Chapter Ten – Same destination

Alaya could not believe what she was hearing. Layaan’s father fought against Raphael’s business? Because Raphael apparently ‘stole’ to grow his business?!

“Is this all true?” Alaya asked, out of the blue as the men were shaking their heads as though to ‘sympathize’ the business they were talking about.

“Well yes Alaya. All of it happened just a week ago. The hotelier who managed all hotels of the company was badly coning another company to eventually take over it. But thankfully the small company’s manager had a talk with me and we fought against them. The CEO of the Lightspeed businesses wouldn’t take the blame on himself and put the blame on the manager of the department. Nonetheless, he was fined handsomely despite the great mind tricks he attempted to play….” Ahmed explained.

“Pfftt……do you call them great mind tricks dad? He almost got himself in jail. And you would know him Alaya. He studied with us in the same school. Remember the guy who was called the spouse of the cow? Well that’s the guy. How in the world do you think a guy like that could build such a huge business all on his own except by coning? I’d say, we better watch out for him dad. God knows how many more people he has cheated.” Layaan said.

“Oh!” Alaya said and could not help but look down. When she did, she didn’t realize that Layaan exchanged sly smiles with his father.

She thought about what Layaan was saying though. But found it so hard to believe. How could Raphael, whom she saw to be the most responsible and honest of people, be accused of such treachery? He used to be one who used to feed the boys in the neighborhood, though he was starving. He used to be the one who refused to take the extra coin that a shopkeeper had given by mistake. He used to be kind to even the stray animals he found on the road. He literally wouldn’t even hurt a fly!

“This is a misunderstanding!” Alaya said out loud subconsciously. When she realized she just said it, she looked up and saw the smiles on everyone’s faces fading.

“What do you mean Alaya?” Mahmood asked.

“Dad, I’ve known Raphael….the owner of that business. He could not have done such a thing.” Alaya said with confidence.

“How can you be so sure Alaya?” Layaan asked, with his eyes narrowed.

“I just know it!” Alaya said in her firm voice.

“Does this mean that you are accusing us of lying, Alaya?” asked Ahmed in a serious tone. As Mahmood was about to speak nervously in defense, Alaya spoke.

“No I did not mean that. But I am saying that you may be mistaken. Maybe it wasn’t Raphael’s fault at all. Maybe he did not know what that manager was up to.” Alaya said. She surprised herself by how much she defended someone she’d love so long ago. It kind of scared her too.

Alaya saw disturbed looks on Layaan’s and his dad’s faces. As she was just about to think about why, Ahmed stood up.

“Mahmood….I think we better get going as we do feel that we are not so welcome here.” Ahmed said and Mahmood stood up with a desperate look.

“No please don’t say that. Forgive Alaya….she just gets curious sometimes. She didn’t mean to say that you were lying. Please do come back!” Mahmood followed the father son pair towards the door. Alaya felt a rage inside her when she heard her father begging them. Why in the world was he doing that? He didn’t have to beg to anyone! For anything! Especially not in one of her cases!!!

“We will come back once you have taught your daughter some manners. Right now we have to go. See you later.” Ahmed said and closed the door as he stepped out with his son.

Alaya stood up with her teeth gritted. She got even madder when her father kept staring at the door in despair. Why was he behaving the way he is? She never saw him like this before.

“Dad what are you doing? If they say they don’t want us then so be it! You don’t need to plead to them. I don’t like them anyway!” Alaya said.

“Watch your mouth Alaya. You don’t know what you are talking about!” said Waleeda who came into the scene along with Asma.

“All I know is we don’t have to fall to anyone’s feet for anything. They are not doing us a favour in anyway.” Alaya said.

“You don’t know what they are doing for us and besides…..why were you talking about some other boy in front of your fiancée, that too defending him against your father-in-law?” Waleeda asked.

“Well….I was just defending someone who could be innocent.”

“Could be? Since when did you start trusting strangers over the people who are here with you?”

“Th…that’s not the point. The point is you are trying to impress the wrong kind of people and that’s simply not right!!!” Alaya’s voice rose and her mother called her out at the top of her lungs. At that Mahmood called Waleeda and Alaya could not stand to be there. She just walked past her mother and her sister who stood there without saying anything.

It was quite in the house for the rest of the day. Alaya did not even come out for dinner. Mahmood did tell Waleeda to call her but she didn’t attempt to do it. After a late dinner, Waleeda sat on a sofa in the living room, lost in thoughts. Mahmood joined her and sat next to her while later. Waleeda took a look at his sad face.

“Is Ahmed going to come back to us with Layaan?” Waleeda asked.

“I think he will. He is a man of his word and won’t stop until Layaan and Alaya got married.” Mahmood said. Waleeda let out a sigh.

“Do you think Layaan is the right person for Alaya?” Waleeda said. Mahmood looked at her with a start.

“I did fight with Alaya for talking back to Ahmed today. But I do agree with what she said. They are a real show off.” Waleeda said.

“But we can’t afford to lose contact with Ahmed’s family Waleeda and you know it. There is a mortgage that we are not able to pay off for years. The interest is only building up. We could end up on a street if we don’t pay them in the next 3 months. If only……if only I listened to Asma when she told me not to buy a house on an interest-based loan. She told me to obey Allah, save a little along with Liam to buy a house. And I refused. And now we don’t have any choice but to marry Alaya off with Layaan. Ahmed agreed to help us on that condition.” Mahmood said, covering his face. He didn’t realize that Alaya was standing right behind them, listening to the conversation. She’d come to talk to them about how she felt about Layaan but now she wouldn’t be able to. She was disgusted like never before as she thought of how her parents were thinking of her like an object they could sell and earn money from.

“What’s happened cannot be changed. Allah will show us a way out. Maybe what I’m thinking is wrong. First impressions aren’t always right. Perhaps Layaan is a good match for Alaya and she will start liking him the more they meet up.” Waleeda said and Alaya just could not stay there. She turned her back to them and walked back into their room. She didn’t know that by doing that, she missed an important part of the conversation.

“But if she doesn’t like him, we mustn’t force her to marry him either. If I do that I will be a terrible father. I would rather live on street delivering a newspaper rather than living my whole life in regret of marrying my daughter to the wrong man.” Mahmood said.

“You are right Mahmood. We must do what’s right for Alaya.” Waleeda said and kept a hand on Mahmood’s shoulder to show her support on that decision.

Meanwhile Alaya went to her room and immediately picked up her phone to call Lilly. It took her only around a minute to explain it to her friend.

“This outrageous Lilly I seriously can’t believe my parents are doing this to me!” Alaya said grabbing a part of her bed sheet with her clenched fist as she sat on her bed.

“Well it’s not hard for me to believe. This is what I’ve been warning you of, Ally. Now there is no doubt that you have to go according to the other plan.” Lilly said and it calmed Alaya down as she thought of that ‘fear factor’ plan. She wanted to say yes on impulse but something stopped her.

“But…..Lilly. I cant leave my family like that in debt.”

“Tsk tsk….C’mon Alaya not again! Don’t you see what those people are doing to you?”

“I do…..but I don’t have the heart to hurt them on intention. I want to help them somehow.”

“Well then get married to a guy you hate just to pay off their debts. No need to think of the plan I told you about.” Lilly said and all of a sudden, Alaya’s face lit up.

“Or…..we can do both!” Alaya exclaimed.

“How?”

“I could get Layaan’s father to pay off my father’s debts and then runaway on the day of our marriage!” Alaya almost squeaked with the last words.

“Whoa! That’s my genius buddy right there! And it’d be a total pleasure for me and Neil to help you sneak out. OMG I’m so excited Alaya. Where do you wanna go?”

“Let’s see. Mhmm….” Alaya closed her eyes and got off her bed. She thought of all the amazing places she wanted to go to as she walked towards the window of her room with the help of the narrow vision she saw from in-between her eyelashes.

“Hello? You there Alaya?” Lilly asked and Alaya opened her eyes. Just as she was about to say she cant decide, she saw a page of a magazine from the corner of her eyes. It was an ad of Malaysian Airlines.

“Malaysia! I wanna go to Malaysia.” Alaya said calmly, quite pleased with the decision she made all of sudden for some unknown reason.

“Really Alaya? I thought you’d say something like Hollywood or Las Vegas or something. Think about it while you still have time ok?” Lilly said.

“No Lilly. I think I really wanna go. I kind of saw a sign that I should be going there.” Alaya said, taking the magazine in her hand.

Alaya didn’t realize that she made the decision subconsciously. Somewhere in her mind, she knew someone she wanted to see was going to that destination soon, though it did not occur to her at that moment.

**

Passengers filled a Malaysian Airlines plane at around 10:30 that night. A man in a suit who quickly walked through everyone, sat in an economy class seat near a window. As soon as he sat, he dialed a number. After a few rings he began to talk

“Hello Hafiz! Raphael here. I’m coming back to Malay, as I said in the interview. No matter how many people try to cheat and trap us, we are only going to go forward. It’s Allah we put our trust in. There is nothing that can stop us except by His Will. Make that clear to all the employees there. I’ll be there soon In Sha Allah.” Raphael said in a firm voice.