When Love Lasts.

III

Work is practically the only thing I enjoy doing now. I'm alone at home and my brother Abdulmateen is married now so I can't just tell him to come stay with me.

Today I decided to park my car outside instead of the underground parking lot. I know the other parking lot is just limited to the 10 of us but I feel like I need the walk today, plus it's 6:40 so it's still kinda empty.

I come out of the car with my laptop bag and folders. I'm just now realizing how advantageous it is for me when Ada comes to meet me, she helps with my load.

"Can I help?"
I turn around and see a familiar face.
It took a moment to pinpoint who it is.

"The new chef, right?"
She smiles "Yes"

I hand them to her while I lock the car.
"Thank you" I say reaching my hand to collect them.
She hands them back to me.
"You're here this early?"

She nods with a smile "Yes, Sir"
"So you already know who I am"
She nods "The employees seem to be horrified by you"
I chuckle "Then I guess it's working but why are you here this early?"

"To start preparing before the employees get here"
"But you have people to help with that"
She smiles shaking her head "Unfortunately I don't, I don't own a catering service, I do it solo"

I was in shock "So you attend to all those people alone?"
"Not really attend to them alone, there are people hired to attend to them. I just do the cooking"
"Alone?"

She nods.
I smile "Then I think you need to hurry to start, you know the people here value food especially because 80% of them are male"

She nods "Yes Sir" she rushes.

::

My mother starts calling again.
"Hello, Ma?"
"Akbar! Are you ignoring your mother's call?!"
"No, Ma. I was in a meeting"

"And you coincidentally pick this one?"
I nod "Yes, you were calling"

"Anyway, your brother and his wife are coming for dinner. Please tell me you're coming by too"
I groan "But I have work"
"What if it's the last time you see me?"

"Ma, it won't"
"How do you know that?! It might!"
I could hear her getting tensed up "Okay, I'll be there"

"I asked the maid to make a lot of food for you to take him with you"
"Sounds nice"

"Bye" she ends the call excitedly.

Ada smiles "Should I ask someone to get that mineral water for you?"
She asks.
Somehow I convinced her to be taking mineral water instead of normal ones so I have to be the one buying them.

I nod.
"The normal number?" She asks.
"No, twenty will be fine"

She nods before walking out.

::

Amin walks over to me.
"Where are you headed?" He asks "You're leaving already?"

I nod "But I want to get some coffee first"
"At this point you'll end up damaging your body with coffee, calm down"

I huff "I need it to stay sane. It seems like you're heading to the cafeteria too"
He groans "Boss, it's our COO. Can you believe she asked me to inspect the kitchen and cafeteria? Me?"

I shrug "What's wrong with that?"
"I forgot you two are two peas in a pod. Same person different bodies"

I couldn't help but laugh.
The cafeteria was empty.
"Thank God. I'll ask her to bring you your coffee" I nod.

He walks in.
A few minutes later the girl walks over with a disposable cup in her hands.
She hands it to me.

"Thank you"
"You're welcome" she smiles and walks away.

::

"My baby" Ma says as she hugs me.
Abdulmateen rolls his eyes "Ma, your baby is 34"

She shushes him "Let me be. I haven't seen him in a month. How can't you visit your mother in a month, don't you love me?" She asks cupping my face.

"Ma, can you at least let him enter the house before you kill him with questions?" Abdulmateen asks again "I'm hungry"
I laugh as she makes way for me.
Saratu, Abdulmateen's wife was already at the table.

For some reason she gets nervous around me.
I look at Abdulmateen then back at her, he smiles and shrugs before I sit next to him.

"Saratu, how have you been doing? How was the honeymoon?"
She smiles embarrassed "I'm doing fine and it was okay too, thanks"

I look at him.
The man was staring at her smiling like a fool.
I chuckle.
It still shocks me that Abdulmateen actually decided to settle down, it really does.

"Now that I have my family complete—"
I cut her off "—Ma it's not complete"

She glares at me "To me it is"
"Ma, just accept it. It won't change anything if you don't" Abdul says.

"You two are always ganging up on me, I'm your mother"
"But it's true Ma" Abdulmateen counters.

::

I had to leave dinner early because I got a call.
And there it was parked infront of my house, the reason I had to leave.

I park my car and come out.
Hanifa was leaning on her car smiling.
I look around, the street was empty.

"How long have you been waiting?"
She smiles "Just about 20mins"

I nod walking over "So, when you told me you were here—you were on your way?"
She nods "Yup. I know if I said I was on my way you'd decline"

I lean on the car next to her.
"So what's your aim for coming here? We can't go to a lounge by this time like we used to. That's not my life anymore"
She chuckles "I have three kids, it's not mine either"
"Technically it's just one. They're triplets"

She shakes her head "I know what I went through, they're not one, they're three. The pain came differently so no one can tell me they're one"

I smile "Let's go in"

I open the door and take a deep breath when I enter the house. I miss when the house was so full of life.
She sits on the couch.
"The decor is actually really nice"

I nod "It really is. I didn't do it"
"Of course you didn't, you couldn't have".

I sit next to her and huff.
"I'm so tired" I murmur.
"Me too" she says back.

"What are you really doing here Hanifa? By this time"
She stays quiet.
"I know you didn't come to sit on the couch and say you're tired"

"I think you already know"
I nod "I have an idea and I think you know it's not gonna happen".

She clasps my hands "Come on Akbar, you know how much I love you. You know I always did and you know marrying Salis wasn't my choice either, I never wanted it"
"It's too late for all that now"

"It's not for me"
"But it is for me. You know how it is"

She shakes her head "Then why are you alone? Huh? I don't see anyone here with you"
I tilt my head "You know why"

"That sounds like an excuse to me"
I huff "Hanifa I'm sorry but—I think you should go back to your kids"
"They're with my in-laws tonight"

"Then go home"
She pouts resting her hands on my chest.
I raise my head and look at her "You're a man Akbar, you need love and I'll give it to you" she whispers.

I felt tingles as her lips make contact with my ear.
"Please don't do this Hanifa, let's not"
She smiles "I know you want it too. It's just fun, no strings attached, I promise"

I look at her and the next to I knew I was kissing her.

::