“You don’t remember… because you were too sick.”
Her heart started beating faster.
“10 years ago… the doctor told me you needed an urgent operation. A very expensive one.”
Fatima shook her head slowly.
“No… that’s not true… I was just tired…”
He leaned forward.
“They didn’t tell you the truth. You had a serious condition. And we didn’t have the money.”
Tears filled his eyes.
“I tried everything. Loans. Friends. Work. Nothing worked.”
Fatima’s hands started trembling.
“So you stole from me…?”
He nodded… but his voice broke:
“I took the money… and paid for your surgery.”
She froze.
“You were unconscious for days… and when you woke up, they told you it was a ‘minor procedure’.”
Her mind was racing.
“I stayed with you… every day… until you got better.”
Tears rolled down his face.
“But the people I borrowed money from… they found me.”
Fatima’s breath became heavy.
