Chapter 19: The Biliousness.

Bushra paced back and forth in her room as she bit her nails – a habit she has when she's genuinely distraughted and tensed. She wiped away the sweat from her forehead and exhaled out. What was taking them so long? Why hasn't anyone called her? Aunty? Baba? Mahir – at least.
'You're going to make a hole in that spot if you don't sit down, Bushra," Madina stated but Bushra ignored her and sustained pacing back and forth on the same spot.
It has been an hour since Mahir came to see her father. She knew how tough and challenging her father's questions can be. It can go from where do you work at to are you going to add a second wife when you marry my daughter? Who asks that kind of question?
'Hey, Mahir can totally answer baba's questions, right?" Bushra needed to hear a yes, even if it wasn't the truth. She needed some assurance. 'Of course, he will. Have you forgotten who Mahir Dan-Musa is? I do not think Baba's questions will be challenging for him or chase him away – No!" She stated and snapped her fingers. Bushra smiled and nodded. Madina was right, Mahir was capable of anything and maybe her father won't be so tough on him.
First and last time it happened was with Mubarak, Yasmin's husband. He got so sweaty that he almost passed out. He felt like he committed a crime just by their father's interrogations.
'Now sit and let's wait," Madina said and Bushra obeyed without disagreeing. She needed to rest her legs anyway.
'Salamu Alaikum." The door slowly opens and Yasmin walked in with Adila cradled in her arms. Bushra sprints up the moment they came to sight. 'What took you so long?" Bushra exclaimed and gently scooped Adila away. 'I've missed you so much," she said softly and kissed her soft, chubby cheek.
'Mubarak insisted he drops us and he had a visitor, so I had to wait until they were done. I just saw your boyfriend left." She dropped Adila's baby bag on the side drawer and slumped on the bed.
'He has left? Did you see baba? What did he say?" She bombarded Yasmin with questions she doesn't have answers to. 'Hey, hey calm down," she said as she smiled, almost laughing at Bushra's expression.
'Baba is in the living room together with Sadiq – he looked pissed. Maybe it has to do with Mahir coming right?" She looked at the both of them. Madina shrugged and focused back on her phone. 'Maybe or maybe because he was caught trying to molest Bushra in her room. You know he's a jerk," Madina said somewhat annoyed.
'He did what? When? Who caught him?" Yasmin gasped, placing her hand on her chest. She had never thought Sadiq could do something like that. She used to disbelieve her sister whenever she spoke ill about him. All her assumption was Bushra was looking for a way to get out of marrying him.
'Last week Saturday. Aunty came in and caught him," Bushra mouthed, her gaze was anywhere but at her sister. She needn't to remember the incident or anything that has to do with him. Her parents were upset quite well, and she was glad about it from the time when she heard Sadiq might move out of the house.
Yasmin felt the anger rising inside her. 'And why is he still here? By Allah, I never thought he could do such. I'm so sorry you had to go through that alone, Adda Bushra. Stuff like that give me trauma to be honest."
Bushra only heaved a sigh, unable to utter a word. Sadiq was the least of her worries now. All she wanted to hear and feel relieve was her father's comment about Mahir. She was sure if he rejects Mahir's proposal, Sadiq wasn't an option but what would happen then?
'Bushra?" Aunty walked in. Bushra swiftly turned to look at her. 'Aunty," she called out anxiously. 'Where did you keep my glasses when you cleaned my room this morning? I can't find it," she asked bewilderedly. Bushra exhaled. 'Aunty, I thought you were…" She sighed again and handed Adila to her mother before walking out.
She headed to Aunty's room and fetched the glasses that was sitting on the dressing mirror, where she always kept it, and headed out. On her way out, she encountered with her father. Her heart sunk as she paused to let him pass.
'Bushra, I was about to call you now. Meet me in my room now," he told her before walking towards his room. She lets out a shaky breath – a sudden sickening sensation throughout her body. It terrified her more when she saw his facial expression – incomprehensible. Was he pleased with Mahir? Was he still on Sadiq's side? What was he going to tell her now? That Mahir wasn't qualified to be her husband and she still has to marry Sadiq that same week?
She made her way to his room, forgetting she had to give Aunty her glasses. A lump made in her throat but she ignored it – her stomach churned, Bushra ignored all the fretful signs and walked into his room.
He was seated on a couch at the far end of his room, a folder in hand. It looked like he was busy but she still went ahead and walked further into the room. 'Salamu Alaikum," she mouthed and settled down on the soft carpet, inches away from him.
He looks down at her through his glasses. She was panicky, he could tell by the way she was fiddling with her fingers and shifting anxiously. He shifts his eyes from her and focused back on the pile of papers he had in hand.
'Do you love this man – sincerely or are you just trying to get away from marrying your cousin?" He asked her and averted his gaze from the papers to her. She snapped her head up at the question he asked her. Why would he bring that up? Haven't she been questioned already? Why was he asking her the same question again? And he was topping it up with a fact she knew it was true but she could never let him know that.
It was a lie and one-sided to say she loved him. And she'd be in deep waters if she said otherwise. She nodded her head at him – she chooses to lie.
'Don't shake your head at me, speak!" He specified grimly. Her breath caught in her throat. 'Ye- yes, Baba. I do. And… and no this doesn't have anything to do with Sadiq," she told him. Her head ducked. She felt the urge to throw her guts out by saying that she loved Mahir. He was the last person she'd ever look at and tell those words to. She couldn't imagine herself saying that or even feeling a bit of likeness towards him. She despised him and his personality. She was only doing that to get out of marrying Sadiq or anyone her father was planning to marry her off to.
'You better tell me the truth, Bushra." His voice was stern and it made Bushra to shift out of fear. Did Mahir tell him about their contract to get out of marrying her? He changed his mind? Why didn't he tell her before confronting her father? So disrespectful, she mused to herself.
'Because by the looks of it, he is really interested in you and I don't want to find out that you're marrying him because he came from a famous and wealthy family. Or there comes a time where there'll be a problem and you end up coming back home, Bushra. I will not tolerate that!"
Bushra snapped her head up quickly at the statement. How could her father think that low of her? He knew her better and he knew she'd never marry someone for that. And speaking of his last statement. What does he mean by he wouldn't tolerate it? What if the contract expires and Mahir divorces her, and she comes back home? They were going to send her out of the house? She doubts that.
'Baba, you know me better – I will never marry someone because of wealth status or any worldly stuff. I love him for the sake of Allah and I want to marry him because he has a beautiful… personality." She swallowed hard. How did she master in lying like that? It was first time she had told someone Mahir had a great personality – she felt sick despite the fact that she was lying. It was going to be the last time she says that. He smiled as he nodded. 'I know, Bushra – and I'm sorry. I was just looking out for you because this kind of people are difficult to intermingle with," he said desolately and sad.
'Anyway, I have told him to send his people within a month – I don't want to waste any time. I want things to be done in less than five months," he announced. Bushra gaped her eyes at him. 'Baba, five months?"
'Less than five months."
**
Bushra had her folded arms under her forehead as she rests her arms on the desk. She grimaced when the sharp pain stabbed her in her lower abdomen again. Every heartbeat sent a surge pain, as if her bladder was being torn apart. She hated her monthly cycle. It was always a punishment to her and she barely survives the first two days. She had never in her entire life have experienced such intense agony, crushing every nerve in her body. It goes from headache to stomachache to backpain…. It was always one pain to the other.
She groaned again from the intense pain. It tortured her to move, so she steadied in one position. She never thought the pain would be that intense after taken her usually pain killer – she should've called in sick and stayed home.
The door opens and closes but Bushra never cared to check who came in – the pain she was experiencing was enough to make her pass out any moment.
'I called; you didn't pick, why? Oh… is something wrong?" He approached her by her chair. He turned her around to face him. His face was filled with concern. Her eyes were heavy, her face wet with tears. 'Are you alright?" Mahir asked her. His eyebrows were drawn together. A great tremor overtook her as she clenched her stomach.
Mahir shoots up as terror sucked the very breath from his mouth. 'Can you walk? Let me call someone," he spoke breathlessly and attempted to leave but she held his blazer and shook her head – not long after her face turned red. Excessive sweat fell from her eyebrows as she was getting hot.
'Wait," she slurred – under her voice shook, becoming almost inaudible. A splitting pain erupted through her lower abdomen, as her vision faded. 'Bushra? Can you walk? Hey, no… don't pass out… do not pass out. No, Bushra?" He kept talking to keep her awake but it was too late. The last he wanted to do was to pick her up but it was the only option. He hesitatingly picked her up in his arms and rushed out of the office.
He walked as fast as he could out of the building. All the people in the bank stared at them in awe – Mahir didn't care about their judging looks or when he heard some people asking what happened to her. Mercy rushed out before he could leave. 'What happened to her? Is she alright?" She asked worriedly peeping into the car to see Bushra laid at the backseat unconscious.
'Does she look okay to you?" He spoke irksomely and swiftly hopped into his car. 'I'm coming too," she said and entered the second car his escorts were in.
The cars came with belligerent speed, the kind of sheer driving audacity that let everyone know that siren wasn't a polite request to move. Every head turned to follow the black SUVs', unaware of the people inside. They arrived shortly and Bushra was immediately taken to the emergency room to be examined.
He slumped over the chair and closed his eyes, her face appearing. His heart raced and he could feel his head starting to ache. He gripped the chair's arm as he tried to breathe slowly and assure himself to calm down.
That morning, same day; he had spoken with her and she sounded well – and now, she was unconscious. He was the type of man that cared for the sick no matter whom it was, and for Bushra's case, he has to worry – she's his wife-to-be. He could not afford to let anything happen to her.
'What happened to her, anyway?" Mercy interrupted him. He didn't care to open his eyes nor cared to respond to her. He could sense she was sitting beside him on the next chair. He heaved a deep sigh and relaxed. It was hard for his mind to be in panic or anger when his body is relaxed.
'She looked fine to me when she came to work this morning," Mercy spoke again. Her voice alone irritates him and it seemed like she was getting too comfortable with him. His eyelids flipped open as irritation surged inside him. He gave her a strong narrow look that made a shiver run down her spine.
'I'm sorry, Sir," she said to him and quickly got to her feet. She moved to another seat away from him and settled down. She was only here to know what happened and why he was in Bushra's office. He visits Bushra's office for quite uncommon while and mercy could sense there was something between them. Possibly she's pregnant with his baby, Mercy declared. She smiled mischievously and relaxed in her seat.
She watched as he got to his feet and left the waiting room, his men following him out. She scoffed and looked away. How in loving Gods could he blame her for sitting close to him? He was a person she gets to hear gossips about, never see them in person—only on TV or news. She only gets to meet these kind of famous people because of her job.
Mahir came back into the waiting room together with Mansur. He just went off phone with her father when Mansur showed up for his afternoon shift and heard about the incident. 'Can't you just go in there and check? They've been there for like… thirty minutes or more," Mahir spoke peevishly. He wasn't angry about the wait, he wanted to know what happened and her status before her parents arrive. How would he even start narrating to them that he was in her office when she fell unconscious.
'Just stay calm. Your wife is going to be alright," Mansur said in a playful tone to brighten up his mood. It made Mahir more irritated. 'This isn't funny, Mansur. And she's not my wife," he stated hardheartedly. 'Not yet, but soon," Mansur told him.
As on cue, Bushra was wheeled out of the ER and Mahir approached the doctor before he did. 'Dr? Is she alright? What happened to her?" He bombarded him with questions. 'Mahir, calm down," Mansur spoke with a comforting tone. 'Dr. Sam, what happened?" He asked competently.
'She's on her period and the intense pain of the cramps she was going through made her to pass out. But she'll be fine and she's stable now. Are you her husband?" Dr. Sam asked curiously. He could sense the way Mahir was worried about her. 'Uh, no… I'm her fiancé. What helps with the… cramps? Can it just go away? Is there a cure?" He asked – he slightly shook his head at the thought of what he had said few moments ago. He hated admitting that he had something that had to do with her—it irks him.
Mercy gapped her eyes and nodded her head as she smiled impishly. Her instincts weren't expecting that to be the reason behind their closeness. Perchance they have been fighting to cover it up.
'Yes, there are some over-the-counter pain medicine like ibuprofen, naproxen or acetaminophen. Exercise helps a lot. Lovemaking is another option. There are many ways to cure or reduce period cramps. I'll write it down and give it to you before she gets discharged later or tomorrow morning."
Dr. Sam excused himself and left. Mahir looked at Mansur quizzically. He had so many questions to ask, Mansur sensed that. 'How does having…"
'Do not even say it," Mansur whispered as he smiled. He dragged him to her room as Mahir still went ahead to ask the questions.
She was sleeping peacefully, an IV in her left hand. Her entire body looked pale and it seemed as though she had no blood flowing in her. He stared at her intensely as the thought of her going through the same pain every month – his heart sunk.
'She's going to be alright now. She's under medication, okay?" Mansur consoled him. Mahir heaved a sigh out of frustration, silently begging for the voices in his head to stop. He remembered their marriage contract and what had been written on. No Intimacy between the two partners. No strings attach in whatsoever way. But her cramps said otherwise – a strange feeling washed over him with unbreakable force.
He shakes the thoughts away – his arrogant and nonchalant side reviving. It was none of his business. He didn't care whether she has to visit the hospital every month of her every cycle. Besides, the doctor had prescribed many remedies that might work – still, he doesn't care whether it was going to work or not. He was only after the time he must look for a wife and finally split ways with her.