Chance Meeting II

It had been a year since Mohamed had met Fartun. Their relationship had grown into something beautiful and earthly like a sakura tree. Mohamed had decided to marry this ethereal woman whose eyes hid so much sorrow, whose smile lit a room and whose anger burned whoever it touched. Fartun became his wife a year after the divorce from her estranged husband. Mohamed had legally adopted Kamar and Kay to protect them from their father and to provide them stability. Making our way into the present day lives of Mohamed and Fartun, we walk in on Mohamed staring through a glass door...........


Mohamed watched Fartun turn her back to the class and write something out on the board. It looked like an antiderivative with limits. Mohamed cringed internally remembering nights spent sweating over calculus in his freshman year at school. He sneaked a peek into the classroom to see the students staring enraptured at their teacher. He knew the feeling. Fartun was tall and beautiful but more than that she had the ability to capture your attention and keep it. Mohamed supposed this was what made her a great teacher. She made the subject interesting at times even managing to convince Mohamed to help grade papers. "Mama........MAMA!" squeaked his son. Mohamed looked down at the full head of hair turned to the doorway. His son was learning to talk and had apparently recognized his mother through the glass pane. Mohamed bent down to scoop Khadar into his arms. His son had inherited the wide set eyes from his mother and was staring at him fixatedly. His pudgy hands touching Mohamed's face affectionately, Khadar soon lost interest in what lay on the other side of the glass door. **Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrring......................Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrring**

Mohamed stepped away from the door and let the mob make its way to their lockers. Fartun noticed him standing at the door and rushed over smiling broadly. "Hey baby," she cooed. "Hey beautiful,"replied Mohamed. "Erm sweety I was talking to Khadar but I guess you are also my baby," teased Fartun as she plucked Khadar from his arms. As she played with her son she instructed Mohamed in the collection of her papers. All packed up and ready, Mohamed and his family made their way to the parking lot. The crowd has thinned considerably and Fartun was regaling Mohamed with tales of her students. Mohamed opened the car door while listening and proceeded in strapping Khadar into the car seat. From the other side of the parking lot angry voices reached them. A split second later Mohamed noticed that Fartun's voice had stopped. He turned to look over his shoulder to see if she was making her way to the passenger seat, but she wasn't anywhere near the car. Instinctively Mohamed turned towards the angry voices which had now risen to crescendo levels. He saw Fartun's back darting in between the cars in a jog. Cursing under his breath Mohamed started undoing the carseat to get Khadar out. He worked fast as a premonition stole over him. **Crack Crack rang the gunshots**

Mohamed's heart skipped a beat. He undid the last buckle and grabbed Khadar from the car. Not locking the doors or anything Mohamed ran towards the far end of the parking lot. Mohamed couldn't believe it was taking him this long. He was a runner and for once his legs were not moving as fast as he wanted. As he got closer he saw a ring of people around a fallen body. Heart in his mouth, Mohamed pushed his way through the crowd. "Noooooooooooooo............" the carnal voice he emitted was primal in every sense. Lying in a pool of her own blood was Fartun. She held his gaze as he knelt beside her. "Call an ambulance dammit! Someone please call an ambulance...........give her space. Move! Move! Baby...........Xabibi you are going to be fine. Stay awake baby" Mohamed looked at Fartun trying to figure out where she was shot. He lifted her shirt and saw blood spurting from a hole near the edge of her ribs. Her hands reached out to Khadar as she struggled to breath. Her face had the parlor of death stealing over it. Mohamed pulled her up so she could lay on his lap. Khadar touched his mother's face in a playful manner. He pulled at his mother's nose as Fartun quietly smiled through her tears. She kissed Khadar's hands everytime they ventured past her lips. Mohamed couldn't bear looking at the scene any longer. He turned to ask if the ambulance had come even though he could hear the sirens as they drew near. He placed his hands over the hole to try to stem the flow of blood but he could still hear the gurgle of air escaping through the blood. He closed his eyes and prayed for the first time for someone other than him. He earnestly held his child in one hand as his wife's head lay on his lap. He asked and he pleaded and he bartered with God, hoping against all hope that his prayers would be answered. "Mohamed, its alright," whispered Fartun. Mohamed opened his eyes to see her smiling serenely at him. She extended her hands to him as she beckoned him to come closer. Mohamed shook his head side to side not ready to hear anything. He was not ready for her to leave. He had just found her. Fartun tried to raise up on her elbow but she fell back. Her eyes had tears yet she looked happy and at peace. It took Mohamed a minute before he realized that Fartun had breathed her last. Grabbing at her torso, Mohamed lay her on the floor. Setting Khadar on the side he started administering CPR. Everytime he breathed into her, the bubbles emerging from the hole increased. Mohamed lost count of how many minutes he kept pumping at her heart. He felt hands grabbing at him and he fought against them. She was not gone. Fartun was not gone. He could still save her. A needle pricked him and slowly the world dimmed to nothing.