Jewaira's Boudoir

Continuation of Hind series:

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Somehow they got to the hospital. Somehow she had called Fouad and gotten him to meet them at the Amiri. And somehow she found herself face to face with the doctor in charge in the emergency room who was trying hard to reassure her things would be alright.

She had covered herself in the abaya she kept in the car but her face was still made up for the wedding and she suddenly hoped the doctor would not get the wrong impression.

Her mother was still pale and speechless as she sat on the hard waiting room chairs. When Fouad walked in, Hind literally fell apart and started to cry uncontrollably. It was as though she had turned on a faucet and she couldn’t hold back any longer the pain she felt over the past several months.

Fouad was surprisingly calm, heading straight to the doctor to find out how the girls, his sister-in-law and Maria were doing. When he returned he had a serious look on his face but he was kind and put his arm around Hind, hugging her to him reassuringly.

Suddenly, Hind’s mother found her tongue and burst out against Hind, accusing her of negligence, and being a bad mother. She was livid.

Hind trembled against Fouad’s chest and heaved a sob that came from deep within her depressed being. She felt totally useless at that point and incapable of saying anything in her own defense.

She didn’t need to though.

Fouad held Hind even closer to him and very firmly told her mother to calm down and not say anything she would regret later.

He asked her to leave and go home with Ritchie. He would remain with Hind and take care of things at the hospital.

The patients were in stable condition and sleeping but would remain overnight in hospital for observation.

When Hind tried to protest that they should go and inspect the damage at home, Fouad reassured her that it was already being done. He had taken care of everything by phone.

“Go and wash your face and lets go across the street and sit for a while in the fresh air. The staff have my number in case of an emergency” he told her.

It was late now and the Gulf road was almost empty. They crossed the street in the cool night air and found a bench to sit on facing the dark sea and sat for a while just with their own thoughts.

“Fouad, you were wonderful tonight. I mean you’re always great but tonight you saved us all.”

“You don’t always give me a chance to help out, Ms Perfect. You always have everything under control. Nothing left for me to do.”

Hind remained silent and then shook her head.
“No, you know I haven’t been too well for some time now. I really appreciate the way you put up with me. And I owe you an explanation, Fouad.”

He pressed his fingers against her lips but she removed them gently.

“No Fouad. You’re my best friend. I think you deserve to know.”
And then she managed a weak laugh:
“And you’re my husband as well so it’s confession time!”

They both laughed, albeit nervously at first. They knew what she had to say would not be easy but they braced themselves to deal with it.

It was such a relief to confide in Fouad and not have him judge her or criticize her. She knew she was extremely confused but realized that she had been deeply in love and it was hard to deal with Emad’s sudden entrance and exit from her life. It was like she had walked into a well lit room and then suddenly the light went out and she was left to stumble and bump her way. She just couldn’t find the way out again.

It was nearing the break of dawn when they realized they had spent hours just talking on their own.

Fouad felt very protective of Hind and felt a deep anger at the way Emad had treated her. It certainly sounded like he had taken advantage of her feelings and after he had gotten what he wanted, left her, high and dry, as he had intended. He wanted to confront him right away, wherever he was. What did he think he was doing anyway not respecting his presence as the man in the house?

But there was something else she had to tell him since they were talking so frankly. She knew if she didn’t say anything now it would be much more difficult later.

“I have to tell you something else, Fouad.” Hind’s eyes were shiny with unshed tears. And then she said it: “I’m pregnant with Emad’s baby.”

She could see the anger in Fouad’s face even in the dark and he gripped her wrist tightly. Hind was so afraid she did not even dare to whimper in pain.

“What?! You slept with him without taking any precautions! Are you mad or what?”

Hind looked down miserably.

“I..I didn’t think of the consequences…I thought there was no chance I would get pregnant at this stage in my life..especially knowing how difficult it was before to conceive..”
“Hind! Hind! He was your husband.. you don’t just have irresponsible…unsafe sex just because he was your husband. Where’s your sense of responsibility?” Fouad was livid now. “How many months now? Three?”

“Please Fouad. I have enough on my mind as it is…What do you think I’ve been through these past three months? Don’t you think I’ve gone over the situation a hundred , no maybe a thousand times?” She shook her head. “I feel like a fool letting everyone down like this and being ignored by the person who caused all this pain in the first place.”

Fouad exhaled loudly through pursed lips and with his forehead against the palms of his hands, he was trying hard to calm down and think straight.

“Alright. You’ll keep the baby of course. It will be ours. No one will be the wiser for it. And it will make the family happy.” He let out a disgusted mock laugh. “But you’re going to give me Emad’s number. I need to get a few things off my chest.”

Hind begged Fouad to let her deal with it; she promised she would get hold of Emad in the morning.

But Fouad looked at her squarely and said: “Absolutely not. You don’t contact him anymore unless it’s of utmost importance. He’s done enough damage. And you’re not to tell him anything about the pregnancy, do you understand? As far as I’m concerned, his only right is to ask after the girls. That’s if you want me to keep to my side of the bargain and stand beside you the whole way!”

Hind nodded her head in acceptance, shivering suddenly in the early pre-dawn air. She would not normally have been bullied into any agreement but this time…

She closed her eyes but the truth would not go away.

Yes, Hind had told Fouad almost everything but not that she had broken her vow of secrecy and told Emad about his secret. If she even mentioned her pregnancy to Emad, he would know for certain that he was the father and at the moment, she did not want to ruin any more lives.