Weakness

Bittersweet

Noora's POV.

Life is...bittersweet. I've had many losses but I'm content with where I am. I don't know how I do it but I just am okay where I am even if it's not the greatest place.

I lost my parents at a very young age. My dad had died in a car accident and my mother died of cancer shortly after. I was just a kid, I didn't think a kid could witness such things at such a young age. I was in the car with my dad and I had survived and I was with my mom when she took her last few breaths.

After both deaths happened, I was left crying alone and praying alone that my parents would be protected in what followed death. I have no one in this life except for my nano. My grandmother, the apple of my eye, meri jaan, my only source of happiness left on earth. She is as sweet as jalebis and her love is unconditional.

She takes care of me like a mother and way beyond. She is so precious to me. So so...precious and I know she is old and that makes me sad sometimes. I'm...not ready to lose her also. I'll be truly left alone if she does.

So yeah, bittersweet life. At least, that's how I like to see it.

"Noora habibti? Why do you look so sad my love?" My closest friend, Samira. She's an angel.

"Mmh? Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about...food. Ramadan feels you know." There's a week left before Eid. Ramadan can be challenging when you work at the same time.

"Right! I'm so hungry right now. Let's wrap up quickly and leave already!" She exclaims.

Samira is Moroccan and she's also a Muslim just like me. We are the only Muslim girls that work at the hospital. She thinks it's a flex to be only the two of us and takes a lot of pride in it.

I finished my last round with the patients until 8pm and then it's time to go home. I'm not an official certified nurse yet. I'm still in training with Samira. We went to school together and studied together.

"What are we eating tonight?" Samira holds on to my arm tightly as we walk out of the hospital together.

I stopped and looked at her with a guilty smile.

"Again?" She already knows.

"Nano needs me, Samira. Tomorrow maybe?" We've been wanting to have diner together since forever but nano has been sick in the past few days and it worries me to death. I want to take care of her as much as I can.

"Fine," she sighs in disappointment.

"I'm sorry..."

"Hey, it's okay. I know you. It's not your fault. But, keep in mind, the day we get to have a good diner together—you'll remember it for the rest of your life." I chuckled.

"Shawarma? Falafel?" I mentioned her favourite dishes.

"Oh no habibti, the whole table will be filled with Arabic sensational dishes. You'll take a few bites and all you'll be able to say will be mashallah, mashallah, mashallah!" She giggles and then we both start laughing.

After talking a bit more, we separate ways. Samira's fiancé pick her up and I grab an Uber home. She's been engaged for nearly 2 months. It was arranged by her conservative parents. She explained to me that she wasn't really in love with him yet. However, she wants to see how things goes.

I get to nano's house which is my home. Nano lives alone in her cottage-like home. Grandpa died way back in the days during war and nano never married again. She decided to stay a widow for the rest of her life and dedicate her heart to only one man. I have goosebumps sometimes thinking about it. She's such a strong woman.