Flawed Hearts

Chapter XXV: Crisis

Aslan paced the length of the hallway of the hospital, repeatedly glancing at the ICU door where Hilal was whisked away the moment they arrived at the hospital.

Najmah felt claustrophobic as she stared at the gloomy faces of the people around the hallway. She felt alienated like she was intruding into a family matter. She shouldn't be there, she wanted to leave but the thought of something terrible happening to the little girl had her glued to her seat, fixing  her gaze on the door of the ICU behind which her little girl was taken away. The doctors had been in there for almost three hours and there was still no news of what was happening behind the door.

She rose from her sitting position and went towards Aslan, entwining their fingers together. He held her hand firmly without looking at her. The little gesture made her heart flutter. She knew that he understood what she was trying to pass across without speaking a word.

The light bulb on the ICU went from red to green and a doctor emerged from it, taking off his face mask. They rushed towards him, bombarding him with questions about the condition of Hilal. "Her condition is now stable," he stated, wiping perspiration from his forehead. "We had to perform emergency surgery on her."

"kalbi delik büyük elegeçirmişbulunmaktadırvenormalde kalbi kandışarıpompalamakiçiniçinimkansız hale gelmiştir," he further explained. (the hole in her heart has gotten larger and it has become impossible for her heart to pump out blood regularly.)

Lale gasped, covering her mouth with her hand to prevent herself from crying out loud while Aslan tightened his hold on Najmah's hand.

Najmah stared at the doctor dumbfounded, not getting a word of what he was saying. He had her lost at the mention of emergency surgery and the Turkish statement had worsened the situation. She zoned out of the conversation, a strange feeling of panic and dread engulfing her heart. Bile rose to her throat and her vision became blurry, she felt like her oxygen supply was cut off. She somehow felt responsible for what had happened, if she hadn’t left her alone then perhaps she wouldn’t have been in danger.

"Najmah?" Aslan's voice cut through her impending panic attack. "You okay?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "I just need a moment."

She broke from the little crowd and wandered around the hospital hallway, sitting down on a park bench she had found at the back of the hospital. She took a few calming breaths to recollect herself then wiped at her damp forehead. Staring at her surroundings, her gaze fell on a couple walking on the sidewalk. The man had his arms wrapped around the lady's protruding belly while she pushed a stroller and for a moment, she wondered what it would feel like to carry Aslan′s child in her womb.

The shrill ringing of her phone jolted her back to the present, her eyes widened up as she realosed how much time had passed.

"Where are you?" Aslan questioned from the other line.

"I'm at the park. Sorry I made you worry, I'll head back up right away." She hung up the call without waiting for his response and walked back into the hospital and head to the ICU where she found him waiting for her.

"Hey," she greeted.

"Hi," he replied. "You okay?"

"Mm-hmm," she nodded glancing around with a frown. "Where are the..." Her question was cut off when Aslan engulfed her into a hug, resting his chin upon the crown of her head.

"Aslan I'm okay," she stated perplexed.

"I know," he sighed. "The hug is for me."

She wrapped her arms around his waist, keeping her head on his chest as she listened to his heart beat wildly. "Where are the rest?" she managed to question after a few moments of tranquillity.

"Anne was feeling unwell, Baba took her back home. Lale had an emergency at the office but she will be back soon and Alev went to get lunch for us," he replied, guiding them to a seat.

She kept her head on his shoulder, playing with the tip of his fingers."How is she?" she asked the question she was dreading.

"She will be fine. They will keep her in the ICU for a couple of hours or days to monitor her condition. Would you like to see her?"

"Mm-hmm," she turned to look at him.

He laced their hands together and they went into the ICU after putting on the protective coveralls.

The sight that greeted her made involuntary tears roll than down her face, she sniffed then wiped her tears gazing at the little girl whose life hung by a thread. She released Aslan's hand, taking cautious steps towards Hilal's bed as if afraid that each step she took would be detrimental to the girl.

She placed a soft kiss on her forehead as more tears roll down her eyes. She had no idea when it happened; how she came to be so attached to Hilal scared her.

"She isn't dying Najmah," Aslan squeezed her shoulder in a comforting manner. "She is a survivor and Hilal is going to make it. The surgery was a success, and she will wake up any time soon." She nodded, wiping away her tears. "You're right, she's gonna be alright. All she needs is our prayers right now."

{••}

For the next couple of days, the Sadeks lives revolved around the hospital, trading rounds of watching over Hilal.

Najmah volunteered to stay the nights together with Aslan while Alev and Lale stayed in the mornings. Afet came and went as she pleased not because she cared about the girl but so she could catch a glimpse of Aslan, but the mere sight of Najmah being close to him made her almost cry out in frustration.

Hilal woke up two days after the surgery and was moved back to a resting room where she would be monitored well to  recuperate.

{••}

"So as I was saying," Najmah flicked Hilal's nose giggling. "I like Princess Anna best, she is braver than the rest."

"What about Princess Merida?" Hilal frowned sightly, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "She is braver than Princess Anna."

"How so?" Najmah c****d her eyebrow, folding her legs on Hilal's hospital bed. "Princess Anna sacrificed herself to save Elsa. Isn't that the most bravest thing to do?"

"Well...," Hilal speculated. "If you put it that way but Princess Merida is also strong and does not need any Prince Charming to save her."

"So is Princess Anna, she sacrificed her life for her sister because an act of true love can..."

"Thaw a frozen heart," Hilal completed for her.

"That's right but you my Princess are the most bravest person I've ever known," Najmah pinched her cheek playfully.

"Am I?" Hilal's eyes sparkled with glee.

"Of course my crescent princess," Najmah engulfed her into a hug, kissing her on the forehead.

Hilal laid on Najmah's chest, feeling happy. For the first time in her life, she felt what a mother's love was.Lale and Ferah had tried to fill that void in her life but only Najmah had managed to do so. With the sudden warmth that engulfed her whole heart and body, Hilal fell asleep. Najmah yawned, feeling fatigued and restless. She tried to get Hilal up from her body without waking her but she couldn't so she adjusted the pillow then let herself fall asleep too.

{••}

Aslan walked into Hilal's hospital room after a long day at work. He pushed the door open and walked in with a salam, finding Najmah and Hilal already asleep together. He drew the coverlet over them and shrugged off his jacket, draping it over the leather armchair by the bed then switched off the lights and sat on the armchair, the screen of his laptop being the only source of illumination in the otherwise dark room, working silently as the two slept.

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