Chapter seven

The first thing that came to her mind when she entered was 'the incident at the hotel'.Kalthum quite knew or already knew that this is what this meeting was all about. It was bound to be raised and she prays it won't cost her her job.

" You asked for me sir? " she said.

He raised his head to meet her eyes. Kalthum couldn't look in his direction. Like before, her head was down. She was ashamed to. She knew she shouldn't be ashamed because she didn't do anything bad but he doesn't know that. Sir Faisal's thoughts of her are different. The bashing she received from Halima even made it more believing.

" yes did. Come have a seat " he gestured

"  ok" she moved forward to sit on the chair. " I'm sorry sir for fainting earlier on "

" let's cut the chase short young lady. I'm sure you know why I reacted the way I did before you fainted? "

She shifted on her seat " ye-s yes sir. " The next thing she didwas was was was surprise him. Kalthum knelt on her knees.

" Please sir, I know there is no amount of explanation I do that would make you change your thoughts about me. Sir, I just want you to know that you will never regret giving me this job. I'll work with everything in me. Please Sir I promise not to disappoint you. " she pleaded " and sir, if you feel uncomfortable having me work in your house I'll understand but please don't send my sister away too. " almost in tears

Faisal didn't say anything the whole time. He watched her as she talked. She even made everything easier for him. He doesn't need to tell her how uncomfortable he feels having her here, she knows it.

" Good. Since we both have agreed on what all this is all about, it's settled then. Trust me I don't want to give you this job at all. I don't trust you, especially from the first impression. I'm sure you know what I mean? "

Kalthum nodded " I understand " she stood up " I get it, you won't give me the job. You don't need to go r sir. Let me make it easier for you, I'll just take my leave " she turned around to make her way to the door

" I'm not done talking "

She paused then turn around to look at him with questioning eyes " what again? "

" Did I say I wasn't giving you the job? " he asked her

She was confused " but you just said i-

" I said what? The fact that I said I don't want to give you this job doesn't mean you don't have the job "

She was speechless " D-o you mean I still have my job? " her eyes glitter with tears.

He nodded nonchalantly " yes you do. You have the job, but -"

" but what? " she joined her hands tightly scared of what might comes after the but

" I don't want to regret doing you this favor. I hope you've dropped your wayward acts outside before you came here? "

If it wasn't because of the promise she made to Basma, she would have just told him the real truth. The whole truth about the hotel incident.

She grinds her teeth, I hate this

" I won't disappoint you sir" she swallowed. That was the only thing she could say

" Good, you may leave " he dismissed and continue what he was doing before she came in.

Kalthum rolled her eyes at him the moment he went back doing his thing. If he wasn't her boss right now she would have given him the rudest answer ever. She made her way to the door and -

Kalthum was hit with the door. It seems Allah is punishing her for what she just said about answering her boss rudely.

" Ouch" she cried out as she held her forehead. The same place she had a swell.

The person who is the cause of her pain felt guilty " I'm so sorry miss " he apologized

She waved him off with her hand " it's nothing. I'll get over it " but the truth was, she was in so much pain. What do you have her do? Should she have shouted at him?

" Are you sure? The bump up there said otherwise " he pointed at the swell.

The annoying thing about this situation is that this man standing right in front of her still has that annoying smirk on his face. Could it be that he was pretending to care?

" I said I was fine," she said through gritted teeth and then send a forced smile his way to cover her rudeness. By the way, she doesn't even know him. He looks well dress and rich. We shouldn't forget how good-looking he was too.

She had expected Sir Faisal to say something from where he was seated but didn't. A sorry might be better at least

" OK if you say so "

She nodded " I'll just take my leave sir"

He moved so she can pass " ok" then like a flash he remembered something " Wait! " he stopped her.

" Sir?" she turned to face him

" You look familiar. Have we met before ?" he asked trying to remember where he saw her.

" i-i no of course not. We've never met before " she doesn't even know him at all. This was her first time seeing him.

He shrugged " maybe you just look like someone I know. Sorry for that "

" it's nothing sir" she smiles politely " I'll just take my leave now " with that she left the room immediately.

Faisal finally raised his head to his brother " You finally realized you have a home, Habeeb"

Habeeb smiled broadly at his brother " how can I forget home. Never knew you'd miss me this much" he took a seat

Faisal chuckles " what you do with your life isn't my business at all"

" of course it's your business and do you know why? " Habeeb cock a brow

" remind me please," Faisal said

" That's because you are my brother and you care about me and the twins" Habeeb smirked, " isn't that right ?"

Faisal couldn't help the smile " you'll never change "

Habeeb laughs wholeheartedly. The two brothers have always been like this. This is how they share their love. They love joking around most especially Habeeb the second heir of Alhaji Dantata. He loves the idea of always being the mysterious one out of all the children. He loves to travel a lot. Faisal knew it's just an excuse to be away from their workaholic parents.

" Good you're finally back home "

" Glad you finally admitted that you miss me " Habeeb smile, a genuine one at that.

Faisal rolled his eyes at him " so tell me something, have you seen the maid somewhere, or was it just one of your games?"

" you mean the lady who just left? Don't tell me she is the new maid? "

" Yes, she is. Why the surprised face? " Faisal couldn't help but ask

" Because this is the first time we are having such a young maid. All the maids we had in the past are all aged people. Let's not forget she is so beautiful too" Habeeb winked

" you'll never change. Back to the main question, have you seen her somewhere before? "

" Why are you adamant to know? if it makes you feel better, I think she isn't the one. That face just looks familiar and you heard her already she said we've never met before. I believe her though " Habeeb told him

Faisal nodded " OK then," he thought his brother was about to say he saw her at a hotel with a man or something even worst than that. That would have been another reason to take her job away from her.

Habeeb took in the study room " this place looks exactly as I left it. The only change tradition of books over there"

" that's why it's called a study room " Faisal rolled his eyes

" You need to get a life bro. Live a little and don't be consumed with work. Take for instance me, I don't overwork myself just because I want to satisfy a father who doesn't even care if we exist"

" Don't talk like that about our father " Faisal warned

" why do you always defend him? You know he doesn't care about all your effort bro. Tell me something, when was the last time you had a girlfriend? "

Faisal rolled his eyes " stop it "

" you see! That's the point. You've never had one. You just prefer to keep yourself locked in an office filled with files and anything that has to do with paper! Aren't you tired of all that? I get you a girlfriend! "

" I don't need one. I love what I do and I'm doing it for myself, not for anybody " Faisal defended

" that's what you keep saying but you and I know that isn't true. Try to go out there, enjoy yourself for once even if it's during the weekends. "

Faisal scoffed " don't tell me you came back just to lecture me about getting a life?"

Habeeb snickered " actually no, but  I have always wanted to say this to you for a while now "

" Then you need to stop it. I'll get a life when I'm ready to"

" and when will that be? " Habeeb snickered

" Soon"

" well okay if you say so. "

Faisal knew what his brother said was needs to get a life for real. He can't even remember the last time he had a girlfriend not that he hasn't seen any beautiful lady but because he doesn't want to be attached to anybody. He loves his single life. Things have to change now.

" Anyways where is Nanny? I haven't seen her when I came in. "

" She should be at the maid's lodge giving then instructions I think " Faisal answered

" God, I miss her food. I always dream of her delicious food "

" Now that you're back, you'll get to have a taste of her food again. "

" That's right"

***

Kalthum got into the room which she will e sharing with her sister. She rested her back on the door as she entered closing her eyes in the process.

" Is everything alright? "

She had forgotten that her sister was in the room. Basma dropped the phone she was pressing in other to give her full attention to her sister.

" it's nothing " Kalthum answered as she went to sit beside her sister on the couch

" So how did the talk with Sir Faisal went "

" let's say it went well. We still have the job. He said he didn't want to give me the job at first because of what happened at the hotel "

Kalthum had finally decided to tell her sister the truth about why Sir Faisal was shocked at seeing her before she fainted earlier on.

" what do you mean at the hotel?"Basma asked " how comes sir Faisal knew about the hotel incident? "

" The moment you put me in that situation at the hotel, Halima beat the hell out of me, and thank God a good Samaritan came to rescue me from her bashing. That good Samaritan was Sir Faisal" she finished

" Are you kidding me " Basma's eyes were wide open " this explains why he reacted that way then"

" yes " Kalthum nodded

Basma couldn't get why Kalthum didn't tell her the other time she asked " why didn't you tell me when I asked you if you've ever seen Sir Faisal somewhere?"

" I didn't want the hotel incident to be raised again"

" then why the change of mind? "

" because it's the right thing to do." Kalthum answer truthfully

Basma felt a bit jealous of Kalthum. She was jealous at the fact that Kalthum and sir Faisal had met before. If she was the one in that situation at the hotel, she would have been the first to meet sir Faisal, not Kalthum. This made her regret running away

" are you okay Basma?" Kalthum touched her hand

" why wouldn't I be? "

" You look kind of off. You sure everything is OK? "

" yes, everything is ok. Please stop asking all the time if everything is OK, it's getting annoying "

" oh sorry" Kalthum apologized

Basma mentally rolled her eyes. At least she still has the upper hand. Since sir Faisal sees Kalthum as a prostitute, Basma was sure he would never have any interest in Kalthum because of that fact, and whereas she has all the upper hand. He has no case on her. Basma was sure he sees her as the good sister and Kalthum the wayward one. She needs to bring her plan to action as soon as possible before something or someone comes in the way.