"Why do I even bother?" Noor mutters, to herself, while staring at an un-pressed Abaya. Noor had been trying to iron this silky material, for the past 10 minutes, but, in vain. She is so sleepy.
Her phone rings, from the bedside.
"Hello," She receives the call.
"Good Evening, Asalamualikum, Ma'am," Fahad states, from the other side.
"Yes, Faha-Mr. AbdurRahman," She mentally face palms. "How may I help you?" She clears her throat.
"Are you busy, Ma'am?"
"Not quite, get straight to the point, please,"
"Yeah, sure. It is Taking the Children to Work Day, tomorrow. Right?"
"Yes,"
"Well, could you brief this event, for me?"
"Yeah, Ok." She settles down, on her couch. "Basically, what we do is, invite students, from Pixie and Twix Orphanage, Riyadh. These students age between five to seven years. Since, they haven't ever gone for field trips, we invite students of different age groups, to our office, every year. After a tour of our office, we take them, to our factories."
"That is a great gesture!"
"It is, yes." She smiles. "I want you to, along with Amy, Nina and Hassan, decorate the office, with whatever children like..."
"What do they like?" He questions, clueless.
"You don't know...Balloons, maybe a conjuror, toys..."
"Ok," He sighs.
~~~
Lethargy had been long gone, as Noor straightens out, some last minute decorations. Fahad had done a pretty neat job.
Noor hopes on foot, to the other, while waiting anxiously, for the children's arrival.
Children had always had a soft spot, in Noor's heart. Not hot guys, but children!
Nearing the corner, comes a yellow bus, while children, dangerously lean out.
They get down, one by one, in a neat file, with a teacher, disciplining all of them.
"Thanks for coming, Susan," Noor greets, their teacher.
"The pleasure is all mine," She states, with a smile.
"Be good, children!" Susan calls out, to the children. "Bye, Ma'am," They call out, as they she leaves, in the bus.
~~~
"This is Mr. Sahil," She introduces the children, to their Assistant Manager.
"Morning," They greet, in a chorus, while Fahad holds on, to a pesky child.
Personally, Noor thought, that the child-Marty, as pinned on his shirt, looks quite adorable, with chubby cheeks and rosy lips.
He leaves sloppy kisses, on Fahad's cheek, while he rubs the slobber off, hastily.
Noor chuckles, while grabbing the baby (He is around 5, by the way!), from Fahad's arms.
"When you will have children, you will know!" Sahil states, while recalling his dreading situation, with a shudder.
"No, babies aren't that bad," Noor exclaims, while giving Marty, a kiss, on his cheek.
~~~
Noor holds onto Jasmine's hand, who stands in the front of the line, while directing them, towards the factories.
She hands, each of them, a pair of gloves and a cloth cap.
The smell of chocolate, biscuits and cookies enlightens their olfactory senses. The children lick their lips, in delight.
~~~
The children leave, with their school bags, filled to the brim, with enticing goodies.
"That was tiring," Noor exclaims, while catching a glimpse, at Fahad's drooping eyes.
"You must go home, ad sleep, Mr. AbdurRahman,"
"I will, Ma'am." He blocks a passing yawn, with his palm.
"Allah Hafiz," She mutters, while grabbing her belonging, from her room.