Unsealed Fate

Chapter 14. Ahmad's Dilemma

"Well, I won't say no, because all great businessmen pass through struggles but some have to struggle extra to reach the top. And that is where I'm heading for Zayn, the sky." He stepped around Zayn and led the way as they sauntered into the lunchroom.

They sat across from each other around a table for two in a corner of the room. One of the waiters immediately came to attend to them, upon seeing that it was the boss that had graced them with his presence. Although he rarely ate there, it was Zayn's idea that they visit there for he wanted to be sure he saw everything for himself before leaving the facility. Who knows when he'd be chanced to visit that place again?

"Welcome, sir. What can I interest you with?" Asked the waiter. He was dressed in the kitchen staff's black and white uniform.

"Give us the best of what you have," Zayn answered. The instruction confused the waiter to the point where he was about to say 'I was talking to my boss.' But he was unsure if the man was referring to him because he didn't even glance his way while he spoke. He had his eyes fixed on the flower vase in front of him.

The waiter directed his attention to the boss.

"What about you sir?"

"Let me see the menu card." Seeing that the man was with the boss he decided to hand him a copy of the menu card.

"You sure will make a nice boss," Omar said as he watched zayn curiously as he fiddled with the petals of the flowers that sat at the center of the glass table. It was more like he was studying them.

"You don't seem to have changed much." He said again, pulling Zayn away from his thoughts. He seemed to have zoned out a little bit.

"What do you mean?" Zayn asked and began to read through the menu. He had so many thoughts racing through his mind and none of them were helping. He was worried about Ahmad and feared that things might not end well with him and his wife if he didn't play his cards right. Also, he had not stopped thinking about his father ever since he received that text message from him a while ago.

"You were not paying attention. Something is eating you up?" In Omar's opinion, Zayn may seem dangerously cool but he still had a lot to learn before he could hide his emotions. They'd been friends since childhood and it wasn't hard to detect when his intimate friend was troubled.

"Is that the change you talk about?"

"As always you are only absent-minded when you're troubled. Go on, tell me, what is wrong?" Omar demanded in a concerned manner.

"I have this aura that something is going to happen soon." He replied shortly, having gone through the menu and saw that there wasn't any appetizing food or any of those traditional meals he was craving on the list, just junk. It was in the company policy to serve snacks only in the lunchroom.

"What are you talking about?" Omar raised a puzzled brow.

"I'll have a hamburger and an apple drink," Zayn told the waiter.

"I'll have whatever he is having," Omar ordered before dismissing the waiter with a wave of his hand.

Zayn could not possibly start telling Omar about the situation with Ahmad. It was an Amana trusted upon him by a loyal friend. He couldn't even give him the slightest hint, if he did that would be perfidious and he may never be able to face Ahmad again. And of course, Omar was their friend too but wouldn't it be best if Ahmad told him by himself? Zayn's father, on the other hand, mentioned that he shouldn't tell anyone about their meeting at the Oasis so he couldn't talk to Omar about that either.

"Are you worried about Elaine?" Omar questioned, upon noticing that his brother was hesitant with his words.

Who's Elaine? Zayn was about to ask before he realized something. A small smile made its way to his lips.