BY ZEE ASLAM
CHAPTER NINETEEN
The next morning, he was woken up by the sun rays streaking into the room from the curtain, seeming like he didn’t close the window yesternight.
Checking the time, he jumped off the bed rushing into the bathroom. After few minutes, he was set for work.
“Boss man are you skipping breakfast today again”? Hajiya shouted from the kitchen when she heard his footsteps towards the door.
“Mummy am late for work”. He replied as he opened the door and rushed out like he had a flight to catch.
It was 45minutes ride to the company. Unlike other days, Khaleel was smiling at his employees he came across on his way, everyone noticed he was in a good mood.
Farida had her head bent down and was attending to the file before her, she didn’t notice when he got to her table.
He cleared his throat and she got startled. She looked up and saw him standing with smiles written all over his face. ‘What is the special occasion’? She asked herself.
“My key” he said stretching out his palm. She picked the key from the table and dropped it on his palm. Their eyes met once again, she lowered her gaze immediately and watched as he opened the door and got in.
Few minutes later, her phone rang. It was her boss calling. She braced up from the chair and headed to his office.
All of a sudden, she felt her heart beat increased, it was like she was scared of something but she couldn’t figure out what it was.
Hence, she smiled it off and turned the door knob, walking in quietly.
“Have a seat”, he said to her as he loosened his collar.
“I know you are surprised but let me clear your doubt”.
“Firstly, I want to sincerely apologize for everything I have done to wrong you, either knowingly or unknowingly”.
“Secondly, I need your help please if you don’t mind” he said sounding casual and normal.
She stared at him like a zombie, wondering when her boss transformed into a gentleman.
“Did I say anything wrong”? He asked waving in front of her eyes when he noticed she was staring at him absentmindedly.
“No you didn’t”, she said shaking her head.
In reality, she was so full of doubt, is he just pretending or has he actually changed.
“I would be glad to be of help” she finally said.
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“Am sorry but this is a personal issue, it isn’t work related, hope you don’t mind”? He asked again and she nodded affirmatively.
He kept quiet for some minutes, he did not know how to approach the issue but eventually he did let the cat out of the bag.
“I need you to find someone for me, a lady I could pay to act as my fiancee, I just need to be married in the eyes of the world. A reasonable and responsible lady please, am ready to pay any amount she mention”. He marveled.
Farida stared at him as he spoke. Whatever he just said sounded disgusting to her ears. How can someone even think this way, is this the power of money or lack of cognitive development.
“You mean you want to engage in a contract marriage, but what is the use, why don’t you just get married”? She asked curiously.
“Am not getting married because I want to, am doing this for my family so a trial marriage is the best, I can decide to change my mind if am okay with her but if otherwise then the contract will be breached. There are alot of ladies out there that do things like this for money so it isn’t a big deal. Just find someone that suit this position and that’s all”. He explained.
Farida felt like laughing out loud. Indeed her boss is still consumed by youthful exuberance.
“But don’t you think you will end up hurting your parent, what if they finds out it was a contact marriage after all”? She asked again.
“About that, I will take care of it. Everything will work out smoothly that there wouldn’t be a need for doubt”. He cuts in.
“I just hope so” she said.
“A week is enough for you to sort this out, isn’t it”? he asked as he furrowed his brows.
She only nodded then left.
Not long have she sat down that Khalid came to see her boss.
Khalid must have been the one that brought about this childish idea. ‘She thought’.
“Guy what’s up, how did it go? Khalid asked as he sat down.
“It went well, I already explained to her and she agreed to look for someone that best suit the position”. Khaleel replied.
“Guy I’ve been wondering, don’t you think there is something wrong with your secretary’s marriage, I mean didn’t you see the way she acted towards that man who claimed to be her husband”? Khalid asked making Khaleel to pop out his eyes.
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“That is her personal life and I don’t intend to intrude, mind your business and stop interfering in people’s marriages”. Khaleel cautioned him…
“But there is no harm in asking ai, I just feel something is fishy”…….
“Mr marriage counsellor, she’s out there, you can go and question her, me that you are asking don’t have any answers to give you besides ‘waka a bakin maishi yafi dadi'”. Khaleel interrupted him pointing at the direction Farida was seated.
Khalid had no choice but to seal his mouth. It’s obvious this discussion won’t yield any fruit.
“All am after is making my family happy and to fulfil the promise I made to Didi”. Kaleel said with finality closing the chapter.
On the other hand, Farida had been eavesdropping on their conversation all along, she wanted to clear her doubts. She thought her boss had other reason aside the one he told her.
She tiptoed to her chair and sat down thinking about the whole issue. This is an opportunity for her, she needed money and her boss wants a contract marriage.
Farida felt this contract marriage is the best thing that could happen to her. Her boss had no reason to use a woman nor did he require love and best of all, they wouldn’t need to interfere in each other’s personal life.
She has given up on love, her goal in life now is to see her mother hale and hearty again and to make sure her brother gets the best in life. This two are her utmost top priorities…….
