BEING YOURS

CHAPTER FOURTY

She sat still in the car even after Yusuf parked and he didn't bother her.

She's going through a lot. She lost her father two days ago, two days after Ali left the hospital and never went back.

Mansur had forced an answer out of Asiyah as it's only after he met with her that he wasn't himself again.

They kept it from Amira but after a day went by without him showing up, Yusuf was compelled to just tell her the truth.

At first she didn't know how to feel. Angry? Scared? Okay?

There were too many things to worry about, so much more to think about.

She'd met with her father hours before he died and he'd apologized, asked others to help him beg her to forgive him.

But he didn't give her reason enough, she's still mad at him. How could he be so negligent? Not to her but to all his children as well, he'd failed as a father and nobody's to blame for that.

Now just yesterday were they informed that Ali was back at his house and she had to book an afternoon flight back cos she was worried about him. And even if she wasn't, everyone wanted her to be the one to go see him.

'You're the only person that can calm him down.' They believe.

But she knew her husband, and even though he'll be at ease seeing her there, he'll only get back on his feet when he's ready to, when he's willing to. She can help him do that but not make him do that.

Yusuf glanced at her through the rearview mirror. "Won't you go in?"

She said nothing for some seconds, then unbuckled the belt and opened the door.

He also alighted and answered the security man's greeting.

"Is he still in?"

"Yes Sir, but he said nobody should go in unless he's out."

"We're not nobodies." He made for the door.

"The keys are with me." He fished the bunch out of his pocket making both Yusuf and Amira's brows furrow.

"You locked him in?"

"He ordered me to. And told me not to let anyone in no matter what."

"He's been in there since yesterday?" Amira sought in a croaky voice.

"Yes Ma."

She stretched her palm out for the key which he reluctantly gave and she dashed towards the slab, unlocked it.

Yusuf was right behind her as she dashed to his room immediately but he wasn't there, or any other room upstairs.

She ran back down and searched the room there, the toilets and her heart stopped for a second when she entered the kitchen.

She and Yusuf shared a look and he left quietly, sure that his brother was 'alive'.

He's seated on the floor, limp and reclining on the cupboard. He's barely conscious, the kitchen with a strong stench of dried blood - his blood.

He's still in the same cloth he changed the morning after they were kidnapped which was four days ago, of course he'd be looking rugged.

She walked slowly towards him, her eyes shifting from the stained knife on the floor to his body trying to inspect the source of blood.

She cringed as her eyes fell on his left hand which was lying limply on his thigh, decorated with stabs of all kind. What did you do Ali?!

She looked around and grabbed the paper towel from the counter, sprinkled water on it and then went back to him, slowly dabbed it over the drying wounds.