The lie in my marriage (EDITING)

Chapter 12 (Coping)

It's been two days,two agonizing days,two days of loneliness,two days of not seeing the love of his life,his wife,his strength and his friend. These days are just the longest days of his life. Malik has been trying to cope with not having Zain around,she has been in the hospital unconscious for the past two days now. She's in the intensive care unit and no one is allowed to enter the room she's been admitted into. Not even her parents,only the doctors and authorized hospital officials are allowed in. Malik is not finding it quite easy to cope seeing his wife through the transparent glass window of the room,breathing slowly with oxygen tubes under her nose and the cannula on both of her hands with drips running. She has become so pale and blue,her lips so dry and ashy,and her body frame has become smaller. He has become familiar to the antiseptic scent of the hospital environment,the empty hall ways and people talking in whispers,passing by with their heels making the only sound against the floors.

"Ya Allah,I've lost my unborn child,i pray i don't get to lose Zain too"
He said a silent prayer as he made his way to the doctor's office.

He knocked on Dr Johnson's office door.

"Come in" said the elderly man from inside.

"Good morning Doc".

"Mr Ahmad... have a seat please"
The doctor politely ordered Malik to seat.
Malik sat in one of the chairs facing Dr Johnson.

"I've seen she's still unconscious, please doctor i need to know if my wife will be okay, when will she wake up? Please... It's torturing seeing her like this everyday "
Malik said in an almost frustrated tone.

Dr Johnson calmly stood up from his seat,and sat in the chair opposite of where Malik is sitting.

"Malik,your wife will wake up,we are doing everything we can to the best of our abilities. Like i told you,she has lost so much blood,transfusion is ongoing and her systems and her whole body need to acclamatize with the foreign blood infused into her as well as the absense of a foetus now. Miscarriages differ in women,some women recover in a short period of time while some take a little more time just as in the case of Mrs Zainab. She will be alright God willing,just a little more patience."
Dr Johnson finished as he tapped Malik on the shoulder.

"Okay Doctor,more patience then".  Malik gave him a weak smile.
They shook hands and Malik left the office. He went back to see Zain one more time before he leaves for work.

That's how it had been for him. Come to the hospital every morning before he goes to work,go to office and bury himself in work on repeat ever since Zain was taken to the hospital.

He drove to office silently praying that his wife wakes up when he goes back to the hospital later in the day after work,tomorrow or whenever Allah wishes.

At office, he buried himself in work as usual,it helps distract him from the reality of his life,from thinking about Zain's unconscious form lying in the hospital bed.

He felt his head throbbing from all the stress and lack of sleep, he rubbed his hand on his forehead to soothe the pounding headache but to no avail. He pressed the intercom and Amal came into the office.

"Assalamualaikum", she said calmly as she walked into Malik's office. She has noticed how Malik has been moody these few days,how secluded he has become from the rest of his colleagues. She had wanted to ask him,but she felt it's not her place to,she's in no position to ask of his private life as he had made it clear that their relationship is strictly professional and she sure wants it that way too.

"Waalaikumussalam" he  raised his throbbing head to look at her,he miss the brief look of shock on her face as she saw him,but her face quickly changed back to being neutral.