BROKEN

Chapter 26

AHMED

  It had been days after my altercation with Zee at the hospital. There was so much I had to deal with. I had finally gotten my apartment and was ready to move in but mother was still insisting that I shouldn't move. I was visiting Layla in the hospital on a low. Sometimes I just watched her from the window without going inside especially when she wasn't alone, other times I went in when she was alone, using Omar as an excuse to see her and how she was doing.

    I had also spoken to the doctor in charge of Layla and we had spoken about the bone marrow transplant which they still haven't found a match for but I was willing to do everything I could to get one. I had called every body I had contacts with who had connections in hospitals worldwide. I had reached out to the best of the best hospitals and everyone told me they were going to get back to me as soon as possible.

   In my recent visits to the hospital, I couldn't help but notice how Usman and Zee were. Most times I got jealous became I wasn't even sure what relationship they had and deep inside me I wished it wasn't anything greater than just friendship. I didn't want to accept the fact that I had lost Zeenat or that I was never going to get her back. I was scared of the unknown. I still loved her and even though I wasn't sure how she felt about me, the recent times we had spoken had shown me the kind of effect I had on her and how she still had a soft spot for me. I was going to hold on to that and I was determined to fight for what was mine.

    I sat on my bed as I reached out for a box by the side of my bed. I opened it as I brought out what was inside. They were letters I had written to Zee some months after I left the country. I didn't send any of it because I wasn't sure if I even wanted to but I had written most of it to gain some kind of closure and others because I couldn't stop thinking about her at some point even after all that happened.

   I couldn't help but think about the many memories we made together. If not anything, I was glad memories weren't easy to erase. We were so in love and young and not African to take on the world together because we complemented each other so well. We wanted to achieve all our dreams together, travel the world together while living the best of our lives and creating more memories. But now everything was gone and no matter how much I wanted it all back so badly with every day that passed by, it felt like it was all slipping away even faster and chances of everything being the way it used to be became even smaller.

ZEENAT

   I was deeply worried about the fact that we still hadn't gotten match for Layla's transplant. Every day seemed even shorter and it felt scarier because I keep waking to the same sad reality I was in.

   I was sitted in the hospital room as I watched Layla read the book she had insisted I bought for her. She was looking even paler that the days before. The side effects of the treatment was beginning to have so much effect on her. Some mornings she wouldn't stop throwing up, other times it was the cough. Some days were better than the other but she still put up the strong girl act everyday.

    Usman made sure he visited at least once everyday to check up on Layla. Sometimes we talked but most times we both get caught up. Mother was even more helpful as she made me take some nights off to rest and she made sure to care for I and Layla everyday. Sometimes I wondered who would take care of her since she did that for everyone else.

   Layla's classmates had visited today with gifts, cards and so many other things and that had also helped to lighten up the mood and made Layla even happier as she wouldn't stop talking about all of it.

   I was still lost in my thoughts that I hadn't realized when mother walked in.

   "I have good news" mother said and I looked in her direction.

   "What is it" I asked curiously.

"The doctor just told me now that they found a match for layla and the surgery is going to happen as soon as possible" mother said excitedly.

   "Wow!!" I screamed "this is the best news I had heard in a long time" I said excitedly.

    I was overwhelmed and too excited.

"I thought the doctor said they couldn't find any at all because her match was rear" I explained.

   "I know right, it's just so amazing"

"I am so happy right now" I said with a huge smile on my face then I suddenly noticed the package with mother.

    "Who is that from" I asked curiously.

"It was said to have come for you" she said handing it out to me. I saw a letter attached to it and one I opened it I realized it had been from Ahmed.

   "Who is it from" mother asked

"Ahmed" I replied

    "I really don't know why he wouldn't leave me alone really, I just don't know why" I said as I dropped the small box on the table.

   "Maybe it's time you two actually talk this thing out. I know you still haven't forgiven him and that really made you beat your self up everyday because you didn't forgive your self either. Maybe it's time to finally get that closure you seek for so badly" mother said.

    "Mother, I don't know"

Few minutes later after mother had gone to get what we wanted to eat. I decided to open the box and see what was in it.

     When I opened it, it contained pictures of the both of us. The many places we went to, it was like a small box containing millions of memories in pictures. I couldn't help as the many happy memories we shared together flooded my head. The good times we shared together, the times when it was just I and him against the world.