Against The Tide (Formerly Two Tribes)

106: A Serendipitous Encounter

A few months was all it took for Najah to let go her past. The pain of her failed relationships had hardened her, shaping her into a resilient and focused individual. She was grateful that none of them showed up in her face again. It really helped her a lot in moving on, even though, she sometimes, found herself reliving the good moments she shared with Jameel. It was just incredibly hard to completely forget him, but she was doing incredibly well.

As usual, she found solace in her work, her non government organization. Engrossing herself in people's lives, and helping them find solutions brought her immense joy. She couldn't do it for herself, but at least she was doing it for countless others.

Her eyes were fixed on her computer screen when a knock broke the silence in the office.

It was Jannah.

"Excuse me, ma," she knocked once before opening the door. "The bus is ready."

Najah nodded, a faint smile playing on her lips. Today, they were embarking on a community outreach program, a mission that she had been looking forward to all week.

"I'll be with you all in a few minutes. I just need to finish these files," she replied.

"You can go ahead, ma. I can do it," Jannah offered.

Najah smiled appreciatively, then shook her head. She offered to handle her tasks personally, for she felt no one could do it as perfectly as she could. "I got this, Jannah. Thanks though."

Janna simply smiled before leaving the office.

Najah heaved a sigh as she averted her gaze back to the screen.

Another knock sounded.

"Jannah, I—"

"It's me," Halima chuckled, walking in, her protruding stomach leading the way. "Aren't you done yet?"

Najah gestured towards the chair, a warm smile gracing her lips. "I'm almost done. Sit. Don't stress that baby."

Halima rolled her eyes playfully as she settled into the chair. "You're glowing, Najah. What's the secret?"

Najah chuckled, dismissing the compliment. "Stop pulling my legs. You're the one who's pregnant and glowing, not me."

"I'm serious," Halima insisted. "You keep getting more beautiful daily. There this—"

"Stop it," Najah cut her off, a firm tone in her voice. "I know where this is going, and the answer is no, Halima. I'm not allowing you introduce anyone to me. I'm not interested in anyone right now."

Halima's intention was pure, Najah knew, but she was tired of Halima trying to set her up with every tom and dick. If it wasn't her husband's friend, it was her cousin, or a business associate. It was getting tiring now.

"Fine," Halima sighed. "It's fine if you don't want to, but I can assure you that this person is a big catch. He practically begged me to talk to you on his behalf because anytime he tries to talk to you, you're always dismissive and," she air quoted. "Rude to him."

"You said fine but ended up telling me anyway," Najah said, rising from her chair. "I'm done, we can leave now."

"Where exactly are we going to?" Halima asked as they walked out of the foundation side by side.

"We're visiting at least two local governments areas in the city to raise awareness about domestic violence, and provide resources for the victims."

Halima's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "I thought today was for the mentorship program."