#4 [B]

"No, Ammi. I'll go and do it myself, I'm the one that'll benefit from it after all. I'll gladly work, Ammi. But never think of working for anyone as per as we're all alive," Fadwa said, walking over to where Majida was standing unable to move a limb.

Fadwa placed her hands on Majida's shoulders and smiled. "Haba Majida is, your Addah would be all fine with herself. Don't get angry over this kinji? I'll be fine and we shall all smile someday. Aren't you happy that I'm not going to drop out? I'll be safe, no one will harass your Addah. Trust me."

"But Addah..." her words were made guttural when Fadwa hugged her tightly and patted her back.

"It's okay, Majida. I'll be fine, trust me."

•

Fadwa had her eyes wide open until she heard their front door being barged into and she heard his usual incoherent words mumbling. She felt as Ammi slowly sat upright and heaved a sigh, hushing some du'as over her brought up palms.

Fadwa heard as Ammi slowly slipped out of the bed where they were lying together with Sabeehah. Fadwa swiftly sat upright on their mattress and looked at Ammi under the moonlight illuminating from the single window they have in the room.

"Ammi you shouldn't go please, he might beat you over this small issue," she slurred. She knew she isn't emotionally stable to hold any more drama of Baffah in her heart this night.

"It's okay, Fadwa. And I know he wouldn't beat me just because one of the daughters he doesn't care about is going to work as a maid. Trust me, he wouldn't mind." And off she went, leaving Fadwa alone in the room-deep in thoughts.

She thought about how she would start living as a maid. How she would always have to be obedient and couldn't object to anything being said to her, not that she's the type that objects to anything even it's Sabeehah that said it. How would she start living under the same roof with a guy that's supposed to be her boss? Would he be nice to her? Would she irritate him as she has always irritated her classmates? Would he act like she was invisible like all the inhabitants of this earth do?

"He accepted. You should sleep so you could wake up early-Abban Nadia leaves at 6 in the morning."

•

Fadwa stared down at the okada man standing before her on his machine. She looked at Abban Nadia and he flashed her an assuring look, "Hop on, Fadwa-we shouldn't be late."

She nodded her head and hesitatingly hopped behind the okada man and he ignited on the machine and they drove away to Mafia quarters.

The machine came to a halt before the gate of an apartment that almost had Fadwa lost a step towards the house. She could see it beautiful from the outside, and she was afraid of what's in the inside.

"Let's get inside, Fadwa. The security officer guarding him at might probably be eager to leave because I'm minutes late." And she nodded again. He doesn't mind; because Abban Nadia is used to her answering with everything in pantomime.

They got into the house and Fadwa controlled herself not to drool over the sight that caught her eyes. She was beyond amazed, she looked at Abban Nadia asking for something she would do with only her eyes.

"Fadwa over there is the main entrance door, get in and wait in the living room. If you have a problem, you shouldn't hesitate to ask me." She nodded again and he disappeared into the guard's room and Fadwa took hesitating steps towards the said door.