Having Faith | Book One

Chapter Seven - Finding A New Job

A tingle surged through her body. Could he have followed me home? The doorbell rang again. Layla don't be ridiculous; it would be impossible. She reluctantly walked towards the door.

"Who is it?"

"It's us! Mariam and Yara, Open the door." Mariam said.

A sigh of relief escaped her mouth. She let them in.

"What are you guys doing here?" her tone perplexed.

"You look like you have seen a ghost," Yara said, exchanging faces with Mariam.

They burst into laughter as they joined Aisha in the living room.

Glancing at the new center-piece Mariam smirked towards Layla.

"Khalto, that is a beautiful arrangement."

Layla gave Mariam an intense glare. I am going to kill you she mouthed in Mariam's direction.

Observing the girls' silent conversation Aisha said.

"She will tell you when she's ready."

⁕⁕

The insanity exalted in Ahmad's absence. A line of impatient clients demanded for the pickup orders as he walked into the studio. Nader and Amira stood at the desk frantically scouring for each order.

"I am sure your orders are here, please remain patient." Amira spoke calmly to the young couple in front of her.

The door shimmed as Ahmad walked through. Nader yelled at Ahmad as soon as he spotted him.

"Where were you? We have been running around like crazy trying to find the prints for the clients and they are nowhere to be found, yet you have been off God knows where"

"Don't worry about it, Nader. I am on it!" Ahmad said.

He raced over to his main photography office, finding it in chaos. What the fuck! I will deal with this later. He gathered all the prints and photo orders for the day and headed back out.

"HERE! USE YOUR GODDAMN EYES WILL YOU!" He yelled at his eldest brother.

He threw the prints on the open desk.

"What's his problem?" Amira looked back to Nader.

Nader shrugged.

"Allaho A'alam" (Only God Knows)

Later that evening, Ahmad couldn't get the image of the manager towering over Layla out of his mind. Thrusting forward with every punch imagining the coward's face plastered against the sandbag hanging from the ceiling. He felt his frustration lift.

"There you are, could you explain why you reacted the way you did returning to the studio?"

Yasmin stood at the door of the fitness room.

"Huh,"

Ahmad turned to face in the direction of the voice halfway through another swing. The weight-bag nearly knocked him out cold.

Her heart hit the floor. She rushed over.

"Ya Ebni (oh my son)" She shouted.

Ahmad hit the floor with a thud.

"Son of a Bitch!" He shouted.

Looking around he saw his mom beside him worried.

"Oh, I am sorry Mama"

His face flushed red, as he rose to his feet.

"I didn't see you coming in," He said before answering her main question. "I went to see Layla this afternoon on my break and well I saw a guy harassing her and it made me angry, that's all."