“Is everything o.k.?” Marya questioned the doctor as he approached.
“Everything could have been just perfect if the timing was rite Mrs. Salman….” His voice trailed off as he spoke.
“You see your husband was admitted here an hour after the accident and that seems to be creating a problem.”
The doctor didn’t look all that happy to narrate what he was. “Too much of blood has been drained and there is no saying as to what will happen when he wakes up. He hasn’t opened his eyes since we got him here, so all you can do is pray and plead that he wakes up soon.”
He turned to walk away when Sonia pulled at his hand. “Doctor! Doctor! Where is my Papa’s room, where is he?” The doctor asked Marya if it was her child and she nodded with tearful eyes, stroking her hair.
“Mommy you wait here I will get Ally.” For a four year old she was smart. “Ok honey but make sure you are careful.”
“Yes mommy I will!” She turned to face the doctor. “So doctor, what are the options before us?”
“Well the best one is that he needs to be given blood, but B positive, we’ve run out of stock… so!...”
“My blood Group is B positive.” “But Mrs. Salman you just had your delivery a month ago, how do you ….” “Doctor I said I will give him blood, whether or not like it or medical science approves it. He needs it more than I do rite now. My body is amply making it for me, a bottle or two won’t kill me.”
“Well that is the part; there is no saying what complications it will cause for you. I don’t care; I don’t even want to care about it. He's the father to my kids and without him we don’t have a life, so please, don’t make it difficult for me or my kids.”
Sonia came along with her Granny and the stroller. “What does the Doctor say Marya,” “Mummy, he just says that he wont take my blood that is all.” “What do you mean he won't take your blood, does Salman need blood?” She was a bit startled “Yes he does!... Marya tried keeping her cool “And the hospital is out of B positive supplies. I want to but he says I just had a child so it wouldn't be safe.”
She turned away not ready to face what her mother-in-law would say “He is rite, you are weak rite now. And there is no way that I would want you to give yourself in for my son.” “Mummy….” Marya turned to have eye contact with her, “your son happens to be my husband, the man I love, the man I’ve loved for ever. Asking God for him hasn’t been easy. It has been a tough road and after so much of ups and downs, you expect me to give it all in so easily? No mummy! That is what I can't do; I can't abandon a soul I asked for from God, please! Tell the doctor to take my blood, please.”
Marya was in tears, desperately crying her heart out before her mother-in-law. Mummy stroked Marya’s head and said, “My son is lucky, very lucky, he didn’t deserve you, but … Doctor please, listen to her, get everything ready for it.” Marya smiled and hugged her mom. “Thank you, thank you.” she turned to Sonia, “Now Sonia you be a good girl and take care of Ally, see that Grandma doesn’t have to go through too much troubles taking care of him, assist her wherever and whenever she needs to be assisted ok”.
Sonia blankly looked at her mom, “But mommy where are you going, you need to be here and take care of Ally, it's his feeding time, changing time, I can't manage without you, you are his mom, not me.” “Sonia Honey, I am going to get your daddy, ok. You want him back don’t you?” Sonia was pale-faced, “Yes mommy I do. I do.” She ran into her mom’s arms and sobbed hard, “I want both of you back. Please mummy I want both of you.” “Sonia, stay with grandma and pray ok.” Marya smiled and turned to walk into the theatre, take care and she blew a flying kiss to her kids. Stopped to just have an eyeful of Ally, still an infant yet, staring at his mom with concern.
She was laid right next to Salman’s bed; she starred at the lifeless body that lay there, so calm and so quiet, without any pains. Tears rolled down her eyes, just to think of that she wouldn’t make it somehow. She knew she was weak, yet she knew she couldn't lose it on Salman, he could well support everything, better than her, and he was the best.
The bottle collected from her was transmitted into Salman’s body, after which, he slowly started regaining; breathing through his mouth, movement, the doctor noticed the difference. After a bottle, Marya herself became weak, her B.P. was dropping fast, yet it was her instructions that the doctor had to take as much blood as was required, and not less. So the doctor was bound to listen. At the end of the second bottle, Marya was totally unconscious; iron was released in her blood stream. She tried to keep up, but fell asleep.
When she woke up, she felt as though she was floating in air, she couldn't believe what the sensation was about. She turned to look around, in order to get things to register in her head and as soon as she made eye-contact with Salman, everything came back to her. “Salman” she managed to whisper and trying to get up, but in vain, she was too weak even to raise her head. “It's okay Marya, stay down, don’t get up,” he himself sat up, now too strong and alright to move. “How long has it been?” “Ten hours.”
“You mean I have been dead for 10 hours.” “I need to rush, Ally needs to be fed.” “Marya, no! I’ll tell the nurse to get him ok.” She smiled, ok. Salman rang the calling bell and the nurse rushed for assistance. “Yes sir! Could you get our son from the waiting area?” “Yes I know he is there, has been crying wild.” Marya was all of a sudden too concerned, but just managed to point to Salman that she wanted him. Salman ordered the nurse away. She hurried back and lay Ally on Marya’s side. The nurse assisted Marya in having the baby fed, and then left the three. Salman smiled and yet was sad. “Marya you are sick aren’t you?” she smiled, “No! why would I be. There is no point of getting sick.” Her mouth was too dry, she reached for the glass, but Salman, helped her with that too.
He picked Ally up and started talking to him, “you know what your mommy is the best, she does so much, so much that it's hard for even you to repay my little one.” Marya could do nothing more than pass a smile, and then instantly fell into a deep slumber once again.
The next time she was awaken by Ally’s sobbing. “Finally you wake up; it's been 15 hours now,” she felt alive, “Yes! Yes! Give him to me,” she sat up instantly, took him from Salman and fed him. “My Baby!” She smiled. Salman pecked on her forehead. His mom walked in, and stood there staring at the family, which was really a family by all means. “I wish I could just have u all for the rest of my life” she exclaimed, “you all make me so proud.” Salman and Marya looked at each other and smiled. In their hearts they knew that no matter how much they quarreled and groaned and moaned, they loved each other all the more. Salman’s mom sat beside Marya and pecked on her forehead. “I am proud of you! you make me proud day after day, when you prove to be much more of a daughter than an in-law.”
