In the Depth of the Heart - Chapter 37: Chapter 37
You are reading In the Depth of the Heart, Chapter 37: Chapter 37. Read more chapters of In the Depth of the Heart.
Months after the exam results were released, Zuhra was finally accepted into a rotational clinical posting at one of Hyderabad’s oldest and most prestigious hospitals — Osmania General Hospital.
She prepared with a fresh determination: buying medical tools, soft shoes, a new notebook and pens. When she informed her father, he looked at her for a moment, then said:
> “Now I’m starting to see a Zuhra that matters.”
That one sentence hit her harder than anything. It felt like all her efforts were finally noticed.
Her mother pulled her into a warm hug and said:
> “May Allah protect you, Zuhra. Take care of yourself. Finish this journey strong.”
The little ones — Amir and Ruhan — kept running around the house calling her “Doctor Zuhra! Doctor Zuhra!” until her eyes welled with tears.
But deep inside, one part of her still wasn’t ready to part from Kamal — even if they weren’t together anymore.
Kamal – Returning to School
Across town in Hyderabad, Kamal returned to school. He slipped back into the rhythm of classes and readings, but something was missing — Zuhra. Her scent was gone from the corridors, her shadow absent from the library, her voice missing from lecture halls.
It was like walking through a sunny day without warmth — light without meaning.
Everywhere he looked, classmates from before passed him by, but he couldn’t connect. Every corner of the campus reminded him of her.
One afternoon, Kamal sat on the hostel balcony watching students enter the teaching hospital. He spotted a young woman in a white coat. His heart skipped a beat. He stood up suddenly — but it wasn’t her.
He exhaled heavily.
> “Zuhra is gone… living without me. But my heart is still with her.”
Munir noticed his friend’s mood. With a soft voice, he asked:
> “You still feel her, don’t you?”
Kamal gave a faint smile — not happy, just broken.
> “I haven’t stopped feeling her. But I’ve stopped believing she’ll come back.”
Zuhra’s First Day at the Hospital – With Her Father
On the first day of her clinical posting, Zuhra woke up at dawn. She dressed in a crisp white lab coat, her new medical tools tucked neatly in her bag. She splashed water on her face, trying to wash away her anxiety.
As she stepped out of her room, she found her father waiting in the living room, dressed in full military uniform.
> “I’ll take you to the hospital,” he said calmly.
Zuhra was surprised, but didn’t speak. Something stirred inside her — a fragile hope that maybe, just maybe, he was beginning to see her.
The ride was silent. Brigadier Imran stared at the road, Zuhra stared out the window, her mind racing:
> “Will he ever understand that I don’t feel complete in this path?”
“What if I told him my heart isn’t here?”
They arrived at Osmania General Hospital — a grand building steeped in history. Medical staff moved quickly through the gates, patients cried, emergencies rushed in, and life flowed relentlessly, pausing for no one.
Her father turned to her and said:
> “This is the path I hope you follow. It is noble. Be proud.”
Zuhra gave a small smile.
> “Thank you, Baba.”
She stepped out of the car with grace. But when she turned to face the hospital, her heart pounded. The building loomed like a cold monument — its doors wide open, yet her spirit shivered.
She stood at the entrance for a moment, frozen.
Then she took a breath, placed her foot inside the compound — carrying a heart full of silent poetry she could never say aloud.
She prepared with a fresh determination: buying medical tools, soft shoes, a new notebook and pens. When she informed her father, he looked at her for a moment, then said:
> “Now I’m starting to see a Zuhra that matters.”
That one sentence hit her harder than anything. It felt like all her efforts were finally noticed.
Her mother pulled her into a warm hug and said:
> “May Allah protect you, Zuhra. Take care of yourself. Finish this journey strong.”
The little ones — Amir and Ruhan — kept running around the house calling her “Doctor Zuhra! Doctor Zuhra!” until her eyes welled with tears.
But deep inside, one part of her still wasn’t ready to part from Kamal — even if they weren’t together anymore.
Kamal – Returning to School
Across town in Hyderabad, Kamal returned to school. He slipped back into the rhythm of classes and readings, but something was missing — Zuhra. Her scent was gone from the corridors, her shadow absent from the library, her voice missing from lecture halls.
It was like walking through a sunny day without warmth — light without meaning.
Everywhere he looked, classmates from before passed him by, but he couldn’t connect. Every corner of the campus reminded him of her.
One afternoon, Kamal sat on the hostel balcony watching students enter the teaching hospital. He spotted a young woman in a white coat. His heart skipped a beat. He stood up suddenly — but it wasn’t her.
He exhaled heavily.
> “Zuhra is gone… living without me. But my heart is still with her.”
Munir noticed his friend’s mood. With a soft voice, he asked:
> “You still feel her, don’t you?”
Kamal gave a faint smile — not happy, just broken.
> “I haven’t stopped feeling her. But I’ve stopped believing she’ll come back.”
Zuhra’s First Day at the Hospital – With Her Father
On the first day of her clinical posting, Zuhra woke up at dawn. She dressed in a crisp white lab coat, her new medical tools tucked neatly in her bag. She splashed water on her face, trying to wash away her anxiety.
As she stepped out of her room, she found her father waiting in the living room, dressed in full military uniform.
> “I’ll take you to the hospital,” he said calmly.
Zuhra was surprised, but didn’t speak. Something stirred inside her — a fragile hope that maybe, just maybe, he was beginning to see her.
The ride was silent. Brigadier Imran stared at the road, Zuhra stared out the window, her mind racing:
> “Will he ever understand that I don’t feel complete in this path?”
“What if I told him my heart isn’t here?”
They arrived at Osmania General Hospital — a grand building steeped in history. Medical staff moved quickly through the gates, patients cried, emergencies rushed in, and life flowed relentlessly, pausing for no one.
Her father turned to her and said:
> “This is the path I hope you follow. It is noble. Be proud.”
Zuhra gave a small smile.
> “Thank you, Baba.”
She stepped out of the car with grace. But when she turned to face the hospital, her heart pounded. The building loomed like a cold monument — its doors wide open, yet her spirit shivered.
She stood at the entrance for a moment, frozen.
Then she took a breath, placed her foot inside the compound — carrying a heart full of silent poetry she could never say aloud.
End of In the Depth of the Heart Chapter 37. Continue reading Chapter 38 or return to In the Depth of the Heart book page.