EPILOGUE.

*

"And if everything 

is not well, 

It is not the end

yet."

-2am-

*

Time flew by like the winds of September in Adelaide. Seasons changed, trees changed colors and the birds migrated. As these wonderful things occurred, the bond between two unlikely people grew even stronger than before. With rocky fights, tears, forgiveness and lots of love in the way, Aanabia and Yazdan grew closer to each other, much like two peas in a pod.

The Zaeef's were glad to see their second son well settled and happy. Now they were worried about the rest, especially Kulthum.

"Yaza, have you eaten?" called out Aanabia from the living room where she was putting up the flowers on the wooden railings of the stairs with Kulthum. Kulthum laughed at her brother and sister-in-law. 

"Yeah and took my insulin. Calm down" he called back from the kitchen where he was apparently eating more. Aanabia and Kulthum let out a series of laughter. It was Amyrah and Kayan's 5 year anniversary which was organized in the Zaeef Gold Coast home located a few streets from the beach itself. The two children were running around the house, yelling and screaming while Karmaan rushed after them to ensure they don't get hurt.

The backyard housed a large pool on one end and a volleyball court on the other. In the middle was a large tiled bonfire pit around which were multiple chairs. Lounge chaise's set underneath the shady trees and Tiki torches stood by the end of the railings around the backyard.

The boys were in a messy game of volleyball with Yahyah, Sahl on one side and Kayan and Ehaan on the other.

"Oii, no cheating!" yelled Yahyah to Ehaan and Kayan who grinned at him.

"We are not cheating" yelled back Ehaan, clearing cheating by throwing the ball at the opposing team rather than hitting it with his hands.

"I am not playing anymore. You both cheat a lot" whined Sahl as he stepped out of the court. Kayan laughed at his little brother.

"Stop being a whiny kid" Sahl mimicked the way Kayan spoke back at him causing the boys to erupt into laughter. He too laughed picking up his phone and towel from the chair under the large shady trees. His eyes narrowed down at the multiple missed calls from work, specifically one of the colleagues. Maybe she is just calling- She never calls me like this. He heaved a sigh and dialed back the number he never thought he'd dial.

"As salaam alaikum" her soft voice rang through the speakers. He frowned, taking a seat.

"Wa alaikum mus salaam. What pleasure do I owe you for calling, Miss. Siddique?" he replied and there was a soft chuckle from the other end.

"The chief has been trying to call you to no avail so I thought I'd try"

"How did you get my personal number?" he questioned her and she sighed on the other hand.

"Ayeh Hayeh, mere Qutub Minar. How I get things is my secret weapon. I won't sell it for the world" she told him and he huffed at her usage of his personalized name. Wait till she sees the other brothers, he thought with disdain.

"So?"

"How soon can you make it to Brisbane City Hospital?" she asked him. His frowned deepened and his heart began to pick up speed. Did something happen? 

"Why?" he asked cautiously.

"Safwah is admitted. He is unconscious" Sahl felt a rush of emotions at once; fear and dread over riding all of them. He felt his body paralyzing, vision blurring and all energy draining. My brother. When the woman on the other side heard his silence, she let out a soft sigh.

"He was brought it an hour ago. The best doctors are with him right now. I am here. Catch a flight as soon as you can for the doctors are not telling us anything" she spoke. Whatever she was saying, Sahl caught bits and pieces of it as his mind was too busy creating the worst possible scenarios.

"Get here. Keep your Whatsapp on, I'll post updates to you" she told him softly. He was barely listening still.

Kayan noticed the silenced Sahl and walked over to him. Much to his surprise, his little brother was crying. No, it was more of bawling his eyes out with his phone in his hands. Kayan knelt down at his level with a questioning look. By now, Yazdan was also in the backyard where he had noticed the two brothers and rushed over to them.

When Sahl failed to say anything except stare at the brothers and sob with reddened eyes, Yazdan took the phone and held it at his ear.

"-crying please, Laiq. Get yourself together and get here! Your brother needs you"

"What happened to Safwah?" Yazdan questioned in a rash manner, causing Kayan's heart rate to increase much like his own. The woman knew it was the other brother.

"Brisbane City Hospital. He is unconscious. Please get here as soon as possible" she told him before muttering a Take care of Sahl, Allah hafiz and hanging up. Yazdan turned to Kayan who still looked shock.

"Safwah is unconscious. At City Hospital in Brisbane" he told him and Kayan turned to Sahl, pulling his hand up to make him stand.

"Clean yourselves up boys, we are going to Brisbane" he told them and walked towards the house with his phone.

Yazdan turned to Sahl who was having a hard time breathing because he was crying so much. He pulled Sahl into a hug, even if Sahl was slightly taller. When he did that, Sahl began crying even more. Yazdan's tears fell too, but silently as he rubbed Sahl's back.

"Shhh. We are going to him, Sahl." He whispered the words soothingly. But he knew, the pain he was facing was very less compared to that of Sahl. After-all it was the twin.

-

Brisbane City Hospital was crowded with people rushing around. Nurses walking around with children and other patients, a few doctors spotted here and there and the lady at the reception seemed to be having problems with one of the patient families.

"Sir, may I advise you-"

"I do not need your advice. I'd like to talk to Dr. Hammanth myself. Please call him now" a rather odd looking man replied. Kayan ran towards the reception, following by Yazdan, Sahl and Karmaan. The once busy hospital lobby was now silent as they watched the brothers run to the reception.

"Safwah Zaeef" Kayan told the lady. She snapped out of her trance and nodded at him, shuffling onto her computer and keyboard. The man, who was arguing earlier began his argument again.

"I was here first. I deserve the service first" he told the receptionist and she halted at her actions.

"Sir, please understand that Dr. Hammanth is in surgery right now. I cannot possibly call him!" she told him, smiling apologetically before turning back to her computer. She tapped a few other keys on the keyboard before turning to the boys.

"Safwah Zaeef is at the ICU, fourth floor" she told him and all color drained from their faces. They knew he was admitted. The ICU bits, they didn't.

Again they rushed towards the elevators which opened, thankfully and they got in. Yazdan prayed that Safwah be safe at any cost while Sahl only prayed that he was alive. Nothing  and everything more. Kayan was too numb to pray for anything, his mind racing to a million things a minute while Karmaan did not even know what to think, let alone pray.

Kayan got off the elevator first and the boys followed. Each step towards the ICU felt like eternity. At one point, all Sahl wanted to do was get under the covers of his bed and sleep. Pretend as if this is not happening. His anxiety began to take over with each step. He felt his heart race, the blood rushing harshly through his body with the evidence being the bulging jugular vein of his neck and his blurring vision. 

He broke into sweats, trying his best not to cry. He is going to be fine, a mantra he had been repeating since the news broke out. He watched Miss. Siddique rush towards them.

"As salaam alaikum" she said, the brothers watching her with a frown before replying, not bothering to halt their tracks. She was at awe at their heights until she snapped out of it and ran after them.

"They are not allowing anyone inside as of yet" she told them and Kayan shrugged, still walking to the ICU. When they reached it, Kayan stared into it through the circular window which happened to be the only one on the metallic doors.

"You must meet the doctor to know about him" she informed Sahl who nodded numbly at her. They could not see him through the ICU windows either and this increased his anxiety.

"Hey-"he turned to Miss. Siddique who gave him a small smile. "You have to stay strong. He will be fine but if you keep this-" she said, gesturing to his being in front of her, "-going on, he won't be the only one in the hospital. Calm down Laiq. You know better" with that, she gave him a reassuring smile and walked away, the soles of her runners echoing through the otherwise silent hallway of floor four.

Sahl stared after her before running his hands through his hair. She is right. I must be strong for him, he told himself but despite this, he knew he was going to have a hard time. He turned around and walked towards where his brothers stood with a doctor.

"-received him a few hours ago from India. He was brought here unconscious which is why it is hard to determine what really happened. The doctors from India who accompanied him back are here too. This case is solely on them" the doctor spoke. Kayan nodded and thanked the doctor before asking to meet the doctor in charge.

The doctor in charge was a tall Indian man with graying hair and beard. He had kind brown eyes which shone with passion when he met the brothers.

"Dr. Singh?" Kayan asked and the man nodded, shaking his hand. Sahl stared into the ICU from the large circular windows but he could not see his twin. He felt his presence there, and felt the bond between them slowly fade. His body went rigid in alarm.

"It's fading" he muttered to himself, his eyes watering. It's fading. He is in danger. I will lose him forever- He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to his second brother. Yazdan nodded at him.

"Kayan Bhai is talking to the doctor. Keep your calm. Nothing will happen to Safwah" he told him and Sahl nodded absentmindedly. What if he never wakes up? What then? My room would be so empty without him. No one to laugh and yell in the house. No one would-

"Sahl" Yazdan's stern voice cut through his thoughts like a sharp sword. Sahl turned to him with glassy eyes. Yazdan pulled him in a hug and that was all it took for Sahl Zaeef to break down in the arms of his older brother. I cannot lose him, bhaiyu. I cannot lose my anchor in this world.

All the while Karmaan watched the scene unfold at a distance with silent sobs and tears. It will be fine, trust Allah; his mind told him. But somehow, his iman felt weak infront of this obstacle. How do I trust- He questioned himself only to be reminded that Allah does everything for a reason and all he could do right now was pray. 

-

An hour later, Kayan walked out of the doctors office with a brown folder and solemn expression. Yazdan turned to him with raised eyebrows. Kayan heaved a sigh and looked over Yazdan to see Sahl asleep on his lap, his hair astray and his face red. Kayan took a seat beside Yazdan and clenched his jaw, trying his best not to cry but Yazdan saw through it.

"Karmaan?"

"Prayer room" silence ensued between the brothers until Yazdan broke it. 

"What did the doctors say?" he asked gently and Kayan heaved another sigh, running his hand through his hair.

"He has attained a lot of external injuries. A few ribs were broken and there was trauma on the head. Alhamdulillah that the trauma to the head did not affect his brain. It was just the cranium that took the blow. Dr. Singh's team say 'It is a miracle that there was no trauma to the brain'. In usual cases with this amount of injuries, there are brain injuries for certain and most of the cases result in coma. They cannot say till when Safwah would be unconscious though, but they are sure it is not coma. Dr. Singh himself said Safwah responded when he was admitted in India which means his body is still aware. But they cannot say anything. The CT Scans and MRI show everything clear in the brain so I am glad for that but the others, they are pretty damaged. His hand is broken and so is his legs. A few bones at the ankle and feet are dislocated." As Kayan explained, a shudder ran through Yazdan thinking about how much his brother must have suffered.

"Did he tell what had happened?" Yazdan asked and Kayan nodded, placing his head in his hands.

"He was in Sri Lanka for negotiation about something until he was captured 2 months ago. They tried looking for him but to no avail. That was until he was found in the outskirts of India, bloodied and almost-" Kayan did not complete his sentence but Yazdan understood. He looked down at the older twin fast asleep on his lap as he caressed his hair slowly. He would be devastated without his brother, Yazdan thought in distraught. He sniffled back a cry and looked up at the high ceilings, blinking rapidly to get rid of any tears. Safwah will be fine, In sha Allah.

"The question is, how will we tell mom?" Kayan muttered and Yazdan closed his eyes in silent prayer.

Oh Allah. You are the Almighty. You know what is best and what is not for us. Please, please help us through this. Please let my brother gain consciousness, Allah I beg you. Please. Please. By then, Yazdan was already crying. Kayan shook his head and stood up, placing the folder beside Yazdan.

"Stay here with Sahl until he wakes up. Tell him everything. I have to pray" With that Kayan was gone. Yazdan turned to the twin sleeping soundly and at one take, it felt like Safwah was the one sleeping. He smiled slightly, wiping away the tears. Sabr, my heart. Sabr.

******

Sometimes, things happen out of no where and break us. But we must keep faith that Allah does everything for a reason. :) 

Epilogue! :) 

I am still planning the next book so lets see what happens. 

| R - C - V |

xx, 

-Aalihha.