Dangerous Territory [Completed]

The Lawyer

When I noticed that he had taken the route towards the city, I at last dared to ask him what he intended to do. If once, some long time ago, he was ever intimidated by me, I wondered what I’d want to name the feelings that surged in my heart, for I knew his presence was something more than intimidating for me. 

He imparted in his usual flat and detached voice that he was taking me back home to get the required money, and was also thinking about informing his own lawyer so he could offer whatever assistance he could. I proposed that we could involve my father’s friend instead. In response he gave me a look from which I gleaned that I better let him do what he thought was right and let him work in his own way. I could only oblige, for I really wasn’t in the position to criticise. Quite warily as I stole glances of his face, I told him about Father's condition, to see what reaction it would incite, hoping he’d offer a word of sympathy. But he looked at me briefly and then averted his gaze back to the road. 

“I promise once back home, I’ll make Father reopen Uncle’s case, re audit the files.” I spoke in a low voice, somewhat expecting a kind, positive response, staring at my hands as the car ran forth. 

All he said though was, “We’ll see about that later.”

I felt a desire so strong to do whatever in my power to execute the promise that would not rest until I’d seen it through. I’d never felt so fiercely about anything ever before. A flicker of worry breathed somewhere in the corner of my heart regarding my medical studies, but I had to close the door and focus on the life threatening matter at hand. I would not be able to cope with life itself, studies were inconsequential. 

In two hours we had entered the city, and as Adil wound the car through traffic signals and curves of streets, a sense of foreboding and dread slowly spread over my heart leaving little space for me to breathe. Surprisingly, he stopped at a restaurant with an open kitchen, left the car running and climbed out, headed for the counter. In a couple of minutes he was back with a parcel and as he drove the car forth, he handed me a chicken roll and kept his own box of french fries on the dashboard. Muttering a sincere thank you, I unwrapped the roll and took a bite, realizing for the first time how hungry I was. 

My house felt hollow, dull and a mere edifice that gave space to everything but life. The silence that stretched from the front gates to my father’s room creeped me out. Baba Farid offered a greeting and one of the house maids ran to me, informing Father was in a very serious condition. I could only nod in response as I practically sprinted up the stairs, the maid at my heels. It took me only a couple of minutes to locate Father’s checkbook in his briefcase. As I came back down, with the maid continuously repeating the same question with her annoying little voice, I felt I didn’t want to live anymore in this huge mansion that had the space to host only three people in its seven rooms. When I came out of the front doors and the maid hadn’t shut up, I whipped around to face her, my temper flaring and snapped. 

“What?!” 

“Should I call the police ma’am?” Taking a step back in fright, she asked in a small voice, looking somewhat bewildered. Served her right for nagging me like that, I thought and made it clear to her that all she and the others needed to do was to attend to Father and take care of the house while I was away. With a vigorous nod, she backed another step and I turned around and started towards the driveway where Adil stood waiting leaning against the car.  

When he saw me come nearer, he opened the door and got in without a word. I went around to the passenger's seat and settled down. Father had once told me when I had asked him for some extra money for a friend's wedding last year, that he kept a couple blank cheques signed in cases like these, therefore I could write in whatever amount I needed, and leave him in the study in peace. He'd been reading a really thick book at that moment. I flipped the pages back and forth, eyes fixed on the lower part of the cheques, and in the exact middle I glimpsed two of them signed, and immediately taking a pen from the dashboard scribbled an amount of 2 billion. Adil meanwhile turned the key into the ignition bringing the car to life and then steered us out of the house.