MILK & WINE

CHAPTER 18: PATIENT AND PATIENCE

AHMED'S POV

Her eyes met mine and I froze all over. Her face was changed completely. Her busted lips were bleeding, her cheeks and forehead were scratched too. 

For the first time in my life, I felt as if the Earth had stretched beneath my feet. I felt as if she was standing way too far for me to get to her. When I finally did reach her I pulled her in my arms. Only when I felt her against my chest did I feel relieved. I sighed as I took in her sweet smell. She pressed her head against me. 

I could hear nothing but sirens and my heartbeat. It was as if the whole world was turned to mute. Despite the scenes pulling out about us, I could only feel her and my heartbeat. 

"What took you so long?" She whispered. Her voice was so small that if it weren't for the fact that my ears were focused on her, I would have missed it. 

I wrapped my arms around her tighter. My throat constricted as tears pricked my eyes. 

"I am sorry," I said as I stared in front of me. I kissed the top of her head and then placed my cheek on her head. "I will never let you out of my sight again," I promised. 

We stood like that for a few minutes. These moments felt like a bliss before panic struck again.

Suddenly her body went limp in my arms. I pulled away to look at her and saw her closed eyes. 

The events following were as if living hell. I sat on the ground to support her and screamed to call an ambulance. 

From the time I held her in the alley and waited for the ambulance to come to the time we drove to the hospital to the time she was being examined, I felt like I was in hell. Every cell in my body burnt in anticipation to hear what the doctor has to say. 

The doctor came to me after checking her blood pressure. 

"She is under shock. Her blood glucose level has dropped too." He said casually and called the nurse over to him and instructed her something. 

They walked out talking about something in medical terms. It seemed as if they were talking in another language. I just turned my gaze towards her. 

She was lying on the hospital bed. The doctors had removed her scarf. Her black hair were a bit tangled as her bun rested on the end of her neck. There was a scratch on her cheek and her forehead. 

I couldn't help but curse myself. 

Why didn't I pick her up from the campus? Why did I trust that scum to protect her when I knew that he was incompetent? 

Sometimes all you can do is just want to kick yourself. 

The nurse came in again with a bag of fluid. She hung it over a rod with hooks and attached IV to the back of her arm. 

"When will she wake up?" I asked her.
"In a few minutes." She replied without looking at me. 
"What happened?" I asked her again. 
"Her blood glucose level dropped low because of the shock." She replied. 
"Will she be okay?" I knew I was annoying her but I could not help. 
"She just escaped being raped. Physiologically, she will recover soon but about how her scarred spirit will recover, I really have no idea." I got silent. "But she is brave." She said and left. 

I pulled a stool near her bed and took her hand in mine. She didn't react. Her hand was slumped and dead in mine.

Canula was attached to the back of her hand and was tapped with bandage tape. I could not bear to look at her bruised face anymore. 

If only I had not stepped back completely. If only I had not ignored it when I learned that she has started to stay late at libraries. If only I had appointed someone to keep an eye on her. If only... If only.