The whims of her bewildered heart.

Chapter thirty nine

"It's been three days Imaad! She isn't eating at all, not even a morsel touched her lips. Just a tiny bit water for her dry lips and that's it!" Ilham exclaimed burying her face in Imaad's chest as she cried in worry for her best friend, her sister.

Imaad knew there was no words to consol his wife or her best friend, he sighed and wrapped his arms around Ilham pulling her close and she sobbed harder.

'Oh Allah, ease the pain of the most important woman in my life and the pain of her most important woman' he made a silent dua.

Yusuf watched as Sophie walked into Ayesha room and walk out a few minutes later, her face grim. He put his hand forward and she took it with a small smile and he pulled her into the room they were staying in.

She sighed and let go of her hijab allowing her messy hair on display, Yusuf smiled and took a strand playing with it as he watched his wife some where away, not beside him.

"You okay?" He asked pulling her closer to his side.

"Yes" she whispered placing her hand on her belly, Yusuf placed one his own too and rubbed back and forth.

"She'll be alright" he spoke as he gazed at her belly where his prince or princess grew.

"I'm not so sure about that" Sophie whispered again and a single tear escaped her eyes.

"She's a fighter" he said again and Sophie looked at him her eyes brimmed tears. "Just like the one in your belly"

Sophie slowly placed her head on his shoulder and together the two of them hoped, the least that they could do. That the Ayesha they once loved return and everything turns back to normal.

Sara paced back and forth in her room, her eyes red, and dark circles under, her lips muttering a prayer every time they could. Talha stirred in her arms and she hushed him pulling him close and wiped away her tears making sure it does not wake the baby.

Hamza and Amir sat side by side on the bed and watched Sara, Hamza huddled up close to Amir and he gave a weak smile and pulled him close trying to put him to sleep and it worked. The boy fell asleep. Amir studied as Sara put talha into his cot and moved towards the washroom, when she returned she muttered prayers and sat on the prayer mat and prayed.

She was in prayers for almost an hour before she stood and removed the garb from her body revealing her simple night shirt and trousers. She took her place in the bed and glanced at Amir.

It tore Amir and he watched the woman who he loved all his heart broken, not one, but two. Both women who he loved ceaselessly were now broken. Worse his sister, she was lifeless.

"Sara" he whispered but she shook her head and tears feel freely. "Babe" he said and moved from his side towards her and wrapped his arms around her. She sniffled but yet tears flowed down her cheeks.

"I'm scared" she said a simple sentence but Amir understood what she meant.

I'm scared of what would happen after this,

I'm scared of the lifeless Ayesha.

I'm scared of her fragility.

I'm scared of...

so many and yet Amir understood.

"You don't have to" he said and she buried her face on the crook of his neck, her breath fanning his neck and her tears making him shiver.

"How can I not?" She whispered in his neck and Amir slid his hands across her waist and held her closer.

"Because she will be alright" he said with a sigh that it almost sounded like a lie.

"They will be alright" he said determined this time and he knew, he knew they'd fight and survive whatever darkness that would elope them.

"Promise me" Sara sobbed looking deep into his eyes, her dark ones pleading.

"I promise" he said and placed a kiss on her forehead.

Her henna adorned hands trembled as she raised them, he lips quivered and tears were always flowing down that if it were to be collected she was sure they'd be equal to that of a pond.

She whispered the only words that her lips allowed her to utter, the only words her heart beats for.

'Ya rabb'

'Ya rabb'

'Ya rabb' she chanted her voice broke,

Melancholy caressed every bit of her body and it sang whispers of heartbreak.

No,

No

No.

And a loud sob escaped her lips and her hands retreated and fell on the ground and she prostrated towards her lord.

'Save me from this heartache' her heart whispered. 'I cannot seem to bear this' her soul whispered.

The worries of the others were indeed true worries, as the women who was jovial now was lifeless, broken and hollow.

She breathed only to make Dua for him and only to him.

She sipped a pinch of water to make sure she'd have a voice to utter.

Everything in her seeped heartache, her hair unkept fell over her eyes, her eyes, once beautiful was now filled with redness and oceans of pain. Her collarbone jutted out, her face paled.

Everything In her definitely sang heartache and pain and misery that no one could look at her without feeling a clench in their hearts. Without letting the pain seep through them too.

His mother once told him, he was a warrior but was this that of a warrior.

He knew, that he was breathing. That was yet alive but not exactly.

Was this how afterlife felt? Stuck between two life's?

No, for sure he knew it was a no.

For afterlife is in the grave either it widens for you or it clenches you. And Imran felt neither.

Every ounce of his body felt numb and lifeless, every thought was a blur but only one, only one stood fixated on his mind or maybe soul he didn't know. That was her. His Ayesha.