A Twist of Fate ✔

Ch. 05

There, he said it. 

Hamza had expected Laila to scream or cry. He even anticipated being thrown out of the room. But instead she did... nothing. Nothing at all. She returned to her previous position, looking away from him. "That's what I've been told, but I didn't want to believe it. No girl wants to wake up one day in a hospital, broken and bruised up, and be told she basically slept through 3 years of her life."

"You didn't sleep through anything," Hamza angrily replied. "You were awake and living; it was real. It was just the accident that made you forget." He was struggling to keep it together and kept hoping somehow her memory would magically reappear.

Laila bit her lip and buried her face in between her knees. "Please leave. I need some time alone to think."

Hiding his hurt expression, Hamza nodded and quietly left. Once he closed the door, he slumped against it, pinching the bridge of his nose. He had let his hopes up too high. Again. If she was going to get her memory back at all, it was certainly going to take some time. He had to be more patient, despite how impossible it felt.

He just wished she'd let him comfort her... just as he had done previously, countless times.

"Hamza! Hamza!"

Upon hearing Laila's desperate cries, Hamza all but flung his laptop off his lap and ran to where his wife stood at the front door. "What's wrong?" He asked, automatically wrapping his arms around her.

She was crying. Laila never cried.

"T-t-tabby," she stammered. Her face was pressed against his chest, her fists clenching handfuls of his shirt. 

Hamza frowned at the mention of their 1-year old cat. "What's wrong with her?"

"She's gone!"

Realization dawned on Hamza. He was working from home all day and was too busy to notice the absence of that darn cat. He hugged Laila tighter. "Hey, it's okay. Maybe she just went out to explore or something. She'll be back before you know it."

Laila wanted to believe that, but she couldn't. "But Tabby never leaves the house. We've had her since she was a kitten! She's probably lost now. Or dead. Maybe a car ran over her. Maybe someone took her. Maybe-"

"Laila," Hamza interrupted her. "I'm sure Tabby is safe, alright? Insha'Allah she's okay."

Laila continued to cling onto Hamza as he carried her to couch bridal-style and sat down. When she ran out of tears, Hamza was still there, gently rocking her. 

She lifted her head, sniffling. "I'm sorry. I ruined your shirt."

Hamza shrugged. "It'll dry."

"Do you really think she's going to be okay?" 

"I'm positive." He cupped her face. "We'll look for her first thing tomorrow since it's still raining and already dark out. Just promise you won't cry anymore?"

She sighed, a sad expression on her face. "Ok, fine. I promise." She said before dropping her head back on Hamza's chest.

Hamza wrapped an arm around her waist reassuringly. He knew she had grown a strong emotional attachment to that particular feline. It wasn't long before she was snoring. Standing up carefully as to not awaken her, Hamza took her to their room and gently placed her on the bed. Then he slipped on a coat and went out in search for Tabby, not returning until almost Fajr. He found Laila awake again, pacing around the house.