BY ZEE ASLAM
CHAPTER TEN
The next morning, Khaleel woke up with a severe headache. All night he had cursed his secretary.
He managed to pull himself out of the bed and prayed then walked straight to the window.
He was looking outside the window with his hands folded around his chest. He was engrossed and didn’t register someone behind his back.
“Boss man”………..a soft voice from behind broke his chain of thought. Without looking back, he knew his father was the one behind him. He controlled his inner misery and looked back.
“Sit down, let me talk to you” His father instructed and he hesitantly obeyed.
“Whatever Rayhanah said yesterday was the pure truth. I admit she was rude but you also over reacted. Raising your hand on a woman makes you a coward. Be it your kid sister, your wife or any other woman out there”. His father stated.
Khaleel was filled with regrets, truly he shouldn’t have reacted the way he did.
“You are a man and would definitely start a family someday, you need to work on your attitude. Always swallow your pride and the destructive three letter word ego, apply wisdom in everything you do”.
“To relate with people well, you have to blend patience with forgiveness, then add perseverance to commitment with a touch of devotion and relentlessness. There would always be turbulence and your happiness would fluctuate but try to always put everything behind your smile besides smile is sunnah, I wonder why you don’t always put up a smile”.
‘His father admonished’.
Khaleel was really touched, his father’s words sank deep into his heart.
“Thank you dad, am sorry for reacting the way I did”. He expressed gently.
“That’s not for me but for Rayhanah. You need to apologize to her. I have talked to her also and she promised not to be rude to you again”. His father said and left.
Khaleel made up his mind to apologize to her after taking his bath so he went into the bathroom dragging his towel along.
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Rayhanah was on the bed thinking about the last words her father said to her.
“If you don’t want to upset me, don’t be rude to boss man again. You know I won’t hit you, I have never done that.. Don’t make me do it now”. He said while pulling her cheek playfully.
Her father had a way of bringing back smiles on his children’s face.
She did not notice when Khaleel came in until he cleared his throat and sat on the bed close to her. She moved back immediately and was picking dirt from her finger nails.
“Boss man’s baby, am so so sorry”, he said and held his ears.
She smiled and removed his hands from his ears. She said sorry to him too and the latter hugged her with smiles.
“Okay then, I think you should be compensated”. He clapped his hands and said.
“The only way you can compensate me is to get married, I want to have a sister in-law too”. She said and winked at him.
“Why are all of you lamenting on this marriage issue”? He asked her.
“See bah we want the best for you oooo or do you want to start nurturing your kids while at old age so that all your friend’s children will refer to you as grandpa”. Rayhanah said and laughed.
Khaleel contorted his face and was looking at her till she finished laughing.
“Or you want me to do matchmaking for you, Ramlat is available fa”. She said and he drew her ears then said, “Stop suggesting anyone for me, I have eyes to see”.
“Ohhh Mr eyes, shine it very well and find yourself a good wife” she marveled.
“This your discussion won’t end today, I need to start going before you start suggesting all your cousins and friends for me”. He said and they both laughed.
He headed towards the door but stopped halfway when she called out for him.
“Boss man……..am kinda broke”! She uttered slowly like she was going to be charged for the number of words she used.
“Okay just forward your account details” he said and left.
Yeah! She led out throwing her fist in the air.
This is the first time they comfortably had a smooth discussion so she has to utilize it while it last. Seeing him smile was a relief, atleast he is changing or let’s say he has changed.
“But has boss man really changed or is he just pretending”? ????
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Khaleel did not go to work that day, he remained indoors and even switched off his phone.
Farida left home very early to the hospital, she dropped Sufyan at school after leaving the hospital since he has moved into her house the night before then headed to her work place.
She got to work 25mins late but was surprised not to have seen Khaleel because being punctual is one of his attributes.
She brought out her phone and called his number but it wasn’t going through. Now she was beginning to get worried.
Should she go and check on him or go back home since her boss is absent.
She was still contemplating when Khalid came to her rescue.
