Resurrected

by Natasha Nozer Mehenty

  The doctor looked down with grief and said, “Sam’s condition is deteriorating each day. I do not think he will survive.”

  Hearing this Zaib and his friend kept looking at each other. Zaib could not believe just when everything was going smooth in Zaib’s life, such hell has broken loose. Zaib looked at Ravi and said, “Take me to Sam’s room please.”

  When they entered the room, Sam was sleeping. Ravi said to Zaib, “Hope Sam doesn’t sleep forever.”

  “No! No! Do not speak like that. He will live for long,” Zaib spoke softly though he too feared that Sam may not live long.

  Just then his friend’s phone began to ring loudly and he rushed out of the room. But the loud ring woke up Sam. His eyes fell on Zaib.

  “Zaib, come here,” Sam spoke with great difficulty.

  Zaib went towards the bed and took Sam’s hand in his own hand. He said, “Sam, you will get well soon. Do not worry.”

  But Sam gave a deaf ear to it and asked, “Zaib, you came here especially for Afrin and me, didn’t you?”

  Zaib nodded his head.

  “I will not live long. Promise me one thing,” Sam looked into Zaib’s eyes.

  “What do you want me to do?” Zaib asked with tears in eyes.

  “I want you to take care of Afrin. My soul guides me to shift Afrin’s responsibility to you because I can only trust you blindly.”

  “Don’t say that! You both will be fine and together!”

  “No, don’t argue with fate. Just promise me, Zaib.”

  “Don’t worry about Afrin. I shall always see to it that she is safe and happy.”

  “That you have been doing ever since you met her. But I want you to never make her go through a melancholy life after my death. She will get well soon,” saying this he stopped for a while.

  He continued later, “Afrin is pregnant and will deliver the child very soon. Please take care of my child too.”

  Zaib wiping tears from his eyes replied, “Sam, don’t worry. I shall take care of your family. Don’t worry.”

  Sam took out his wallet and handed it over to Zaib. He said, “Zaib keep this wallet with you. It has my debit card as well as some cash. Hand this over to Afrin when she regains consciousness. I do not have anything more because everything got destroyed when our building fell down.”

  “Sam, don’t worry. I shall hand over all these things to Afrin. You take rest now.” saying so Zaib left the room. At the door, he turned back to see Sam lying in one corner of the bed and silently crying.

  Zaib went back inside the room to console his friend. He said, “Sam, do not cry. This period too shall pass.”

  “I am worried about Afrin and my future child. I can’t figure out how they will survive.” Sam imagined Afrin’s and their child’s future without him. “Afrin had left her job few days ago and how much will my bank balance help her? Where will she stay? What will she eat?”

  Zaib sat next to Sam’s bed and said, “Sam, I promise you that Afrin will not face any trouble in her life. I will not let her feel that there is a shortfall of anything ever. I will treat your child like my very own child. They will be safe and secure till I am alive.”

  Sam took Zaib’s face in his hands and said, “Zaib, you are my true friend. May God bless you with the best of everything! Now I am not scared of death anymore. Now I can die peacefully.”

  Zaib started crying which turned into an uncontrollable sob. He kissed Sam’s hand but it had turned cold.

  Zaib looked at Sam and shouted in fear, “Sam, what is this? Are you feeling cold?”

  But there was no reply from Sam. He had left the world for his journey towards God. Zaib rushed out of the room and called the doctor. The doctor checked his pulse and said, “Mr. Smith is no more.”

  Hearing this Zaib slumped down on the sofa in shock. He could not imagine his best friend lying dead in front of him. He started weeping. He arranged for the funeral but Sam’s body was not authorized to be removed from the hospital.

  He went to the nurse and asked to release Sam’s body for funeral and prayer.

  The nurse looked at him and asked, “How are you related to Mr. Sam Smith? We will hand over the body only to the relative.”

  Zaib said, “I am his cousin.”

  The nurse looked at Zaib and said, “We will not allow Sam’s body to be taken because his bills are unpaid. Very soon his wife will also be removed from the hospital for not paying the hospital fees.”

  Zaib got worried and replied, “No, please do not do that. I shall pay you all their expenses.”

  Zaib searched for the wallet and Sam’s wallet came in his hand. Tears came from eyes while looking at it. He kept it back and took out his own wallet and paid all the outstanding expenses. Then Sam’s body was permitted for the funeral. After the funeral got over he went to the mike and made an announcement, “I offer my grief on the death of my best friend Mr. Sam Smith. May his soul rest in peace. I have a request to all that please do not speak or ask any questions about Sam’s death to his wife Afrin. Right now she is unconscious, but when she gains consciousness, please do not talk about Sam’s death to her.”

  CHAPTER 14

  DESTINY CAN CHANGE ANY TIME

  Four days after Sam’s death, Afrin regained consciousness. When her eyes opened the only word heard from her mouth was, “Sam!” She had grown very thin. Zaib and his friends were sitting in Afrin’s room. They rushed out to call the doctor. The doctor came in and checked Afrin.

  He said, “She is out of danger and will be fine very soon. Take care of her health and see that she lives happily without tension.”

  Zaib and his friends had decided not to speak about Sam’s death in front of her. So they stood quietly near her bed.

  Afrin felt weakness in her body but she still stood up and started searching for Sam. When she did not find him she stared at her friends and asked, “How is Sam? Is he injured? Where is he? Please tell him that I want to meet him now.” Nobody replied to her. They kept looking at each other.

  Afrin got angry and said, “I think you people have turned deaf. Tell me where is Sam? I shall go and meet him personally.” She tried to get up from her bed. Zaib stopped her and said, “Afrin you need to take rest, you are already very weak.”

  Afrin looked at Zaib and in a heart-rending voice said, “How can I rest when my husband is not in front of me. His absence makes me worried about him.”

  “Afrin there is nothing to be tensed or worried about. Sam is now better. He will soon come to meet you.” Zaib had no other option besides speaking a lie.

  Hearing this, Afrin felt better. She said, “Oh, thank God, my husband is safe.”

  She then kept her hand on her tummy and said, “Don’t worry my child. Your father is fine and shall soon meet us.”

  Hearing this Zaib felt sad for telling her a lie and started looking out of the window.

  “Zaib, will you do me one favour?” Afrin called out to Zaib.

  Zaib turned behind to look at her, “Yes, Afrin.”

  “Tell Sam to come and meet me in the night. We shall eat together. I have never eaten my dinner alone since we got married. Sam always insisted that we should eat together,” Afrin said smiling and Zaib kept looking at his other friends.

  “Okay Afrin, I shall surely inform him. Bye!” saying this Zaib opened the door and went out. His friends ran after him. They asked, “Zaib how will we bring Sam by night to dine with Afrin?”

  Zaib replied in a despairing voice, “It is very difficult to keep lying with Afrin about her husband’s death. Till she doesn’t deliver her child we cannot tell her the truth otherwise it might affect her health as well as her child’s health. So temporarily we need to lie. I will come at dinner time. You all be with her.” saying this Zaib went away to spare himself from further lies with Afrin.

  At dinner time, Zaib came back to m
eet Afrin. Looking at him Afrin asked, “Zaib did you give my message to Sam? Hope he is coming?”

  “No Afrin,” Zaib replied looking down. “Sam said that he is not feeling well. He will not visit you today in the hospital. He wants some rest.”

  Afrin’s face fell on hearing this. She said firmly, “Today I will not eat my dinner. I will never break the rule of not eating without Sam.”

  “No Afrin. Don’t act irrational. You are pregnant and you need a proper diet.” Zaib was worried.

  Afrin stopped him and said, “I will not eat.”

  “Afrin, but when your husband has already broken his rule by dining alone in your absence then why don’t you too forget about such a thing?”

  “No way! Let Sam forget his promise but I shall not,” saying this Afrin went to sleep.

  Zaib and his friends too went out of the room. They looked at Zaib and said, “She did not eat her dinner without Sam. What should we do now?”

  Zaib thought for a while and then replied, “Let’s tell the doctor. They will make her eat somehow.”

  Next morning Zaib was sitting beside Afrin’s bed. When she woke up, she promptly asked him about Sam. Zaib gave her some excuse for Sam’s not coming to the hospital. When breakfast came to the room, she ordered the nurse to take it back. Zaib got fretful looking at Afrin not eating anything in her pregnancy.

  He said, “Afrin please do not starve like that.”

  Afrin looked at Zaib and said, “I am not starving. I am just waiting for one glance of my husband after which only I shall eat. When he will come to know that his wife is starving, Sam will come here at any cost.”

  Zaib sat down on the chair and prayed to God that Afrin would start eating. At that time the doctor arrived. He asked Afrin, “How are you feeling?”

  Afrin replied, “I am very fine, doctor.”

  Zaib shouted, “No doctor, she is lying.”

  Hearing this, the doctor and Afrin, both stared at him. Zaib continued, “Doctor, please tell the lady to eat well. She has stopped eating since yesterday.”

  Doctor checked Afrin and said, “You have become weaker than before. Please take care of your health otherwise your child may have to pay for it. You need to eat,” saying this, the doctor left the room.

  Zaib also went out of the room fearing that Afrin would otherwise shout at him for complaining about her to the doctor. He waited outside the room. When his friends came he requested them, “Friends, please see to it that Afrin somehow starts eating. I can’t see her emaciated in her gestation period.”

  Zaib left the hospital and went to look after his business.

  He returned to the hospital in the late evening and went to Afrin’s room. Afrin was sitting on her bed.

  She asked Zaib, “Where is my Sam? Tell me the truth.”

  Zaib got worried and replied, “Afrin, please understand that Sam is not feeling well. He will visit you very soon.”

  Afrin got angry. She stood up with great effort and slapped Zaib saying, “Keep your lies with you. Can’t you see that I am starving since two days? I have no strength even to get up from my bed. Can’t you drag Sam and bring him here for me.”

  Saying this Afrin lost her balance because her weak body could no longer stand. She was about to fall down on the floor when Zaib quickly dragged the chair toward her and Afrin sat on the chair.

  The next day also Afrin did not eat anything. Hunger and her anger at her husband made her mad. She kept shouting and throwing things at people who came to meet her.

  The doctor said to Zaib, “Her mental and physical conditions are very bad. Her poor health will create complications for her child. We got tired telling her to eat but in vain. Now only you can do something to make her eat.” Hearing this Zaib got tensed. He wanted to save Afrin and her child. He wanted them to live happily. He kept thinking for some solution to tackle this problem. Coming to a decision, he called his friends and said, “I am not in the town for few days. Please take care of Afrin. I shall be in contact with you all.”

  CHAPTER 15

  TEMPORARY LIES DO NOT GIVE LONG TERM BENEFITS

  It was evening when a nurse entered Afrin’s room with an envelope. She came towards Afrin and said, “We have received a letter for you.”

  She handed over the envelope and went away. Afrin was curious to know about the sender of that envelope. When she opened the letter, it was written:

  My darling Afrin,

  I am very sorry for not coming to the hospital to visit you. Zaib told me about your eagerness to meet me but I only kept refusing as my legs are under plaster and I find it very difficult even to move within the house. Now tell me, how can I come to the hospital? I heard that you have not eaten even a bite of food in the past few days. I am extremely displeased with your silly behavior. Please eat at least for me and my angel child. If I come to know that you have not eaten even today then even I too shall stop food and taking medicine as well.

  One more thing, my mobile has been badly damaged so it is not in working condition. I shall contact you through Zaib. Even your cell phone has been lost somewhere due to the earth quake. I will call you soon.

  Your husband,

  Sam

  Afrin read this letter and smiled immediately. Looking at her smile, the group of friends got curious to know what was written in that letter. Afrin handed over the letter to them.

  She kept her hand on her bounced belly and said, “My child, you shall be hungry no more.” She ate her dinner and slept peacefully.

  Her friends were still puzzled about the letter. When Zaib called them, they told him about the letter. Zaib without paying attention to that asked them if she had started eating or not. They informed him that Afrin started eating after reading the letter. Hearing so, Zaib hung up happily.

  Next morning, Zaib called his friend, and asked him to hand over the phone to Afrin.

  “Hello Afrin, good morning.”

  “Good morning, Zaib. Yesterday I got a letter from Sam.”

  “Yes I know that, Afrin. Your husband wants to speak with you,” Zaib replied.

  Afrin got excited to hear Sam’s voice after long days.

  “Hello, Afrin” a soft but clear voice was heard.

  “Hi Sam. How are you, my love? I miss you a lot.”

  “Afrin, I miss you too. But my legs are so badly damaged that I am unable to move. But if you still want me to come then I shall bear my pain and…..”

  “No! No! No!” Afrin screamed. “Please do not cause any pain to yourself. I am fine over here and even eating well.”

  “Afrin, I need to tell you an important thing.” the voice was loud, suddenly.

  “What Sam?”

  “I do not have much of my assets. Our house and everything inside it got destroyed. I have my car, some bank balance and nothing more.”

  Afrin imagined the sad face of Sam on the opposite side of the phone. She said, “Don’t worry, dear. Those are all material things. We can earn back everything with hard work. After our child is born even I shall start working. In the morning I will go to office and in evening I shall take tuitions. We shall live in a rented house temporarily. Remember, every problem has a solution. Let us be thankful to the Almighty that he has just taken away your assets and not your precious life.” After she completed her last sentence she heard somebody crying on the phone and the phone got disconnected.

  Afrin felt that Sam was crying because he was still sad about losing his wealth. Afrin prayed to God to help Sam to overcome his distress.

  Few days passed by. Afrin would speak to Sam on phone daily. She would also eat properly. Her health started improving and one day the doctor, after checking her, reported that Afrin was fine and would be discharged within two days.

  Hearing this, her friends got tensed. They phoned Zaib and told about the discharge within two days. Zaib after thinking s
aid, “After discharge take Afrin to my house. My house is vacant. She can stay there alone in peace.”

  “But what should we answer when she will ask about Sam?” asked the worried friends.

  “I will handle it. Till I return please stay with Afrin the entire day. She must not come to know about Sam’s death from anybody.”

  “No, buddy. We will take care of her very well.”

  “Now hand over the phone to Afrin.”

  The phone was handed over to Afrin.

  “Hello,”

  “Hello Afrin, Sam here,” a soft voice answered.

  “Very happy to hear you, Sam. I have pleasant news for you.”

  “What?” the voice sounded anxious.

  “I will be discharged very soon. Then I shall come home and meet you,” Afrin felt Sam will dance with excitement but there was complete silence on the other side.

  “Afrin, I am going out of town with Zaib. There is a very good hospital over there. A doctor there is known to be very good with cases like mine and both Zaib and I hope he can cure me completely. Very soon I will be walking freely.”

  “Sam, as long as you are with Zaib, I am relieved. But when will you return?”

  “It will take few days. I cannot tell you exactly how many days. It will depend on how fast I recover.”

  “Where shall I stay after I have been discharged?” asked Afrin in dismay

  “You go and stay in Zaib’s house. I will soon find some place to reside.”

  “No ways, Sam,” Afrin controlled her breath and shouted, “I will never stay in Zaib’s house.”

  “Afrin, what is wrong over there? Zaib is also with me. You stay there alone.”

  “I will never stay alone with Zaib’s characterless father. You know that I do not like that man.”

  There was a complete silence on the other side of the phone. Then she heard, “Afrin, there is nobody in Zaib’s house. His family has shifted abroad. You will be safe and fine.”

  Afrin heard this and felt better. She said, “Sam, please come soon. I miss you.”