DECE-P-TION

DXLIII

Falah's point of view.

I stare at Alya who is speaking to Lateefa annoyed. My elbows on my knees before hanging my head. I lean back on the seat with my eyes closed. I don't regret not telling her. It's something between me and her father, she was supposed to know but he confided in me. I'd do it again. I open my eyes to see her walking into the elevator while taking a phone call.

We haven't been on talking terms for a few days now, I want to give her some space. "Falah, could you please help me with something outside?" Lateefa asks and I stand on my feet. "Sure." She smiles weakly at me. "It's a pill that is needed, you can get it at a pharmacy." I nod. "Okay." She hands me the prescription on a piece of paper as I take it. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." I walk down the hall and enter the elevator. I lean on the wall, feeling a vibration on my thigh. I pull the phone out to see my secretary. I mute the call, shoving it in my pocket before the doors swish open. I step out, walking out of the building.

I should drop by the office to check on some things tomorrow. To assign the cases I handle to other people. I turn my head to see Alya and Rayyan talking at the parking lot. I turn my head back to ignore it when I feel a wave of annoyance, making me saunter to them. Rayyan shifts his eyes to me walking toward them first before Alya.

"Falah." He calls my name. "You should go inside." I don't bother to look at her, staring at him and making sure I'm don't appear annoyed but rather calm. "I'm tal-".

"I'm not asking." I glance her, the look in my eyes evidently not giving her another option. "We'll talk, Rayyan." I look at her walk into the building then look at him. I don't utter a word and walk away from him. "You still don't know your wife." I continue walking, not paying him any mind. "Are you going to ignore me like you ignored your brother's screams?" I halt, taken aback by his statement. How does he know? There are only a....

"You recruited my former secretary?" I turn to look at him with a faint smile. "We're winning the case." I slightly narrow my eyes, turning away while shaking my head by how blind he is. He is trying desperately to win that he's giving me power over him. This is not good.

**********

I walk into the waiting room to see Lateefa and another woman talking. The minute she sees me, she ends the conversation with the woman and approaches me. "Did you get it?" I hand the bag to her as she grins, taking it from me. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." I turn away when my phone rings again. I saunter to the hall for a bit of privacy before answering the phone call. "Good day, sir."

"Good day." I lean on the wall. "Id like to send my condolences to you and your wife. The news is most unfortunate." I rub my eyes, hearing approaching footsteps. I raise my eyes to see Alya walking towards me. "Thank you, sageera." I shift my eyes away from Alya.

"You're welcome, sir. Do notify me if you need assistance with absolutely anything." I smile weakly. "Will do, goodbye."

"Goodbye." I hang up to see her standing in front of me. "I'd like to have a word with you." She glances at the crowd in the reception where she left. I open the door beside me so we can go in to talk privately. She walks in first then I followed. The shelves of cleaning products and supplies stocked in the room, indicating that we're in the janitor's closet.

"What you did back there when I was talking to Rayyan, i didn't like it. I'm an adult, not a child." She expresses showing her displeasure on her face as well. "I can befriend him if I want to. He's been a great help and support and you treat him badly. Im not saying you should befriend him but be nice or rather, ignore him. It's as easy as that. Rather than putting me in an awkward position."

I nod. "I don't like him. I never did and I never will but I do understand your friendship. What I don't get is how he can hug my wife in front of me. Even at that I didn't say a word but now, you're complaining?" She crosses her arms, slightly shaking her head. "So it boils down to jealousy? You're jealous even after what you've done?" I furrow my brows.

"Alya, let's not get things twisted." I assert a firm tone. "I'm sorry for the situation baba is in but I'm not sorry for withholding that information from you. If I had another opportunity, I'd do it again. Also, it's not entirely jealousy. It's the disrespect I took and you having ignored it. I won't take it." Her eyes tearing up. "You're such a good husband. A wonderful one and so selfless." A tear rolls down her cheek after her sarcastic statement. "Suit yourself." I turn to leave, knowing this conversation will go very sour if I decide to stay.

"Leave, Falah. Use that opportunity to show me who you truly are so Jaffar can be off my case about you." I halt before turning to look at her, tears streaming down her face. "You think it's all a pretense?" She shakes her head, walking to me. "Yes, I do." Her eyes with anger which made me nod. "If that will make you process this better, fine. Hate me."

My statement enrages her more. "I don't like you here, you should stop coming," I shake my head. "I'll consider since he's your father to stop staying all day but I'll come visit him, whether you accept it or not."

"Falah...".

"Take care of yourself." I open the door and walk out of the room. I shut the door, hearing her muffled cries. I pause for a few seconds before walking into the elevator. I take a deep breath, pushing the button as the door swishes shut. What she said, I know she didn't mean any of it. She's going through a lot of pain and I'm the best person to blame. I wouldn't be pleased to know information like that has been withheld from me. Im not angry at her at all, I hope we can still go back to the way we were or even better.

I step out, sauntering out of the building.

***********

"Thank you." I shut the door to my office to sort some files out especially for the upcoming case after being warmly welcomed by the staff. I flip through the files as one slips out of the pile and lands on the ground. I stretch my hand to take it.....

....from the ground and handing the house help who ruffled the hair as a 'well done'. He glances back at the stairs, wondering where he hid. "Babim!" He turns to answer. "Yes?" He answers running to iya mi. Iya mi looking as young.

She squats to be on the same level as him. "Go to bed or I'll ask the ojuju to come catch you." He opens his mouth to tell her about how he can't find him but she shushes him, placing her finger on his lips. "Quiet. Now go sleep. I'm not asking you." She stands straight before the nanny takes me upstairs.

"I need to find him." The boy mutters to the woman. "Don't worry, he'll come out soon enough." He lets out a heavy sigh. "Okay." He turns to look at me while walking away. I furrow my brows at the fact that his face was blurry. His eyes shifts to something behind me. I turn to look when I see iya mi staring at me. "Falah!" She shouts....

"Oladimeji!" I snap out of it, seeing iya mi staring at me in worry with her hands on my face. "Iya mi? When did you come?" I stand up, rubbing my eyes. "A while now. I walked in and found you staring out at nothing which got me worried. Are you well?" I put my hand down, looking at her. "I am fine, I just need sleep and I'll do that immediately I sort these papers out."

The worry disappears from her face, now being anger. "Don't tell me it's that case you're preparing for." I don't say a word as she takes her bag from the table. "I will not watch you kill yourself." She walks to the door. "Iya mi."

"Don't even." She warns, not bothering to stop or look at me. She shuts the door after stepping out. I sigh, sitting back down on my seat. I continue sorting the papers. Why can't I see the boy's face? Is that boy me? It's not a familiar memory so perhaps,  a dream but it can't be a dream when I'm awake. 

I pause, taking a few deep breaths. I need a good rest.  I continue sorting out the documents.

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