A beautiful morning that deserves an update âºï¸
Anas
It's Monday. Just two days after my trip from Egypt. Obviously, I'm exhausted. But according to my PA, there's so much work piling up, I need to show up.
The ding of the elevator pulled me out of my train of thoughts. I walked my way to my office while typing a good morning message to my grumpy sister. She's still moody but at least she says hi when we bump in the corridor at home.
Home. It sounds so foreign on my tongue when I say it.
I can finally make that claim of having one. Because home is where Ummi is.
My door was pushed open before I could round my desk and sit.
"Forgotten how to knock?" I palmed my face then rolled my eyes at my PA, Ibraheem. Ibro in short.
"Too urgent" he dismissed and opened the file in his hands. He dropped it on my desk and pointed where he wanted me to sign.
"Couldn't you wait until I've had my morning coffee?" I was a bit irritated. It wasn't like I was running away.
"Sorry bro you don't have that luxury of time" he casually answered.
"You're getting too comfortable with me, Ibro" I took out one of my pens from the pen holder and quickly scribbled my signature after taking my time to read through it.
"And so are you, sir"
I looked up and gave him a once over. I shook my head in disbelief then pushed the file to his side. He shot me a disgusting smile before heading out.
I rose from my sit to make my coffee and a particular thought keeps replaying in my mind, the disrespect my friends have for me has heightened without me noticing.
I shook my head and chuckled at the thought, I took a sip of my coffee and almost spit it back.
Horrible. It was awful.
"Your coffee probably tastes really bad. Judging by the look on your face"
I was startled when I looked up to find Fauzeeyah approaching me.
"Have you all suddenly forgotten how to knock?" I demanded, my hand going through my hair. I wonder what's wrong with my mood today.
"I did sir!" she confirmed in a lame tone.
"You should've waited for a come in"
"Next time" she ended the conversation.
Fauzeeyah picked up a clean cup beside me and I observed with mouth slightly open as she made a fresh cup of coffee and handed it to me.
With little hesitation, I collected it and took a small sip.
It was super good.
I took a larger gulp in an instant. It was pretty hot but I didn't mind.
"This is...."
"You're welcome" she grinned
"Do you want to move to my office?" I was serious now when I asked
"And be your coffeemaker? I'll pass"
I laughed lightly then return to my chair.
"So what brings you so early in the morning?" I cleared my throat and gave her complete attention.
"Oh yeah. There's this habit tracker Mr Ibrahim asked me to go through..." she paused to make sure I was following. I nod for her to continue, taking another sip of the best coffee to ever hit my taste buds
"It's too plain. I want to make it a bit aesthetic. You know..."
"Make it look lively?" I tried to guess
"Sort of" She nodded leaning slightly on the huge glass table standing between us.
"Okay I'll trust you with that"
"Are you for real?" It seemed I took her by surprise.
"Of course" I assured.
"Yes! Thank you sir! "
And she's out the door. What a character.
~|~
"Assalamualaikum" Safiyyah greeted into the phone. I picked up my laptop and locked my office
"Waalaykumus salam sis. This one that you're calling me" I teased. I shifted the weight of my body to my right leg while I waited for the elevator.
"Ina wuni (Good afternoon)Ya Anas" Safiyyah is really funny. I smirked at her respectful tone before replying
"Lafy kalau kanwata. What is it you want?"
"Pick me up at my islamiyya please "
"Hm what of Abdul?" he normally picks her up. I wonder why he wasn't available.
"I can't reach him wallahi."
" Toh gani nan zuwa (I'm on my way) But on one condition."
"And what is that?" I can feel her smile through the phone. I put my phone on speaker since I was already in my car and about to start driving.
"You would know when I arrive."
"Toh I'm patiently waiting."
"See you s--" that girl. Shouldn't the elder be the one to cut the call?
I brought my car to a halt at the front of the mosque inside the islamiyya compound.
I called Safiyyah up and told her of my arrival. She emerged from the mosque in less than a minute.
I dropped from the car and went to the passenger side before her.
"Ya Anas move let me enter abeg." She said in the disrespectful tone I'm used to. I clicked my tongue and let out a chuckle.
"You won't enter my car until...." I intentionally paused so she would get curious.
"Until what?" she sounded irritated. This only confirmed to me that she still wasn't over the fact that we went to perform Umrah without her.
"Youuu.... give me a hug" She raised an eyebrow at me then went ahead to laugh at me.
"I only hug people that care about how I feel." Trust me Safiyyah is gonna cry any moment from now.
"I said I was sorry."
"Sorry isn't going to fix that." her voice was shaking as she spoke.
Why is Safiyyah over exaggerating this situation?
"It's not that serious Safiyyah. I feel like you're looking for an opportunity to cry about something else."
She couldn't hold it in. She bursted into tears. Her hands covered her face and her body shook while she cried.
I opened the car door and pushed her in before rounding the car to my side.
"What is wrong Saf?" I asked after about five minutes of her ugly voice filling my car.
I hated it when the two most important women in my life are hurting. All I wanted to do at the moment was to take the pain away even if it meant bearing it myself.
"You went to Umrah without me mana." She cleared her eyes and put on a poker face.
I shook my head, amused by how Safiyyah now hides stuff from me. She's all grown up and already solving her problems herself.
"In Sha Allah you'll go for Umrah during your next holiday"
"All three of us?"
"All three of us." I assured.
"Come get your hug, boy." She mocked before engulfing me in a tight hug.
I returned the hug with thesame energy as I thought of how I so much love my sister.
"Assalamualaikum" Safiyyah greeted into the quiet house.
I locked the door from the inside before following her in.
"Limaza raja'atuma muta'akkhiran Habibi?(Why are you two back so late?)" Ummi quickly came to block our way before we could proceed into the living room.
"Ummiii?" I was trying to know what was going on. It's not normal for her to block our way. Whatever it is she was hiding, I must find a way to see for my eyes.
"Ummi I need to use the toilet urgently" Saf replied instead.
"Erhm....Use...ahh....use this one instead. Habibi can you go get me some ice cubes?" She pointed at the guest toilet for Saf then tried to push me outside.
Saf and I exchanged suspicious glances then looked back at Ummi with questioning eyes.
"Seriously Ummi? We have a fridge you know."
She started to fidget with her fingers and unnecessarily did and redid her veil.
The thought of what could possibly be happening clicked. In an instant, the blood in my body boiled with anger. My fists clenched unconsciously and I couldn't see clearly because of how blinded I was with rage.
Ummi took notice of the change and quietly gave me way to pass.
My gaze scanned the room, it clashed with his. He was on his feet, as if waiting to be introduced.
I wanted to hiss, I wanted to curse. I desperately wanted to yell at his face for all the damage he had inflicted on us.
Lastly, I wanted him to know that we can never heal from what he did.
The trauma was going to live with us for life.
Not that he cared but at least, I'll get it off my chest.
"What are you doing here?" I tried to stay calm, reminding myself the respect due because of the title he held in my life.
"My son"
My anger recoiled at that statement. Oh how I've yearned to hear my dad address me so lovingly.
"Ummi, I don't care what brought him here," I said instead, " please tell him to leave."
I turned around to face my mother and with her eyes, she pleaded with me to allow her to hande this.
I grabbed Safiyyah's arm - who was rooted to her place, the need to use a bathroom long forgotten - and we left the house.
~â¢â¢â¢~