Faryah

1.

--------Indonesia, Palembang

-----------------Present day.

I had to leave my class immediately Ummi texted. My mind wasn’t at rest, I really hoped GrandPa was okay. He didn't have to leave us now. I felt a warm substance roll down my cheek as I quickly ran into the hospital in search for Ummi. It was very large, Al-ameer specialist hospital. I wasn’t not sure we could afford bringing grandpa here. I walked further into the hospital and found Ummi sitting on a bench. I slowly walked to her and sat by her side. I wanted to comfort her with my words but I couldn’t, I always tried my best to. Not that my tongue was cut off or anything, I just couldn't say words out loud. It's very hard for me and I've lived this way for sixteen years. Ummi said I was sick when I had a terrible accident. The shock of the accident did something to me. 

I pulled Ummi into a warm hug, she was sobbing lightly. I gently caressed her back and hair as she cried on my chest. " Faryah, he had a stroke, I feel like he won't survive this" Ummi said in a low tone as she cleaned her eyes with her handkerchief. Grandpa has lived for 75 years, he once had a case of cancer but he survived and now stroke. 

"Faryah, Firdaus is going to pay the hospital bills don't worry about that okay. Just come let's pray to Allah for your grandfather" she said again, as she held my hand in hers.

I was a Hafizah, I am very happy for that, all thanks to my Grandpa. He taught me everything. He taught me how to be a good muslimah.

We sat quietly and prayed for grandpa for almost an hour until the ringtone of Ummi disturbed our peace. " Firdaus?" it was my sister calling.

I and my sister were two different people, we don't even look that much alike, she looks more like Ummi and Grandpa. The only thing we have in common is our height. We are of average heights, I looked nothing like my family, one could say I was stolen or adopted or something absurd.

" You should come Firdaus, just leave work and come here now" Ummi says into the phone. Firdaus was a model, she wasn't really that deep in the deen but Ummi always tried her best to help her out. "Good, we'll be waiting and before you come, can you please drop by the house and get some of my clothes?" she asked again. I looked round the hospital, nurses were all over, doctors and everything. I admired doctors a lot, one needed to be dedicated to be able to be a doctor. 

I sighted an old man in his blue scrub walking towards us, he must be the doctor that was operating on Grandpa. "Excuse me, are you a relative to Mr Musa Mustapha?" The man asked and I quickly got up from where I sat and nodded. Ummi joined us after she ended her call. " Yes doctor, I'm his daughter" Ummi answered. " Well we managed to get him stable, he is now unconscious, and he's being taken to his room. We still have more tests to run, I can't say he's safe until we do more tests. You'll be able to see him in a short while, the nurse will show you to his room" He said calmly as he smiled at Ummi and I. " But he's hopefully going to be okay right doctor?" Ummi asked. " I can't guarantee you anything till he's awake" he answered. For all I knew, stroke could cause paralysis. " Thank you doctor" Ummi said and sat back down to wait for the nurse.

" Faryah we're going to lose your grandfather. I can feel it Faryah. We'll be all alone, but we can manage, we're strong" Ummi cried as she dumped her head into my chest. " We can do this, we can and we will" I needed to be strong for Ummi. She was our grandfather's only daughter and child, and her mother died whilst giving birth to her. Tears were brimming up in my eyes but for sixteen years, I have learned how to control them. I was not going to cry, my grandfather wouldn't want that. 

We followed the nurse to the fourth floor of the hospital, Grandpa was in room 205. " Please don't overcrowd the room okay" the nurse said and we nodded before she left us alone with grandpa. The room was large and the equipment looked all brand new. It was also painted white and the curtains were blue.