Chapter 90: Rainy What?

"He hates me now, Ammi," she had always referred to her as Ammi, since the day Dr Summayah called and Fatima Zarah was there with her kids and she heard them calling her that. It was easier than calling her Dr Summayah, which was a bit long for her and when they spoke on the phone with her daughter, they all seemed to be a warm and lovely family.
"Who? Na'im? There's no way someone that loves you the way he did will just wake up one day and hate you, Maryam. Have you done something to him?" She asked and Maryam vehemently shook her head. Why was it that everyone thought she had done something to him? This was the same thing Intisar had asked her when she had told them about what he did to her and she asked her if she had done something to him.
"No, I didn't. He traveled to Canada for a week to his brothers' graduation and we even spoke with him when he was boarding his plane back. But then we didn't speak until I heard that they were back and I rushed to welcome him...because I've missed him so much." She broke into tears when the memories came flooding in her mind. She didn't know what she would do now. If Na'im hated her this much now, then she had no one to turn to. If things persisted, she was sure he would say they left his chamber along with Intisar and where was she going?
"Just like that, Maryam?" Doctor Summayah asked her with a worried look after she had finished narrating everything to her. She could see why it was going to be so hard for her. She was heavily pregnant and then the man she had loved and knew all her life acted like he had never seen her in his life. Even her that wasn't at the age Maryam was, she knew she would be devastated if that happened. But she hadn't told her about that.
"Can you give me a few minutes, Maryam? I need to call someone and confirm something before I call to tell you what you should start doing from now on, okay?" She asked and Maryam began to wipe her eyes before she nodded her head. "Good girl and now, stop crying because it's not good for your health." She nodded her head, yet again, before Dr Summayah ended the call.
Maryam turned to the door and found Intisar standing there with a tray of food in her hands. Both her and Bilkisu were so caring and loving that it sometimes brought Maryam to tears because of how they took care of her. When Intisar saw that she was done with the call, she smiled softy and walked into the room, closing the door behind her.
"Shh, it's fine, Mero." She cajoled softly and placed the tray between. The exact thing she did, Maryam thought, she couldn't count how many times he had walked into her room with a tray of food and he would sit across from her on the bed, placing the tray between them.
She had missed him, so much that sometimes the pain tried to suffocate her. But she didn't know what else to do but cry, even though the doctor had forbade her from crying because she said her blood pressure would rise, which wasn't good for the baby and when she was due to give birth.
Intisar placed a loving hand on her shoulder, "You're going to stop crying just for now and eat, okay? We've spoken with Saima and we're taking you to the hospital because I'm afraid at how much you cry and sad you look everyday, Maryam. Let's go and check your blood pressure to make sure you're still safe and the baby." Maryam didn't argue, she only nodded her head and the food that Intisar was about to get into her mouth stopped moving, "Try and answer me with your mouth please, Mero."
She broke into tears, "Stop doing the things he did to me, then! You remind me of him." She said with her lips trembling in pain.
Intisar sighed and placed down the spoon, "He cared about you, he loved you and then, he did all those things to take care of you, Maryam. And so I am, I love and care about you, so we ought to do the same things to you in taking care of you. I'm sorry that he's acting this way, we don't know what's wrong with him, but I'm certain it will only take a few days before he comes around, okay? Cry not, my darling."
It took her a whole lot of cajoling before she was able to cajole Maryam to stop crying and eat. Even though she was successful in doing that, it was still not an easy task. Maryam looked a mess, she looked so haggard that Intisar thought of what to do to her that will make her look a bit presentable before they went to the hospital. Dr Summayah called back when she was done eating and Intisar excused herself to take the tray out.
"Are you there, my baby?" Dr Summayah asked with a soft tone that made Maryam sighed because it was so comforting and she nodded her head as though she would be able to see her.
"Yes, Ammi," she answered and heard the way it pleased Dr Summayah that she was no longer crying.
"I've called someone in China, it was where what I'm expecting that's happening to him happened before and he told me about it. And then I called Dr Nafisa, you remember her, right?" She waited for the hum that emanated an answer from her and continued. "Okay, so I suspect that he's suffering from Rainy weather heterosexual amnesia, but I'm not certain about that until I speak with him to confirm."
Maryam sat there looking discombobulated. What the hell was that long disease, "Is he going to die, Ammi?" The way she had asked the question with panic laying in her tone made Dr Summayah chuckled before she shook her head.
"He's not going to die, Maryam. It's not at all as serious as the name sounds. Well, maybe it's serious, but it can never take his life. I believe he has had cases of it numerously, considering what Dr Nafisa had told me."
"What is it then...rainy weather..." She let her words trialed off as she looked around the room, maybe she had to write down the name of it so she wouldn't be able to forget about it. Maybe if she got the chance of meeting him, she would.
Dr Summayah chuckled lightly, "Rainy weather heterosexual amnesia, Maryam. It's a type of amnesia where one forgets everything about the opposite sex person he had met or seen whenever rain comes. It could be different with every person and with Na'im, he only forgets the ones he's into a romantic relationship with. It can be because of something that forced his brain to start forgetting those ladies, especially if that horrific event has happened when it was raining and then his body system took that as a sign of danger and to protect him from the pain, he forgets everything about the person he was committed to."
Maryam was silent for a few minutes, making sure each and every word Dr Summayah had uttered got registered into her brain. She wanted to understand everything. "So, you're saying he's not doing that because he hates me?" That's what she wanted to know, because if she knew that he wasn't doing it intentionally and he wanted her as much as she wanted him, just that his brain had deleted everything about her, even though it was still painful, Maryam was sure it would pain less.
"Yes, baby. He's not doing this because he hates you, in fact, if the love he has for you is so deep, there's hope that he might be able to retrieve his memories of you. We aren't sure about that, but Dr Zhang told me that one of his parents has regained the memories of his wife back and their cases are the same."
Maryam wiped at her tears but they were no longer tears of that searing pain, they were tears of hope and love and sympathy for him. "What do I need to do now? Can I help to bring the memories back, Ammi?" She wanted to help, she would do anything that will make him recover, even though she was still pissed at him and deeply hurt by his words.
"Yes, by being around him. Saying things that will remind him of the times y'all spent together. Doing the things he loved, saying things whether you or him used to say together and love it. You just have to be patient, Maryam. Even though doing that isn't hundred percent effective, let's hope it works, okay?" Maryam spent the next half an hour talking with Dr Summayah as she asked her of what to do and how she was going to go about it and by the time they ended the call, she was feeling a little bit hopeful. Even though Dr Summayah had clearly told her that it might not work and if it turned out it didn't, then they will find a way to make him fall in love with her all over again.
Intisar had been begging her to shower since in the morning and since Maryam was feeling a bit light at heart, she stood and walked to the toilet. She showered while she kept recollecting the things she had known about them. What he loved about her, things he loved when she did and said. What he liked saying or doing to her, everything single detail she was sure would touch his heart.
She came out to find Intisar in her room, going through her wardrobe as she fished out the clothes for her to wear. "Maybe we should stop by Aunt Fatima's shop to collect your clothes, Intee. She had sent me a text three days ago that the clothes are ready, I was just carried away to tell you." Intisar flashed her a good smile before she lifted the gown in her hand.
"This will look good on you, try it." She ended up helping her to get ready and every time she saw the protruding stomach of Maryam, she couldn't believe that it was her baby sister that was now going to be a mother. She was both terrified and happy for her, what if she didn't make it? Like always, she always shook her head whenever that thought crossed her mind.
They walked out of the apartment and met Saima waiting for them, she gave Maryam a soft and comforting hug and Saima knew she didn't have to say a word to her, she understood what she meant and she simply nodded her head to her. Saima sat beside her in the car and when Maryam saw the worried look that had been there on her face since the day Na'im had left, she sighed. She knew she was in her own mess too, but she was going to get something that will distract her a bit. And it would be better if she tried to offer comfort to the only friend she had in the world.
"Is something wrong with you, Gimbiya?" She asked with a soft voice that made Saima turned to her to make sure that she was referring to her.
Saima took Maryam's hand and entwined it with hers, moving their hands slowly as she thought about the first thing she would start with. She thought it was going to be so easy, she was going to smugly move on from everything especially now that she knew she wasn't the only one that's going to be in pain. But it was terrible, it was hell and hurt like every other painful thing. And then they were leaving for school in a few months to come and she didn't know what she would do now.
Even though she knew she had a good reason to, he was never going to accept her as who she was and she craved for his love like a dying man did for life. But Saima didn't feel that she was courageous enough to still want his love, knowing so well it wouldn't be as real and as passionate as she had always craved to be loved.
"He said he loves me, but I don't think I'm willing to accept that, Maryam." She said with a low voice as she bit her lower lip to stop the tears from coming. She had forbade herself from crying and even though self discipline had often proved to be so difficult for her, she was still going to keep pushing through until she couldn't do that anymore.
"But why, Saima? When it's so evident that you love him too and it's obviously hurting you as much as it's hurting him. Why will you say that?" They came to an abrupt halt in the hospital and she flashed Saima the we're going to talk about this more look before she helped her out of the car.
Maryam was done seeing the doctor when they were walking out of the hospital and her name was called, "Maryam!" She turned with a smile on her lips when she saw that it was Nafisa. She was surprised at the anger she saw in Nafisa's eyes, even though she tried to maintain a casual look but she couldn't. And then Maryam remembered that she had nearly gotten married to her husband and maybe she still held the grudge against her.
Even though Na'im had simply told her that the wedding had been cancelled, and she didn't care to ask him why, Maryam could see from her face that it wasn't a pleasant break up, she held a grudge against her or him or the both of them. She stood there waiting until Nafisa walked up to her and she looked at Intisar and Saima. "Can I please have a few words with her?"
Saima had already lounged forward, "I don't think so, why would you?" She protectively turned to Maryam, "Do you have a business to discuss with her, Maryam?" Her eyes were clouded with rage too when she nodded her head at her.
"Yes, where do you suppose we speak, Saima? It will be so tiring to stand here and talk." There were seats over yonder and they walked silently to the chairs. Maryam said nothing as she waited for her to start speaking.
"I can see that you're already heavily pregnant," Nafisa said, even though that wasn't what she had initially wanted but she would be damned as hell if she didn't say all the things she wanted to say to her.
"Yes," Maryam managed to speak out and when it appeared to her that Nafisa was thoughtful of what she should say to her, she beat her at it. "In case you're wondering whether I told him about that or not, I didn't." Nafisa immediately shoot her head up at her, she gave her a look that said she didn't understand what Maryam was speaking about.
Maryam smiled sadly at her, "I saw you that day injecting me before I lost my consciousness and when I woke up, I was held hostage by Captain Bolori." Venom had never dripped from her words until today, and she stared back at her with equal hatred, resentment and anger.
"What...are you talking about?" Nafisa stammered a bit and then she hated herself. Why would she be afraid that this girl knew she was the one that took her to Sadeeq that day? It didn't matter, because even though he hadn't killed her like they initially planned, she was still not sorry that she did that and if she would be given another chance to hurt Na'im so much, she'd do that through her.
"Yes, I did that because I want to hurt Na'im as much as he had hurt me. And guess what? You're one lucky little thing to have escaped that alive. But I guess, there's no need to hurt him through you now, I just heard he has forgotten about you too, right?" Maryam glanced at her for a moment, feeling the stench and pain of her words, but she was never going to show her that she was pained by what she had said. So, she smiled softly.
"I've never seen an older woman like yourself trying to fight someone my age just because of a man. Don't you think it's shameful to do that, Doctor?" She said with a voice meant to annoy Nafisa and it seemed to have worked.
"Who the hell do you think you're to say that to me, Maryam?" She said, angrily and furiously staring at her.
"That daughter of a farmer whom you often looked down onto and thought that I'm not capable enough to get married to the man you so much love and desire. That's who I am, the daughter of a nobody that snatch the one and only man loved by your heart." Maryam stood up, even though the weight of her stomach was weighing her down before she stared at her. "I wish you healing, Dr. You were a good doctor, but certainly the worst human alive."
She turned to her heels when she heard Nafisa saying, "I pray he never gets to remember you ever in his life. So that maybe that way, you'd know what it feels like to love someone and not be able to have him." Maryam stopped walking for a moment, feeling the way Nafisa's words got right into the pitch of her heart, but she didn't turn, because, what would she say to her? That she was hopeful he would remember her? Or that she knew her life would be miserable if it turned out that he had indeed forgotten about her? Which one?
She kept on walking wordlessly to the car and they walked beside her but Maryam was unable to utter a single word. When they went back to his chamber, she was in so much pain and when she saw that those soldiers weren't there, Maryam immediately walked into his chamber and she went directly to his room. Her heart was burning and she needed comfort, yet, she was certain that he was the only one that would be able to offer her that. Forgetting her or not, she needed him.
He was just out of the shower when she walked in and he had already opened his mouth to yell at her to get the hell out of his room when she rushed towards him and took his wet body into an embrace, breaking into painful tears the moment she felt his body against her. Her bump was making it hard to have a proper hug, but she more than appreciated what she was getting.
He tried to pull her away from his body even though the gesture was like a blow to his heart, but Maryam held onto him. "Please, I'm so sad, just comfort me." And unbeknownst to him, Na'im had already wrapped his hands around her upon hearing those words. Because it had felt natural to do that and somewhere in his mind, he thought that this wasn't the first time she needed this kind of comfort.