CHAPTER 3

The next morning I wake up, and I do my morning routine. I am wearing a white crop sweater, grey and white plaid pants, a white converse, a black veil, and a black satchel bag. I am eating my breakfast, which is cinnamon French toast sticks with coffee in the kitchen while Ismail walks in, in all his beautiful glory ‘I wonder what he is doing here?’

“Umit, here is the contract, I just need you to sign it then we are fine,” Ismail says placing a piece of paper in front of me

“Why did you not give me these last nights,” I say picking a pen from my bag so that I can sign it

“I forgot to give it to you last night.”

“Here I have signed it, but I wanted to ask, what will happen if I breach the contract,” I say because I did not care to read the whole contract

“You will pay 10,000 dollars,” Ismail says grinning

“I will pay WHAT!” I say in disbelieve

“10,000 and also pay for dry cleaning of the clothes.”

“Now I wished I read the full contract, but you are not serious right.”

“I am serious because I know if I did not put that amount, you won’t be careful around me with coffee.”

“You can’t be serious; you have to change the agreement on the contract.”

“I won’t because it will teach you to be cautiousnow,” Ismail says walking out

“Ismail come back here we are not done talking,” I say following behind him, but he walks to his car and drives off.  

I walk back inside and quickly finish my breakfast and drive to the office. Once I get to the office, I walk to Ismail’s office, but I can’t meet him because he is having a meeting. I will have to talk to him about reducing the amount later.

I am busy working in my office when Ismail walks in like he owns the place. My office; the walls are painted all white with three painting adoring the walls, and my desk is white with golden edges. There are two white chairs in front of my desk while my chair is black. There is a coffee table in the middle with a four-armed couch, and the glass window is to the left overlooking the city

“Hey! Why did you enter my office like that” I say glaring at him

“Because I can,” Ismail says smirking

“Because you can, who do you think you are?” I say looking at him from head to toe

“If I remember correctly I am your boss, so I have the right,” Ismail says sitting down

“No, it does not”

“It does.”

“No, because even if you are my boss, it does not give you the right to barge into my office.”

“Aha! You are too smart sometimes” Ismail says not knowing what more to say

“I think those are not the words that are meant to be coming out of your mouth,” I say knowing he is trying to avoid saying sorry

“If it makes you feel better, I am sorry I barged into your office,” Ismail says accepting he behaved foolishly

“That’s better, I like you better when you are mannered,” I say smiling because I just made the almighty Ismail feel little.

“Whatever, I didn’t come here for you to teach me manners. I came here because I need your help.”

“You need my what now?” I say totally confused

“Your help, I am going for a meeting, and I need you to come with me,” Ismail says

“Why?”

“I am having a meeting with some Nigerian investors, and if you come with me, it might sway them to agree to sign with me.”

“So, you want to use me to bribe my people,” I say smirking

“I did not say that,” 

“Then, what are you saying?” I say smiling sheepishly

“I am saying, I want you to come so they will see my company is a place for all, by having a Nigerian employee,” Ismail says sincerely

“Hmm, that’s nice.”

“So are you coming or not”

“I will come with you, only if you reduce the amount I have to pay if I breach our contract.”

“Deal but nothing less than 5,000,” He says getting up to walk out

“That’s fine with me,” I say smiling while closing the windows on my computer and follow him out the door.

We are waiting in the conference room for the Nigerian investors. After a few seconds of waiting, they arrive, and one of them that walks in is someone I did not expect to see after so many years.

“Umit, is that you?” Musa says, smiling while walking towards me. Musa and I went to the same secondary school, but he was my senior

“Yes, it is me,” I say smiling

“Wow! You have really grown since secondary school” Musa says smiling

“Of course, I will grow; how are you doing?”

“I am fine; how are you? And what are you doing here?”

“I am fine too, and I am here with my boss,”

“As-salamu AlaykumMrIbrahim,” Ismail says putting out his hand to shake him

“Wa Alaykumsalam, and you can call me Musa,” He says shaking his hand while taking his seat

“Alright then Musa may we start discussing the contract,” Ismail says

“Sure, why not,” Musa says

An hour later, we are done with the meeting. Ismail and I say our goodbyes to Musa and his colleagues. Ismail was very lucky; that I knew Musa because he is a very hard person to convince. I had to put in a lot of good words for Ismail because I know Musa as one who does not like doing business with someone without good virtues. Musa was planning on only investing half into the project but, because I knew which words and how to say them, I was able to convince him to fund the project fully. While I am clearing the table of files Ismail speaks up

“I am going for lunch; do you want to come?” Ismail says 

“Are you asking me out for lunch?” I say, shocked that he will ask me

“Yes, I am, but I will understand if you don’t want to come,” Ismail says rubbing his hand around his neck in an awkward way

“I am coming, let me get my bag from my office then we can be on our way,” I say and walk to my office and also feeling very awkward that he asked, but maybe this is his way of thanking me for helping him get the deal.

Ismail and I take the elevator down and use his car to the restaurant. Throughout the whole ride, Ismail and I did not say a word to each other. This is the first time I have ever been in his car, and it was the most awkward ride in my life.

We arrive at a nice restaurant; Ismail and I have not said a word to each other for the past two minutes since we arrived. We both have just been staring at the menu. I don't blame us because I won’t lie; this is the first time we are ever eating together without family members. I decide to break the silence.

“You did well today,” I say putting my menu down

“No Umit, you did well today, I should be thanking you so, thank you for what you did today,” Ismail says smiling

“Is the almighty Ismail Uthman thanking me?” I say dramatically while smiling to lighten up our mood. I knew I was right for thinking, that’s why he invited me for lunch.

“You better accept it while you can because I won’t say it again,” Ismail says, smiling, going back to being the cocky guy I know he is.

I can’t believe for the first time in all my years of knowing Ismail, we just had a conversation and did not annoy the other. It actually does not feel that bad, but I am sure it won’t last.

“You are welcome and what are you ordering,” I say trying to make a conversation because I don’t want to go back to silence.

“I am ordering garlic butter shrimp with asparagus. What about you?” Ismail says calling a waiter to our table

“I will order the pastalaya,” I say picking up the menu to read

“What about drinks?” The waiter guy says beside me whose name tag reads mark. I did not even know he was here already

“I will have a mint mojito,” I say putting the menu down

“What about you, sir?” Mark says

“I will have the same as her” Ismail says

“Alright I will be back in a minute with your drinks,” Mark says and walks away

Ismail and I had a good time during lunch, which is surprising knowing the type of person Ismail is, but like they say never judge a book by its cover. Ismail showed me a totally different side of him, but I am not saying I like him or anything. I am just saying he is not all that annoying. I am back at the office; I prayed Dhuhr (Afternoon). I am doing a few paperwork when Waheeda calls me.

“As-salamu alaykum,” I say picking up the phone

“Wa Alaykum Salaamsis,” Waheeda says

“To what do I owe this pleasure of you calling me.”

“I am calling you because I miss you.”

“Waheeda, you saw me this morning, so you are not missing me. Tell me why you really called me” I say knowing fully well she wants something and she is trying to sweet talk me into it

“Fine you caught me, I am calling to ask you to please help me cook dinner,” Waheeda says pleading

“I knew it, so what do you want me to cook.”

“Thank you,and you can cook anything you like,” She says sounding very happy

“Alright, see you when you get home.”

“Ma salam (Goodbye)” She says hanging up

I finished from work a few hours ago, but I am still at the office because my car won’t start and I don’t know why. I tried everything I can think to make it work, but it won’t work. I decide to leave it at work and have someone pick it up tomorrow. I walk out of the parking lot to look for a taxi. I get a taxi and go home.

I am currently at home, cooking in the kitchen when Ismail walks in.

“My beautiful lady, I am here to bless you with my amazing hands to help cook this food,” Ismail says walking into the kitchen in all his glory

“First of all, your hands are not amazing, and I don’t need your help.”

“I want to help because I believe it might help with coexisting.”

“Really,” I say not believing him

“Yes, because we have to learn to coexist if we don’t want Aazim to throw both of us out of his house.”

“Oh, alright, then. You can help me with the potatoes. You can help me peel them,” I say, handing him a bowl of potatoes. I guess Ismail really wants us to get along, for him to offer to want to help me in the kitchen. Getting along is far better than fighting all the time.

“Alright, let’s begin,” He says taking the bowl from my hands

While we are cooking together in the kitchen, something happens.

“Ouch! Subhan Allah (Glory be to Allah)” Ismail says in pain. I turn to see why, and I see Ismail’s finger bleeding. I quickly leave what I am doing and walk to his aid.

“Sorry, is it deep?” I say feeling bad he hurt himself and also taking his finger to put it under running water.

“No, it’s fine,” Ismail says

“Wait here, I will get the first aid kit,” I say and quickly walk upstairs to get it. I walk back downstairs at the same speed after finding the first aid kit.

“Sit down let me dress your wound,” I say walking Ismail to a stool in the kitchen

“You don’t have to do it, I can do it myself,” He says trying to collect the first aid kit from me

“No, you are injured so I will help you,” I say pulling the first aid kit back to me and start dressing his wound

“Ouch!” Ismail says from the pain of putting hydrogen peroxide on his wound

“Sorry,” I say feeling bad for causing him such pain. I might not like Ismail, but it does not mean I would enjoy seeing him in pain. I quickly dress the wound making sure to be careful not to cause him morepain

“Thank you,” Ismail says after I finish dressing his finger.

“You are welcome,” I say and walk back to continue what I was doing while Aazim Walks in

“When I said you guys should co-exist. I meant you guys should not kill each other” Aazim says walking into the kitchen, looking at the bloody tissues on the worktop and assuming something else happened

“I don’t think if I wanted to kill your brother, I would be dressing his wounds,” I say smirking

“I hardly doubt if Umit wanted to kill me, she would use a knife to cut my finger,” Ismail says showing Aazim his injured finger

“Oh Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah)! It’s just a small cut” Aazim says

“Wow, what do you take me for,” I say chuckling

“I won’t say, but we all know who you are,” Ismail says smirking like he is holding back at saying something. While Aazim nods at what he said

“You guys are making it sound like I am a violent person,” I say confused as to what they are getting at

“Who knows, you might be,” Ismail says

“You both are not serious. You both should leave my kitchen. I don’t have you guy’s time right now” I say waving them out of the kitchen

“We will leave for now, but we are watching you,” Ismail says walking out of the kitchen with Aazim following behind him

I finished dinner on my own, even though Ismail came back and said he was bored and wanted to help. I refused him because it’s not safe for him to be around the kitchen after he just cut his finger. I made baked potatoes with chicken. During dinner, I made sure to give some credit to Ismail because he did help with cutting the potatoes. I am actually surprised by the way things turned out today. I would have never in my entire life imagine myself, praising Ismail but, I felt really bad about his cut, so I wanted to do something nice for him. Something I would never do regularly

I am sitting on the dining table with my laptop doing some work, with a cup of tea. I just finished praying Maghrib (Evening) before I started working. I don’t drink coffee at night because I do love my sleep, even though I plan to work late. While I am working, out of nowhere, Ismail hits my chair from behind, making my cup of tea spill all over my laptop. I don’t say or do anything; I freeze and look at my Keyboards. I come back to earth when I hear Ismail’s voice saying something to me

“Umit I am so sorry, Aayan and I were playing and did not know when we hit you. Sorry, don’t worry I promise to get you a new one tomorrow” Ismail says using a kitchen towel to wipe my Keyboards

“It's fine you don’t have to get me a new one,” I say taking the towel from his hands and wipe it myself. I am not angry, and at the same time, I am angry because, I am trying to tell myself it’s just a laptop, I don’t have to get angry, but at the same time it’s annoying even if it’s not his fault.

“No, I would. I am so sorry” Ismail says sincerely

“Auntie I am sorry, we did not mean too,” Aayan says hugging me

“It's fine, my love and I know you did not mean too,” I say feeling all my anger fade away when I hear his voice.

“We are sorry,” Ismail says

“Ismail it's fine, I am not angry at you guys,” I say forgiving them because I have experienced pouring coffee mistakenly on people, Ismail can testify.

“Really, because I thought you would even ask me to pay the 5,000 I am making you pay if you pour coffee on me,” Ismail says wide-eyed

“Now that you mentioned it, I will be expecting my cheque tomorrow morning,” I say smirking because his contract is being used against him.

“Now I think I should have never made that contract, but anyways a deal is a deal. I will have the money wired to you with a new laptop tomorrow.”

“No, Ismail, I was only joking. You don’t have too” I say not wanting the money, and also I could get myself a new laptop.

“I spoilt yours, so I will get you a new one,” Ismail says not going back on his words

“I doubt I even need a new one. I am probably sure if I fix this one, it will be fine.”

“Then I will pay for the repair,” Ismail says, stubborn as ever

“You don’t have too.”

“I will, and I am taking the laptop with me to make sure you don’t fix it yourself,” Ismail says picking my laptop and walks out the dining room

“Ismail you don’t have too,” I say walking behind him

“Umit, you know me very well. When I say I am going to do something, I do” Ismail says with all seriousness while stopping mid-way to his room

“Alright then, I will leave you to fix it,” I say walking towards my room

“Better! And good night Umit” Ismail says walking into his room

“Good night Ismail,” I say walking into mine

.