Stand by me

46. Her Abboh's voice.

Double updates😁

How long had it been? Four years but she hadn't heard her Abboh's voice. When Safiyya started school, she usually asked her mother about him despite their rough relationship but stopped persisting on it. Who knew that she would hear it again before they eventually met? 

"Assalamu alaikum," he greeted after the momentary silence. 

"Wa…alaikumussalm Abooh," Safiyya stuttered fiddling with her shirt. 

There was silence again before he asked, "How are you? Is my sister taking good care of you over there?" 

Safiyya would have asked him back, 'You finally ask that after all these years?' but she knew more than to disrespect her father. And she felt something in his voice; was it relief, hurt, or care? 

"Alhamdulillah Abooh," she returned. She can't tell him that she went to school or is working now, even more, married. 

"That's good, Masha Allah," he said. 

"Where is ammiy?" she asked. 

"Oh, she is in for a bath," he replied. 

"I will call her later," she said and ended the call. Safiyya sighed and dropped her phone before hugging her knees. Her fingers were so clenched that they showed red. After so many years, their conversation was still stoic. She had to end the call lest she break down before him. 

"Ya Allah, bless my parents with a long and blessed life and…smoothen the relationship between me and Abboh," she prayed silently.  "Keep protecting my Ammi and give her the strength to hold on," 

After sitting for a while, Safiyya stood up and brought her iPad over. Hill Corp had an employee training app in the system where the employees could train in their different fields in their free time. Safiyya wondered when she would be 'promoted' to the accounting department. That was where her dream lies. She breathed and started her practice. There was even an online practice that she got into, interacting with others in the department. 

Safiyya stretched later after going offline. That was nice considering that this house has free wifi. She checked the time and gasped. It was 11:00 pm! 

"Wait…why am I not sleepy?" she wondered and got up, not after feeling a jerk in her waist. A gift for sitting in one position doing what you love. 

Safiyya dropped the iPad and decided to go down for a cup of tea. That should calm her nerves and help her sleep. Tomorrow was another day after all. 

She wore her flip-flops and headed downstairs. She just reached the kitchen area when she sighted Alfred's figure at the dining table. He was staring intently at the screen of his laptop while working. 

Safiyya bit her finger and thought. Maybe he won't see her since he's so busy. She breathed and stride to the kitchen quietly. Successfully passing without being noticed, she curled her lips and brought out the tea jug. She started mixing the herbs when she heard his voice.

"Bring a cup over," he said in a husky voice. She pouted and glared at the tea for giving her out with its scent. 

The tea was boiled and she poured gently in two mugs. She picked them up and walked to the table. 

"Here," she said and kept it beside him. She turned to leave when he stopped her. "Sit," he simply said with authority in his voice. 

Safiyya hesitated first before sitting two chairs away from him. She brought the mug to her lips, muttering bismillah. 

"When do you normally leave for work?" he asked, his eyes still on the screen. 

"7 am," she replied. 

"And closing time?" 

"Before 7 pm," 

"Okay," he nodded and raised his head to drink the tea. He dropped the mug and told her, "Wake up early and get Joseph ready and take him to school before going to the office. Old Xav will drive you there. You will have to leave work by three and pick him up from school. I don't know how you will don't, but don't make him stay lonely waiting for you,"

"Okay," she nodded and he hummed before going back to work. 

"Sir Alfred," she called out and he raised his head intuitively. 

She chooses her words well first before asking, "You lock Yousef in the house all day unless he is at school and put so much emphasis on his safety. It is not wrong to care for his safety but I feel like you are protecting him from some sort of danger," she was curious and since it concerned her son, she had to ask. 

Alfred paused with the same expression before lowering his eyes to his work. Just when Safiyya thought that he wouldn't answer, he replied,

"The man who kidnapped Joseph then, he escaped," 

Safiyya gasped, surprised and scared. "The cops can't spot him?" she asked. 

"It's been a month and he hasn't been spotted," Alfred said. "Stone is very smart and can hide his tracks from the cops. Even if he got what he wanted, I'm afraid that he can still come after Joseph again," 

Safiyya frowned at this. Stone! That man hated Alfred for a long now. No wonder he showed so much animosity when he kidnapped Joseph. And now, knowing that such a dangerous man was out there, she felt shivers for her son. 

"He must be busy and won't show himself easily but one can't be so sure," Alfred added and took a sip again, returning to his work. 

Safiyya nodded and prayed silently. She stayed quiet and her curiosity kicked again. "What did he ask for?" she asked and she visibly saw a scowl on Alfred's face. 

"It's okay, I…" 

"I gave him a blueprint," Alfred cut her shot, glancing over nonchalantly. There is a tech bazaar that takes place every year and talented individuals take part in different categories. Before that, Hill Corp will be revealing new mechanics we've been working on since last year. I announced that I would be revealing a hint on what I will sue for the tech bazaar too but Stone found out and in his greediness to win, he used that tactic to get my blueprint," 

"You used it to save Joseph," Safiyya mumbled with her head lowered. He had to sacrifice his efforts to save his son. "When is the bazaar?" she asked. 

"Two months remaining," Alfred replied with scrunched brows. "And Hill Corp's launch is next month," 

"You know what Sir Alfred?" 

He turned to her and she was smiling enthusiastically. "If you don't know what to choose anymore, just think of your close ones and do something for them. And someone told me that you ew a genius, so anything impossible to others is not for you, In Sha Allah," she said and stood up with the mug in hand. "Tea helps you sleep. Fi Amanillah," she added and walked away. 

Alfred watched her leave and took another sip. He tucked his hair behind his eyes and sighed. He wondered why he told her all this or Is it because he had been waiting to speak to someone. 

"It's about Joseph," he shook the thoughts off and took another sip. Does tea actually work? He wondered suspiciously. 

Something for someone close to you huh?

Who missed Hill Corp? Something exciting is on the way💃