Unexpected Promises

Chapter 80

Atifa's pov:

Returning back to the hospital, we first rushed towards ammi's room frantically. I just wanted to meet her. I didn't know what I was going to say or anything, but I just knew that I had to meet her, hug her and comfort her. She had been alone these past few years, not even letting us know what was going on with her and here we were, assuming stuff and blaming her for things which she did. We never even thought that she could have her reasons too, right?

"She's currently gone for her MRI scan." Finding the room empty, we asked a nurse and she replied.

"Okay, thank you." Attempting to give her a small smile, Saad replied before turning to me. "Let's get you to your room then."

"How is Alayna, bhaijaan?" Amira quietly asked him as we made our way back to my room, the pain in my shoulder suddenly returning.

(Brother-in-law?)

"She is fine, alhamdulillah. And she misses you a lot!" Turning his face to look at her, he replied with a bright smile.

"I miss her too. And I want to talk to her." Holding his hand, she replied bashfully.

"I will let you speak to her once we are in your api's room." Nodding his head, he replied while glancing in my direction, making me look away from them. Ah, the number of times I have been caught staring at him! It was so embarrassing!

"Okay."

._._._.

"How are you feeling now?" Sitting down beside ammi, I held her hands before asking her, tears threatening to obscure my view.

Around an hour after we were back in my room, ammi was shifted back to her room and I decided to visit her alone. Even though I wanted Amira to meet ammi too, I didn't like leaving Saad alone time and again, the reason why I let Amira stay with him this time. I also wanted to spend some time alone with her.

She had been so lonely all this while, now that we knew what the matter was, shouldn't we at least try to make the best of what we still had? Even though she had been taking care of us all this while, she definitely wasn't going to ask us anything herself, so I should be thinking about her needs and wants now, shouldn't I? Afterall I'm her daughter, and I should have known what's wrong with her from the start, but no, I didn't even bother to get to know anything! Maybe if I would have known, things would have been a bit different?

"I'm fine." Patting my hand lightly, she replied with a small smile, a tired look already taking over her features.

"But you look so tired…" Looking away, I mumbled in a broken voice while wiping away the few stray tears escaping my eyes. I hated myself for not even trying to figure out what the matter could be!

"Is- Is he actually your husband? The guy who you told me about yesterday..." At her sudden question, my head snapped in her direction as I looked at her wide eyed. She had a faraway look in her eyes as she continued to stare behind me, as if lost in her own world, trying to remember something.

"Are you still having a headache?" Blinking my eyes, I looked away from her and inquired, not wanting to answer or to lie to her. I was scared that she might get triggered again if I mention anything about him.

"I'm fine. Now answer me." Coming out of her trance, she replied while looking at me expectantly.

"We went to our house in the afternoon so I thought of bringing you some-"

"Answer me." Interrupting me, she asked in a sharp voice, the gentle look marring her face in the start long gone by now, making me flinch and daring me to change the topic.