Stand by me

18. Work and repeat.

Irene walked back to her office slowly with a frown on her pretty face. Alfred just had to make her confront a lowly girl and she ended up exchanging words with her. She scoffed after remembering Safiyya's question. The girl must be dreaming if she thinks that she will be promoted that easily. 

She reached her office and her secretary quickly stood up. Dressed in a silver shirt and black suit pants, her secretary Lucas, smiled fawningly at her.

He left his desk and walked over to her. "The Hollys signed the agreement for the investment today. They want an appointment to meet with you," he told her.

"Then arrange it," Irene returned impatiently. After telling him what they needed, why would he keep asking her all the time?

"Yes, Miss Irene," Lucas nodded. Irene rolled her eyes and entered her office. She wondered how long she could tolerate this guy before she fired him.

Lucas scratched his head and walked back to his desk. He tried his best to make her deals move smoothly but she never appreciated it. He knows how she complains when he fails to tell her before doing something, but she still complains when he does.

Lucas admired Irene for her hard work and consistency and when a test for made for her secretary recruitment, he fought with many to get it but he was starting to regret doing that.

"No. I can't give up. I have to show her my worth," he gritted his teeth and muttered will determination.

Meanwhile, Safiyya was bewildered by Gab's statement.
"It isn't as easy as you think,"

"Huh?" she exclaimed, making Gab chuckle at her cute reaction.

"What's your name girl?" he asked for the starters.

"Safiyya," she replied.

"Alright, Sofiyya. Since Miss Fernandez brought you here, I should take good care of you," Gab smiled. "Come with me," he ushered and they walked to a working desk. He pushed the mess on top and went behind it, then brought out a file from the drawer.

"Fill this form," he said and gave her a pen.

Safiyya sat down on the chair and filled out the form. She handed it to Gab and he told her, "The filing room C10 is headed by me and I usually have four assistants. Several times, the assistants are workers who were faulty in their department and are brought here to work for a while to atone for their mistakes and when I am satisfied, they leave. The assistants I have today were suddenly asked to be discharged. I have had to work a lot for the past few hours and I thought that new ones would arrive but only you were brought here."

Safiyya was surprised. It can't be.

Gab rubbed his eyebrow and confirmed her speculations. "I don't know what is going on here but I have to tell you this. For you to get promoted, you have to work four times than anyone. We are stuck here, "

Safiyya's gaze went still while processing these words. Four times? Ya Allah. She closed her eyes and prayed silently. Hasbunallahu wa ni'imal wakeel.

She opened her eyes and nodded, "I will try my best."

"Uhmm." Gab stood up and added, "I would have loved to give you your uniform now but we have a lot to do. There are files we have to give the other filing rooms for delivery before the lunch break by 1. So let's start. Quickly!"

Here we go. Safiyya stood up and Gab showed her the heap of papers she had to photocopy and arrange while he went to his desk, doing some registering.

Safiyya picked up the first file and started sorting them out. She turned on the machine and got familiar with it before the hellish work began. Photocopying, sorting, arranging, and repeat. Safiyya could feel her legs tiring but she still kept on.

As time went on, she just felt Gab's movement as he kept more files on the desk. Safiyya glanced at them and moved those she was done with and moved them to the sorting desk again. She took out more files and arranged them. She sealed them and checked the numbering while stacking them.

The machine beeped and she went back to continue. Some minutes later, she heard the ringing of a bell. The lunch break. Which means it was 1 o'clock. Safiyya blinked because this meant that the time for Zuhr too.

"We can't stop now girl," she heard Gab's voice. "There are five more to go. Let's see if we can finish before the hour is gone,"

Safiyya nodded and pursed her lips. Even as the papers were moving, she felt her hands start to shake. The lunch break will end by 2 and if she doesn't finish before time, the work will continue and that means she won't get the chance to pray.

Safiyya suddenly stooped and calmed her breathing. Haste brings waste. She knew that if she didn't calm down now, she might make a mistake and end up with nothing.

I can finish. Allah is with me, she uttered and continued. Gab was pleasantly surprised because he saw how the girl was sweating and almost panicking. Eating shouldn't be a case in the filing office, so he wondered why she was panicking and he was amazed at how she calmed down. The work did move smoothly and ten minutes before 2, she was done sorting the last file.

Safiyya kept her hands on the table and took rapid breaths. A handkerchief hovered before her eyes and she took it and wiped her face before muttering a thank you to Gab.

"You can go get some food now," he said but Safiyya bit her lips and asked,
"Is there a room here that I can pray?"

No wonder she was panicking, Gab came to the realization. He pointed at a door behind a filing cabinet. "The locker room is there. You can pray there. But be fast before 2," he said.

Safiyya nodded with a smile and went outside to the female's restroom to freshen up and perform ablution. She then rushed to the locker room and she was glad that she came out with an extra veil. She checked her wrist watch which has a mechanism for direction and faced the Qibla. Time to pray.

And it's a wrap.😁

A special thanks to PreetiSingari
Jazakillahu khair for the love you show SBM every day. ❤️❤️❤️