The next day, Haifa stood on a small
ladder, restocking the files. The office area was small, serving as both an
office and a reception area. It contained just two desks and a bookshelf. The
rest of the area was partitioned off as cubicles for the writers and
journalists, a conference room, and a corner office for the boss. She and Saira
had scheduled to relabel the old files to make the small bookshelf look better.
“So,” Saira said as she handed Haifa
the files to be put back, “Is there something going on between you and Zishan?”
she asked.
Haifa nearly lost her balance on the
ladder, gripping its sides with both hands. Her head whipped towards Saira, “Of
course not! Why would you say that?” she replied hastily.
Saira let out a muffled laugh and
raised an eyebrow, “No?”
“I have a boyfriend if you must
know,” Haifa retorted with a stern look, “He is the only person I think about.”
“Sure,” Saira's tone carried a hint
of amusement, “And the little somersault you almost did just now was why?”
Haifa tried to calm her racing
heart. “You just surprised me,” she said, attempting to appear unfazed. “And
you and Fizey?” she asked, hoping to change the subject.
Saira made a face. “Ew, he has been
my best friend since kindergarten,” she said. “Anything romantic between us is
just gross,” she shuddered. “Besides, I am taking a sabbatical from
relationships.”
“What do you mean?” Haifa asked with
interest.
“Things have not looked good for me
for the last few years. So I decided it was not the right time to be in a relationship
for me right now,” she said carelessly. “When it is meant to be, it will
happen.”
“How many relationships have you
had?” Haifa asked.
“Three,” Saira shrugged.
Haifa mentally gawked. Saira was younger than her yet had more boyfriends than
her. “So what was the problem?” she asked, trying not to judge.
Saira held up one finger. “The first
one said it was not me, it was him. Whatever that decoded into,” she put up two
fingers. “The second one said he wasn’t feeling like I was the one and broke off
with a text,” she put up three fingers. “The third one, the latest and the
longest relationship I had told me he wasn’t ready for a long-term commitment.
But the interesting thing was he got married after one month of our break-up.”
Haifa searched for a comforting
reply for Saira. Before she could say something, the entrance door to the
office burst open. They both froze as Lamya came in, deeply engrossed in a
conversation with their boss. Haifa and Saira didn't move a muscle as the duo
made their way through to the boss's office without a glance in their
direction.
They both breathed a sigh of relief
when the door closed. "What was that about?" Haifa whispered, knowing
fully well couldn't be heard with the door closed. She had really hoped never
to see Lamya again.
"I don't know. She's never come
here in the year I've worked here," Saira whispered back, clearly sharing
the same sentiment.
Haifa gulped as she checked the
time; there was just one more hour to go. If their meeting continued, she could
leave before Lamya came out. They both finished with the files and returned to
their desks.
Saira checked and rechecked emails
and the calendar, while Haifa tapped her feet anxiously as she prepared one
more batch of labels. Haifa felt her pulse quicken when the office door began
to open. They exchanged glances and braced themselves. Lamya emerged, talking
on her phone, and crossed them without so much as a look. Then, suddenly, she
stopped in her tracks.
Haifa felt her shoulders drop as she
turned around. She met Lamya’s scornful eyes. “I will call you back,” she said
to the caller at the other end before cutting the call. “What are you doing
here?” Lamya’s eyes narrowed as she hissed, pointing her finger at Haifa.
She wore an impeccable red satin
office shirt tucked into grey slacks and paired the stylish outfit with black
stilettos. Her glossy hair fell in waves around her shoulders, and her face had
flawless makeup. She carried a high-quality Gucci knockoff bag.
Haifa took a moment to find her
voice, “I work here,” she croaked.
Lamya took a step towards her, “My
uncle is buying out this company, so in a few weeks, this place,” she gestured
around the room, “will be ours. You think I would let you work here?”
“If you fire her, you have to fire
me too,” Saira said with a huff.
Lamya’s eyes shot to Saira, “Oh, I
will fire you gladly. I don’t want any of you people anywhere near me,” she
said, turning away.
Both of them were simultaneously
relieved to see her leave when she halted and turned around again, making them
jolt in their seats.
“On second thought, I think I am
going to let you stay,” she said in a smug tone, her face pulling into an evil
smirk. “I think I am going to have fun having you both run around for me,” she
said. With that, she flipped her hair and left. The moment she closed the door
behind her, they both turned to face each other.
“I don’t understand what Lamya would
want with a small media company,” Haifa exclaimed.
Saira thought for a moment. “Maybe
her studio is not doing so well,” she said.
“She owns a studio?” Haifa asked,
confused. “Studio for what?”
“Yeah, her father had sent her
abroad to study photography. Since she came back two years ago, she started her
own business with her daddy's money,” Saira explained. “Now it seems she had
managed to dip into her uncle’s pocket too. Maybe she hopes to do the photos
here and make a name for herself.”
Dang it, Haifa rubbed her forehead.
Of all people, Lamya was interested in the same field as hers. And studied
photography; she must be much better than her. Haifa had to opt for multimedia
since they did not have specific courses for photography.
“We need to find new jobs,” they
said in unison.
***
Haifa came home with Saira, both
still shaken up about the news of Lamya’s uncle buying the company they worked
for. She particularly did not mind where she worked, but it was nice and quiet.
And she abhorred change.
She had lunch and retreated to her
room, alone. Today was the day, the day to initiate the second phase of her
plan. Haifa went over the points mentally, trying to boost her confidence. She
had done a great job at Uncle Zuhair’s place, but she was feeling anxious that
she might drop the ball this time
Haifa paced around the room, since
the argument with Uncle Zuhair, her mother hadn't visited his house again. This
outcome was exactly what she had planned for. However, the issue now was that
her next phase required another argument, but this time, it was supposed to
take place at Aunt Naseema's house.
It was the family her mother adored,
and making them brawl was not what she wanted. Especially since Haifa herself
had been with them and liked most of them. They were decent people, and she was
feeling very guilty. She couldn't believe she had to go to these lengths to
achieve what she wanted.
Haifa had waited until the hectic
days had passed so that when she made her move, it would be with just their
family. She had no intention of starting a scene in a crowd.
Haifa purposefully left her room,
descended the stairs, and waited in the living room. She didn't want to be too
obvious by asking to join when her mother and Saira left. Instead, she decided
to wait and let the situation unfold naturally. She nonchalantly scrolled
through her phone.
In the morning she had uploaded her
fabulous pictures from the previous night, and Aish had immediately called,
demanding to know all the details. Aseel, on the other hand, had gone silent,
his only question being about the man in the black shirt. His suspicion
radiated through the text, making her anxious.
Aseel could never know about Zishan,
but she had to tell him that he was just a friend since he asked. Haifa could
sense that Aseel didn't like Zishan at all. It made her wonder why Aseel had
singled out Zishan from the picture that included him, Fizal, and her, along with
Saira. Why would he be suspicious of Zishan? It puzzled her. Aseel had no
inkling about the effect Zishan had on her, so how did he know to ask about
him?
Maybe she missed something, she
thought as she went through the photos once again and zoomed in to check if
there was anything suspicious about Zishan and her. She checked and re-checked
multiple times, yet she couldn't pinpoint anything unusual. Zishan simply stood
next to her or Fizal in some of the photos. Then what had triggered Aseel's suspicion,
she wondered desperately.
“Dharifulha, Ifa, we are going to
Naseema’s house,” her mother's voice broke her concentration, but she had been
so engrossed in her investigation that she hadn't even heard them come down the
stairs. “Come with us.” She asked softly
Haifa gave a bored look, “Sure,” she
said, standing up. She followed them, her mind in turmoil. She was worried
about Aseel suspecting her, she was worried about the argument she had to
create, and now she had an extra worry that Lamya was taking over her office.
Everything seemed so overwhelming. Haifa felt like she was carrying a heavy
burden.
Focus, she reminded herself. She couldn't afford to be distracted and
make a wrong move today. No, all her attention needed to go into the next part
of the plan. That was her primary goal. Once they were back in the city,
everything would fall into place.
When they arrived at Aunt Naseema’s
house, they proceeded directly to the kitchen and working area. Fortunately,
the only women in there were her aunt and Rugiyya. Since the big shipment had
already been prepared and sent off to various destinations yesterday, they were
now working on just two baskets of moringa leaves.
Haifa, her mother, and Saira sat
down at the smaller table, engaging in a lively conversation. Aunt Naseema greeted
them with a warm smile. "Come, we were just waiting for you. Look, even
Haifa came along. The more, the merrier," Aunt Naseema said, her smile
growing wider.
As they all sat around, engaging in
casual conversation, Haifa waited for the right moment between topics to begin
her plan. "Aunty, Saira told me how you expanded your business just to
provide employment for the women. I was really impressed. Plus, the changes
you've brought to this place are very inspiring," Haifa said smoothly.
Aunt Naseema turned to Haifa, a hint
of surprise reflecting on her face. "Thank you, Haifa. That's very nice of
you to notice," she said. "Here in Vavathi, we are very close, having
lived all our lives among the people. If they suffer, it affects us too. If
there was anything I could do, I would."
Haifa nodded, appearing as though
she understood the depth of the words her aunt was expressing. "I must
say, not many people would think like you. Most have their own interests in
mind, and nobody cares about others."
Haifa could see her mother and
Rugiyya exchanging glances as her mother shifted in her seat uncomfortably.
Saira simply looked at her, giving her the "I know you're up to
something" look. She ignored them and continued, "We can tell the character
of people just by the way they live. Here, you've created a wonderful working
place, and your home is beautiful, but not in a showy way. It's a very humble
way of living. We can all learn from people like you, Auntie," she
lavished her compliments with layers of sweetness and every confectionary she
could think of.
"Oh, Haifa, you're so
perceptive and very right. There is no happiness in living to show off;
happiness is in sharing and helping those in need," her aunt responded,
falling right into her trap, hook, line, and sinker. Her eyes shone, her face
glowed, and her smile radiated.
"I couldn't help but compare. I
was at Uncle Zuhair's house, and they've turned it into a showcase. Everything
is high-class and modern, very ostentatious living," Haifa added with a dramatic
flair, noticing her aunt's face darken at the mere mention of Uncle Zuhair's
name. "He was telling me about the new renovations and how he had a
custom-designed dining table. Since they have so much wealth, I assume."
Her Aunt slammed her hand down on
the table, emphasizing her point. "They've had wealth for all this time,
and what have they done for Vavathi, for the people?" She shook her head
in disbelief. "Nothing. They're the ones who should be trying to make
things better. Instead, the rich are getting richer while the poor are getting
poorer. All the money and influence won't help them lead a happy life. Life
isn't about wealth," her voice rose a notch.
Haifa nodded in agreement,
"Yes, but we have to maintain relations. They're still family, and before
we came, Aunt Salma and Haleema both visited." She continued, "Mamma
always tried to mend things between the families."
Aunt Naseema turned vehemently
towards her mother, her eyes ablaze. "Has she now?"
Haifa held her breath, her
triumphant moment so close she could almost taste it. This was the crucial
juncture. Her days on the island were numbered, and soon she would be back in
her city, reunited with her love, and resuming her life where she had left off.
Her mother quickly placed the leaves
in the basket and stood up. "Excuse me, I need a moment with my
daughter," she declared abruptly. Before Haifa could react, her mother had
grasped her elbow and half-dragged her outside.
"What do you think you're
doing?" her mother asked sternly once they were outside.
"I don't know what you
mean," Haifa replied, trying to maintain an air of innocence.
Her mother fixed her with an angry
gaze. "Drop the act, Haifa," she said sharply.
Haifa felt the cold hands of fear
gripping her heart. Her mother only called her Haifa when she was truly angry.
She couldn't possibly know what Haifa had been up to, could she? Haifa had been
so careful in her actions, and if her mother did know, all her plans would
crumble into an epic failure.
"I... don't understand what
you're talking about," Haifa stammered, her voice quivering.
Her mother crossed her arms over her
chest, her expression firm. "If you're this desperate," she began,
her tone laced with disappointment, "just leave this island, Haifa.
There's no need to tear apart our families with your petty ambitions. No one is
stopping you from leaving."
"But if you believe you can use
these tricks to alienate me from my family and make me go with you, then you
are gravely mistaken." Her mother added.
Haifa stared, with her jaw almost
hitting the floor. Her mind struggled to process the situation. It couldn't be
possible. "You... you knew?" she asked, her voice barely above a
whisper. "How?" Her fear of being caught, coupled with her mother's
anger, was an overwhelming combination.
"Of course, I knew," her
mother replied simply.
Did you love the chapter, please let me know your thoughts
in the comments.
Have a wonderful day!
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