Love after Loss

Chapter 12 - Window

'Hasbunallah wa'ni'mal wakeel' (حَسْبُنَا ٱللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ ٱلْوَكِيلُ - 'Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs.')

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Author
It was looking like Steven was maybe the best candidate to be my new PA so far... until the final candidate walked in.

She was a graceful wonder. The way her abaya and ends of her hijab swayed in the winds from the open window where she was standing, the matte colour of her clothes against the greyish-white walls of the hallway outside the room, and when she was told to go in, she took deep breaths to calm her heartbeat that was thumping away at her nerves, because she wanted this job so badly. It's not like she needed it financially, after all her brother was a billionaire. But she needed it for her mental health and to keep her from staying tired out and alone at home all day. 'Ya Allah, help me please. Give me strength.' She read this quiet dua to herself and said 'Bismillah' before walking in. And upon walking in, she couldn't believe what (or rather who) she saw, and neither could the man at the desk believe what was before his eyes either.

Arsalan

I had my head down writing the notes from the last candidate down. I said 'come in' when I heard a knock and I don't know what it was, but after saying "come in" and lifting my head...

Masha Allah! A niqabi, about maybe 5'4-ish , 5'5 maximum, and wearing a beige and black abaya with a beige with black detailing blazer on top. My eyes looked back down at first, but then after remembering what she's here for I lifted my eyes to see the lady with a black niqab slowly inching into the room towards me, eyes and posture showing she was slightly unsure of what to do. I recognised those eyes from somewhere... but that was in New York... there's no way, surely? No, there can't be...

'A-assalamu alaikum Mr Sal-", she said nervously, slightly stuttering. I looked at her enchanting eyes before gesturing towards the sofa.
"Arsalan, please. Wa alaikum assalam Miss..."
"Akram. Hiba Akram, but you can call me Hiba."
Hiba? As in New York Hiba? As in light-pink niqab Hiba? No. Surely not. Can it be? 'Don't let this faze you, keep it professional Arsalan' I thought to myself.

"Take a seat, Hiba." I walked over to the sofa with her file in my hand. Before interview, they all had to pass a group of tests the job agency sets. I sat down at the chair next to her, and started to go through the file whilst also trying to relax her like I did with the other applicants.

"Nervous?", I asked whilst flicking through her papers, trying to keep a straight face.
"A- a little, maybe." She was keeping her gaze fixed to the table when I asked her. I had almost finished going through, and somehow she aced all of them, Masha Allah! Even the organisational one Steven failed earlier!
"Don't be. If anything, if you don't get this job then I will try and make sure there is something else for you here, because from your scores, Masha Allah, Hiba, you definitely have potential." She looked up to me with relief and happiness in her eyes, eyes squinting suggesting a big smile, and I looked at her briefly before turning to her last page. Maybe this can show if it really is her...

It was her. Hiba Akram, previously worked in Detroit.

But why London? Why not stay in America?
"Hiba I have a question for you.", I asked.
"Mhm yes?" She said, slightly nervously too, and sat up.
"Your previous experience shows you were in the US previously... if you don't mind me asking, how come you have moved to and applied to work here?" I had closed the file and put it down on the coffee table at this point, and I looked to her. She looked at me and... I could see I hit a nerve. "You know what, it's ok you don't have to answer that-" I offered before being cut off.
"No, it's fine, the simplest answer I can give you is that I had some personal reasons..." she trailed off at the end of it.
"You know what? Let's move on to the questions now." She nodded, and I carried on. "So Hiba, tell me honestly, why Slater Design?"
"Well, obviously this place has a representation, and to be honest when I was younger I always loved design. I always wanted to be an interior designer, for other reasons I decided not to yet, but I was hoping inshā'allāh one day I can be." Masha Allah, great answer and I was impressed.
"Impressive, maybe one day you can show me them." She chuckled at this, and I caught myself smiling at her longer than what was necessary.
We carried on with the usual business questions about her previous work experience, her skills and more, and then came to a close. She got up with me and I opened the door for her.
"Thank you Hiba, just wait outside please." Hiba nodded and went and sat on the sofa across from Steven.