The Ineligible

Chapter 11; Perplexity

Now!

Zayed

I watch Baba glancing at his wrist watch way too many times over the span of a minute and as much as I know he knows that i would probably be the last person on earth from whom he should be asking for Malika's whereabouts, he asks me anyways.

"Zayd?"

"Yes, Baba?"

"Could you- by any chance know where Malika is?"

"Malika?"

"Yes!"

"What Malika?"

"Zayed!" He warns.

"I am just but genuinely asking who-..."

"Ooh! I think you probably meant to say Cinderella! Yes?" I ask Baba with a raised eyebrow, he frowns at me not understanding what I mean.

"Well, it's not twelve yet is it?" So unfortunately, we will have to wait for the clock to strike midnight so that she can grace us with her timely presence!"

Baba scoffs before he commands me to get up and go look for her.

Why? Just why? Why does it have to be me? There's Hafidh here and there's Frank but why does it have to be me who has to go and look for that girl.

But that's my baba and I can't say no to what he requests of me, that too in front of an audience and so I stand and walk out the conference room like the obedient son he raised to go search for Cinderella.

I walk all the way to her office that is located at the second floor. Standing at her door I contemplate on whether to knock or just walk in. She could probably be seeing me from the inside and thinking maybe I am spying on her as she always do. I honestly hate it here.

I raise my hand and knock on the glass door.

Our prophet peace be upon him said we should knock three times and if there's no answer we should turn and leave and I am already turning to leave after the three knocks but I know better than to go back to the conference room and tell Baba I didn't find her and so I turn back again and hold the door knob, turn it and push slightly.

"Miss Adam?" I call before entering. She is a pain in the arse, but she is a woman and as much as I hate them; I was raised to respect them. Call me a simp but it is what it is.

"Miss Adam, we have been waiting for you in the conference room for over 30 minutes." I speak out.

Silence.

I push the door further, "I am coming in." I announce and wait for a reply and when none came I feel like I am left with no choice but to step in completely.

The moment I step in i see her just raising up from sujood and sitting tashahhud. Since she is facing qibla, her back is facing me. I stand there watching her. She reads the shahad and make tasleem. And when she is done, she does not rush to stand up even though I am sure she knows I am there.

She stays down there and began glorifying Allah while enumerating with her fingers, I wait patiently until when she is done completely. I watch her standing up and pick up her msala (prayer rug) that I believe she brought it with her from home, folds it and turns to face me.

About time!

I don't know why and I don't how but no matter how much annoyed I get by her I still cannot at all be able to wait for it to go down between us every time we breath the same air.

And so I waste absolutely no time in sternly telling her off.

"Miss Adam maybe next time you should consider praying on time because Mr Ganem had informed that the meeting would be after asr prayers and he was very much clear on punctuality; it's 5:11 now."