All For What!

28

Maryam woke up in the middle of the night, feeling extremely dizzy. She felt the need to throw up. Immediately, she covered her mouth with the palm of her hand and rushed to the bathroom. With one violent contraction, the congealed content of her stomach propelled into the air and splattered all over the floor. She heaved and more chunks of food emerged from her stomach, nothing digested since the evening before. Her stomach contracted so violently again that she had to clutch it tightly, yet nothing came out. She quickly cleaned the bathroom as well as herself up before going back to the bedroom.

Few days later, the morning sicknesses were only getting worse. She threw up almost every morning and dizziness was not left out. She was really having a hard time. Compared to the hardship she was going through now due to her pregnancy, Manal's own was way easier.

In spite of how sick she was, she still didn't stop going to work. She was looking very weak when Aisha walked into their office. Concerned, she rushed towards her.

"Are you alright, Maryam?" She inquired. She felt her temperature with the back of her palm.

She replied, "I'm fine, Aisha."

"No you're not!" She argued. "What's wrong? You can tell me anything."

Maryam sighed. She didn't want to tell her about her current state of mind, but she knew it'd be better if she did, for Aisha was her friend and she was very good at giving advises. "I'm pregnant."

Aisha's eyes shimmered with happiness for her friend. She smiled heartily and threw her arms around her. "Wow! Congratulations!! This is such a good news, Manal will no longer be lonely." She paused and pulled back. "But why aren't you happy?"

Maryam was quick to come to her defence. "I am. Of course I am, but there's something bothering me."

"What is it?" Aisha asked, worriedly.

Maryam puffed out air from her mouth; "I haven't told my husband yet."

Aisha looked at her in disbelief. She had not told her husband? Shouldn't he be the first person to know? - she wondered. "Why? Shouldn't he be the first person to know before anyone else?" She voiced out.

"I know-" Maryam said, rubbing her forehead. "- but I'm afraid he'd stop me from continuing my job. I have told you my husband doesn't like me working right?"

Aisha nodded. "But don't you think it's about time you do what he wants or better yet, convince him to allow you continue. Hiding your pregnancy from him is uncalled for."

"I know. I know. Please stop making me feel more guilty. You should have seen how hard I worked to convince him to allow me continue working when I was pregnant with Manal. I had to even result to starving my self before he agreed. He is definitely going to tell me to stop working once he comes to know about this pregnancy."

"If he really wants that, why don't you just do it? For his happiness and peace of mind." Aisha suggested.

"I can't. I can't just give up my passion just like that... After all the difficulties I passed through in university? Where is the justice there?"

"If I were in your shoes, I'd do just that without thinking twice." Aisha said, eloquently.

"Individual difference. You can do that, but I can't. We're different. I'm passionate about my job and quitting is never an option for me."

"Even if it'd cost you you're family?" Aisha asked.

"It would never." Maryam smiled.

"A piece of advise to you as a friend; do what you're suppose to do before you regret your action later." Aisha said, non offensively.