All For What!

31

Unedited.

Nafisa stood on the same spot with her lips slightly apart. What has she done! How would she be able to explain to Maryam? She needed to think of a valid lie to tell and fast. She took a look at Manal's unconscious body lying by the foot of the stairs and an idea came to her. "Manal! Manaaaaaalllll!!!" She screamed on the top of her lungs. "Please help!!! Manal what happened to you? Oh Allah!"

Maryam was lying in bed when she heard the ruckus downstairs. She immediately sprung up hearing her daughter's name. Without wasting a second more, she ran out of the room. Her breath hitched in her throat and her breathing became cumbersome at the sight of her daughter lying on the floor unconscious and bloody. She got instantly enclosed by a nauseating feeling. "Manaaaal." She cried out, running towards her and gathering her in her arms. "Manal? Manal? Baby, please wake up! Manal?" She called, numerously, shaking and slapping her gently.

Nafisa's breathing uneven as she watched them. She quickly rushed down towards them and began to cry. She was feigning hurt by Manal's situation so badly that one would think it was genuine.

Maryam couldn't stop crying and shaking her daughter. She had momentarily lost her mind. No mother would be able to remain sane after seeing her daughter in that condition. "What... What happened to my daughter? What happened to her, Nafisa?" She managed to ask in between sobs.

Nafisa's heartbeat quickened. She opened her mouth to say something, but closed them back, because she couldn't utter a word. Her mind was blank and her lips, sealed.

"She pushed her down! I caught her doing it." Khadijah said, rushing down from the stairs.

Nafisa could swear she stopped breathing for a moment. She had finally been exposed! What was she going to do next? How was she going to escape from the house before they call the police? — different kinds of thoughts on how to escape evaded her mind. "I'm s—" before she could apologize, Maryam spoke, cutting her off.

Nafisa shut her eyes, dreading what Maryam was about to say. She was doomed!

Maryam averted her gaze from Manal to Khadijah and yelled. "Stop it Khadijah. Tell me exactly what happened to Manal!"

Nafisa was greatly surprised by Maryam's reply. She slowly opened her eyes and that was what gave her the courage to lie further; "I was just going back to my room when I saw Manal and Khadijah running about. I asked them to stop, but they ignored me and  the next thing I saw was Khadijah pushing Manal off the stairs." Nafisa finished and burst into tears. "Please wake up, baby."

"You're such a bad liar! Why don't you tell—"

"Enough, Khadijah! Enough!" Maryam yelled, cutting Khadijah off. She didn't want to hear a word from her. She totally believed what Nafisa had said because she believed she had absolutely no reason to put the blame on the little girl and Khadijah thought she could turn the blame of Nafisa. She glared at them both and swooped Manal in her arms. "We're going to the hospital." She said and rushed out of the house with her daughter still lying unconscious in her arms.

Once she got to her car, she opened the backdoor and lay Manal on the car seat. She rushed to the other side of the car and got in. Throughout her drive to the hospital, her mind was preoccupied with despairing thoughts. She could only pray for her child's safety for she was badly hurt and still lying unconscious.

She arrived at the hospital in no time due to how she over sped and rushed Manal to the emergency ward.

• • •

Saeed had just finished his job at the office for the day and was about to leave when his phone started ringing. He smiled at the caller ID before receiving. "Assalam'alaikum, habibty. I'm already on—" he was cut off abruptly by Maryam's sobs. "SubhanAllah! What's wrong, habibi?"