THE SURGERY turned out to be tougher than Aisha anticipated--for a first timer especially. Nonetheless, she managed to keep herself together and did her job well. She could tell from the beginning that Aslam wasn't the same person he is outside the OR. While in surgery, he was more focused on his job and nothing else. For that moment, he seemed like a completely different person.

He was on full surgeon mode—there's no denying that.

It took about five hours, and as the clock neared two, they were done. The patient was then moved to the ICU while the two along with the other Muslims headed out to pray in their respective locations.

Before that though, she and Aisha met the Abd Al-Rasheed family that were waiting outside. Aslam told her she could go ahead and rest while he speaks to them. She didn't really think much into it and allowed him to do so.

In all honestly, Aisha was exhausted. She had only assisted surgeries a handful of times considering their seniors were mostly in charge of it. The Professors believe the fourth year residents are more qualified for that and in a way, she agrees with them.

At the same time, she also believes that it's not always a bad choice to allow them to help whenever they can.

With her shoulders slumped slightly, she headed back to her office and prayed. Jannah was nowhere in sight, and her only idea was that the girl is busy in the ER or with other patients. Nonetheless, after praying, she rested in her office till after Asr prayers. After observing her prayers then, she simply shrugged on a white coat over her scrubs and headed out.

Soon enough she reached her destination, which was the ICU. She knew he hadn't woken up by then considering he will take about two to four hours and even after that, he'll need to stay in the ICU for a day or two. She couldn't help but worry though, so she found a chair outside and settled on it.

Technically, it's been two hours since the surgery since it was a bit past four at the moment. But she is sure the patient hasn't woken up, else she and Aslam would've been informed already.

Her hands were tucked in the pocket of the white coat, as she leaned back and allowed her body to slump on the chair. She knew she had work to do, but she knew her best friend would help her with it so she wanted to stay there. For some reason, doing that gives her a little bit of peace. It's been the same during the few times she assisted any surgery. She always stays outside the ICU and wait despite knowing they won't wake up at that moment.

It was quiet, except for the occasional nurses and doctors checking up on the patients. Otherwise, the place wasn't that noisy. Aisha didn't know how much time passed, but judging by the way things were slowly began to change, it couldn't be more than an hour.

"I didn't think I would see you here"

She blinked, swiveling her head to the source of the voice. "Well, I didn't think I would see you either" She responded earnestly, without giving much thought to it.

"It's been three hours since the surgery, so..." Aslam shrugged slightly, as he reached where she sat. Just like her, he didn't change out of his scrubs. He only had on a white coat over it. He then took the space beside her, making sure to maintain a reasonable distance. "Latte?" He offered, extending her one of the two Venti latte he held in both hands.

Her head tilted to the side slightly. "You got two lattes for yourself?" Aslam could be weird, that much she could tell. Else, why would he get two lattes for himself?

"Well, technically...I got it for this woman I'm planning to wife, yeah?"

She hummed and then quirked a brow slightly—something that took her so long to learn. She wanted to tease him about planning to get married soon—there was this urge to do so that felt so natural to her—yet at the same time, she managed to stop herself because at the end of the day, he is just a stranger that has been working in their hospital for a week, who is still her superior.

He might be friendly towards her, something she realizes he is towards everyone else—with the exception of the Professors of course. They hate each other. That's pretty much obvious to everyone by then. She's sure he wouldn't appreciate her poking into his private life. So, she chose to not say a thing about it.

Judging from the look she gave him, Aslam knew she didn't get it but he decided to let it pass. "--But she wasn't in her office so you can have it"

Aisha frown slightly, "Are you sure though?" She wouldn't deny that she needs something to put in her stomach, considering the last thing she ate was the breakfast Mommy made for her and Abba. The old man had an early meeting, and since Aisha had a surgery in the morning too, Mommy decided to make breakfast for them all.

Aisha didn't eat much then, considering she isn't a breakfast person. Now that it's nearing Magrib time, she is starting to regret not eating anything.

Not to mention a latte doesn't sound bad, despite it's on an empty stomach.

Aslam nodded, gesturing to the Venti latte again since she had simply been staring at it. "Yeah don't worry about it. It's yours anyway" Another hint, that she didn't get one bit.

This time around, she didn't ask again and instead, took it from him. "Jazakallah khairan" She offered him a small smile.

Aslam couldn't help the smile that graced his features seeing the one on her face. "Wa iyyaki"

The two looked away and focused their gazes on the entrance of the ICU as they quietly took the latte. Well, she did while he remained quiet. He had already taken about half of his so he wasn't that interested. Each had thoughts clouding their minds, which in a way were related since it all had to do with the patient.

With each minute that passed, Aisha found herself tapping her foot on the ground repeatedly. She couldn't help it. It was nearing four hours since the surgery and there was no sign of the patient waking up. She feared something went wrong and simply couldn't help but think of the worst.

"You're nervous"

"Huh?" She blinked, snapping her gaze to the man seated beside her. His statement snapped her out of her trance, yet, it didn't stop her nervous foot tapping.

"You're nervous" He stated again, as if he was sure of what he was saying. In a way, he is. "It will be alright in shaa Allah"

Aisha lips stretched into smile as she blew out a breath. "How do you do it?" She asked, her brows drawn in slightly. "You don't look nervous one bit" She didn't know if it's because Aslam was so confident in himself, or he had been in the situation so many times that it doesn't faze him.

The corner of his lips quirked up slightly. "So that's what it looks like to you?"

"Is it not the case?"

He sighed slightly, looking away as he fixated his gaze on the entrance yet again—though by the look in his eyes, she could tell it was beyond that. He was in thought.

So, for a while she thought he wouldn't answer her.

But he did. "I'm nervous and scared" He answered, his voice firm yet soft at the same time. He wasn't staring at her, but from his tone she could tell that he was being honest. "I'm nervous because, there's really no certainty that he will wake up. I mean, we did our jobs well but we're not superheroes. Well, you are superwoman but--"

She couldn't help but chuckle slightly. "You need to forget that soon"

His tone held amusement too when he said that, and when he answered. He tilted his head to throw her a glance. "—There's no need to deny that you are superwoman, I am not super at all"

"If I'm superwoman, that will make you superman"

"No way. I'm leaving the supernatural thing to you alone" He paused, his smile slowly disappearing as he sighed softly. "The point is, as doctors, we can only do our best. We can't guarantee anything. That's why when a patient's family asks us to save them, we can only tell them that 'we'll do our best'. Just like them, afterwards, we'll pray for the best because at the end of the day, it's all in the hands of Allah"

Aisha found herself nodding slightly.

Aslam never found himself explaining to someone how he actually feels about being a doctor and all, because there was no one to talk to. It's not like there's anyone that understands how it feels like to be in the medical field—except his grandparents but they are an exception. Finally having someone to talk to, someone who understands made him feel like some of the weight on his shoulders have been lifted.

But he couldn't exactly look her in the eyes and say that so he fixated his gaze away again. "So, yes. I am nervous, even if it doesn't show. At the same time, I'm scared. I'm scared that he might not wake up. If he doesn't..." He paused, shaking his head slightly. "...it will all fall on my shoulders and I'm not sure I can handle it all"

If his father doesn't wake up, he will never stop blaming himself to begin with. After that, he will be left to take care of his family, and the guilt that will swamp him, he doubts he will be able to do a good job.

Yes, he knows and agrees with what he said to her—that everything is in the hands of Allah. But when doubts come, it takes a while to get over them—if you ever can.

"He will wake up in shaa Allah"

He found himself yet again staring at the woman beside him, who was offering him a small smile.

In all honestly, Aisha found more peace in his words than it seemed to on him. It was as if they had switched roles. She now seems like the one that has confidence, and faith, that the old man will wake up. And Aslam on the other hand, whom had now let his walls down, looks like the one that is doubtful of the whole thing.

"He had this doctor, probably one the best, perform surgery on him, and in shaa Allah, he will regain consciousness. You'll see"

Aslam's lips curled upwards slightly. "You forgot the fact that the surgeon had this assistant that also helped"

Aisha decided to crack a small joke, to lighten up the atmosphere. "Well of course, I can't let you take all the credit" She extended her hand and wiped the imaginary dust on her shoulder.

Aslam couldn't help but chuckle. With each moment that he spends with Aisha, he found himself believing that he is making the right choice by choosing her. He normally keeps to himself, but there was something about seeing her happy that makes him feel content, it has always been like that; from the very beginning.

Even though she doesn't realize it, her happiness was his.

"What?" He asked, taking note of how she had been staring at him for a while with her eyes narrowed slightly.

"Don't you ever get tired of the face masks?" She hadn't said it before, but the more she spends time with him, the more she wants to see his face.

What would he look like when he smiles? What will it look like when he's focused? What will it look like when he's annoyed?

"I survived Covid-19 as a doctor, what do you think?" He asked in response to her earlier question. Wearing face masks all the time doesn't really bother him now. "Are you dying to see my face that much?" He threw in a question of his.

"Yes"

He blinked. He definitely wasn't expecting her to answer that easily, and judging from the small smirk on her face he could tell she knew just that. "Don't worry, you'll see my face soon enough" Soon in his dictionary translates to when he's leaving the hospital, because he would much rather round off everything and leave without anyone knowing he and his father are related.

She nodded, his answer was good enough for her. "Alright then"

They fell into silence again, one that was interrupted when a nurse hastily stepped out of the ICU, her gaze immediately fell on the two that shot up on their feet instantly.

"Is everything okay?" It was Aslam that asked, almost immediately. His tone had taken a huge turn from the larking one to a serious one, or as Aisha calls it, he had switched to his 'doctor mode'.

The nurse heaved slightly. "The patient, he is awake"

At the same time, Aisha and Aslam released sighs of relief as their shoulders slumped. "Alhamdullilah" Both muttered under their breaths repeatedly.

Their peace was short lived, when a high pitched voice came not far from where they stood. "You heard that Yazi boo? Baba is awake!"

Aisha snapped her head in the location, instantly recognizing the voice. Aslam did the same too, wanting to see who the person could be.

Humaira stood there with a look of glee, and standing beside her was the young Abd Al-Rasheed that look like he will either cry or scream at the top of his lungs.

Aisha placed her hand on her mouth to hold back her snort. Yazi boo? She thought. Wonders shall never end.

~*~

A whole chapter of the dos oruguitas moment😭❤️

Who knows where the title came from? If you know, let me know in the comments. It will be better if you understand its relation😁.

I was so close to abandoning this chapter earlier wallahi because my brain wasn't cooperating. But sha sha, I managed to whip this up😊

You know that moment when you finish a really good drama, and you're struggling to move on? That's what I'm going through. I'm trying to watch a new one but I'm not getting it😭😭

Like the one I finished yesterday was so good, since it's my type of kdrama and all. At this point, I don't even understand why people dislike historical kdramas when its soo good!😍

Make I go and force myself to continue sha.

Toh, su Aisha and Aslam. This moment of yours like this is doing me sweet sweet o😍🥂.

Su Humaira da Yazi boo kuma, manyan mutane. Allah kai mu bikin ku dai. I want one wedding like this😂😂.

I don tire so goodnight.

Love, Jannah and a kdrama she's struggling with.