Chapter 9

Part 2

Coincidence

Colonel Barnes visited the hospital the next day as Dr. Amir had instructed and the remaining sutures were removed from the wound. He was accompanied by nurse Martha who assisted Dr. Amir. Col. Barnes's eyes kept wandering in the lobby in search of those Amber eyes. Seeing Col. Barnes straining his neck in search for someone, Dr. Amir leaned towards his ears and whispered.

‘ She is on her rounds. ‘ Dr. Amir whispered in col. Barnes’s ear and col. Barnes was startled.

‘ What the hell, doc!! ‘. Col. Barnes yelled holding his ear and Dr. Amir laughed out loud.

‘ Oops, sorry about that. ‘ He chuckled at a frowning colonel.

‘ Colonel, use the front door at the lobby while exiting. The back door is now under maintenance. ‘. Dr. Amir said.

‘ What maintenance doctor? I came to duty through the back and I didn’t see any… ‘ Nurse Martha said but was interrupted by the doctor.

‘Nurse Martha, we have a lot of patients today. Sorry, colonel that I couldn’t walk you out. We are kind of busy. ‘ Dr. Amir said preparing to leave.

Col. Barnes was totally confused at Dr. Amir's sudden strange behavior. Bidding goodbyes, Dr. Amir left with a totally confused Martha following him. Col. Barnes arrived at the hospital in his jeep which was parked at the front of the hospital, so he decided to exit through the front door itself. As he walked through the lobby, he looked around in search for the owner of those alluring Amber eyes.

‘ Tamina, nice name. How is it actually pronounced in Arabic? Tamina, Taamina, Thamina, Thameena?’. Col. Barnes asked himself.

‘ You called for me? ‘ Tamina said in English that she have been learning for the past few weeks. She was not fluent, but managed with Arabic for the unknown words to fill the gap in the sentences. Col. Barnes was really startled at her sudden presence.

‘ Oh. No! You were here? I didn’t know’.Col. Barnes stuttered.

‘ I am here, in the lobby, on my rounds.’ Tamina said in the English that she knew.

‘ Ahhh. I see. ‘ Col. Barnes now understood the reason behind Dr. Amir’s strange behavior.

‘ Mmm. I want to thank you for last time, saving me. Thank you. I can’t properly said thank you last time. I was shock. Thank you, again. ‘Tamina said those words in order just as she had mugged it up, her amber eyes looking straight at his green ones.

A small smile appeared on his face hearing her struggle to speak his language to express her thanks and it made his heart flutter. Her English was not perfect, but he appreciated her efforts, so being a gentleman, he didn’t correct her.

‘ Don’t mention it. It’s my pleasure. ‘ Col. Barnes replied in his broken Arabic and Tamina burst into laughter.

‘ Your Arabic is horrible. ‘ Tamina said laughing and her boldness surprised col. Barnes.

He knew her English was at the level of a four year old kid who have just learned to talk but didn’t teased her about it. He watched her eyes crinkle at the corners when she laughed as her face was covered in a niqab.

‘ I came here to remove the sutures and Dr. Amir just removed them for me. Now I am going back to the legation. ‘ Col. Barnes said in English as he lacked the knowledge to say those words in Arabic.

‘ I don’t know what you said now. ‘ Tamina felt as someone had thrown a bucket full of English at her . Col. Barnes pointed at his chest.

‘ Gun shot, wound, got well, now leaving.’ Col. Barnes said.

‘ Oh, ok. Come back again then. ‘ Tamina blurted those words out.

She had learned those words so wouldn’t want them to go wasted. Seldom did she knew that it was impolite to ask a patient to come back again to a hospital after being discharged.

‘ Ahh, mmm sure. ‘Col. Barnes chuckled at her.

Tamina left him at the lobby with a small nod and he stared at her vanishing figure.

One his way back home, col. Barnes kept chuckling at the memory of her, asking him to come back again to the hospital.

‘ Did she want me shot again or dead this time? ‘.He asked smiling himself.

Col. Barnes knew something new was happening to him. He felt happy in her presence. He grew curious about that feeling which tickled his mind, teasing him with the memory of Amber eyes, that crinkled at the corners this time and not glistening with tears.

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Kamran felt nauseous and weary all the day as the heat became uncomfortable to him. He knew there was something wrong with him as he felt tired all the day and lost his interests in his daily activities. His health was declining to an extend that could effect his livelihood and it stressed him a lot. He frequently coughed a lot and his chest ached, but there was no fever. This frequent illness made him send Tamina to buy him medicines from the market place as he refused to get treated at the hospital. Tamina knew her father and his hatred for the foreigners, he was stubborn and would never change his decision about going to the hospital.

On her way to the market place, her mind was really worried for her father. Her mother rarely expressed her emotions after her son's death, so it was hard for Tamina to read what was going on Aisha's head. Aisha was also concerned about her husband, but instead of being an emotional support to him, Aisha prayed to her God to cure her husband of his illnes. Her faith was something that kept her alive all these years. She was not even able to see Tariq’s dead body and it weighed in her mind as she was unable to send her son in peace.

Kamran relied on local medicines and herbs prescribed by uncertified physicians and hated those English medicines introduced by the foreigners. Even after trying to pursue her father to got to the hospital so many times, at the very last, she had to obey him to go and fetch the medicines for cough from the market place.

It was evening and the sun was going to set soon. The weather was cool as slight wind blew against her face. She really wanted to take off her niqab and feel it against her face. After buying the medicines, she went straight to the nearby confectionery store to buy herself and Farah some sweets. Time passed as she finished her shopping as the sun had started to go down the horizon. The sky was painted golden and the cold breeze blew more stronger than before, carrying the aroma of herbs and medicines at the market place. Tamina started walking looking up enjoying the view of the twilight sky and inhaling the aroma of the breeze on her way back home. It was getting almost dark and the curfew will be beginning soon, so she walked faster gazing at the beautiful view above and accidentally bumped into someone.

The medicine kit she carried fell on the floor and Tamina panicked at the stranger who waited for her to give an excuse for bumping into him. Tamina, as any other Belgarathians, didn’t dared to look into the eyes of the stranger and looked down at his feet, bending her head. She could see that the stranger was wearing a military boots and she panicked further when she found it was a foreigner.

‘ I… I am so sorry. It’s my fault. I apologize. I was not looking and… and I am very very sorry. ‘ she stuttered in Arabic.

‘ Of course it’s your fault. Who else would walk at a place like this looking at the sky above?. ‘ Col. Barnes asked chuckling, to lighten the mood.

Seeing Tamina in panic made him feel somewhat bad as he knew it was the typical reaction of a native when they come across a foreigner. When Tamina find it was Col. Barnes whom she had bumped into, she was relieved.

‘ Oh. I am sorry. I was heading home. I didn’t see you there. ‘ She replied shyly.

‘ I am here, not up there. Let me help you. ‘ Col. Barnes chuckled pointing towards the sky and bent down to pick up the scattered medicines from the ground.

‘ It’s okay, I can manage. You don’t have to help. ‘ Tamina said refusing softly.

‘ This way, you can go home faster. ‘ Col. Barnes said picking up the medicine and Tamina joined him.

After finishing, he handed them over to her and she put it inside her bag.

‘ You works at the hospital and still relies on these local herbs and medicines? ‘.Col. Barnes asked eying the herbs.

‘ They are for my father. He won’t go to the hospital, you know. ‘ Tamina said in Arabic, her voice a little guilty.

‘ I guess, he doesn’t like foreigners. Is he alright after what happened last time? ‘. Col. Barnes asked about the incident.

‘ Yes, he was treated at the hospital then. Now he has cough. I think this would be enough for that. ‘ Tamina said smiling in Arabic indicating the local medicines.

Col. Barnes didn’t understand a word she said, but her eyes crinkled at the end and from that he could tell that everything was fine.

‘ Good to hear. ‘ He said in Arabic.

They were running out of their conversation and suddenly a loud bang was heard at the market place. Everyone screamed at the noise believing it was another bomb going off and tried to hide themselves at the nearby stores and buildings. Tamina nearly had a heart attack and suddenly sat on her knees covering her head with her hands. When the voice died down, she slowly opened her eyes to see Col. Barnes covering her with his body as a shield, protecting her petite figure. Tamina's heart nearly exploded at that site of col. Barnes. Her heart began to beat faster and her face felt hot, thanks to her niqab, that he couldn’t see her face right now.

‘ Are you okay?’.Col. Barnes asked concerned.

‘ I am. Are you? What really happened.?’. Tamina asked looking around. There was no signs of destruction or explosion.

‘ Stay here. Don’t go anywhere till I comes back. ‘ Col. Barnes said and set out towards the direction of the sound.

Tamina stayed there waiting for his return. After a few minutes, he returned with a goofy grin on his face.

‘ What happened? ‘. Tamina asked confused seeing him smile.

‘ Nothing to worry. It was the sound of flattening of the tyre of a truck. I thought it was an explosion. Phewww!!! ‘. Col. Barnes said sighing'.

Tamina’s eyes crinkles at the corners and she burst out laughing. Col. Barnes was embarrassed for overacting and laughed with her.

‘ Good bye, Colonel. See you again, at the hospital. ‘. Tamina said and Col. Barnes chuckled at that. It has become a thing between them.

‘ Good night. Go home before the curfew begins.’ Col. Barnes said and Tamina nodded her head and turned towards the other way.

‘ Ahh, also walk looking straight at the road and not anywhere else. You don’t want to knock another stranger on your way, don’t you? ‘.Col. Barnes called from behind.

Tamina just smiled at him as the reply and nodding again, walked back home. Col. Barnes stood there smiling at her retreating figure. He really wanted to stay with her, but he knew that time won’t freeze or slow down for them.