The princess of bloom

36. Consummate the marriage?!

The scandal was over, Gulay went silent as she left, and Erkan was hardly seen in the town. That, two months passed and it was a few weeks to Ramadan. Lately, Zahra has been thinking a lot about her current life. She wasn't used to this quiet and peaceful life, where there was no struggle or pressure. Fadilat was like a mother figure to her and Abdul was nicer than before and she wouldn't deny that she was enjoying it here. Is this how Allah is blessing her for her past ordeals before she leaves the world?

Today, Zahra felt unusually weak since morning. She didn't tell Fadilat about it and headed for her room immediately after dinner. The moment she approached the bed, she felt her heart constrict painfully and she had to clench her chest. Her breathing became so hitched that she had to gasp. Zahra panicked and staggered to the bathroom.

She started coughing painfully and drops of bright red blood followed. She held the sink washed her face and flushed it down. Her limbs were weak already and her vision became blurry.

Zahra tried her best and searched for her drugs before lying on the bed weakly. She didn't know when tears started falling down her cheek.
"Ameerah, did you forget that you are going to die soon?" She cried silently. The heart attack hadn't happened for a long time and she was having fantasies that it was gone but it was worse than before now. She'd never coughed out blood.

The pain was so severe that she sweated involuntarily.
"Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun. Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun. La ilaha illallah Muhammadu Rasulullah." She kept muttering as the pain subsided. It was minutes later that Zahra managed to sit up. She hugged the pillow and stared ahead unblinking.

She felt feat just now, more than when she first found out about her disease. At that time, she thought that if she left this world, the misfortunes she brought her family would be wiped out. But now was different. She felt attached more than before.

What if something like this happens again in Khaleef's or his mother's presence and they find out about her condition? That wasn't something Zahra wanted to happen. It seems she has to meet Doctor Hebrew soon.

Zahra wiped her tears and asked herself. She had less than four months left, she wasn't even sure that she would live that long. She has settled the promise she made to her family, shouldn't she settle her relationship more with her creator?

Zahra never misses shaf'i and water, but she couldn't wake up at night for Tarawih because of her drugs. Staying up late too stresses her but she smiled through it.

"Whether I stress myself or not, it won't change my heart condition. I have to be closer to Allah." She muttered.

When Abdul came back, Zahra was still in her sitting position. He looked at her weirdly before going to keep his bag and jacket. He came back and sat on the bed.
"If the lights were off, you would have scared me." He said.

Zahra simply rolled her eyes and asked, "Did you sign the deal?"

"With you asy lucky charm, of course, I did." Abdul grinned.

"You should thank Allah instead Khaleef," she reminded and he said Alhamdulillah.
"Also…." She started and he hummed.
"Can you help me with something at night? It doesn't have to be every night, three times a week will do." She inquired and watched as his eyes widened.

"Are you asking me to consummate our marriage?" He gasped.

Zahra revealed a skeptical expression fort before exclaiming, "Hell no! When did I say that?!" She glared at him as her face turned red.

"Oh, what is it?" Abdul scratched the back of his neck and asked seriously.

Zahra calmed down and told him. "Well, I want to be praying at least two rakaahs at night. It will help strengthen your Iman and day-to-day activities."

He found it a good idea and nodded.

"First, since you are tired every night, it will be better if you wake up in the middle of the night. Since you aren't a heavy sleeper, you can wake me you." She explained.

"You are a heavy sleeper." Abdul held his chin and said making her squint her eyes.

"Alright sorry," he chuckled. "With how you aren't used to waking up at that time, won't it affect you when you start?"

Zahra had thought of that and it would surely make her sick, especially with her heart condition. Abdul naturally saw her expression and said, "I don't get tired like before anymore Ameerah. We can also pray before going to bed. May Allah accept our Ibadah."

Zahra just nodded since it would work that way too. Abdul smiled and stood up. "I'll go and eat now. Do you want to join me?" He asked expectantly.

"Just go. I'm a little bit tired." Zahra shook her head and lay down.

"Rest well then." Abdul nodded and walked out. When he came back, Zahra was already sleeping. As he stared at her, he wondered what their relationship was named now. She was supportive and caring but whenever he used any close approach, she was evasive. He sighed and went to sleep too.

The next day, Zahra still felt weak and was glad when Fadilat left the house to check her shop. Zahra had gone with her sometime back but she declined today. She waited for a while before sneaking out of the house. After boarding a taxi, she drove to the hospital.

Zahra had already called Doctor Hebrew and he arranged a session for her. After telling him what happened, doctor Hebrew was surprised. She coughed out blood!

"Do you take your drugs regularly?" He asked.

"Yes, doctor." She nodded.

Hebrew sighed and thought for a while. "The drugs I prescribed for you before can keep your condition stable and not keep you in bed, but it doesn't cure the disease. The pain is more severe now and you're coughing out blood now. It means that your heart condition is deteriorating further."

"I don't want such symptoms to be visible doctor," Zahra said with a frown.

"I did warn you about this Zahra," Hebrew said. "This happens once in week but it can get constant. If the heart keeps getting weaker, its functions will too. Blood will flow slower in your veins, faster, or even stop. I am not sure of the effects and coughing blood now, just changed my hypothesis too."

Zahra stayed quiet after hearing this. More symptoms? It can't be. She doesn't want anyone to find out that anything is wrong with her.

"Don't worry much Zahra. I suggest we have another scan first." Hebrew suggested.

"How long will it take for the results to come out?" She asked. Going out another day is not favorable for her now.

"Six hours at most." Hebrew returned and she nodded. She can come up with something to tell Fadilat later if the woman comes home early.

Zahra got a ward room and had a rest. She kept her phone in silence to avoid any distractions. After Asr, doctor Hebrew came back with the results and his expression was solemn.

"What happened?" Zahra asked carefully.

Hebrew's brows twisted and he asked, "Have you ever taken something like poison before?"

"Poison?" Zahra was flabbergasted. "Why will poison myself? Is my disease due to a poison?" What situation was this now?

Doctor Hebrew nodded and said, "I thought that your disease was natural but from what you told me before, you never had a problem as a kid. The disease is sudden and I think that it attacked you first after accumulating for some time. What the scan showed then was a weakening heart and the drugs I prescribed for you could control the symptoms but they weren't able to improve the heart condition, that's why it was dead already. Only surgery can save it."

He took a deep breath and continued, "Now that I checked again after you coughed out blood, it was from the heart directly and that triggered the poison inside to show its traces. I can't detect what type of poison it is, but I am sure that it is poison and you must have injected it before. From the test that went on, it wasn't taken at once if not the heart will die at once. It was taken bit by bit"

Zahra's eyes widened and her body shook. Fright showed on her face as memories flashed in her head.