Stand by me

35. The only solution.

The kids find Joseph weird because of how he looks at them. It was never straight and that's why some mean kids point it out. The boy was also introverted and scared of their approach which made them think he was rude and made fun of him for not fitting in. For a year, he found it hard to adjust and learn. Joseph is strong to be able to endure in silence but hiding it in his heart made his view of people change.

Alfred's gaze was fixed on the carpet and Safiyya could visibly see his veins popping on his temple and hands. Alfred was finding it hard not to lash out after hearing all this. Joseph never mentioned this to him but that didn't anger him. It's the teacher who didn't mention it.

"It seems I need to sue the whole school for this crime. How dare they?" he muttered with gritted teeth. 

"But the whole school is not at fault?" Safiyya wondered out loud and he glared at her making her gulp nervously.

"And you claim to care about him," he scoffed. She frowned and phrased, "I care about Yousef more than you think. Do you think that I am not angry at this too? But you need to understand something. From what I have observed from Yousef, he is shy to speak to people. He didn't even tell you about this, how can you expect him to tell his teacher? She might be aware of it but doesn't know that it is serious. But we still can't deny she is at fault too for not being observant but you can't blame the whole school,"

Alfred was still glaring hard at her and she could understand his anger but he couldn't act unreasonably.
"Why are you even getting angry at them? If you ask me, you are most at fault sir Alfred. You don't care to ask him about his day. You don't know what's happening in his life. Shouldn't you have been the first person to know if something is wrong with him?" she added angrily and he shifted his gaze. He doesn't want anyone to see his guilt.

The room became quiet with only the faint splattering of rain from outside. Safiyya took a deep breath before speaking again.
"The main thing you have to do now is not attack the school but take care of Yousef instead. His case… is serious. Even for an adult much less a child,"

Alfred turned back to her and asked, "Are you crying?" he was sure he heard a sniff.

Safiyya fluttered her eyelashes and hugged her arms. "You don't know how Yousef is hurting because of this. He even thinks that I hate him. He calls himself dull, stupid, and…he has no confidence," the tears she was holding eventually flowed down. "Have you ever wondered why he fails his exams?" her voice broke down.

It was her silent sniffs that were heard despite her trying to block it. Alfred reached into his coat and brought out a white handkerchief.
"Take it," he handed it to her. Safiyya glanced at his hand briefly before taking it and wiped her face, the perfume assaulting her nose. "Yousef is living in a prison you know? Why would you hide him in the house with only a nanny or Old Xav when he should interact with other kids? He should enjoy his childhood like every other kid should,"

"You can't tell me what to do with my son," Alfred growled.

"Do you think that I will stay quiet about this?!" Safiyya fumed and stood up. He looked up at her but she held her stand.
"One of the main reasons he is hiding his feelings from you is because he lacks exposure. He can't speak up for himself or report when he is being bullied. You spend work all day long and have no time for him. Just because your days are used up doesn't mean that you should let him lose his too!"

"And you think that I love doing that?" Alfred returned and rubbed his face. "If I don't keep Joseph at home, how will he be protected?"

"Protect him from what?" Safiyya asked, confused. Alfred looked at her confused face and asked in a low voice, "Do you know why Joseph is like that? You think it's natural?"

Safiyya was bewildered and she dared not think of what caused this. Alfred shook his head and breathed. "You have no idea how it feels to your baby in blood or having a seizure. What you see now…is much better than before. Joseph was a very weak infant, sitting was a problem, sleeping was too and so was walking. Even talking….was hard. He only got better last year and started school. In such a condition, why would I let him stay outside? When all people would do is hurt him and judge him?!"

Safiyya felt a headache processing all this. It just keeps getting worse than she thinks.

"Let me help him. Please," she pleaded. If she doesn't stay with Yousef after knowing all this, it will break her completely.

Alfred held his temple and stayed quiet. How can he tell her that Joseph's mother was the one who did this to him and that she was a Muslim and that's why he doesn't want her close to his son?

'What Farah did is unacceptable to humanity not just my religion. Accusing all Muslims of this is wrong but I know that you won't listen to this at this moment but if one day you come across another Muslim,  I hope that you don't blame them for her crime.'

Those words rang in his mind and closed his eyes, gathering all that he's been thinking these days.
"Can I trust you Safiyya?" he asked seriously.

"You can trust me," she answered immediately, feeling some hope.

Alfred raised his head and looked at her again. "I can let you take care of Joseph as his nanny and I will pay for that. You will earn more than you will in Hill Corp. You are the only one that he is close to all his life and he trusts you, so I hope you aren't making all this up because if you dare hurt my son, you might be my first victim in a crime."

That was a threat but Safiyya wasn't concerned about that. All she heard was that she could take care of Yousef now.
"I promise to do a good job," she smiled excitedly.

"Don't get so excited easily, " Alfred eyed her and added, "I can't let Joseph stay in here with you and just like how his previous nannies worked, you will have to move to my house."

Safiyya's eyes widened and her mouth agape. "I…I can't do that, " she said.

"Then you can forget about it?" Alfred returned with a question. 

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