Into the Life of Hadji 2 Part 4



	The Quests returned, and life went on for them.  Jessie returned

to work after two more weeks, although she was on medication for

depression and a support group for grieving mothers.  Jonny continued his

classes, but things were still too quiet on the compound.  Everyday they

waited for some news on Miana-- news which never came.  Bobby Channing had

come to the compound, and Moniri was on her way after Jessie contacted

her.  When Moniri arrived, she walked into an atmosphere of tension and

foreboding-- it was like being in a funeral home.  Moniri arrived in the

evening, and was embraced by Jessie as she walked through the door. 

	"Moniri!" 

	"Jessie, it's good to see you.  God, the atmosphere in this

place..." 

	"I know..." 

	"I would go to India..." 

	"You don't want to.  You would want to kill Hadji." 

	"Why?" 

	Jessie proceeded to explain the situation. 

	"That bastard." whispered Moniri. 

	"Jonny has a few other choice names as well.  Dr. Quest is looking

into bringing Miana here, but he's having trouble as she is the wife of a

sultan." explained Jessie.  "Wait a minute! You're her sister!  Maybe..." 

	"I doubt it, but we can try.  Maybe with Dr. Quest's clout behind

me..." 

	"Maybe with a hefty donation to the hospital..." started Jonny,

walking into the room. 

	"Jonny, that's bribery!" exclaimed Benton. 

	"Dad, she's family!  She's alone there!" 

	"I'll see what I can do." 

	Benton continued trying to get Miana released into his and

Moniri's custody, preferably without Hadji's knowledge.  After much

deliberating and having to use Jonny's suggestion as a last resort, Miana

was transferred to Rockport General without Hadji's knowledge.  The

family went to see her.  They were in shock at her condition-- she had

dropped to a mere eighty pounds (including the weight of the baby), and

was on a respirator.  There was even talk of taking Miana off of it. 

	"No.  I won't do it." said Moniri.  "Miana's a fighter.  And even

so, Hadji would have to make that choice, and he's not here." 

	"You're right." said Benton.  "But as long as she's not in pain." 

	That night in Bangalore, Hadji went into his chamber, into an

empty bed.  His female companionship managed to distract his thoughts

during the day, but the nights were his quiet time to think of his wife. 

He grieved in private, and could not bring himself to go to the hospital.

But Hadji had a new problem.  He was disturbed by thoughts he was having--

thoughts he had never had before.  Even meditation could not fight off

thoughts of suicide.  The doctor had given Hadji a sleep aid, as the

recent stress had given him insomnia.  Hadji found himself holding the

bottle, getting ready to down it.  He had the lid off, and held it up to

is mouth. 

	"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" he screamed as he threw it against the wall and

pills flew around the room. 

	Hadji had known the Quests had gone, but he did not know Miana

was.  He hopped into a Rolls Royce and sped to the hospital.  He ran into

the hospital right past the nurses station, who didn't even have a chance

to tell him she was transferred.  When he went to her cubicle and saw

someone else in it, he thought the worst.  He was stunned and in tears. 

	"She's gone!" he thought.  "And no one told me..." 

	"Your highness, your wife has been transferred.  Her sister took

custody of her-- she is in Rockport, Maine." said a nurse. 

	Hadji nodded and left.  He was relieved and angry at the same

time.  He took the first plane he could catch back to the states.  Hadji

arrived and stormed into the house. 

	"WHAT RIGHT DO YOU HAVE TO TAKE MY WIFE?!!!" he screamed to

everyone. 

	Moniri stepped forward. 

	"She was my sister before she was your wife, and you abandoned her

for your harem!" 

	"That is none of your concern." 

	Moniri slapped him. 

	"But it is Miana's.  If she comes out of this, she'll want nothing

to do with you." 

	"I have been with no one." said Hadji.  "As if it is any of your

business." 

	"Yeah, right!" sniffed Jonny, with his arms folded. 

	Hadji started toward Jonny, but Bobby stepped in the way. 

	"Hadji, I never thought I'd have to say this to you." said Benton. 

"But you are going to have to leave.  We can't have this behavior from you

in this house.  I realize you are..." 

	"Very well, Dr. Quest.  I foresaw this and I have an apartment in

town.  I'll get my things." 

	Bobby, who was six foot two with short black hair and blue eyes

and as buff as Race, proceeded to follow Hadji. 

	"That won't be necessary, Bobby." stated Benton. 

	"Alright, Dr. Quest." 

	Hadji came back down with some bags and walked out the door

without a word.  Everyone's faces fell in shocked silence. 

	Days passed and there was no word from either the hospital or from

Hadji.  Hadji had gone back to teaching his classes, and Jonny saw him on

campus from time to time, but no words were exchanged between them.  Jonny

thought that Hadji would surround himself with the company of his

admiring students, but he did not-- much to Jonny's surprise.  It was

starting to dawn on him that Hadji may have told the truth when he said he

had not been with anyone. 

	Jonny returned home that evening, just before an important call

came in.  The phone rang, and Benton answered it. 

	"Hello?  Yes?  She is?  And the baby?  Great!  We're on our way." 

	Benton hung up the phone. 

	"Miana's awake!" 

	"The baby?" asked Moniri. 

	"The pregnancy is still risky, but the baby is fine." 

	"Hadji?" asked Jonny. 

	"Not now." said Moniri.  "Us first." 

	Meanwhile, in Miana's room, she was still a bit groggy. 

	"Hadji... Hadji..." 

	Miana's head started to clear just as Jessie and Moniri walked in. 

They were relieved to see that she was on nothing but an IV and a heart

monitor. 

	"Miana!" exclaimed the girls in unison. 

	Miana's head snapped up. 

	"Where's Hadji?  In fact, where am I?" 

	"You're in Maine." answered Moniri. 

	"Maine?  But we were in India.  Where's Hadji?  How long have I

been under?  My baby?  Jessie, did you have yours?" she asked, noticing

her belly. 

	Jessie looked away. 

	Moniri spoke first. 

	"You have been comatose two months.  Neela passed, and Hadji had

been taking things hard.  He has estranged himself from the family.  The

rest will be hard to explain.  As for Jessie..." 

	"I lost my baby in the crash." 

	"My God... so much has happened... Jessie..." 

	"It's ok." Jessie said softly. 

	Miana started to look at herself. 

	"My arms, my legs... the only thing on me with any weight at all

is my belly.  My baby must be safe, but me... I always wanted to be slim,

but not like this..." 

	Tears came to Miana's eyes. 

	"Has Hadji been here at all?" 

	"No." answered Moniri bitterly. 

	"I want out of here." said Miana, trying to get up, but came to a

startling revelation she just noticed. 

	"Miana, you stay put.  Miana, what's wrong?" asked Moniri. 

	"I-- I CAN'T FEEL MY LEGS!" she cried.  "I CAN'T--" 

	"Miana..." said Jessie.  "Moniri, we have to get Hadji." 

	Moniri winced. 

	"Alright.  I'll stay here." 

	"HADJI!!!" Miana screamed. "I CAN'T FEEL MY LEGS!" 

	Jessie managed to get Hadji out of class and onto the phone. 

Miana's screaming was so loud that it filled the whole ward and was heard

over the line. 

	"Hadji-- (HADJI!!! I CAN'T--)" 

	"That is Miana's voice!" screamed Hadji. 

	He immediately hung the phone up and rushed over.  Hadji raced

into her room, only to find her surrounded by staff trying to calm her

down. 

	"HADJI!!! I CAN'T FEEL MY LEGS!" 

	Hadji pushed his way through. 

	"Hadji..." she said quietly as he sat on the bed and embraced her. 

"I can't feel my legs." she cried through hot tears streaming down her

face. 

	The rest of the family stood outside the room feeling helpless. 

	"Miana, you need to calm down.  This may be temporary, but you

have to let them examine you." 

	Miana nodded. 

	"Hadji, please don't leave me." 

	"I will not." 

	Hadji still held her in his arms, and it just now dawned on him

how frail she was.  He could feel nothing but ribs as this eighty pound

waif shivered at his touch.  The nurse proceeded to put Miana's IV back

in, but Hadji stopped her. 

	"When can she eat solid food?" 

	The doctor came in and heard Hadji's question. 

	"Right after some tests." said Dr. Wallace.  "We're going to see

what the problem is.  Mrs. Singh, you must remain calm.  Your pregnancy is

high risk and too much excitement could endanger the baby.  You're four

and a half months now-- we don't want a preemie or a stillbirth." 

	Two nurses transferred Miana into a wheelchair. 

	"Hadji--" 

	"Alright, he can come." said Dr. Wallace. 

	Hadji followed Miana out of the room, and the family saw the old

Hadji gradually coming back. 

	"Doctor, please hold on." said Hadji. 

	They stopped, and Hadji walked up to the family. 

	"Jonny, Dr. Quest-- I am so sorry... Moniri..." 

	Jonny pulled Hadji into a hug. 

	"It's ok, Hadji.  We understand.  You came through when it really

counted.  You were here when she needed you most." 

	"Dr. Quest--" 

	"Go with her, Hadji.  She needs you.  And, you can come back any

time." 

	"Thank you, Dr. Quest." 

	Hadji left with Miana and the doctor. 

	"Dr. Quest, do you think--" started Bobby. 

	"Bobby, I have known that boy since he was eleven years old. 

He'll be alright, and so will we.  The worst is behind us, although were

is a long and difficult road ahead, especially for Miana." 

	X-rays and an MRI were both performed on Miana.  A few hours

later, the results came back. 

	"Mrs. Singh, you will be glad to know that your spinal cord is

intact.  However, it is damaged and pinched between two vertebrae.  We

will have to operate on your back, and time till tell if your cord will

heal." 

	"Time will tell?" she asked. 

	"There is no way to know how bad the damage is.  There is a good

chance this is only temporary, but we will have no way of really knowing. 

Surgery will be day after tomorrow." 

	Hadji wheeled Miana back to her room, and they told everyone what

the doctor said.  The family also got into a detailed discussion of recent

events, including Hadji's harem.  Miana believed Hadji when he said he

wasn't unfaithful to her, and was greatly relieved that it was just a

phase.  She was also glad that everyone was in the process of forgiving

and letting things go.  The nurse brought in a tray, and Miana was

ravenous with the first bites of food she had in months. 

	"Ahh-- not so fast." prompted Hadji.  "You will get sick." 

	Miana smiled. 

	"I never thought I'd actually want to gain weight.  But, another

twenty pounds, and I'll be where I have always wanted to be.  Slim, but

not too slim.  Any clue when I can go home?" 

	"It will be a while, love.  You will have to recover and see if

your cord repairs itself, then you may have to have physical therapy." 

	Miana looked disappointed. 

	"I don't want to spend months here." 

	"It's also healthier for the baby." added Moniri. 

	"But not for me.  I'm not hungry." she said, as she pushed her

tray away.