially after applying ointment ....and you two munchkins no need to worry your ukhti is fine". Emaan said while lightly tapping noses of Adila and Abida with her index finger making them smile.

"Give me your clothes & ... after Salah I will see if I can stitch them..... and no deny " Mrs Rahman quickly added as she saw Emaan's expression.

Giving Mrs Rahman all her clothes except Khaled's jacket ,she asked Mrs Rahman ,

"Mrs Rahman is Dr Khaled and Mr Rahman offering salah right now?"

" No I asked Dr Khaled to drink kahvah before salah...so drinking ....you wanna give jacket...go give him...he is in drawing room".

Should I go ? What if he had listened everything..Ya Allah.....please let him not have listened it and if he had please erase those memories and let him forget it all..please Ya Allah nothing is impossible for you Ya..

Emaan came out of her thoughts when she felt a touch on her shoulder to find Mrs Rahman looking at her inquisitively .

" Emaan you alright ?".

Emaan nodded her head in affiramative .

" So go give Dr Khaled his jacket....you should never delay saying Shukran to people ....because people do those acts which make us say Shukran to them is because Allah sent them...a kind of HIS mercy and you should never be lazy in being ...what we say....grateful to any  mercy of HIS..."

Emaan smiled at Mrs Rahman and walked out of the room towards the drawing room only to be stilled to see the first aid box kept on the table infront of Khaled making her rememeber Mrs Rahman's words,

"But daughter I don't.....I not gave ointment..it was in first aid box I didn't take out from it ...but where bruise ...show me "

So did Dr Khaled kept the ointment...no it can't be or it could be ?

Shocked and confused ,Emaan looked at the ointment that she was still holding in her hands along with Khaled's jacket. Clamping up the tsunami of thoughts that her mind had started breeding ,Emaan entered the drawing room.

Khaled was sipping the kahvah while Mr Rahman was no where to be seen ,not wanting to stay any longer ,Emaan quickly kept the jacket at the end of the sofa on which Khaled sat and said,

" JazakAllahu khair Doctor for the jacket and ointment " Emaan whispered the last part to herself.

"Come again Dr Emaan?".

Emaan clasped her hand together tightly as she thought ,

Did I said something wrong...maybe he didn't kept the ointment..

Quickly coming out of her rumination and clearing her throat she said ,

" I said Jazakallah khair Doctor ".

" Oh..okay...I thought I heard Dracula instead of Doctor...wa antum fajazakallahu khair".

Saying it ,Khaled sipped the kahvah while Emaan looked up at him wide-eyed and flabbergasted . And to her much perplexity, there was no anger or irritation glimmering on his face but it was expressionless, leaving her more frightened. Sensing her eyes on him ,Khaled looked up from his cup ,making Emaan's heart race like she had ran a marathon. She immediately looked down and brisk walked out of the room as she was followed by jinns while Khaled smirked and sipped on to his kahvah.

Emaan walked back to the room all the while lambasting herself,

"Emaan why are you so stupid ,idiot ..all the time getting embarassed ..your foolishess has no limits Emaan like literally...Ya Allah was I made to become Queen of Embarassment ...like why "

She felt like crying ,hiding ,punching all at the same time ...she entered the room not realising the two pair of eyes were watching her ,Emaan continued with self loathing when finally her eyes fell on Adila and Abida who looked at her with fascination.Emaan cleared her throat & her already scarlet cheeks had turned into a deeper shade of red as she smiled awkwardly at them while internally she groaned in embarassment and at further humiliation.

" You are cute so much ukhti " Adila said smiling.

" Yes so much " Abida said widening her arms making Emaan chuckle and move towards them .She crounched down before them and kissing them on their cheeks respectively ,she said ,

" Not more than two of you ".

At that moment ,Mrs Rahman entered the room hurriedly as she said ,

" Oh I am sorry I got late...I soaking your clothes daughter in water for washing ...they dirty can't wear before washing".

"You don't have to..." Emaan couldn't complete as Mrs Rahman interjected,

" You my daughter Emaan...and I love doing my daughter's work....now let's pray ...we shouldn't make our Allah wait when HE calls us so lovingly....Adila where is your chair....wait let me bring it"

Setting the two chairs in between the two prayer mats ,Mrs Rahman said,

" My daughters try to pray standing ...so they can do sujood ...but still it's difficult with one leg so pray on chair....but one day my daughters will do it...right Abida and Adila ".

Adila and Abida nodded their head vigorously while beaming .Emaan smiled back at them and a fascination run down her veins as she thought how much precious each salah of twins would be as while what was normal and usual to her and many people was something the blue eyed twins dreamed to achieve and their dedication and eagerness to achieve that reflected in their eyes left Emaan excavate her own self and reflect on her disobedient and sinner self among such obedient slaves and yet her Rab had always showered her with HIS mercy and blessing as if she was the most obedient slaves ,as if she was the only slave of HIS and thus this time when she bowed her head before her Lord ,her eyes rained down tears with nothing to say as tears were enough to express her unspoken gratefulness and repentence and were enough to be the ablution of her entire soul.

After praying ,Emaan sat on the bed while leaning on the pillow as Abida and Adila showed their drawing books but in between all the smiles and giggles she didn't realize when sleep embraced her .Her sleep disrupted only for a moment as she opened her eyes slightly when Abida was straightening her pillow and Adila was pulling the comforter over her but she could only smile as the sleep clutched her hold again tightly on her. And she clutched back hold of sleep tightly hoping to get relief at last .But sleep was just not the cradle of dreams and relief, it was also the cradle of nightmares that held the capacity to burn with their cold icy grip....

___________________________________________

Bismillah

This was the earliest I could update amidst all buzzzzy routine🐝....so how was the chapter...I hope you liked it & it was worth your precious time.....🙃

Before you end the chapter do recite 'Ya muqallibal- qulubi ,thabbit qalbi 'ala dinika ( O Controller of the hearts make my heart steadfast in your religion )

(Shahr bin Hausab reported : I asked Umm Salamah ( may Allah be pleased with her ) " O Mother of believers! Which supplication did the Messanger of Allah- Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)  make frequently when he was in your house ?" She said," Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) supplicated frequently , 'Ya Muqallibal- qulubi ,thabbit qalbi 'al dinika' [ At - Tirmidhi])

Do remember me and entire ummah in your precious duas.

Faqat abd e Rahmana
Sadaf

Assalamuaalaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu🥀