Blood was pumping in his ears. Salman was a mad man with murderous intentions. His fists tightening on the collar of Daud's fragile hospital gown. His fingers boring holes in the flimsy cloth. Dazedly, Daud droopy eyes gazed at him. His iris turning pale blue. Unfocused eyes met his deadly glare.

"I will kill you, you son of –" before Salman could complete the threat. Muhammad and Ibrahim both gripped his arms and pulled him back. He struggled to get free from the man.

"Leave me," he was like an untamed animal finally cornering his prey. It was time to sink in his teeth in the flesh of his prey.

There was a chaos in Daud's hospital room. Men shouting, Chloe pacifying the nurse who had barged in the room demanding an explanation.

But his father and uncle had other ideas. "Get a hold of yourself Salman," Muhammad shouted.

"He is already injured," Ibrahim pointed out in a desperate voice.

Years spent in energetic training in the gym had strengthened Salman's body. The swaying of his muscular arms was impossible for the older men to rein him in control. They were breathless with excessive exertion, the men pushed him back from the bed.

Salman's legs kicked, his arms yanking against their tightening hold. "I will teach him a lesson once and for all. Leave me. Just leave me."

He shook his head from side to side like a bull ready to charge in the Spanish bull fighting. Blood shot eyes, flared nostril, reddened face, Salman was with one goal.

Kill Daud.

Seema stood between Salman and the Daud's bed. She had come back from visiting the baby at the maternity hospital when the staff didn't allow anymore relatives at the neonatal ward. She gently placed her hand on her son's chest. Her soothing touch and teary eyes drained the energy out of Salman. His struggles subsiding. She slowly shook her head, her eyes imploring.

Heaving uncontrollably, his shoulders slumped forward and his head fell down. Vigilantly, Muhammad loosened his grip on Salman's arm. When Salman remained still, Muhammad nodded at Ibrahim to step back.

Nurse Siobhan gave a satisfactory nod, "He is critically injured. I would prefer if you take your family drama out of this room."

Chloe assured the nurse, "We will leave in a bit."

Glowering at Salman, Nurse Siobhan left the room.

Chin against his chest, tears fell straight to the white tiled hospital floor.

"Why?" Salman mumbled.

He lifted his head and Seema was stunned to see the wetness in his beard from his tears, "Why?" his moist eyes darted at the lifeless body of Daud.

"If you wanted revenge. You should have been a man and fight me." he sobbed. "Not my wife." He shook his head. "Not her." he sniffed.

He gulped in air, "W...wh...what did she do to you? Tell me?"

Daud numbly watched his cousin weep in front of him. Never did he think he would see Salman crumble in front of him. The conceited man replaced by a broken one.

"She was sincere to you. S...sh...she trusted you and you went after her life." Salman wiped the wetness from his chin with the back of his hand.

Daud didn't have the strength to correct him. he was never after her life.

"Ever since I intended to marry her, you came between us." Salman stepped back, "I know I was wrong I intentionally broke off your engagement. I ... I ... I devised a plan that would eventually make her mine. But you did worse. To go after her again and again until what?"

There was eerie silence. Shocked, everyone stared at Salman.

"Until you sucked life out of her." he sniffled.

Black eyes met the worn-out blue ones, "If only once you had said to choose between Nawal and the Chairperson job. I would have left everything for her. All you had to do was ask me."

He stumbled back, shaking his head in remorse, "She is more precious to me than my career. Money. Future."

His legs wobbled. He felt strength draining from within him, "Future without her is no future."

He staggered backwards until his back hit the wall, "How will I live without her. Her – my wife. My love. The mother of my daughter."

His lips pursed and groan in anguish as he bled tears, "That poor woman you" a trembling finger pointed at Daud, "You claimed to love is now fighting for her life all because of YOU."

His eyes aimless wandered in the room. Not recognizing the faces staring back at him. In denial, he shook his head, "No. No. No. it's my fault. All my fault." he covered his face with his hands. Sobbing loudly, his body slithered down against the wall until he fell on the floor on his knees.

"It's all my fault. I should have been there for her. I ... I ..." he cried into his hands. "I didn't protect her when I should have. I wasn't there for her when I should have."

He howled in agony.

Seema pressed her hand against her mouth and cried seeing her son weeping uncontrollable collapsed on the floor. Even Muhammad eyes watered. Chloe cheeks were wet.

Ibrahim stepped forward and knelt down to his nephew, "Nahi beta, don't give up hope. Pray to Allah. He will listen to our prayers. My son, cry to Rabb Al-Ameen (Lord of the Worlds). Her life is only in His hand."

Salman lowered his moist hands from his face and glanced at his uncle. "Taya abou, I ... I .."

"Shhh... It's okay my son." Ibrahim whispered and enveloped Salman in a warm hug.

In that painful moment, the arrogant man humbled.

****

Ghazala sat frozen on one of the uncomfortable plastic and metal chairs in the waiting room near the ICU ward. Dumbstruck, her eyes lingered on the tiled floor. Worries running through her mind.

Her only daughter was in a critical condition.

Flashes of the past rushed back. Her baby girl gurgling her laughter at three months old. Her two pony tails dangling by her ears with a mischievous five year old smile. Her heart squeezed with pain, remembering Nawal as a teen girl always with fear in her eyes. But the image the most she wasn't able to forget was Nawal on the day Salman proclaimed divorce. Emptiness in those chestnut brown eyes when for the last time Ghazala's eyes had met hers. At that time, she paid no heed but today she recognized those eyes.

History had repeated itself. In the past, she wasn't there for her sister and today she wasn't for her daughter. There was always accusation in Seema's eyes and she saw the same accusation in Nawal's eyes.

This time it was much severe. Her arrogance and her strong beliefs cost the life of her only daughter.

The yelling at the doorway jolted her from her reverie. She blinked several times and frowned.

Faraz voice echoed down the hall, "He promised me, he will take care of her. Where the hell was he when she was gone for the appointment?"

"Bhai calm down. Your shouting will not heal her." Shahbaz hand gestured in air to calm his brother.

"Fuck! I am seriously not going to spare him this time. I warned him just yesterday. What the hell does he think? He can be as negligent as he wants and we will keep our mouth shut." Faraz voice grew louder with each word. Anger simmering limits. He wasn't going to give Salman anymore chances.

"Faraz please," a painful plea left Shabbir's lips. The man had been silently weeping at the hall. Crying for his princess.

Crying over not being for her in the last few months.

Crying to his Lord.

Faraz spun, "Where the fuck is he?" he spat, ready to find each and every nook of the hospital.

"It's not his fault. it's mine." Ghazala said with such passion and confidence that Faraz halted in his step and Shahbaz and Shabbir eyed her in bewilderment.

"Mom?" Shahbaz questioned in confusion.

Her sorrowful eyes met with the others, "If only I had been there for her when she truly needed me." she whispered.

Afraid, she would burst into tears in front of all of them, she rushed to the ICU ward. Breathlessly, she asked the nurse, "Can I go in?"

The nurse was about to shake her head. Pleadingly, Ghazala said, "I am her mother."

Curtly nodding, the nurse gave her approval.

On shaky legs, Ghazala went inside the room. Everyone had seen Nawal's fragile state but she wasn't brave enough earlier to witness how her daughter lay lifeless on the hospital bed. There, amongst various hospital monitoring equipment and IV fluid tubes lay her only daughter.

Her Nawal.

Her Gudiya (doll).

A doll she never claimed or appreciated. She pressed her lips together, stifling a sob. Her legs were paralyzed unable to move forward to the last few steps to Nawal's bed.

It was all a façade. The anger, the rigidness and the cruel looks. The truth was she was a very weak person. Now seeing her daughter in such a state, all her toughened exterior came apart.

For the first time in decades, a tear glided down her eye. Her quivering lips whimpered. And then only one word came out.

"Gudiya."

****

That evening, everyone left for their homes. The hospital staff didn't allow any visitors at evening times. But Salman was reluctant to leave.

Muhammad clasped Salman's shoulder, "Let's go home Salman. You need rest. Besides they won't let you even stay in this same floor let alone near her room."

Salman looked away, swallowing hard, his Adam's apple bobbing in a painful movement. How could he leave?

He resigned and sighed in loss, "Just give me a few minutes."

His body was aching as if he had fought a fierce battle. On tired legs, he sauntered to Nawal's room. Even without seeking verbal permission, nurse had one glance at him and nodded her approval to let him in.

She was laying too still. Pale and fragile, she lay with no consciousness of the world around her. Her head was bandaged after the surgery. He couldn't recognize this was his wife. The lively woman whose eyes sparked with mischief was nowhere. Instead, lay a woman whose life had been robbed from her.

He knelt down beside her bed and gently his fingers held her cold ones. IV fluids tube attached to the back of her hand. Her nails were pale. Her delicate hand lay on his large one. Rubbing his thumb over her fingers, he whispered, "Please come back to me. Please."

There was no response.

Salman never thought he was capable of crying but seeing her in this condition again brought tears in his eyes.

"Our daughter needs you."

Nothing.

"I ...I ...I" he took a deep breath, "I need you."

"I can't go on without you." He said passionately.

His head bowed down over their hands. Tears fell on their joined hands. "I will do anything for you." His hazy eyes searched her face, "I will be the husband you want. I promise Nawal. You will never have any complaints from me."

"J...j...just come back." with his other hand he wiped his face.

He leaned forward and his lips lightly grazed her cheek, "I love you. I love you so much."

He finally said the words she wanted to hear. But this time she wasn't listening.

Was he too late?

****

One hour turned two and more. After 48 hours at the hospital, there was no sign of Nawal's recovery. In frustration, Salman quietly listened to Dr. Al-Ghafari explanation.

"It will take time. For such patients, the first week is critical. It is better she stays unconscious for few days so the brain rests and we have great hope she is young strong woman and will come out of it." his eyes levelled with Salman's puffy eyes that were lack of sleep and rest.

"But there are still chances she may go in coma for a long period. We cannot determine anything at the moment."

Salman wasn't angry anymore. It wasn't in the doctor's hands. Only Allah gave and took life. He only turned to Him who was above all. He shook hands with the doctor, "Inshaa Allah Doctor I have great hopes she will come out of it."

Pleased, Dr. Al-Ghafari took a sigh of relief. With time, Salman had accepted the situation.

There was only brief moment of happiness on the second day after the accident, the baby was discharged from the maternity hospital as she was healthy and well to go home. Seema and Salman had brought the baby home.

Now the baby fastened in the car seat, Salman carried her inside the house. He placed the car seat in Nawal's room. He was sleeping in that room now. He felt closer to her seeing her belongings sprawled across the room. Her scent still lingering in the room.

"We never did proper baby shopping. We will need baby cot and other baby accessories. Nawal and I had bought some clothes but that's about it." Seema advised as she unfastened the car seat belt.

"Don't worry I will get everything. Just give me a list." Salman said with fierce protection gleam in his eyes.

"I think best is she sleeps with me until Nawal comes as the baby wakes up a lot the first few nights." Seema said carrying the baby in her arms.

"No" he objected without any hesitation, "she will sleep with me."

"But beta..."

"No Ammi I will look after her during the night. You can look after her during the day when I am at the hospital with Nawal."

His work was ignored.

His health not cared of.

Only what mattered was his wife and daughter now.

It was the least he could do after disregarding his wife and daughter since her conception. He was guilt-stricken thinking again and again he was never there for them when they needed him the most.

Seema smiled, pleased to see that Salman was taking responsibility at this crucial time.

Sometimes, harsh reality of life is what makes one realize the importance of the dear ones closest to the heart.

****

It was the busiest time of the day at the hospital. Family members carrying bouquets walked down the hall of the ward to meet their loved ones. There were laughter heard from different rooms. Poignant moments shared where they hugged and kissed. But Daud laid alone in his room. Empty blank white walls his only companion. His eyes roamed around the room, loneliness and despair lurking in his heart.

After struggle of thirty years of his life, finally he brought Salman to his knees. His heart had craved for this from the day Dada jaan had deliberately appointed Salman as the Chairperson. His only goal had been to bleed Salman's heart. Pierce Salman so deeply that he would know what it felt like to be living in anguish and misery.

But why wasn't there not even one ounce of satisfaction?

There was no emotion of triumph within him. Instead, for the first time in his life, he realized he was the true loser. His heart trembled, there was no one for him. His parents were the only ones and they were busy in getting the house ready for his discharge.

He was seriously injured. Even after four days being in the hospital, his fractured left leg was completely immobilized. There was a cast around the leg to securely position it that would heal the bone. His left arm was fractured too and worse was his wrist which was completely broken. Another plaster was holding his arm in an upright position on his chest. His left ribs had suffered multiple fractures too. A tight orthopaedic bandage was fastened around his torso to keep his ribs in place.

He couldn't move an inch of his left side of the body. He was now physically handicapped for the weeks and even months to come. The doctors warned of the slow recovery and the immense bed rest required.

But the biggest blow was on his heart. There truly was no one for him. He was alone.

Salman had a wife. A wife he loved passionately and knowing Nawal how she defended Salman in the moments before the accident, she loved him too.

Salman also had a daughter. A future ahead of him.

What did he have?

Only his old parents being his support. Even in this difficult time, they stood by him and were making arrangements for all the necessities that would be required for a disabled person in their house. All his life, apart from him parents no one had ever wanted him.

Dada jaan hated him for who he was.

Salman always looked down upon him.

Nawal abandoned him.

In that moment, there was a slight knock at the ajar door of his hospital room. His desolate eyes searched at the door.

There standing in an all-black abaya and black hijab was Susan. There was an unnatural light illuminating from her face that he had never observed.

In those grey eyes, he saw kindness and compassion.

His heartbeat lurched. Eyes blurred with tears. He lowered his eyelids concealing his emotions.

She stepped closer. Closing the distance between them. Her unique scent surrounding him. This time when he lifted his eyelids he wasn't able to stop gazing at her face.

Devoid of any deception.

Free of any ill emotion.

In that moment, he knew Allah had listened to his prayer.

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This wonderful video is made by @ssha1kh

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