The Other Side [complete]

Chapter Six

"Do you guys know each other?" I asked looking at them back and forth not really shock that Maria knew his full name she has a tendency of doing background checks on people. Give her access to the Internet and she'll find anything on anyone to them they might consider her to be a complete strangers not so much to her. She claims its her way of being prepared. I wonder if Daniel knows her.
"Aziza how in the world do you not know Daniel Morton? If I wasn't your friend I'd truly believe you lived under a rock away from all civilization." She exclaimed in deep shock.
"I do know him. He is Daniel, we met at the store I work at." I said in defense
"You've met only just met him at the place you work..." She started to say but didn't get to finish it as we heard gun shoots ring outside and she urged Daniel to come inside. Once he was in she quickly closed the door.
"I am going to call Talha and tell him to come downstairs and to help you back to your place. He is most likely at his friends house in one of the upstairs apartments." She said quickly taking her phone from the counter to call one of her older brothers.
"What are you doing in this Neighborhood." I asked once I directed him to one of the couches and he sat down.
"I...um...honestly am hiding from my parents and this place is the last place they would look for me. I rented out the empty place downstairs. Didn't really realize this neighborhood was intense. Do you live here?"
"No this place is my friend's house I'm just staying over tonight I live in the building next door they are the same neighborhood though."
"You know what is so weird I've only talk to you less than a handful of times and I feel at ease with you."
"Maria says I have that affect on people." He chuckled at that.
"Yes you do." He said before leaning over to the direction I think he thought I was but it was quit the opposite "is she Muslim as well." He whispered in a very low voice that I had to lean over and strain my ears to hear
"Yes." I said to him
"Ziza..." He started to say but didn't get to finish because Talha came and helped him get back to is place.
Talha is a year and a half older than Maria. I believe she's lucky to have five siblings. Her eldest sister Sarina has been studying to become a cardiologist and is in her first year of residency. She's a very inspiring person even coming from a low income household she was able to achieve to be one. I guess the her motivation is her younger brother Zubair who was diagnosed with heart disease at the age of nine. Last time I talk to her she told me she got a full merit based scholarship that's how she was able to pay for it. Maria is lucky to have a sister like her.
Maria and I didn't talk much that night. I didn't question her about what she knew about Daniel because I knew she was worried about her brother Zubair who had a relapse early this morning and was still in the hospital.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The next morning came too soon after fajr prayer I read Surah tul Ibrahim while waiting for the sun to rise. Once it was bright enough to leave and early enough to not encounter Ami I got ready to go back home.
The weird thing was that no one was home. Usually everyone is asleep by this time but no one was home. So I got an orange from the fridge and peeled it so I could eat it just before I popped one into my mouth I heard jingling of keys on the other side of the front door. Ami had been the one to open the door her hijab was messed up barely in her head and she had dark curls under her puffed out red eyes that looked like she was crying for hours. I got up and hurried to her side
"Kuch hua hai?" I asked her if something happened. I didn't see the slap coming. In just seconds I could hear a ringing noise in the side of my right ear and a stinging sensation on my cheek.
"How could you even ask that you ungrateful daughter." She yelled at me giving me no time to react before she said the the thing that made my heart drop to my stomach "Your father is in the ICU now he collapsed last night with no hope of him surviving and his eldest daughter comes home at this time making it impossible for anyone to contact her. Only Allah knows what's she's been doing all night. You're a disgrace to your father's name."
"Baba is in the hospital? Where I have to go see him?" I asked with the feeling of dread evident in my voice. I can't lose him, ya Rab please have mercy upon my father and I.
"Your not going." In a dismissive tone as though she was telling me to get away from her like an everyday matter.
"What do you mean I can't" I demanded "He is my dad I have a right to see him."
"He is my husband I have a right to band you from seeing him. Your a danger t his health."
"I'm not I love him."
"If you love him then don't see him because if he sees you now he will die."
"I don't have power over death only Allah does. I'm his only daughter I'm sure he would love to see me as well." I urged earning me another slap in the face.
"Why did you hit me?" I demanded a bit bewildered
"How could you say you're his only daughter he has Baheerah and Baheejah as well or are you trying to over look my daughters?"
"I know they aren't my biological sister just like you aren't my biological mother you have no right to say I can't see my father I'm his daughter. His only daughter." I yelled back earning me another hit and another and another to this point both sides of my face were numb. I couldn't take it anymore so I took my phone that was in the counter as well as my hijab and went out the door. I don't remember when I started breaking down but I was sobbing my heart out on the bench of the bus stop before I got a call from my father's brother who I haven't seem much of in a long time he is the only one of my father siblings that I would say I'm close to but he had gotten a job a state away and his busy schedule limited our communication
"Hello is this Aziza?" He asked even when I had his number saved.
"Yes Chacha it's me, do you know where Baba is? I just found out what happened I was spending the night at a friend's house please tell me you know where Baba is?"
"Yeah I am with him now?" He said assured me Dad was doing alright and gave me the name of the hospital he was at. I called Isabel to give me a ride to the hospital lucky for me she was a morning person and my only car ride at the moment because I was sure Maria would be asleep at this time She agreed instantly and since she live near it wasn't a hassle when we arrived my worst night mare had come to light seeing the twins cry and my uncle Bilal with his head bowed as though mourning a loss my heart stopped beating a moment because My first thought was my dad had just passed away and I knew my whole world would collapse. when chacha looked up ad saw me he got up and hugged me finalizing I was too late to see my father one last time. I was in a shock state I couldn't move nor speak. This was so unreal

Please don't forget to VOTE! and COMMENT! Your support really mean a lot💞