How Love Happens - Chapter 41

Haifa found herself seated in the meeting hall, her attention seemingly on the chairman's address, yet her thoughts were an unrestrained swirl. Since her recent emotional episode and the candid conversation with Aish, her mind had been preoccupied with contemplating her next steps. A sense of unease lingered as she anticipated the prospect of encountering Zishan again. The mere thought of seeing him elicited a joyous flutter in her heart, but it was accompanied by a deep anxiety.

"As we convene for this meeting, I extend a warm welcome to each of you," began the chairman, his words washing over Haifa, who struggled to fully engage in the proceedings. "I'm pleased to acknowledge the success of our recent annual magazine issue. The achievements of our company are a testament to the dedication and skill of our exceptional staff…"

First things first, Haifa thought, she had to quit her job. After the meeting, she planned to have a conversation with Hilmee, articulating her decision and providing her notice. The ensuing steps involved making arrangements for her return.

"…as we've expanded and established offices in both the northern and southern regions of the country, it has always been our mission to have a more widespread presence…" the chairman continued his speech.

Amidst the chairman's words, Haifa's mind drifted to thoughts of her mother. She pondered whether her mother would disapprove of the choice she was about to make. Yet, she couldn't ignore that her mother had encouraged her to follow her heart. Having done so, Haifa's heart was now leading her toward Zishan.

"… our objective is to cultivate a team capable of exploring unique locations to enrich our content, providing readers with a more authentic experience…" Haifa remained immersed in her thoughts, mentally mapping out the steps she needed to take post-meeting.

When the session eventually concluded, she lingered in her cabin, stealing glances at Hilmee's office, awaiting the departure of the chairman and his entourage. Around four o'clock, as the party exited, Haifa approached Hilmee's door and gently tapped. "May I come in?"

Hilmee looked surprised but warmly smiled, responding, "Certainly, Haifa. Come in."

As she closed the door behind her and entered, he gestured for her to take a seat. "How's my favorite employee?" he inquired.

"I'm fine, thank you," Haifa replied nervously, glancing around the room. "There's something I wanted to discuss with you," she continued.

"Sure, is something wrong?" he asked, noting the seriousness on her face.

"No, nothing's wrong. I've truly enjoyed my time here—the work, the people, everything is wonderful," she began, aware that her words were becoming a bit rambling. Hilmee listened attentively, trying to discern the message she was attempting to convey.

"I have to resign," she blurted out.

His face registered shock. "What? Why?" he asked.

Haifa tried to recall the well-thought-out reasons she had prepared during the meeting, but in the moment, nothing seemed to come to her.

"If there's something bothering you, I could help. If the workload is too much, we can talk to your head of the department," he suggested.

"No, no, it's nothing like that. It's personal reasons," Haifa clarified. Hilmee gave her a blank look. "I've tried to live alone and work here because it's such a great opportunity. But all my family is in Vavathi, my mamma is in Vavathi. I want to move back," she explained quietly.

He sat, studying her for a moment, clearly trying to understand the sudden decision. "Haifa, you are an invaluable member of our team. Your worth has been evident, from your success in the competition to your contributions over the past three months. I sincerely hope you could reconsider; you have a promising future here," he urged.

"You're absolutely right. This is a fantastic opportunity, but I don't believe I can remain in Male' much longer," Haifa responded.

"Why don't you take a few days to think about it? You shouldn't hastily discard a budding career like this," he suggested.

"I appreciate the opportunity you have given me, Hilmee. But I have already decided to move back, I might not find an opportunity as good as this elsewhere, but I will continue working," Haifa explained.

Hilmee tilted his head, studying her carefully. "You're not contemplating the end of your career, are you?" he inquired slowly.

"Of course not, I love this work. But I doubt there are companies like these in Vavathi," she replied with a hint of sadness. "I might have to settle for smaller opportunities."

"I see you haven't been fully attentive in the meeting, have you?" he asked skeptically.

Haifa felt her face flush. "I... I..." How did he know?

"Let me highlight a few points for you. Our company has expanded and established offices in both northern and southern regions of the country. Notably, one such office is located in the main atoll of your island," he said, smiling.

Haifa blinked, trying to comprehend what he was suggesting. An office near her island?

"Remember the competition event we held? It's the same island. It's so close that you could take a ferry and go home every evening and still work at this company," Hilmee explained.

Her heart raced. "I can work there?" she asked, almost breathless.

"Well, not immediately. They are still finishing up the construction. We'll need a month or two to begin operations, and we'll be in need of staff once we do," he clarified.

"That's... that's wonderful," was all she managed to say.

Hilmee nodded understandingly. "I'm sorry; I didn't realize how difficult it had been for you to work away from your family. I truly understand the challenges a young woman faces living alone and working here in the city. I wish you had come to me sooner, talked about it," he expressed with empathy.

Haifa could only nod. Suddenly, she felt as if she could breathe again. The prospect of returning home revived her, breathing life into a part of her that had felt dormant since she left. The longing for her family tugged at her heart, and the ache for Zishan was almost overwhelming. He had been the love she had always yearned for—a love beyond measure. Leaving him had felt like tearing a piece of her soul away, and the fear of never having him in her life again suffocated her whenever she dwelled on it.

"I will from now onwards. Thank you. This has been great," she said, trying to hold back tears. "Thank you," she repeated as she opened the door to leave. Despite the joy brought by Hilmee's news, a slight sense of disappointment crept in when she realized she wouldn't be back for a few months. The anticipation of reuniting with Zishan and her family had been so intense that she wished she could find a way to return sooner.

Suddenly, an idea struck her. "Is it possible to take a leave, just a few days?" she asked hopefully.

He frowned. "I don't think you can take vacation days until the six-month probationary period in the company is complete," and her hopes plummeted. Six months felt like an eternity, even longer than the time it would take for the new office buildings to be ready.

"But you can always use the weekends to fly home and back, as long as you're back in the office by Sunday," he suggested.

Her heart immediately soared, and her face lit up with a smile. "I will," she exclaimed, seizing the opportunity, and filed out before Hilmee could change his mind.

The moment Haifa returned to her desk, she swiftly logged into the airline website and booked a ticket to fly to Vavathi the very next day. She could hardly believe her luck. Her heart drummed to the fast beat of a joyous melody.

She finished up her work early and briskly walked back home, eager to pack a bag and prepare to leave. Haifa sent a text to Aish about the exciting development and received a delighted reply, with a promise from Aish to drop by in a few hours to hear all the details.

Haifa was in the process of unlocking her apartment door when she received a call from an unknown number.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Is this Haifa? We are calling from Maldivian Airlines. You have booked a ticket with us today?"

"Oh, yes," she replied happily, stepping inside and tossing her bag over the dining table.

"I am calling to inform you that the identification card copy you sent us is of an expired card. We are unable to issue a ticket until we receive a valid card copy," the crisp voice on the other end informed her. "There was a glitch in our system that made the booking. Please email us your account number so we can refund the payment you made."

Haifa stopped in her tracks. "No, that can't be," she exclaimed, immediately opening her bag and taking out her wallet to check the expiry. To her dismay, they were right. This couldn't be happening.

"Please, it's very important. Is there any other way?" she pleaded.

"I am very sorry; we cannot issue a ticket without valid documentation. You need to renew your identification and apply for a ticket," the voice on the other end explained.

"I can't renew it in a day! Tomorrow is the start of the weekend, and government offices won't open until Sunday. Even then, it would take at least a week for the renewal process!" she exclaimed.

There was a brief pause from the other end. "We understand, but without a valid identification card copy, we cannot process a ticket," the voice said slowly.

Haifa felt like crying. "Okay, thank you," she managed to say before cutting the call. She stood staring at the phone, feeling as if all hope had been drained from her. She shook her head. No, there must be a way, she thought. Of course, she could take a speed launch. Granted, it would take over four to five hours to reach Vavathi, but it was a small price to pay.

Immediately, she logged into RTL to book a ferry ticket. However, her hopes plunged once again when she saw that all the tickets were booked for the weekend. Her options ran dry, and in desperation, she called Aish.

"Aish..."

"I'm just going to change and come over. Did you get the ticket?" Aish inquired.

In a broken voice, Haifa relayed the events of the past hour to her friend. "I think this means I should just stay here," she concluded sorrowfully.

"Okay, listen. Yes, it's bad luck right now, but that doesn't mean what you set out to do is wrong itself. How about you go about it another way?" Aish asked patiently.

"What do you mean?" Haifa inquired.

"Why don't you give him a call? Even a text?" Aish suggested.

"No, I really want to see him and talk to him face to face. I just don't know if I want to do this over a call."

"Alright. I hear you. Let me talk to Daddy and see if he has any way to help us out. In the meantime, just watch a movie or eat something. Get your mind off it. I'll call in a bit," Aish reassured.

Haifa agreed reluctantly and moved across her small living room to go to her room. However, she was immediately greeted by a pool of water on the floor. The leak she had forgotten to inform maintenance about had spread across the room. She groaned, unable to believe the absolute worst day she was having.

Wiping her feet on the doorway mat, she went back down the building in search of the building staff. When she found him at the lobby reception, she explained her dilemma to him. He made a call, and a maintenance man promptly arrived. Two of them came to her apartment, and the staff checked the leak and began to repair, while Haifa did her best to mop up her floor.

It took more than an hour for the guy to finish up, leaving behind more rusty water on her floor. She was still mopping when her intercom buzzed. She pressed the button on the LCD screen to open the door for Aish without looking at the monitor, knowing her friend could find her way. The maintenance men left, and Haifa wiped her floor with paper towels one last time. Her mop was beyond usable; the rust water had defaced the whole thing. She made a mental note to buy a new one as soon as possible.

A soft knock echoed when she was still on the floor, on her hands and knees. "Come in!" she yelled.

She was so immersed in her task that it took her a minute to register that Aish would never knock so softly or remain silent for this long. She turned quickly and froze in a trance, her heart pounding in her ears. The first thought that crossed her mind was that he had lost weight. Dark circles under his eyes suggested he wasn't sleeping well. His shirt was wrinkled, and his cheeks bore a stubble.

"Hi," her voice barely audible.

"Hi," Zishan replied.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter, story finale chapter will be issued on Monday.

Have a wonderful day!