Mr Elliott was seated in his study, his full attention on the file he was reading. It was a contract he was offered by one of their long time partners. A big decision would be made as to whether or not they should involve the sagirs in it.
Mr Elliott thought that it would be best to inform sudais about it before signing the paper. He removed his eyeglasses, kept them on his table and wiped away the sweat that had gathered around his eyes. He dialed sudais's number and asked him about it.
"Mr Elliott, I don't think its a good idea. As you know, my father and the former owner of the f&f were rivals before. They didn't get along well, so we won't be part if it." Sudais explained to Mr Elliott as he prepared himself for bed.
"Are you sure about it Mr sudais?" Mr Elliott asked.
"Yes Mr Elliott. But you can go ahead without us. Thank you." Sudais replied and the call ended.
Mr Elliott wore his glasses and began to sign the papers. It was another great opportunity and he wouldn't want to miss it. His phone rang and revealed a name. "Mr Fahad".
Mr Fahad was the new president of the f&f building and estate company. The most building projects in London were done by the company and they made billions in each of it.
Mr Elliott picked the call and answered with delight.
" Good evening Mr Fahad. "
"Good evening Mr Elliott." Mr fahad's deep voice spoke from the other line.
"I was just signing the papers before you called. I really like your idea Mr Fahad. What a civil minded person you are." Mr Elliott said and complimented. It would be low not to acknowledge such intelligence. He earned a laughter from Mr Fahad.
"Thank you Mr Elliott. You aren't bad yourself, you won the award for the best builder of the year!" Mr Fahad exclaimed and Mr Elliott laughed.
"I guess the sagir's will not be participating in this, seeing that you mentioned nothing about them." Mr Fahad said knowingly.
"Yes, they have a lot of projects at hand. There's literally no room for another one at the moment. That is why. But don't worry, we've got your back." Mr Elliott said.
Mr Fahad laughed at Mr Elliott's attempt to cover up for the sagirs even though he was unaware of the grudges the held for years and the reasons behind them.
"Okay, goodnight Mr Fahad. I'll send a trustee of mine tomorrow. She'll be at your building by twelve in the afternoon. I hope the time will be convenient for you?" Mr Elliott asked.
"No problem Mr Elliott. I'll be at the office by then, but it shouldn't arrive late because I'll be going somewhere an hour later than that and I don't think I'll be back."
They said their goodnight and ended the call.
Mr Elliott dialed farida's number several times but not answered. She had switch her phone to silent mode after having a bad night. He thought for a second and dialed Mercy's number.
"Hello Mr Elliott." Mercy said.
"Sorry to disturbed you so late at night mercy." Mr Elliott apologized when he heard the sound of her voice, he knew that he had woken her from a beauty sleep.
"No problem sir. Is there a problem sir?" Mercy asked.
"No problem. I just want to tell you to come to work tomorrow. Sorry I know its Saturday but its very important." Mr Elliott requested.
"No problem sir. Should I come at the usual time?" She asked.
"Come around ten in the morning. I just want you to deliver a file to the f&f."
"Okay sir."
"Thank you. Goodnight."
***
"Sudais is still so full of ego." Fauziya said to her brother Fahad.
"His loss. He wouldn't let bygones be bygones. There are no grudges in business." Fahad said to his sister and sipped his black coffee. Something he learnt from his old pal sudais. But gone were those days.
"Well brother, I have a juicy gossip for you." Fauziya threw her hand around her brother's shoulder playfully. She was his best friend.
"Hmm. What are you up to parrot." He asked his sister.
"I heard that Afaan is getting married to that witch."
Fahad looked at his sister with annoyance.
"Don't call someone witch fauzee."
Fauziya rolled her eyes at him.
"So, who's the witch?" Fahad asked.
"You're always so clueless Fahad." Fauziya exclaimed and scooted closer to Fahad.
"Its zaynerb Ajaaz." She whisper yelled.
"Hmm. I see. She really is a witch." Fahad replied, earning a slap on his arm.
"What were you saying earlier, that I should not call someone a witch?"
"I didn't know it was her." Fahad said and they bursted into a fit of laughter.
***
It was Saturday morning.
Seema stood in front of her daughters door. She contemplated whether or not she should enter and check on her. She placed some light knocks on the door, so that she would wake her up if she was still sleeping.
"Come in." Farida said from the room. She was still not out of bed.
Seema closed the door behind her after getting in. She walked quietly to farida's bed and sat beside her.
"I know what you must be feeling habibati. But please don't let it get to you. Don't focus on the past, I just want you to move on with your life." Seema said to her daughter whose eyes were now wide open.
"You are the only child Allah gave us. You have always been our first priority, we want nothing but your happiness my dear. Every sweat your father and I are shedding is for you and our grandchildren. So please don't let anything break you because we will be broken as well." Seema added.
"But mum, how was it my fault?"
Farida asked as she was still so confused about the whole thing.
"There is more to it than what meets your eyes my child. With time, you will understand everything. That is why we want you to get better and regain all of your memories soon. But I want you to know that whatever happened that day was not your fault. They were wrong, not us and they owe us an apology. We owe them nothing." Seema made clear and Farida nodded. She trusted her mother more than anyone else.
They exchanged smiles and decided to start the day in good moods.
Farida was convinced by her mother. She'd always been a girl who accepts fate and try to move on with life. Just like she learned to love her husband back then even though she wanted to hate him.
"I want to take the children to the park today." Farida told her parents as they had their breakfast. The two of them looked at their daughter and smiled, it was as if nothing happened the other night.
"That will be good dear. They Haven't gone to the park in a while." Ali said to her.
"Yes, but i won't take them to the usual one this time. Ajwad said that there's a scary clown there." Farida said, buttering breads for the twins.
"Yeahhh!" Ajwad agreed with his mother. Seema laughed at him and rubbed his already messy hair.
After breakfast, Farida bathed the twins one by one and got them dressed. She dressed up herself as well, she had planned to go to Willow's house after taking the children around the park.
"There is a good park I know, should I take you there. They have very tasty snacks there too. I used to take you there when you were a child." Seema said to her daughter as beautiful memories flashed in her eyes. Farida could see that her mother was happier than usual, it was because of the little talk they had in the morning.
"Yes mum. That will be great cause I don't wanna get my children anywhere near a crazy scary clown. Especially not after watching that horror movie with Willow" Farida replied and they laughed.
Ali went to the garage and the others headed to the park happily.
They arrived at the park and seema asked to show them around which Farida agreed. The park was beautiful and joyful. There were flowers around it, something azrah loved to see. The kids jumped happily ones they set their feet on the grasses. A lot of parents were there to watch their kids have fun, it was absolutely perfect for a family picnic but that wasn't what they were they to do.
"Wow, we should come for a picnic sometime." Farida said to her mother.
"I totally agree." Seema replied.
After a while of showing them around the park and shops, seema decided to head back home before lunch time and left the mother and children to have fun.
After a while of playing with sand, azrah and ajwad started to look for food. Children cannot do without food, that was the reason seema chose that specific park for the children. Halal foods and snacks were available.
" Okay, let's go to the shops and get food okay." Farida asked her children.
"Yeah!!!" The two said at a time. Their mother laughed at their behaviors.
"So what will my babies like to eat?" Farida asked.
"I want spring rolls and ice cream." Azrah said.
"What about you my Darling?" Farida turned toward ajwad who seemed to be distracted by a young boy of his age at the other side. He took a Liking towards the boy and wanted to be friends. He liked to play with other kids.
Ajwad realized that his mother was talking to him and answered.
"I want meatballs with cheese on them and ice pop." He answered excitedly, Hoping that his mother would grant him his wish.
"Your wish is my command baby." The mother said and he jumped in excitement.
They went towards an open ice cream cart and made their purchase after the two have chosen their desired flavors.
They turned around to leave when she bumped into a young blonde guy who was going to get ice cream for his son as well.
"Oh, so sorry." The exchanged apologies and parted.
After walking and running around for hours, Farida was completely exhausted and wanted to just go home.
"I'll call grandma to come take us back home okay." Farida said and pulled out her phone. The three of them were sitting on the grazed grasses. Ajwad spotted the boy from before and began pulling his mother up to take him there.
"Mama, come." He yelled and tears threatened to fall. She turned around and saw the boy who was almost the same age as ajwad.
"Okay, I'm coming." She stood up and carried azrah on her back. She had started to sleep on the grass. Ajwad pulled his mother towards the boy as she made her call.
"Hey mother, we're done for today." She said while ajwad poked the boy he wanted as a friend. The boy turned to look at the boy who had been poking his shoulder and they smiled at each other. One can never understand the kid's language when they're talking to one another.
The boy's father was standing right beside his son and smiling at the two boys who had made a beautiful friendship.
"Yes mother, they had so much fun." Farida said and laughed.
The boy's father looked up at the fine woman in front of him. A part of him wished she wasn't a married woman, he couldn't ignore the fact that she was one of a kind. Wearing a hijab in London, it wasn't something you see everyday.
Although she could be another person like himself, single but a parents or maybe she's not even the mother. He wanted to try his luck and he was indeed lucky.
"Mom. We'll talk when you get here, not on the phone." Farida said between laughter.
She ended the call and noticed the two boys playing with each other.
"Hello ma'am." The boy's father greeted.
"Hi. Are you the boy's father?" She asked.
"Yes, I see the two want to be friends." He said with a bright smile on his face which encouraged a friendly conversation.
"Yes, he actually wanted to play with him ever since we got here today." She replied and adjusted azrah at her back.
"I'm Fahad by the way, and you are Mrs...." He trailed on.
"Miss Farida actually, and these are my beautiful children."
He was glad that he wasn't talking to a married woman but he wanted to know more about her. Something about her made him remember his late wife. There was so much similarities in the way they dressed and behave. His late wife was a British woman too and he loved her more than he loved himself, unfortunately, she died after suffering from brain cancer. He met her when his family first moved to London. It was a rainy day, him and his best friend sudais had gone out for lunch with their other friends.
"Beautiful indeed, and this is my son faysal." Fahad said.
She picked her phone that was ringing, her mother had arrived to take them home.
"My mum is here, we have to go now. Come on ajwad." Farida said as she pulled ajwad away.
"Hey, I think the boys are sad about this. Why don't they meet up some other time. Maybe tomorrow?" Fahad suggested.
"Do you want to come and meet your new friend tomorrow my love?" Farida asked ajwad.
"Yeah!!!" He replied.
"Shall we meet at nine in the morning?" Fahad asked and hoped she would agree.
"No problem. Bye." She replied and the boys said their goodbyes.
Meanwhile, seema watched as the event unfold. She was glad that her daughter was finally ready to move on. But was that really her daughters intention?
"Mom, we're going to Willow's after lunch." Farida said to her mother after getting into the car.
"Okay dear" seema replied.
Farida's phone rang and revealed an unknown number. She picked the call and remained silent. After a while, maryam's voice was heard.
"Hello."
"Oh hi dear."
"How are you doing? I called many times last night to check if you arrived home safely but there was no answer. I thought something happened." Maryam said worriedly.
"I'm so sorry to worry you love. I slept off when I got home last night. I wanted to call back this morning but I got distracted by something else." Farida replied.
"I've thought about coming to stay with you for a while, I think its the best thing to do." Maryam said.
"You've made the right choice then. No one deserves to be treated that way. When are you coming?"
"Tonight, I think." Maryam replied.
"Okay, I'll text you the address." Farida said and hung up. She texted Maryam the address to her house and told her mother all about it.
Meanwhile, Fahad was eager to meet the fine woman again.
***