Stand by me

12. I Will Fight For My Son.

Assalamu alaikum💕
Here's a chapter to make up for the late update.

Relationships are bonds formed by the almighty. Some relationships are special and no one can describe how they are formed. Such can be said for the bond Safiyya formed with Joseph; it was in minutes but felt like hearty years spent.  

"I know you Sofiyya and for you to cry over someone,  they must be very close to your heart," Jessy mentioned, rubbing her friend's knuckles. "If you are hurting this much, I can only imagine what the boy is feeling right now. With such a rude father, even I feel sorry for the child. You want to spend time with him, well, as your best friend,  I will help you." 

"What should I do Jessy?" Safiyya asked expectantly. 

Jessy hummed, narrowing her eyes. "Did you get the man's name?" 

Safiyya thought for a while and nodded. "I think I heard the kidnapper say, Alfred Hill. Yes, that's the name. Alfred Hill." 

She then watched how Jessy's eyes widened with a gasp. "He can't be someone popular right?" she asked carefully, hoping it wasn't so, but her hope was crushed. 

"I bet you, he is popular, girlfriend!" Jessy exclaimed. Safiyya sighed at the confirmation. He did look like a rich, influential man. 

"Listen up Sofiyya. Alfred Hill is a tech genius and now owns one of the best tech industries in the States. Not only that, he is into business with highly profitable companies. And guess what, he is from a rich family, but struggled on his own to reach where he is today. I have heard about his feats in defeating other geniuses in tech contests before. I think, he is 28 or 29 now but in the last four years,  even though Hill Corp has been expanding, Mr. Hill has become low-key. To think that he even has a son that the public hardly knows about." Jessy explained. 

Safiyya was quite impressed and it kept her thinking. Why did Alfred Hill hide Joseph from the public and what happened to his mother? 

She said to Jessy,
"Yousef was wearing a school uniform when we met. Which means that he is schooling. He can't hide his son away from the media that much right? And what about his wife?" 

Jessy nodded in agreement and replied, "There was a rumor that Mr. Hill got married four years ago and had a child but the news just disappeared from the media. Just like that, how strange." 

"You said that he is a tech freak, it explains it," Safiyya shrugged. But what happened? She was curious. Anyways…

"I get that  Alfred Hill is some big shot but I am more concerned about meeting Yousef. From how he has been hiding the boy, Jessy, I'm afraid that it's going to be hard." she lamented. 

Jessy clicked her fingers before Safiyya's eyes, making the young lady blink. 

"Have you forgotten what you always tell me when I'm in trouble?" she smiled. 

"Nothing is impossible, for Allah is always there for you," Safiyya smiled back. 

"It's a good thing you didn't forget," Jessy said. "If you want to be with that child, then you have to be more confident in yourself, be smart and calculating. I don't know how it's going to unfold, but remember that you can't give up easily. To get to Yousef, you will have to pass through his father." 

"Oh Allah," Safiyya exhaled and rubbed her face. What is going to do? Walk up to a grown-up man and ask him for his child. Who will suddenly trust a stranger with his child? 

"Don't worry Sofiyya," Jessy uttered. "It might take time, but you have to exercise patience first. And it just so happens that you are on a job hunt, so you can apply for one at Hill Corp." 

"That…..I don't know Jessy. It seems no one wants to accept me." Safiyya said as she remembered the rejection today.  

Jessy rolled her eyes and folded her arms. "Do you know what is the first step to failure? Lack of confidence, girl. The Safiyya I know is strong and brave. You now have a reason to fight more right? You can't take no for an answer." 

Safiyya pursed her lips for a while. Her visa will soon expire if she doesn't get a job, working at Hill Corp will give her a chance to meet Yousef and she will work toward her dream too. She looked up at Jessy and determination flared in her green eyes. 

"You are right Jessy. I can't take no for an answer. I will fight for my aims." she said with a smile. 

"Now that's  bestie!" Jessy laughed and gave her a high five. She held her stomach awkwardly and pouted. "Can we cook now?" 

Safiyya chuckled and stood up, as she tied her curly hair into a bun. "You work in a hotel, you should be bringing food home for us." 

"It's not that easy and I'm too lazy to," Jessy shrugged and followed Safiyya to the kitchen. "Most importantly,  I love your cooking," she added cheekily. 

"Such a glutton," Safiyya rolled her eyes and got to work. 

Jessy sat on a stool and watched Safiyya cook diligently. A question came to her mind and she asked,

"I'm really curious Sofiyya." 

"About what?" Safiyya asked. 

"How do you do it? Like, stay away from all these world temptations. You don't party, you don't drink, you don't wear fancy and common clothes. All these are fun things to do, but you are restricted to them." she wondered. "It can't be easy right? I've seen other Muslims like you, but they hardly stay away from worldly items." 

Safiyya smiled and put the lead on the pot. She faced her friend and replied, "It isn't easy to stay away and that's the truth, but if you know why you stay away, you find peace in your heart. Many know the implications of what they are doing, but only a few can feel it. Being able to feel it, is a gift from Allah itself. " she looked above and her grin got wider. "And why will I feel restricted or annoyed when I know there's something so much better for me if I ignore these? A gift that will last forever," she looked back down and added, "So, I rather give up these worldly temptations and aim for the hereafter, instead of losing both." 

"Of course, that will be a waste, " Jessy smiled faintly, fiddling with her curls. "You know, speaking about feelings, I tried to believe in my religion before but I just don't feel it. It seems like a person made it up, so it's hard to follow. Don't you feel the same?" she asked curiously. 

Safiyya shook her head. "Not at all. There's this feeling that I get as a Muslim. I can't see my creator but I always feel His presence. When I'm in Salat, when I'm fasting or reading His words from the Quran, I feel that swelling presence with me. I know he exists, because I  feel it here," she said, pointing at her heart. 

"That's….super," Jessy uttered. 

"Yeah. Oh, our dinner is ready," Safiyya beamed and turned off the stove. 

That night, as she lay in her bed, she hugged the pillow as she thought about Yousef. He gave her another reason to keep fighting. Tomorrow, she will go to Hill Corp! 

Who is up for some drama?

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