OUT OF THE THEATRE

"Here she comes." Shamim alarms as soon as he sights a stretcher.

They all look anxiously to see what she looks like, especially Abdullah who hasn't seen the love if his life since the ugly incident took place.

"Can we come in?" Malik asks the doctor but he didn't get any response. Thus, he had to wait outside fur the doctor and the nurses, maybe they would allow him that spend sometime with his daughter. "Can I go in and see her now?" He asks again as soon as the doctor and nurses walk out of the ward.

"Not yet sir, I will reckon we hold on a bit. As we all know she just came out of the theatre." The doctor faces one of the three nurses with him. "Go prepare what I asked you." He faces another. "Go assist Doctor Dave." He faces the last nurse standing. "You can go do the random check ups on the other patients In the other wards."

Shamim realizes the doctor seemed to have been done having the conversation with them but the doctor still hadn't told them if she is now in a better health condition or not. So he decides to ask himself, "How is she doing now? Is she better?"

"Yes." The doctor nods and every single living soul standing or sitting there sighs of relief, even Asma. "I now believe in miracles." He says and chuckles. "Honestly, when you brought her in, I doubted if she would even last thirty minutes. But the miracle happened and she is now responding well to treatments, though she is still unconscious but she is stable at the moment."

"I am so glad to hear that, thanks a lot sir, I really appreciate your efforts." Malik appreciates with a hand shake to the doctor.

"You are most welcome sir." He replies accepting the handshake. "Just give her enough time to rest."

"Yes, I will do just that." Malik whispers with a lot of real and sincere smiles all over his face.

"Let me know if anything comes up, I will be in my office." The doctor says and leaves their midst.

"For the past twenty years I have known you, never have I seen you smile this much." A familiar voice cuts in.

Malik smile grows wider when his eyes meets with Eric's. "Hi."

"I guess Ella is doing fine now, isn't it?" He asks ignoring his superior's greetings.

"Yes." Abdullah nods. "The doctor said she is responding to treatments."

"That's such a wonderful thing to hear, I won't lie, I didn't think she would make it." Eric whispers shyly.

Malik giggles and embraces him. "You risked your life for me, how can I repay your kindness? If not for you, me and my daughter might probably be dead by now, thank you."

"I am happy I was able to do something to save her too." He says happily. "But it all still happened because of your knowledge, all I did was acting out the role." He draws apart from Malik. "You suggested that someone goes in your stead with a GPS tracker, which I placed at the back of my ear." He shows it to them. "Even though I was searched, none of those men thought of touching my ears."

"Still, it was such a risky and dangerous game to play, what if I was some minutes late? Something terrible might have really happened."

"Sir." Eric calls softly. "You keep forgetting I am a police officer, it's my duty to protect any citizen that is in need." He pauses and smiles. "Isn't that what you taught me?"

Malik nods in a boastful manner. "You are making me proud Eric." He looks at his wrist watch again. "I guess I should go home to my wife now."

"Who is staying here with Ella?" asks Eric.

"Shmaim will."

"I want to stay with her too." Abdullah volunteers.

"No." Malik rejects shaking his head. "I won't allow that. Lately, you have been through a lot, so I advise you to go home and relax. Naturally, you should return home today but I think you should stay till everything is finally over."

"Why do you suggest he stays with her?" Eric asks again.

He started at his son for a second or two and replies bluntly. "He needs it."

"I will drive you home." Eric offers with smiles.

"Thanks so much Eric, I really appreciate your kind gestures" Malik appreciates once more and faces his son. "Call me if anything comes up and do not leave her side. Is that clear?"

"Yes father." He nods gently and watches them walk out, leaving him alone with his guilt and conscience. "Please get well soon Ella." He moves closer to the window and peeps to see, the tears are uncontrollable, they flow freely down his cheeks. "I have never wished to see you on a hospital bed Ella, not even for once."

"She will get better soon, my dear." An old voice cuts in.

Shamim gently turns his head to see who it is, he forces out a smile when he sees the old lady which he met some hours ago. "How are you doing ma'am?"

"I am getting better mentally, all thanks to the young man who decided to pay my daughter's surgery fee." She whispers and joins Shamim in taking a look at Ella through the window. "I guess that is your sister, is that not so?"

He nods, "that is my younger sister, her name is Ella." He exhales deey and smiles. "You know, I always complained about her a lot, sometimes I wished she is gone, she disturbs me a lot and also disrespect me." He laughs gently.

"Then will you suggest your wish came true?" The old last asks.

"No, I take back my wish. Seeing her lay like this hurts me a lot. I pray God gives me back my ever chatty, funny and disturbing loving sister."

"My daughter, has lived her life dancing. She danced even without any music. I scolded, and yelled at her a lot for that." The old woman laughs gently for about three seconds. "Sometimes I wished she was never my daughter, because other children were busy having good grades, securing well paid jobs, furthering their education and making their parents proud while my daughter was obsessed with dance. But I realized she is the only reason I am still living when she fell sick."

"This adage that says 'you never know the worth of something until you loose it' isn't lying at all. But I pray I don't loose Ella before knowing her worth."

"Amen." The woman places her palm on Shamim's shoulder. "My daughter will be entering the theatre by mid night."

He faces her and smiles. "I am glad to hear that."

"Always remember that you have for once saved a life, thank you so much." The old lady whispers fighting back her tears.