“So what happen after that?” asked Michael listening to
Aida. She kept quiet and leaned forward in her chair. She touched Rafiq’s hand.
“His parents
died on the spot. The car spin out of control and hit the tree. It was the father’s side that had
direct impact. He was nearly flung out of the car, save for the seat belt;
inspection showed that the seat belt was nearly thorn from its safety casing.
The passenger seat at the back was a mangled. Rozita died on the way to the
hospital. Rafiq…it was a miracle that he survived. He got out of the accident
with a bump on the head and a bruised chest. After the incident he changed,”
said Aida sorrowfully.
“How
did he change?” asked Michael.
“He
was quiet and he kept to himself most of the time. He became short tempered and
shouted at anyone who tried to help him. I was always shouted at. I just wanted
to help. He didn’t want to talk, He just bottled everything inside. He became
destructive. He had some friends in Seremban who knows about motorcycles, he
sometimes travel down and bought himself a bike. He like to do dangerous stunts
on his motorcycle. He became one of those Mat- Rempit. Our Rafiq, who was once
well-mannered, intelligent and funny now loves to race illegally at the
highway. Accidents and injuries were normal; he would just wave it of as if he
loves the feeling of pain. He drinks, you know. He would have never gone near
that stuff before. He didn’t get a job, he was ruining himself. Thank god he
wasn’t into women. He kept away from us, he wasn’t rude to the elders but he
didn’t listen also and soon we got tired of trying to talk some sense into him.
We left him alone. None of us heard any news until he got into another
accident.” Aida sighed and leaned back on her chair. She looked tired. Michael
gently touched her shoulder gently.
“You
really liked him,” he spoke softly. Aida gave a nervous laugh.
“Yes,
I was crazily jealous when I found out that Sharifah had visited him by
herself. I was never good at hiding my feelings. I didn’t agree when he wanted
to get engaged to Rozita. I didn’t think that she was good for him but I
relented when I saw how happy she made him. Now that she’s gone, I don’t want
any woman beside him. Stupid isn’t it. Cost me my friendship with Sharifah.” Michael
kept quiet. Rafiq was one lucky guy to have women falling for him. There was a
loud beeping on the heat monitor. The images were moving rapidly and showing
rapid spikes. Rafiq’s body was shaking aggressively. Michael jumped to his feet
and pushed Aida to the side. RAfiq’s eyes were close but he was shaking so hard
that his body was pushed upwards as if someone had given him an electric shock.
Michael shouted a command and nurses rushed to his side.
“He’s
having a seizure,” shouted Michael to no one in particular. Michael was trying
to push him down so that he won’t rip the drip on his hand and the tubes placed
on his nose and abdomen. A nurse pulled Aida out of the ICU.
“What’s
going on?” asked Aida shakily. She could still hear the machine beeping
alarmingly loud as she went out of the room.
“He’s
having another seizure, don’t worry we’ll do everything for him,” said the
nurse as she accompanied Aida uptil the entrance to the ICU. Aida watched with
watery eyes as the door closed behind the nurse as she rushed back to Michael.
Aida went to the bench outside the ICU and sat on it keeping a watchful eye on
the door. She nearly jumped out of her skin when the handset in her left hand
rang. In his rush, Michael had gave Aida his handset to hold for him. Aida
ignored the ring for a while but it kept ringing, it wouldn’t stop. Aida
thought f switching it off but on a second thought it could be something
important for the doctor. Hastily she answered.
“Michael,
something’s wrong with Sharifah!” screamed the hysterical voice on the other
side. Aida looked the Nokia hand phone worriedly.
“Sofia
“Aida?
What are you doing there?”
“I’m
at the hospital. The doctor is attending to Rafiq. He had another seizure.
What’s wrong?” asked Aida gently. No matter how angry she was with Sharifah,
she was still her friend and from Sofia
“She’s
burning up. I already wet a towel to reduce the temperature but she’s s hot and
she’s delirious. Her lips are dry and she’s sweating a lot. Her face is red.
Please call Michael,” said Sofia
“Ok
don’t panic. Have you wrap her up?”
“Yes
with a thick blanket.”
“Find
a thin blanket and wrap her we want to keep her warm but with the high fever
its better to loosen up since we don’t want to boil her there. Get some ice,
put it on the towel and wrap it. Gently run it over her forehead, it can help
to reduce the fever. Try to wet her lips or put a teaspoon of water into her
mouth. She’s probably dehydrated. Give me a call if theres anything wrong,”
said Aida trying to sooth Sofia
“Got
it,” said Sofia
“Ya”
“Thank
you, from myself and also on behalf of Sharifah.” Aida kept quiet and after
saying goodbye she hang up the phone. Aida looked at her watch. 5.20 she had
been outside for 20 minutes. What was going on here….
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