**Zahra**
The machine beeps in a slow tone as I regain consciousness, and astonishment clouds me.
I didn't know how I ended up here and what exactly happened to me.
A familiar voice gasped, panting in terror with fast footsteps moved away from me.
"She's awake, doctor! Ooh God!"
The voice was absolutely filled with emotions and it chilled me more when my blurry eyes were a bit clearer.
Sounds gushed, and I couldn't help but wonder how long I'd been here.
Hospital? How?
Then a question hit me, and I searched anxiously for the answer, but my mind couldn't process anything.
I raised my tensed body slightly from the bed, and I didn't feel much pain in me. However, I could perceive a metallic taste of the drug in my mouth.
And my heart seemed scared and tender with the room suddenly dark with an unreadable emotion.
I huddled in the bed, trying to put together what had clouded my mind so badly, but it seemed impossible.
As I sat there, something felt different and the air felt thick with anticipation as the door swung open again.
Or rather, in my case, I couldn't place my finger on anything.
"Lena?! I…," I stammered in bewilderment.
Before I could process anything again, she raced towards me. "Whoa! Doctor, did you hear that? She can remember me," her voice broke slightly, and the anxious look on her face told me she knew what was wrong with me.
Wait, what does she mean by I can remember her? There are no signs on me that show that I've been involved in an accident. So what is she insinuating?
Nervously, I bit my lower lip and heaved a long sigh. "What…did I have an accident? Or…I'm…" A lump rose in my throat and my voice stuttered.
As I threw that question, a sudden silence loomed between us and her eyes were glued on me but her words couldn't slip through her lips.
"Take a look at me, there are no bruises or blood on…"
The doctor's brows rose and he interrupted me. "Relax, Miss Kaplan. You were not involved in an accident, and you're perfectly fine, as you can see. You're just fine."
My body felt weird, so unusual and he drew to check my temperature. I feel neither cold nor warm.
"Umm…your temperature is okay. Just that your blood pressure is rising but you shouldn't worry. It will be stabilised soon," the doctor said as he monitored me.
Instantly, Lena sat near me as she buckled her arms around my shoulder. "You are just fine and there's nothing to be worried about, Zahra." Her voice wavered, and she forced a tight smile.
"Ah…are you sure?" My voice broke miserably.
Before I could utter another word, before my mind could process anything, as the air was thick with anticipation a sudden strong feeling for someone was haunting me, and I couldn't tell why I wanted to forget it so badly, too.
It's as though I'm in the middle of two worlds but I couldn't recognise any.
"I get it," Lena responded eagerly and spun towards me.
"Look at me, Zahra, you don't have to worry about anything, it's all right," her reassuring words seemed to arouse old uncertainties when I was supposed to be glad about it.
I nodded nervously, and my gaze drifted off to the doctor who was standing rooted to the ground, and it was obvious he wanted to discharge me.
"Your friend is right, Miss Kaplan. Just relax," he uttered as his fingers fiddled with his iPad and slammed the screen on my face which contained my records.
I blinked rapidly, trying to push away the doubts that had clouded my mind. I can't seem to comprehend anything at the moment, and those around me are making it worse.
"Everything is alright; everything is alright. That's what you all got to say. Where the hell is my mom by the way?"
Yeah, my dad has been thrown unjustly in jail for a crime he knows nothing about but my mom - she has been battling with heart issues since that arrest.
To me, I thought it's usually through severe accidents that victims lose some or all of their memories, rather in my case, it feels off. That feeling of someone I can't even tell who it was, and neither can I put my finger on anything, makes me wonder.
"Listen to me, Zahra." Her voice was low, and her brows furrowed slightly.
"I know you're confused and crazy thoughts are running through your mind. Trust me when I say you are all right," she assured me, as her fingers ran fast on the screen of her phone.
I sat there, half in anticipation and half in dread.
"Hey! Hi!" Her voice was smooth like velvet and a soft smile tugged on her lips.
She placed the phone against her ears but her gaze couldn't leave me. "Umm…it's not…I mean, she's alright, Mrs Kaplan," she added, behind the phone.
Mom? A whisper in my head told me she was agitated.
As my mind whirled with confusion, out of mind, a harsh tone with no traces of warmth in it broke through me.
"I'm on my way already…I hope she can hear me loud and clear?!" By then, Lena had placed the phone directly to my ears and my heart skipped a beat.
I was utterly shocked and swallowed my saliva. "Zahra?! Really? Divorced? My own daughter? Never!"
She was panting heavily and her voice was cold. "So all this while you have been lying to me, huh? Like seriously?"
I cleared my throat, unsure of what to say and disbelief swirled in me.
"Mom…I…don't know…I mean, was I married? And…divorced already? When?" My lips trembled, and my voice broke miserably.
"Oh my goodness! Really? Are you going crazy right now?! Zahra! Is it because your father is in prison that's why you have decided to put such a dirty stain on this family?!" she exclaimed and I could perceive her voice vibrating.
My breath was shallow and my senses shrugged. "So…I'm insane now? Ugh! How?" Those words escaped from my lips without my notice.
"Say something at least. Am I? I mean, was I married and…and even divorced now?" My teeth chattered.
"No, no. You're not insane, okay? Look at me Zahra, you're alright. Don't you trust me?" Lena kept repeating the same clause that doesn't make sense to me.
"But my mom thinks I am."
"Doctor," I spun towards the doctor. "Am I alright? Why is my body feeling weird? And my mouth…" My throat became scratchy and dry as I pulled my tongue out.
"You're perfectly fine, just relax," the doctor replied.
For a moment, when my attention drifted a bit from the phone call, my mother was panting heavily and frenzied as though she was driving faster.
Before my mind could process anything, before I could say a word, a loud sound echoed in my ears. Posh! My blood dried up and my eyes widened as the phone fell from my hand.
My eyes slowly went back to Lena with my mouth partly open.
"What happened? Why…why are you frozen…," she asked and my entire body was shaking. My lips started to tremble and tears filled my eyes.
"I…I…think mom…my mom…just got into an accident," my voice came out cranky, and I couldn't breathe anymore.