As soon as Maryam arrived at the reception table, she demanded to see Muhammad. The receptionist looked up from her laptop dumbfounded. "Excuse me, madam, what did you say?" Maryam almost rolled her eyes but she calmed down and said, "I'm here to see Dr. Muhammad."

The receptionist; Jade wore a small smile as she said, "oh, you'll like to make an appointment. Ok here, take this form and fill it and wait over there." She pointed at a set of chairs that dozens of people had already occupied, leaving only a few chairs. Maryam glared at the woman and said, "ok let me rephrase this, you don't get what I'm saying or who I am." She looked to her left and right then lowered her voice as she said, "I'm Doctor Muhammad's wife, and I have some important matters to discuss with him."

Jade raised her eyebrows as she surveyed Maryam from head to toe which Maryam frowned upon. "O...ok. Even if you were his wife, Sorry but I cannot simply let you pass. He is very busy as you can see," she gestured at the patients seated in the waiting hall. "Half of those patients are his. So please madam you should sit over there and wait for him."
"But it's an emergency."
"You don't suppose something other than emergency will bring anyone to the hospital now, do you?" Jade cocked her eyebrows.

Maryam wanted nothing but to bash her head on the table but chose peace over violence. "Ok. Call him then, and tell him that I'm here to see him."
Jade's lips thinned into that a polite smile that was starting to get on Maryam's nerves and said, "I'm sorry but I can't do that, as I said he is busy and it's against the rules to disturb a doctor unless it's something very very serious."
"And what makes you think this is not serious? Just try and call him."
"Madam for the second time, I cannot. So please if you are not here to see a doctor, can you shift and allow people who are here for that to do just that?"

Maryam looked behind her and there were 2 people standing waiting. Maryam sent Jade a glare to which Jade responded with a smile. She grabbed the paper and pen, filled out the form, and paid the money.
"Thank you, madam, I'll be sure to call you when it's your turn," Jade said.

Maryam bit back a remark and went and took a seat. She was so pissed. While waiting, she tried Muhammad's number again which went unanswered. How could he?

She spent a good 3 hours waiting before she heard her number called over the microphone. She got up and ignored the annoying look on Jade's face as she walked past her to Muhammad's office.

Holding the handle, she heaved a breath and said a prayer before she knocked and pushed it open. She stepped into the office and closed the door behind her. Seated behind the office table was Muhammad in all his glory. "Welcome please take a seat." He said as he finished writing in one file and picked up another, probably hers.

He whipped his head, as soon as he read the name written on the file just in time to catch Maryam's eyes as she took a seat in front of him, confusion written all over his face. "Maryam? What brought you to the hospital? Are you ok?"

Maryam glared at him from behind her glasses. "How would you know that? When you left me all alone at home without as much as a call to tell me you were not coming back home last night." Muhammad groaned and closed his eyes as he gently massaged his temple. "Maryam..."
"What if something happened to me, huh? What'll you do? Do you even know how worried I was?"
"Maryam..." he started again but was interrupted. "And stop calling me Maryam." She snapped.

He raised his eyebrows and said, "is that not your name?" She whispered something under her breath which he didn't quite catch then said, "it is but it isn't for you. You don't call me Maryam. And I don't like it when you all me Maryam." She pouted. He almost laughed but then remembered something. Then his face turned as hard as a stone. "Ok Mrs. Muhammad, what is it that brought you to the hospital?" His voice sounded so distant and far too formal. "Darling..." she started but stopped when he sharply raised a finger. "It's Doctor Muhammad here."

Her body tensed up as she stared at him.

"What is it?" He didn't even look at her as he said, "what is what, Mrs. Maryam?" She felt as though she had been shot by an arrow in the heart. "You...what is wrong with you? Why are you behaving like this?"

"Mrs. Maryam, if there's nothing wrong with you, will you kindly step out for other serious patients who are actually here to see a doctor, see a doctor." If her eyes were lasers, he'll have melted into a puddle of lava at that moment. "Like hell, if I'll leave this room if you don't talk to me." He slowly raised his eyes and glared at her.

"Why didn't you come home last night when you were supposed to? And why didn't you call me at all?"
"I was busy." He said coolly.
"Busy? Is this your first time spending the night at the hospital? No. However, this is the first time you were too busy to pick up your damn phone and call your wife, to let her know that you won't be coming home, that she shouldn't wait up for you and to just retire for the night." She was spitting fire. Muhammad on the other hand just stared at her. "So don't you dare bring that up now, because it is not an option."

They stared at each for a long time before Muhammad opened his mouth and said, "if you're done, you can leave. I have a lot of patients to see."

Maryam closed her eyes and let out a shaky breath, "I guess you didn't quite get what I said. If you think for a moment that I'm going to set a foot out of this door without you speaking to me, then I'm sorry to say that you are terribly mistaken."

He cocked his brows as if saying, "oh really?"
"Yes."
She stared at him, hoping he'll say something. But surprise surprise he didn't do or say a thing other than stare at her. She closed her hands in a fist and bit her lips. "Please just say something, will you?" She begged in such a low tone that she didn't realize she was capable of it until now. She reached for his hand and clasped it in hers. "Please you're hurting me, you're hurting us."

He gently pulled his hands from her grasp and turned his gaze to the clock ticking on the wall. "You should just leave."
Maryam's breath hitched. " We'll be spending the night here I guess, let me make myself comfortable." She said once she had regained her composure. She removed her shoes and kept her bag on his table. He glared at her. But then he knew that she will do as she said. She is that stubborn.

They stayed in silence for a couple of minutes. The silence was too much for Maryam. This was all too painful. Why wouldn't he say something? Why wasn't he bringing what he heard up?

"...why did you do it?" Muhammad whispered. She almost didn't hear him. She wouldn't have if she wasn't so desperately waiting for him to speak. She slowly turned her eyes to meet his. "Why did I do what?"
"You know exactly what I am talking about. Why did you ask me to marry you?" He didn't wait for her answer. "Was it out of pity?"
"Pity?" Maryam slowly rose from the chair. "What else then? I spent all night yesterday thinking about this, trying to come up with other excuses as to why you wanted to marry me but came up with nothing." He stared at her. "You sacrificed yourself for me."

She shook her head and went around the table to him. "Please don't say that ya Muhammad. I swear it's not like that."

He gave a low chuckle. "What is it like then? Huh, tell me. Did you or did you not know about it when you asked me to marry you?"
"I...I did but..."
"But what Maryam? Ok, tell me something, have you ever loved me, or was it all out of your generosity?" He whispered his voice cracking with unshed tears. Maryam couldn't make out a word. She was just busy shaking her head, tears brimming down her face.

"You know what the worst part is in all this? I can't even get angry at you, because you did absolutely nothing wrong. You just wanted to help." He extended his hand and stroked her cheeks, wiping the tears away. Just when Maryam was leaning into his touch, he pulled away.

"I swear if I had known you asked to marry me because of that, as much as I love you I wouldn't have agreed." He said and the room went silent. Even Maryam's cries stopped completely. She was staring at him wide-eyed.

"What did you say?" She croaked out.
"If I had known, I would never have put you through this...Maryam, I...I used you." His eyes were filled with tears as he came to that conclusion.

She pulled him up to stand before her and took hold of his hands. "What are you saying? Stop, stop and stop! How could even you think for a moment that I married you just because of your illness ya Muhammad? How?" She lightly shook him. "I mean, I don't know how kind you must think I am but I'll never...ever just marry anyone to save them. I mean everyone is sick one way or the other, does that mean I'll go around marrying everyone just to save them?" She held his face in her hand and pulled him closer.
"Well, if you put it like that..."
"You think if it was Abdallah or Mahmoud who had this same condition as you, I'll marry them?" She rasped.
"I don't know, will you?"
"Of course not, I would never. I'll just pray for them and wish them a quick recovery. Maybe even try to find the right one for them,"

"Don't you get it ya Muhammad? I married you because I love you and I didn't want to lose you. Not to anyone or some illness. I knew that if I didn't marry you, someone else will and I didn't want that. If anything I used you." She whispered the last part, wrapping her hand around his waist.

"I loved you, I love you and I will love you today, tomorrow, and forever Insha Allah. I'll do anything for you as long as it doesn't go beyond the boundaries of our religion. I chose you ya Muhammad, so please don't make me start questioning my choice."

"I'm sorry for thinking so highly of you." He whispered and wrapped his arms around her too, and for the first time since yesterday, he relaxed. "I just... I love you, and I don't like the thought of... you know." Maryam chuckled, "I know."

"It feels so good to be back in your arms," Maryam whispered. "Where you belong," Muhammad added. "You also belong in my arms, just so you know."
"Oh, I know, you've made that quite clear." He pressed a kiss on her forehead.

"Thank you for coming." He whispered in her ears. "Thank you for having me."

~~**~~
About an hour or two later, Doctor Yasir came and took over Muhammad's shift, and Muhammad and Maryam came out, hand in hand.

"Darling," Maryam called. "Uhmm,"
"Can you introduce us?" She asked motioning at the receptionist. Muhammad looked at her puzzled as to why she wanted to be introduced but did it anyways. Maryam looked at the receptionist and smiled.

"Afternoon, Jade."
"Good Afternoon, doctor Muhammad." She smiled. They exchanged pleasantries, then he looked at Maryam and said, "Maryam, this is Jade, and Jade, this is my wife, Maryam." Maryam looked at her in a way, saying, "see, I told you. I am his wife."

Jade smiled at her, "and I didn't argue madam. Nice to meet you."
"I wish I could say the same to you," Maryam muttered under her breath but said, "nice to meet you too. Let's go, Darling."

He smiled at Jade then let him be pulled away by Maryam outside. Jade followed them with her eyes and shook her head, smiling.

"What was that all about?" Muhammad asked Maryam as soon as they were outside. Maryam shrugged. "Nothing."

"Let's go now. By the way, you'll pay me back for the consultation fee I had to pay to see you." She said.

Muhammad shook his head and laughed.

M~~~***~~~M
And finally guys, we are done!🎉❤️❤️
I am most delighted to announce that this book has come to an end. I had so much fun writing this. And I hope you had as much fun reading it💐

I love you guys so much❤️

With love, Fatima🥀