Forgiving You (Dublin Sisters #2)

Chapter 48

Nawal's head was spinning. The cool bathroom tiles sent chills up her spine. She was dizzy and her eyesight was blurry. Seema was calling out to her but she had no energy to respond. She couldn't decipher the words said to her. All she heard was her name.

This morning like any other morning since last week, she woke up with a severe bout of nausea and before she could fully wake up, she had rushed to the toilet. But today, she didn't have strength to stride instead on wobbly legs she walked to the bathroom. She had collapsed on the bathroom floor when she vomited in the toilet seat. Knowing about Nawal's nausea attack, Seema had brought a glass of fresh orange juice to ease her but when she saw Nawal slumped on the bathroom floor she panicked.

Grabbing Nawal's arm, Seema tugged her, "C'mon Chanda, you have to gather your strength to stand up."

Nawal wasn't able to react. Emptying the contents of her stomach left her light headed and exhausted. She closed her eyes regardless of Seema's pleading for her to climb to her feet. That is when she felt being lifted and carried. The familiar male cologne hit her, she frowned when she recognized it. How was it possible she could sense him? Her limp head rested against his chest. She blinked and when her eyelids rose, she realized she was dreaming. No way would Salman carry her.

But he did, after hearing his mother's frantic voice he had rushed to find Nawal on the bathroom floor and Seema's futile effort to move her. Without a moment's hesitation, with his arm under her knees and the other around her back, he carried her to the bed where he gently laid her down.

He stepped back, letting Seema sit on the bed beside her. After helping Nawal sit up with her back resting against the pillows, Seema immediately extended the orange juice glass to Nawal, "C'mon Nawal no more excuses have this orange juice so that your nausea gets better and then I will get you breakfast so you have strength."

Unabashed, Nawal eyes never left Salman as she took small sips of the juice. He was standing with his arms folded in front of him and quietly noting her condition. Her eyes beseeched even though her lips remained sealed. But he never met her eyes. Instead his eyes were fixed on the glass in her cold trembling hands.

Salman had no clue about babies and far less about pregnant women. Shouldn't pregnant woman gain weight? Then why Nawal seemed to have lost weight. Her collarbone was more prominent now and her hands were much slimmer, the bangle he gifted her was loosely dangling on her wrist. Her stomach was completely flat. Was that normal?

They didn't notice when Seema left the room. Both acknowledging the other but hesitant to speak. She was afraid if she said something he would storm out like the last time. And he didn't know what to say or even understand why he was in the room in the first place.

Her heart cried, Looking at you my heart weeps. You are so near yet so far.

In the eerie silence, Nawal drank. With each sip, the nausea spell eased and her tensed shoulders relaxed against the pillows. When she drank half of the contents of the glass, she sighed in content. Observing that her condition was better, Salman stepped back and for a fleeting second their eyes met. That one glance was enough to pour out the raw emotions.

His anguish.

Her pain.

He was quick to avert his gaze and then without a backward glance, Salman walked out of the room. Her eyes trailed behind him as a tear trickled down.

Come back, her heart voiced and pleaded, Please.

But he never did.

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