Tapish تپش

four

Rayyan had known no bigger fear than seeing his pregnant wife almost fall down.

She looked so weak and malnourished. But there was a noor on her face. The pregnancy glow. But now was not the time to appreciate her beauty.

He quickly got into action, picked her up and rushed out of that Godforsaken building.

He'd make sure it was torn down by the end of the day. In its place he'd make a better one to provide shelter to the helpless; to commemorate and thank this dingy shack for putting a roof over his wife and child's head.

For that he would be forever grateful. He will decide upon his own punishment later. Duaa can do that.

He's ready to beg and grovel at her feet for an eternity to get her to forgive him.

The doctor recounted what he already knew. Lack of nutrition and sustenance had her weak. The effect of stress not being good for the foetus. Also that she needs to make an appointment with her gynecologist.

He doubted that after that first time, she had even been to a proper doctor let alone a gynecologist.

He was to be blamed for that. If anything happens to them he won't be able to live with himself. 

The gynecologist on call did the due diligence. She did an ultrasound and that's when his heart stopped.

There was his baby.

Cocooned inside it's mother.

He had wronged the two most important people in his life and he didn't deserve to be a witness to this miracle, but he couldn't bring himself to remove his eyes from the screen. He fell in love again.

Consulting with the good doctor, he made an appointment to visit within a week. She told him that Duaa was 6 months along.

That means he has a little less that three months to pacify his wife and repent for his sins. After that she may decide to condemn him to hell, he won't resist.

Duaa was so exhausted that she slept throughout the whole ordeal. The entire time the nurse had checked and refilled her IV and even when she was discharged, she didn't even blink an eye.

Only when he placed her in their bed back home did she gain her bearings. And the surroundings had her screaming bloody murder.

She demanded to be let go. She even scrambled down from the bed but she was still weak and that stalled her movements.
What she said next made him realize the extent of damage he had done.

" Please don't make me stay here. I can't. Please. I'll stay in the lounge or the outhouse or just send me back to the shelter but not here. Not this room. It's suffocating. My baby is not safe here. Please I beg you."

He tensed up listening to her outburst and understood that she was referring to the fateful day when he had called their child with ugly names.

Somebody please hit him with a lightning bolt for all that he's made her go through.

He took her in his arms , she resisted a lot but finally gave in.

" I'm sorry baby. I'm so sorry for all that I've done. I should have listened to you. It's because of my fucked up mind that you're suffering. If you don't want to stay here, we'll move to another room, another house if that's what makes you feel safe. But never again baby am I ever letting you go."

He picked her up yet again and carried her to the spare master bedroom. The changed scenario calmed her down and she cupped her bump.

"I know it's not my place to ask this of you, but can you please leave. Seeing you brings back all the bad memories. It's your house and you have the right to be anywhere you want but if you want me to stay then please leave me alone. Or better yet let me leave. This house reminds me of ..."  she couldn't complete the sentence and swayed and this time around fell back on the bed.

She was exhausted. Both mentally and physically. She shouldn't have had to go through this stress during her pregnancy.

She was supposed to be deliriously happy and healthy. But here she is. She just wanted to forget everything for a second and relax.

She was emotionally drained and tired of fighting. She felt dirty and reeked of medicines and that stench that was typical to the shelter.

The stench of disgrace and worthlessness.

But she was thankful for having a roof over her head.

" Would you just drop me to the bathroom? I need to scrub this grime off of me. I need to feel human again."

Wanting to do anything that pleases her, Rayyan rushed off to the ensuite to run her a bath. He used her favorite bubble bath soap. The room smelt wonderful.

Then he kept fresh towels and a bathrobe. By the time he was done with arranging the things she would require, the claw feet bathtub was full.

He got out to bring her in and lowered her inside the tub after she had partly undressed. She didn't have two hoots to give if he saw her in that condition. She was beyond the point of caring.

Right now she just needed some respite and charging so that she could think on her next course of action.

After assuring her multiple times  that he's just a call away, and fussing over her he left; only when she gave him the stinky eye. That had him moving his butt out of there.

For the first time in months she felt relaxed. The water did wonders to her aching body. She then decided, whatever transpired between them her child shouldn't suffer.

He can give her child the best care and that is her ultimate dream. She was a scorned wife but now she was a mother and had her baby to think about.

The baby he had rejected and called vile names. He would not get the satisfaction of having her child.

She would not get used to the luxuries he provided. She would only ever use the basic necessities.

At least she was safe here from all the wandering eyes and lusting tongues.

This was only temporary. She's out of here the minute her precious bundle is born. She'd convey this to him as soon as she gets out.

But just for now she wanted to forget everything and enjoy the warm bath.