Chapter 8

Sophia     It had been weeks since the incident with my period. I giggled, remembering what happened to my poor husband. He was stuck with me forever. **** "Is this what I asked you to buy?" I yelled at him and threw it away,it hit him on his forehead. He could never feel the pain because it was soft and fluffy. "Buu_t you didn't tell me what to buy," he stuttered, looking mortified while I grinned wickedly at the back of my mind. Pay back to the bitch because I never forced you to marry me and this is what my father used to do whenever I was on my period. I smiled evilly at my thought. "I can't go back" he shook his head, as if he was trying not to remember what happened. Whatever who cares. I rolled my eyes "I don't care, I need it," I said softly, looking at the floor,faking tears. "Oh who could think you'll be good in crocodile tears?" my brain snickered while I replied "shut up". "Okay" he sighed agreeing, "what should I buy?" he gulped, looking everywhere but me. "Tell the lady, you want to buy 'Always '. She will show you. And please when you are coming back, don't forget to buy me bars of ice chocolate" I said with excitement. I smiled sensually, nibbling my lips. Who doesn't like chocolate! He stared at me and smiled sheepishly while scratching his neck, before retracting to the door. He shut the door behind him and I jumped on the couch happily. Here I come!. I was rewatching "The Fault in Our Stars ". I'd watched it almost like a hundredth time. I'd read the book but I preferred the movie more than the book. I started crying, the movie was emotional. It wasn't easy to be a cancer patient. I pitied Isaac, Augustus and hazel. The movie plus stomach cramp would never let me be. I hate menstruating!!, Humph!. It used to make me emotional. I cried unnecessarily, ate gluttony, and slept unconditionally. I hated it!. Why was I even a female?. I heard the front door open, and I marched to the door. "Who's there?" I asked in a high pitched voice, using the remote control as a source of defense. I was foolish right?, I know. "It's me wifey" I heard Yusuf's voice, another set of tears formed, I wailed loudly. He rushed towards me while coming and he dropped all that he was holding. He carried me to the nearest couch and put me on his leg. He soothed me, rubbing my back,telling me everything was okay. I sobbed loudly, when I was done. I looked at him with my wet lashes, he rubbed my cheeks cleaning the traces of tears. "What happened?" he asked gently, still rubbing my back. I hip-cupped, "The boy in the movie died and you were late. I thought - thought, something has happened to you. I was scared" I told him. He shushed me and was telling me, sorry, that there was traffic on the way while I yawned. "You wanna sleep? '' he asked me, looking at how my eyes were closing tiredly while I nodded. He carried me to my room, tucked me under the blanket, he switched off the light and turned his back. I held him back and shook my head, "please don't leave me" I whispered,before I was carried into the dreamland. I woke up the next morning with the aroma of a brewed coffee. I smiled knowingly that he has made it for me. For the next five days of my periods, he used it at home. We watched films together, ate and played. During that time, he was my comforter. My punching bag, my chef, maid. **** I was carrying my food from the kitchen to my room, when I heard my phone rung. I rushed to the cabinet while I was chewing some of my food, playing chase and chewing with my teeth. Tell me, who doesn't eat-walk? I saw my mom's name flashed on the screen, I smiled widely. "Assalamualaikum, Ummi*" I greeted her, I'd missed her, especially her food. (my mother in Arabic). I heard sniffing from the other side, my smile reduced. 'tell her' I was hearing my uncle's voice in the background. "Mom , what happened?, you're scaring me" I asked worriedly. 'has something happened?'.. 'is father okay?' .. 'is my brother okay?' Millions of scenarios were going through my head. Stop Sophia, you are thinking too much. Nothing happened. I barked at myself. It calmed my beating heart a bit. "Is your husband there with you?" my uncle asked. "Yeah, he's in his room" I responded shakily. "Tell me please, what happened?, both of you are scaring me" I said. He sighed, "your father has...." he trailed off. "What happened to my father?" I shouted. "Your father has collapsed and he has been admitted." he said in one breath. The plate I was holding slipped, my world literally stopped moving. Everything stopped moving, it was like I was in kind of trance. I was hearing voices but I didn't know whose voice it was. My head started to spin, I held on the counter for support. "What happened farosha*, I heard your voice. What happened?"he shook me, I shivered and looked him in the eyes. (butterfly in Arabic) Tears were bawling out of my eyes, I didn't know what to say. I wanted to but my vocal and brain weren't compiling right now. He shushed, telling me everything was okay. I shook my head vigorously in disagreement. "Papa" my voice crooked, he nodded, showing me he understood what I wanted to say. "Papa" I said again but no words were coming out. "He's- - he's in the hospital" I bursted out in another wave of tears. "Shhh,it's okay"he whispered. "It's not"I shook my vehemently,"but he was okay last week, nothing happened to him"I rambled on while choking on tears. "I understand,''he said, getting up. "Where are you going?"I asked him,I needed him here. "The car key,"he said,taking the key from the table along with his jacket. He came to me and put it on his jacket and crouched down to put on my socks for me. Then we headed out to the hospital.