A lush greenery surrounded her far and near to such an extent that at its seeming end it came across meeting the blue heaven that had tufts of clouds dabbed all over it, looking like some flock of sheeps who bored with their regular grazing ground had meander to the sky to have a change of view. The atomosphere held a soothing warmth and a blissful fragrance as the wind blew swiftly ,combing the strands of grass into rhythmic waves and tickling her bare feets .

Confused and yet in awe ,she looked around and out of habit stroked her hands over her belly to find it to her horror flat, unlike those past eight months where she had seen it growing showing the sign of life ,the testimony of love ,actualization of her and husband's silent duas and the most importantly the majesty of AR RAHMAN's mercy . She frantically looked around as what she thought until now to be a dream ,a safe haven had turned out to be worse than a nightmare . In crumbling agitation ,she yanked away her hairs blocking her view but as she removed the veil of hairs before her eyes, she stilled . Her eyes automatically glistened as she saw Amir walking towards her with a smile .Her heart gurgling with happiness and her mouth uttered out incoherent words before she sprint towards him .

But to her terror ,the grasses that till now were tickling her feets had now clasped their hold ,tightening with her every struggle .She looked at the grass that crawled over her and then glanced at Amir who had stopped at a distance .She tried to snatch away the grasses leaping ,binding and pulling her down with them but all her attempt failed and slowly yet swiftly she was wrapped in the shroud of grasses with her last vision of smiling Amir .

Darkness had pervaded all round .She had given up ,lost all hope .

She was sinking and sinking ...

Until she heard a voice ,a voice not of Amir ,a voice that she had heard before but who ,she didn't know .Yet it gave her hope to make an attempt no matter how trivial and that was enough to shatter the illusion of sub-conscious as she ambled out its way to find a face leaned closer to her and as she fluttered her eyes to see clearly, she heard ,

"Alhamdulillah ,she is back ,she is back to conscious Yamama ".

A chorus of Alhmadulillah echoed in the room .

Magrib blinked her eyes in confusion when the gut wrenching pain tore away the facade of skepticism making her sprint into the reality with a shriek as the past's bitter reality tumble down ,trembling her soul and leaking through her eyes. She hiccuped with a painful whimper ,

"Am..irrr!"

Emaan tighten her hold on Magrib's one hand and quickly wiped away her tears and sweat as she tried to console her when Yamama shouted ,

"Shit her blood pressure is not lowering I cannot perform caesarian with such high blood pressure !Leyla pass me hydralazine now ! Emaan calm her down if this continued she might end up having a seizure and the child will suffocate and die and she will also!..She needs to concentrate on pushing  .."

Emman nodding fervently moved her hand back again on Magrib's face and gently cupping her face ,she coaxed her ,

"Magrib habibti look at me !Please you need to be strong for the baby ,for the love and part of Amir that breathe inside you ,that's still very much alive ,for that you need to show strength ,don't let the baby die .He needs her mother's patience and strength to survive ,to enter into this world ,to finally meet you .Don't lose your courage and hope when it's needed the most ...for the sake of Amir ,for the times you had cried for this moment ...please push habibti ,please .Make your baby believe that her mother is capable of a strength to protect it .You cannot bring back to life who has gone but if you strengthen up habibti you can save the life breathing inside you ,you can save the last essence of your love ,please for the baby...." Emaan bit her lips as her throat clogged up with emotions and tears slipped out of her eyes despite her attempt to stop them by blink back her eyes while other staff also had their eyes shimmering with unshed tears .

Magrib tighten her hold on Emaan's hand while her lips staggered a small smile which immediately vanished to be replaced by a scowl as the pain intensified ,but this time she was determined to stay strong for the baby :her only hope , strength and her reason to survive .

As the labour pain intensified, so were Magrib's whimpers and her hold on Emaan's hand which felt like will crush down at the pressure Magrib applied on it but still Emaan held onto her hand ,trying every way to be a pillar of support in Magrib's period of torment .

And if her suffering could provide even a speck of relief and support to a soul then Emaan was ready to suffer more.

Emaan rubbing off the sweat from Magrib's forehead, looked at the contorted face of Magrib that vociferated so much pain and torment .And couldn't help but speculate how society deemed women as weak and helpless creature that could cry their eyes out at mere things but Allah giving women this bliss of bringing life into this world bearing a pain as excruciating that pushes the person to the edge of life and nearer to clasps of death yet with magnificence strength a woman battles this pain and brings a child to this world is enough evidence of strength and courage Allah endowed every women with (leaving the struggle they go in raising them ) is a proof that every women is strong and magnificent creation of Allah ,no matter what society names them.

That even in pain ,Allah upholds a mercy  that is a means of emancipation and  raising of the status to such a level where Jannah lies at the feet of women :a section of society that is always look down upon and oppressed .

Emaan jerked out of her thoughts as a wince spurt out of her mouth at the pain that shoot through her palm while Magrib whimpered loudly as finally the wails of a life announcing its arrival resonated .Despite the pain ,Emaan smiled wide and tears burst out of her eyes at the heartwarming moment as she looked at the baby. Yamama looked at Emaan as her eyes crinkled suggesting she was smiling behind the mask before she quickly handed the baby to the nurse to clean it while she again moved to attend Magrib.

Emaan patting lovingly on Magrib's hand ,quickly walked towards the nurse and helping in cleaning and wrapping the baby in a towel ,she quickly checked the baby's vital stats and lifting it gently in her arms ,moved towards Magrib while already smitten at the little bundle of joy that had stopped crying after coming in her arms .With glistened eyes ,she looked at Magrib who looked beyond tired and weak as her eyes kept closing but her droopy eyes instantly glimmered at the sight of her baby and she grinned genuinely for the first time after Amir's death. Emaan handed out the baby for Magrib to hold while saying ,

"It's a girl .".

Listening to Emaan ,Magrib held the baby closer to herself and looking at her baby all the pain she had suffered seemed to whiff away instantly .

Seeing the beaming face of Magrib, the words of her mother flutter its way out of her gallery of memories and bloomed in her mind.

"Period of pregnancy and labour pain are like a metaphor for the pain and difficulties one often faced in life Emaan, where no matter what how much we pray the difficulties only grows and no matter how much we struggle, it has a specific period to exist in our life before it arrives to a conclusion .But when it does arrives to its conclusion ,just like a pregnant woman who bearing all struggles ,pain and discomforts forget them in an instant seeing her baby ,similarly when finally Allah brings ease in her our life all bruises and gashes are forgotten ,all tears and whimpers evaporates in an oblivion and suddenly the entire path of difficulties seems like past thats far too left behind to hinder the beauty of present .And thats how magical is the relief of Allah that mends the broken soul with such sweetness that bitterness ceases to exist .And while the tears and gashes we might forget in the joy of relief ,but Allah is never forgetful ,HE keeps them locked and recorded so that when their is a time to reward the eternal bliss HE could mount more rewards for the suffering we went through in this world .

Thats how merciful are Rab is Emaan who rewards us for all are sufferings in this world and also in the world which is meant to be our permanent abode ...but it all requires us to trust our Lord just as HE trust us as he plans our relief even before we cross that path of difficulty ,it requires to fight and never give up because our Rab never gives up on us ..understood my Emmi" .

A crescent curved on her lips and Emaan slightly nodded her head as she had done in the past when her mother had explained this pristine lesson .

Magrib kissed her baby's forehead lovingly when tears automatically rain down her eyes as she recalled Amir's words  ,

"Magrib! you and Ammi might feel it's going to be a boy but I am praying to Allah for the baby to be a girl, my princess whom I am gonna protect and pamper so much that even you will get jealous and I know Allah never leaves a servant empty handed ".

Oh how her heart wished Amir was here to see that his prayers had came true ,how much she wished to see his smile on seeing his daughter ,how much she wished he was here but her daughter was destined to be a princess without a king to pamper and protect her ...

A whimper escaped her lips at the thought .

Emaan moved to clasp Magrib's shoulder in assurance when Magrib whispered out ,

"Why Allah deprived my daughter of his father's love and protection ?"

"Don't start this beautiful blessing with questions Magrib ,just believe Allah Ar Rahman and don't forget your princess would always be under the protection and love of King of all kings  !

Magrib nodded teary-eyed as she pecked her daughter's forehead again before her eyes blurred and her hands started feeling lifeless .Seeing her condition ,Emaan quickly moved to hold the baby while Magrib pushed her head back on the pillow as black dots appeared before her eyes and her energy draining out.

"Sophie get O positive blood fast,we have to perform blood tranfusion !"

Emaan looked at Yamama at her panicked voice and her eyes gradually shifted to see the pool of blood that had formed under the bed causing her orbs to dilate in horror .

"Please Emaan could you take care of my baby for a while ..I feel sleepy ..." Magrib pleaded weakly making Emaan jerk out of her panic state and nod before her fervently as she tightened her hold on the baby .

Seeing the condition getting worse and seeing the condition of Emaan ,who was breathing hard ,Yamama spoke ,

"Emaan you should leave " Seeing reluctant expressions of Emaan ,Yamama asserted ,"Your duty is to take care of the child while my duty is to take care of the mother ,so let's do our best okay".

"But Yamama .."

"Not buts just go and take care of the baby ..I will manage " Yamama smiled through her mask .

Nodding fervently ,Emaan glimpsed back at Magrib who smiled weakly at her and the baby . Emaan smiling back at her and whiffing duas on Magrib ,brisked out of the room .

Moving through the corridors ,she entered the passageway leading to the entrance into the next building when she heard a ear-piercing loud noise resonate like a wild thunder and before she could comprehend anything  ,the roof and the surrounding walls collapsed and the last thing she knew she did before she was embraced with darkness was to hold the baby closer to herself while bending over it and whispered prayers for the baby's safety .

__________________________________________

Hamza seeing fire brigade finally arrive on the scene ,held back for them to take charge .And seeing this as an opportunity ,he sauntered towards the watchman's room where he had to put Sidra after her hysterical reaction when she came across that Yamama and Emaan were in the Building A of hospital when it had collapsed .

As he stood outside the room ,he prayed that Sidra hadn't done any stupid things in her anger and sorrow and clicked open the door .As he ran his eyes across the small room to find Sidra sitting at the very corner with her face hidden in her knees .Sighing ,Hamza closed the door and walked towards her .Squatting down ,he gently touched her arms making Sidra flinch back looking at him .And seeing Hamza ,her face contorted into a look that of a fierce predator as she frantically looked around for a thing to hit him .

Seeing her reaction ,Hamza sat back on the floor while trying to pacify her as he said ,

"Sidra listen to me at first ..I can explain"

But as he saw her holding a torch to hit him ,he raised his hands to defend himself however he was left perplexed as instead of the torch hitting him ,he felt a soft touch on his hand. Sidra immediately kept away the torch and held his hand gently as she saw a deep cut on his palm .Seeing her concern ,Hamza's heart fluttered and a small smile tugged at his lips.

"It happened while removing the rubble. No need to worry! It's not that deep !  ".

And Hamza regretted the words he uttered immediately as Sidra's soft expressions somersaulted into fierceness as she taunted ,

"Yeah ! I don't need to worry as who needs the blood to survive right ! Just let it flow and you know what I should make more cuts on your body as you are so keen on showing how strong you are ! Right?..All men are idiot .."

Hamza cleared his throat at this, making Sidra give him a glaring glance before she moved to unwrap her hijab seeing nothing around to bind his cut .

"Clearing his throat as if I will get scared" Sidra mumbled to herself before speaking aloud ,

"Just because you are a man doesn't mean you have to pretend to be alright all the time ".

While Hamza remained silent as he was too engross and captivated by the beauty of her wife that he had no words to reply back . .He couldn't even recall the last time he had seen her without hijab .That he had even forgotten she had curly black hairs suiting her quirky personality all so well. He tentatively moved his fingers over the curly baby hairs dangling near her forehead as too wild to be restraint in her low bun .

Sidra busy in tying her hijab around his cut ,looked up at his action and shot him a deathly glare making him jerk his hand back as she snapped ,

"What ?".

"Your hair !"

"So what ? Did you expected me to be bald or something ? Well the way you had chopped my hair back in third grade I had believed I will remain bald forever ..."

Hamza would have chuckled if he hadn't noticed the shivering hands and the croaky voice of Sidra at the end of sentence .

She is just pretending to be okay !

Hamza sighed and whispered out ,

"I am sorry ".

Sidra didn't knew what exactly Hamza's sorry held but it broke down every restraint ,every glass of strength she was encasing her with , shattering into millions shards and piercing through her heart as the tears unceasingly fell down from her eyes .

Hamza quickly moved closer to her while cupping her face lovingly as he said ,

"Sid please don't cry ! You got to remain strong ..you are my brave girl, aren't you ?"

"Hamza I am scared ,Emaan ,Yamama ..I do not want to lose them ..they will be fine nah? Please how will I ..." Sidra couldn't complete as she again burst out into tears .

Hamza pulling Sidra up on his lap embraced her and rubbed her back gently trying to soothe and console her . Sidra hiccuped as she clench his coat before she asked ,

"Hamza they will be fine nah ? I c.an't lose them?"

Hamza tighten his hold on her and pecked her hair before he whispered ,

"In sha Allah they will be babe ,they will"

But Hamza was himself highly skeptical and doubtful about whether his word were fated to become a reality or were destined to remain words of assurance only .

___________________________________________

Khaled stopped the car in the parking lot with a loud screech and hurriedly jumped out of the car to finally notice the ramshackled building of Al Firdous .The whole building A of hospital had collapsed and the once beautiful Al Firdous mosque which had been his refuge in night of hopelessness had lost entire lustre as it had pulverize into mere dust and bricks .Pain shot through his heart and tears float in his eyes as he sprinted inside , not even waiting for Dr Masry to join him .He sprinted though the long courtyard to find fire brigade at their work while some people were walking out with the shelves from the ruins of mosques which had copies of Quran surprisingly in the same condition except the bundle of dust covering them .

Running his eyes fervently over the crowd of patients and doctors in search of Hamza while as he ran towards the Al Firdous, his eyes stilled for a second on a boy making a video of the scene before he sprinted towards the pulverized building when Dr Isa stopped him,

"Khaled where do you think you are going ? The firefighters are doing the work ? You can't do anything there".

Before Khaled could respond ,he heard one of the fireman walk out quickly as he said ,

"We found someone with a baby under the rubble ,get the stretchers and a doctor immediately ..and Rashed get more men here we need help to remove the rubble now .."

Khaled immediately frisking off Dr Isa's hold ran inside the building .While Hamza walked out along with Sidra who had his muffler wrapped around her head and bosom and joined by her own hoodie to hide her hairs ,neck and chest area ,seeing Khaled running inside the building followed him without wasting any seconds .

Seeing the devastation and the maganamity of wreckage ,the firefighters were unsure of any survival amidst it .Yet they performed their job hoping for a miracle for someone to survive but just as they had started feeling hopeless they saw something among piles of wreckage and when they moved the board , loud gasp pour out of every mouth followed by chants of Allahu Akbar as they saw a woman and the baby enclosed in her arms ,still breathing without any speck of life threatening harm.

Before the building had collapsed onto Emaan ,the floor under her split apart making her stumble down with the baby with the pointed stones tearing away her clothes and bruising her waist ,arms and knees .But still she kept her hold onto the baby strong and close to herself as she saw the roof collapsing down when the board on the adjacent wall fell onto her and miraculously shielding her from the rubble falling down .But as the rubble increased so did the board staggered downwards over her ,bringing dust and remnants of cements and bricks fall over her .

A low groan escaped her as she slipped more as the floor ruptured more apart and the darkness and congested area emulsifying the suffocation she felt. But the only fear that shred her heart was the safety of the baby ,her survival .The suffocated environment with consistent falling dust and cements over them ,she feared it might injure and harm the baby any way .The little girl was the only hope for Magrib and she had made a promise she will protect the  baby no matter what, even if her survival came at the cost of her own life ,Emaan was ready for it.

She kept on checking the breathing pattern of the baby and she had started noticing the stagger in the rhythm of her breathing along with increase in her heart rate . She tried to  performed mouth to mouth respiration but the low level of oxygen was affecting her activity too. A whimper of prayer escaped her lips as tears spilled out ,

"Ya Allah ! Ya Kareem ! Save her ,she is the only hope of her mother ! Don't let her die ..Ya Rabbi .."

As the floor kept sinking down along with board that seemed to break apart in any moment ,so did Emaan's struggle increased to keep the baby alive with the incessant prayers and invocation stumbling out of her mouth . But her body had started losing its strength and black dots had started to appear when she heard the voices above her .And before she could realise ,the sheer darkness evaded by a bright light making her blink rapidly and a gush of oxygen filter down in her lungs making her breathe hard as if she had dived out of the sea .She looked up at the slight opening from which few men peeked . Seeing her looking back at them chants of Allahu Akbar and SubhanAllah resonated while one of them shouted for bringing more men and doctors immediately at the scene.

Clearing away some of the rubble carefully and widening the opening ,they asked her to stretch out her hand .But instead of her hand she immediately raised out the baby making sure it's not hurt in any way .The fire man quickly rubbing off his hands on his pants moved to take the baby . And after the baby was taken out ,they reached out for her hands but she felt too tired and weak to raise her hands and but as the floor slipped more ,they quickly leaned down and  held Emaan by her arm and pulled her out . Her gut churning with nagging feeling of being touched by non mehram ,Emaan as soon as she landed on surface she moved away from their hold and held the wall while waving out the firemen moving to help her stand .She searched for the baby as her mind seemed circling round making her legs seem too weak to stand .But as she looked around ,her eyes finally stilled on Khaled who had just sprinted inside whose eyes had widen seeing her condition .

Seeing him ,she felt like a lost kid who had found her way back to home ,a soothing relief found refuge in her heart and tears trickled down as she saw him walking towards her while taking off his jacket.  Reaching her Khaled quickly covered her with his jacket veiling her ripped condition. And as she looked sideways, their eyes clashed. And in that vulnerable moment ,their eyes conversed millions emotions yet no words were said ,their distance between the hearts reduced yet no steps were taken and they found something they didn't thought they had lost.Emaan too overwhelmed with emotions looked away while Khaled taking quick glance to check for any injury, also looked away while moving back with his fists tightly clenched.Emaan was perplexed by the worried expressions and the glistening eyes of Khaled that seemed to have rocked her already unhinged state to a new degree . But before she could sober up from the tremors she felt coursing her entire soul remembering his deep gaze when Sidra embraced her while tears slipping out of her eyes consistently . Emaan held her tightly as her brain zoomed around fast making her legs feel too weak to stand, which didn't went unnoticed by Khaled as he shouted for a stretcher .Emaan looked at Sidra as she whispered ,

" The ba..by ...look ..af..ter the baby..ba..by" Saying it ,Emaan fell unconscious on Sidra's shoulder making it difficult for Sidra to handle as she sat down along with her on the floor  .

___________________________________________

She could hear the sound of someone sobbing even before she had opened her eyes . But as she forced her eyes to open ,a gush of pain shot through her head making her close her eyes back again and a slow grunt to escape her mouth .

Sidra looked up at the sound causing more tears to escape her eyes before Hamza wiped them off as he said ,

"Sid you have got to be brave ! I am going to be outside .." Seeing the reluctant expression of Sidra he added ,

"Sid Dr Emaan won't be comfortable if I stayed here but if you need anything just call out for me ,I am just outside the door ..okay ".

Hamza cupped her face lovingly and pecking on her forehead , stood up from the bench and walked out .

Sidra gazed back at Emaan who seemed to finally woke up and was rubbing her forehead .Rubbing off her fresh tears ,Sidra walked up to Emaan who was now trying to sit and quickly moved to help her to sit .At the touch ,Emaan recoiled but seeing Sidra she relaxed and asked urgently  ,

"How is the baby ?Is she fine ?".

Sidra nodded her head in reply with a smile lingering on her face yet tears overshadowed every effort of her trying to be happy .While Emaan busy at reveling at the news whispered out series of Alhamdulillah before a panicking thought engulfed her ,dissolving her every happiness like salt in water as she asked ,

"What about Yamama ,Magrib and others ? How are they ? Which room are they in ? Take me there ?"

But despite asking so many questions when Emaan met with a deafening silence emulsified by the tears dropping from Sidra's bowed head, it caused Emaan's anxiety soar to a new level drumming her heart and brain with such harrowing thoughts that when she spoke next her voice came out; strained and wavering ,

"Why don't you speak Sidra ? How are they?"

Sidra looked up with red-eyes and tears still leaking from them as she said in a hoarse voice ,

"They are no more Emaan ...they le..ft us".

Emaan looked beyond bewildered as she gazed at Sidra crying silently before she sprint out of the bed while saying ,

"This can't happen !You are wrong ! You got to be kidding me ! This ..this how I saw them ,they ...were alive ? Yamama her dreams ,Magrib she has a daughter to take care of ..They can't ..di..e ..".

Seeing her walking away while muttering hysterically to herself ,Sidra clasped Emaan before she asserted ,

"I am not  Emaan! Listen to me it's reality.. they are no more Yamama ,Magrib ..everyone died when the building collapsed .."

Emaan blinked looking at Sidra ,pleading her with teary eyes for it to be anything true but visage of Sidra bore such pain and trauma, that this time she had to inhale the grotesque reality. And the burden of reality was so cruelly burdensome that she eventually broke down into tears while sloping down on the ground along with Sidra and they embraced each other at the loss of their friend and the people they had come to love and cherish .

Khaled felt like a puppet whose strings were pulled and choreographed by his heart . The fear he had felt in his heart at the thought of losing Emaan was so mighty to be ignored, the ease that pervaded his soul seeing her alive was so calming to be masked, channeling his all stream of thoughts towards a realm of uncertainty he didn't wanted to travel .But still pulled by his insanity as he named it , he walked towards the room Emaan was in,yet while all the way trying to make himself agree that he was just going to inform Hamza about the meeting to be held among the doctors in half an hour despite knowing he could have done so through his pager but the tug in his heart to know how she was, was so strong and powerful that he seemed to have walked miles to ensure she was safe then this mere metres were hardly any distance .

Reaching near the room,he saw Hamza standing outside with his arms crossed over his chest and his head bowed .As Khaled moved nearer ,he realised why Hamza was so as he heard the sounds of sobs tearing its way out  from the room .His heart twisted into several knots as he heard her sobs and the mighty helplessness invaded his entity making him want to escape that place as soon as he could before his heart could compelled him taking a step that he would regret later .

"There is a meeting in half an hour at Dr Masry's office .I don't think Dr Sidra and Emaan would be in a condition to attend but if they want to ..then bring them along .."

Seeing Hamza's nod ,Khaled giving a swift nod turned around while clenching his fists hard and walked away as this time the sob had pierced through his heart resonating not a confusion but a devastating realisation .

Hamza looked at the retreating figure of Khaled confused by the blankness he had adorned his face with .But only if Hamza knew that blankness was just a façade to veil the storms of emotions thundering inside Khaled as the empire of stability had finally discovered the cause of change that had turned his world upside down .The insanity was a plot twist he wasn't expecting in his life .

Boundaries had shattered apart

That he had meticulously constructed around his heart

As finally a bitter-sweet realisation had sparked

That what he thought was a temporary slot

Which he could succumb if he just faught

But defeat was destined for this battle from the start

Only took him time to discern this part

Now he didn't knew what storm this realisation will embark

As he felt too overwhelm and too agitated at his mind and heart

That no matter how much he stopped and blocked

Only shrieked with one thought

That Khaled Al Hassam had fallen in love at last.

___________________________________________

Bismillah

An early update as promised !

I know many of you had started disliking Yamama but for me she was close to my heart and ending her character was painful ...yet I hope reading this chapter your mood didn't went off as it did mine while writing it ...😶

Before you leave please do recite ,

"Rabbanaa waj'alnaa muslimaini laka wa min zurriyatinaaa ummatam muslimatal laka wa arinaa manaasikanaa wa tub 'alainaa in-na-ka antat Tawwaabbur Raheem"

'Our Lord!Make us of Muslims, bowing to THY (will ),and of our progeny a people of Muslim ,bowing to THY (will) ;and show us our place of celebration of (due) rites ;and turn onto us ( in mercy ), for THOU art Oft-Returning , Most Merciful'[2:128]

Do remember me and entire ummah in your pristine duas .

Faqat abd e Rahmana
Sadaf

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu💛