The Ally - Part One
“This is what he got me for my birthday; it’s exactly what I wanted”. She extended her hand bragging about the ring tones, the Fuchsia color, how it matched her style. She insinuated that she gets what she wants, even if it’s just a birthday gift. She amused me. She munched the second donuts from the plate, leaving the mobile set on her desk. She moved and sat across my desk.
“Don’t you ever wonder who the guy I’m going out with?" Aida said.
“No idea”, I said this I-wouldn’t-care-less tone was too loud for her ego to just dismiss herself out of this chitchat. There’s a point that she was trying to make.
“I’m sure you have no idea about the guy who got me the gift, he’s your neighbor. And he’s working with us here in the finance.” That was a real riddle for me because my neighbors are Italians and the couple are above 80. And I don’t think I have any neighbors working at the same company.
“Ok, ok, I have no clue who you’re talking about”, I became intrigued. “Besides, all the men working in the finance are married.”
“He’s Nizar.” Aida said confidently
“Nizar who? the finance deputy head. No way, but he’s married and he has a boy, I guess.”
“Yes, it’s him.” A dart hit the center of the target. No the center of my heart. I was shocked, shocked because there was nothing special about him in the first place. Not only he was married, taken; he was also a bit tall, chubby, with a big tummy. He was in his mid 30’s; he was a typical classical turn off. The remarkable thing about him was his glasses, they hid most of his features. He was too plain, too plain to attract anyone. I was baffled. My thoughts collided and tumbled down against each other. I was wondering how, when, why, why…how did it all start, when do they really meet and why did this all happen in the first place…what about this wife? What about his boy?
As I was wondering and staring at her eyes, she laughed gloriously, triumphantly defying the entire world and mimicking my confusion. She felt special; she was promoted to a wife, a mother.
“Yes he has a baby boy she said, he just 4 but he’s always sick. His mum doesn’t really know how to take care of him, he’s very weak. He says that she’s very selfish and only cares for herself. I feel sorry for the kid. I have raised my young brothers and a sister and I still do. So it won’t be an issue to raise his little one. He’s impressed by the way I treat my sister n brothers.”
All I could say was “Aren’t you afraid? Is this really the person that you want to be with, out of everyone? “
She moved back to get another doughnut and said “Listen mira, I love this man. He’s the love of my life. He loves me even more. We need each other because we’re each other’s comfort. He tells me that he hates talking to his wife and there’s nothing to talk about. All what they do is argue and fight about everything but I’m his loved one. She is a nagging, complaining and ungrateful wife. she doesn’t deserve such a nice person.
“If she’s that horrific, how come he hasn’t divorced her yet? “
“That’s a long story, bottom-line, he can’t divorce her away from her homeland and he hasn’t saved up for the alimony and child support. Until then, they have to remain married and we have to keep our love a secret.” Winking at me.
My heart started pounding, I was turning yellow. I was claustrophobic but this almost chocked me exactly like being in an elevator. “Aida, I have to go to take those files to David. He was expecting me since the morning. “ I rushed out
I left and took my first deep breath in the corridor. I walked to the cafeteria; made myself a cup of tea. That’s why she invited me to her home, to introduce her ally to her parents. I was new to the town, coming for the intern, living with my father in the same compound Nezar lived in. I was her way into the compound. She would always pass by in a hurry telling me that she was meeting her friends for a walk.
So fooled and used, this is how I felt. But why tell me her obnoxious secret? Why disclose this hideous secret? It was so revolting for me. And I couldn’t understand what kind of conscious would accept deceiving the closest around them. It shook my trust in everything, everyone. What I took for granted seemed so farfetched. This safe world that I keep envisioning doesn’t exist. it’s a fantasy.
They were both very cruel. So, when she was giggling over the phone, it was with him. When she was texting over and over, it was him. When she was on msn first thing in the morning, it was him. When she was rushing out, dressed to kill, for her weekly finance meeting, it was to impress him. When she asked my opinion about the sliver lighter, the black tie, the Mont balance pen; they were all for him. Everything around me seemed filthy and dirty. I was an accomplice.
The more I thought about it, the more I felt lost. It was a maze, I couldn’t get out of. I stumbled. I disproved being manipulated and used. But I pitied myself more than the deceived wife. I was deceived too but it was different.
I had a crazy urge to leave; go meet Nizar’s wife, tell her all, everything. But this idea was shun by fear, fear of rejection, fear or confrontation, fear of trouble. Maybe I could send her hints; even that soothing idea may affect my intern here in this company. I don’t want to be labeled as trouble maker when I’m the sweetheart of the company. It was too big for me to handle.
“Hi Mira,” a voice came over, my heart throbbed in my rib.
“Hi Nizar, you sacred me. I was daydreaming “
“sorry to interrupt that” he said cautiously, “but I wanted to tell you that we would like to come over after dinner to meet up with your Dad.”
I stuttered “who, when…”he interrupted confidently” I’d like to come over to your home with my wife and kid to welcome you to our compound. It’s a tradition in the compound. “
“Yes sure, welcome, anytime.”
“Great, then see you later.”
With a sigh, Aida must have told him that she told me all about them. Maybe he’s testing my reaction. I crouch in my chair and wanted to vanish.
TO BE CONTINUED
“Don’t you ever wonder who the guy I’m going out with?" Aida said.
“No idea”, I said this I-wouldn’t-care-less tone was too loud for her ego to just dismiss herself out of this chitchat. There’s a point that she was trying to make.
“I’m sure you have no idea about the guy who got me the gift, he’s your neighbor. And he’s working with us here in the finance.” That was a real riddle for me because my neighbors are Italians and the couple are above 80. And I don’t think I have any neighbors working at the same company.
“Ok, ok, I have no clue who you’re talking about”, I became intrigued. “Besides, all the men working in the finance are married.”
“He’s Nizar.” Aida said confidently
“Nizar who? the finance deputy head. No way, but he’s married and he has a boy, I guess.”
“Yes, it’s him.” A dart hit the center of the target. No the center of my heart. I was shocked, shocked because there was nothing special about him in the first place. Not only he was married, taken; he was also a bit tall, chubby, with a big tummy. He was in his mid 30’s; he was a typical classical turn off. The remarkable thing about him was his glasses, they hid most of his features. He was too plain, too plain to attract anyone. I was baffled. My thoughts collided and tumbled down against each other. I was wondering how, when, why, why…how did it all start, when do they really meet and why did this all happen in the first place…what about this wife? What about his boy?
As I was wondering and staring at her eyes, she laughed gloriously, triumphantly defying the entire world and mimicking my confusion. She felt special; she was promoted to a wife, a mother.
“Yes he has a baby boy she said, he just 4 but he’s always sick. His mum doesn’t really know how to take care of him, he’s very weak. He says that she’s very selfish and only cares for herself. I feel sorry for the kid. I have raised my young brothers and a sister and I still do. So it won’t be an issue to raise his little one. He’s impressed by the way I treat my sister n brothers.”
All I could say was “Aren’t you afraid? Is this really the person that you want to be with, out of everyone? “
She moved back to get another doughnut and said “Listen mira, I love this man. He’s the love of my life. He loves me even more. We need each other because we’re each other’s comfort. He tells me that he hates talking to his wife and there’s nothing to talk about. All what they do is argue and fight about everything but I’m his loved one. She is a nagging, complaining and ungrateful wife. she doesn’t deserve such a nice person.
“If she’s that horrific, how come he hasn’t divorced her yet? “
“That’s a long story, bottom-line, he can’t divorce her away from her homeland and he hasn’t saved up for the alimony and child support. Until then, they have to remain married and we have to keep our love a secret.” Winking at me.
My heart started pounding, I was turning yellow. I was claustrophobic but this almost chocked me exactly like being in an elevator. “Aida, I have to go to take those files to David. He was expecting me since the morning. “ I rushed out
I left and took my first deep breath in the corridor. I walked to the cafeteria; made myself a cup of tea. That’s why she invited me to her home, to introduce her ally to her parents. I was new to the town, coming for the intern, living with my father in the same compound Nezar lived in. I was her way into the compound. She would always pass by in a hurry telling me that she was meeting her friends for a walk.
So fooled and used, this is how I felt. But why tell me her obnoxious secret? Why disclose this hideous secret? It was so revolting for me. And I couldn’t understand what kind of conscious would accept deceiving the closest around them. It shook my trust in everything, everyone. What I took for granted seemed so farfetched. This safe world that I keep envisioning doesn’t exist. it’s a fantasy.
They were both very cruel. So, when she was giggling over the phone, it was with him. When she was texting over and over, it was him. When she was on msn first thing in the morning, it was him. When she was rushing out, dressed to kill, for her weekly finance meeting, it was to impress him. When she asked my opinion about the sliver lighter, the black tie, the Mont balance pen; they were all for him. Everything around me seemed filthy and dirty. I was an accomplice.
The more I thought about it, the more I felt lost. It was a maze, I couldn’t get out of. I stumbled. I disproved being manipulated and used. But I pitied myself more than the deceived wife. I was deceived too but it was different.
I had a crazy urge to leave; go meet Nizar’s wife, tell her all, everything. But this idea was shun by fear, fear of rejection, fear or confrontation, fear of trouble. Maybe I could send her hints; even that soothing idea may affect my intern here in this company. I don’t want to be labeled as trouble maker when I’m the sweetheart of the company. It was too big for me to handle.
“Hi Mira,” a voice came over, my heart throbbed in my rib.
“Hi Nizar, you sacred me. I was daydreaming “
“sorry to interrupt that” he said cautiously, “but I wanted to tell you that we would like to come over after dinner to meet up with your Dad.”
I stuttered “who, when…”he interrupted confidently” I’d like to come over to your home with my wife and kid to welcome you to our compound. It’s a tradition in the compound. “
“Yes sure, welcome, anytime.”
“Great, then see you later.”
With a sigh, Aida must have told him that she told me all about them. Maybe he’s testing my reaction. I crouch in my chair and wanted to vanish.
TO BE CONTINUED
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