Under That Niqab

8. First Day

"Here you go!" Faiza led her into the new cabin which was allotted to her with an extended grin. "Isn't it beautiful? But this won't be your cabin for long. I'm gonna quit this job, so you'll be my replacement." She made her aware.

"Thanks for showing me around," Haya responded with a smile her heart filling with contentment as she took in her new workspace.

Perhaps luck was being kind to her, and her prayers were finding their answers.

On her first day as an employee in the expansive company, a feeling of loneliness lingered beneath the surface. There was no one to share the news of her dream job finally becoming a reality. Retrieving a picture of her mother from her bag, she took a moment to gaze at it before replacing it in a frame on the table which originally contained a landscape for decoration purposes.

An introduction meeting was scheduled in an hour, so she began preparing for it.

"May I come in?" It was Zaki's voice.

"Of course, you don't need to ask." She immediately recognized him and stood up.

"I wanted to check if you're ready," he said, standing by the door.

She looked up nervous and hesitant. "I'm not entirely sure. This is the first time I'll be introducing myself to colleagues like this. It's a bit nerve-wracking."

Zaki's smile was infectious. "No worries. I'll send Faiza your way. She's the best person to guide you. You'll do great."

"That would be really helpful," Haya acknowledged. The warm reception from everyone was reassuring, even though it was all new to her.

A mere five minutes later, Faiza entered her cabin with a vibrant greeting. "Hello, again gorgeous. I hear you're seeking some assistance." With her guidance, all the queries were answered, and she gained a better understanding of what was expected from her.

"Sir Shavez is already impressed by you," the woman mentioned casually as they wrapped up the files.

Her brows comically arose in astonishment. "Impressed? How?"

"Your work, obviously. You carry yourself like a seasoned professional," Faiza clarified, rising from her seat. "Shall we head out?"

"Yes, let's."

The meeting went smoothly, and Haya felt grateful for the welcoming atmosphere of the office. It was the first day, hence there wasn't much work to do. She decided to search for a permanent place to stay. Staying in a hotel was not sustainable due to expenses.

Absorbed in the newspaper's classifieds section, she was startled by knocks on her door, the third one finally catching her attention.

"You can come in," she invited, and Sir Shavez appeared at the translucent door.

"How are you holding up?" He had a contagious smile, one that makes people around him lift their spirits in joy, and she was one of them.

"Batter than expected" she replied moving from her table when he walked inside.

"Yeah, what were you doing?"

"Apartment hunting," she replied, a touch embarrassed. "Is there something I can assist you with?" There was a file in his hand which made her assume.

"No, but there's something I did for you," he said, placing a file on her table and taking a seat.

As she browsed through the files, he began speaking. "These are all apartments near the office. I thought you might need some help in finding a place. You mentioned you were planning to shift here. These are a few options I found. You can visit them and choose what suits you best."

She was genuinely surprised by his thoughtful gesture. It wasn't something one would expect from a boss.

"Thank you so much, but you really didn't have to do this, Sir," she responded, touched deeply by his assistance.

"I didn't actually do it," he admitted.

Haya couldn't help but chuckle. "Still, I appreciate it. I was already looking, though."

"Shall we go tomorrow? You might be tired today," he suggested, buttoning his suit.

"Where to?" She interrogated confused.

"To visit the apartments, of course."

The offer took her by surprise, but she could sense his genuine concern. She lived alone, and perhaps he was just being helpful, just that, yeah.

"You don't have to trouble yourself will all this," she said.

"It's no trouble at all" he turned to leave when she squeaked a little "Thank you"

"My pleasure."

With that, he left her cabin, leaving Haya more confused than she was ever. She was glad for finding what she was desperate for but the over-friendliness took her off guard. She was sure in a working environment people don't get too personal. As personal as finding apartments and such.

It made her rethink all the decisions she had taken. Did she do the right thing by letting an unknown person know about her vulnerability? No matter who the person was, he was still an unknown.

Will he perhaps take advantage of the situation, why would he go to such lengths for her? All the questions were very irksome.