Echoes Of The Heart

chapter 19

AHMAD'S POINT OF VIEW

I woke up at five in the morning. Only an hour had passed since we had slept after praying Fajr. I looked to my left to find the bed empty. I switched on the bedside lamp and got up. She was not in the room. I checked the washroom. She was not there too. I began panicking. I heard the sound of glasses clinking from the kitchen. Aisha was standing in front of the fridge pouring water for her.

"Aisha? "I called her rather urgently as I entered the kitchen. She turned around to look at me.

"What do you think you are doing?" I asked her, as I came and took the bottle of water and the glass from her hands.

"I was just pouring myself a glass of water," she said smiling.

"I kept a bottle of water on the side table for you so that you don't have to wake up in the middle of the night like that."

"Yeah, I finished that bottle of water. I couldn't sleep after Fajr, so I just kept drinking water. I thought maybe it'll help me sleep."

"Why didn't you wake me up Aisha? You know you scared me."

"You had to go to work too. I didn't want to disturb you," she said and then cringed. She kept a hand on her back, and bent forward slightly.

"What? What's wrong? Does it hurt?" I asked and moved forward to hold her, keeping the glass and the bottle on the counter.

"Just sit down here," I made her sit on the chair and kneeled down in front of her.

"What's wrong Aisha?" She closed her eyes, and wrinkled her forehead. I got up quickly and poured her a glass of water.

"Here, take this and tell me what happened. I am really freaking out here."

She opened her eyes and took the glass of water. She drank half of it, and passed me the remaining. I kept it on the table and sat back down on my knees.

"I don't know Ahmad. I just felt a slight wave of pain, like a little squeeze, I think, but it's gone now. I feel fine. Don't worry sweetheart. This is normal. It occasionally happens, such slight discomfort is nothing," she said and stroked my hair softly. I took her hand in mine and kissed it. "Get up; we are going to the hospital."

She tried to argue, "I am fine Ahmad, there is no,"

"Aisha, please don't argue. We are going." I helped her up and took her to the bedroom. I took out her abaya, hijab and slippers.

While she wore her abaya, I called a taxi.

The taxi arrived in about ten minutes. I helped her in the taxi and sat close to her.

I stroked her head gently that she had kept on my shoulder. I recited different Duas and Surahs and kept blowing on her throughout the way.

When we reached the hospital, the doctor informed us that her labor pain had started and that they would need to take her into the labor room soon. She lay on the hospital bed as the doctors waited for her contractions to get closed together. I kissed on her forehead and sat down on the stool next to her bed. She looked really pale and had developed dark circles under her eyes. This past month had been really hard for her. She had difficulty sleeping at night and stayed tired most of the time. I took her hand in mine; She was looking at me and smiling. "I love you so so much Aisha. You are the most important thing in my life. Everything about you is perfect and I adore you crazily. You are an amazing wife and the most beautiful woman I have ever seen." I kissed her hand as she looked at me lovingly, her eyes twinkling and glistening with tears.

Suddenly, she turned her head away squeezing my hand tightly and clenched her teeth.

I got up quickly and the stool fell with a bang. "I'll call the doctor."