My translator, my spike's woman

Jamal is tired of feeding on his emotions. The visitors must be fed up. He needs to tell them to go home. No need waiting over nothing.

He leaves his depressed posture and at the door of the hotel, he feels a hand over his arm. He rolls his head to see—Myla staring at him with a sweet smile on her face.

This type of smile is encouraging and bold. It makes him joyous. Like he saw the Lord.

"Let's get in and get this done" she says and he smirks.

He shifts for her to walk ahead. She does and they get to the top of the hotel. In the conference room, he thrusts opens the door and the visitors are on their feet, about to leave.

Everyone freezes when they see Jamal and . . . a brown skin girl next to him.

"She's my new translator. I'm sorry for the inconvenience" Jamal speaks

A man from the group says "Nous somme desolé. Mais ont ne peux pas continué avec vous"

"He said—they are sorry. But they can't continue with you"

Jamal frowns "B-but we had an agreement. And the time just elapsed. We can still do this"

She faces them "Mais ont avez une agreement. Et le tempt se juste expirè. Ont peux encore fairè ça"

"None. Ont est desolé."

"No. We're sorry" Myla translates

Jamal exhales heavily and she stares at him with remorse. She can't see him loose this. It breaks her heart. She must do something.

"S'il-vous-plait. Ont cest que nous somme en faut, mais sachet-que vous voullez aussi cette contrat. Donc, ne nous m'etaient pas mal alleze quad en fien de la journé, vous tous devrait beneficiez de ça."

Please. We know that we are in fault, but all of you know that you also need this contract. So, don't make us feel bad when you all must benefit from this at the end of the day.

Jamal and Amid stare at her with pleated eyebrows. What is she saying?

They visitors are silently looking at one another. Suddenly one of them speaks, "Nous somme dacorè. Ont signeirent cette contrat."

She smiles bringing her head towards Jamal "We have agreed. We'd sign this contract"

He looks over at them and they send a grin. He nods and they go ahead and input their signatures and every other thing.

"Thanks" Jamal appreciates and Myla translates "Merci"

They dismiss themselves and Jamal blows his cheeks out. "Wow!"

Amid is just glaring at Myla, flabbergasted. But she is so happy. As though she was the one who won this contract. She doesn't know how to explain this type of feeling. They are pushing all at once. And she can't hide it.

She can't imagine she did this. She was scared she forgot French. She looks at Jamal and he's already drilling into her eyes.

Sometimes it's important to challenge yourself, instead of thinking you can't. But—she needs to return to school . . . now.

Jamal doesn't know what to say so he just stands there lost in her brown orbits until she confesses "I need . . . to head back to school"

"Oh. Yeah. I forgot" He walks towards her and she stares as stops inches away from her. She blinks her eyes. He's too close.

He notices this and steps one fit back. She looks down awkwardly and he proceeds, "Thanks. Your car—"

She shakes her head, stopping him "Nope. Don't say it"

He presses his lips into a thin line, glaring at her clumsily. "How-did you that?"

"Do what?"

"What you did minutes ago"

"Listen Jamal, you are a boss and I know that . . . those people are great—but you need to learn to act like one when needed. They needed this contract more than you did. But the French man doesn't plead because they feel superior. It's left for you to put them in their place. Make them conscious about what they're losing if they don't compact with you. That's what I did. And I believe in you and know you're amazing."

Jamal is speechless. Her phone buzzes and she flinches, sending her hand into her pocket.

Jamal waits as she frowns keeping the phone away after reading on the screen.

"Change of plans. I'm not returning to school. It's too late"

Jamal's heart sinks. He just made her miss her internship. "I'm so sorry"

"No need. You just need to take me home. My car was taking away by the council"

Amid looks over at his boss. He knows the Jamal he has known for years will never do that. Not even if Myla made them a favor.

Jamal feels like a devil. He has caused her a lot of trouble. He can't deny her simple proposal.

"Sure. Let's go. I'd treat you for lunch"

Amid's mouth comes out agape.

"No, I don't eat in restaurants. Just rarely"

He lifts his brows, shocked. He didn't expect her to say that. "OK" is all he responds before facing Amid.

"Cancel all my schedules"

Myla's eyes enlarge. What did he just say?

"Since you don't want a treat. I'd assume you're good cook. So we'd treat ourselves in your house"

Myla opens her mouth and closes it. She doesn't know what to say.

"Should we?" he forwards his hand towards the door and she nods.

She walks ahead and he comes from behind. Amid just stands there making sure he keeps everything in other before he leaves.

They enter the crane and tranquility settles amongst them. They have never been this silent since they met. Myla hands fool with the hem of her cloth. Her legs dancing as she looks around absentmindedly.

She hates settling in an awkward moment as this one. But she can't help herself.

Jamal's face is red. He's struggling not to laugh at the scenario beside him. He clears his throat. She stops for seconds then continues.

"Just let it out. Say whatsoever is in your mind" he speaks finally.

She hangs her head to look at him. His face is still ahead. He waits and hears nothing so he looks down and she grins.

It makes his heart skip many paces.

"I was waiting for you to look at me. Because you're the first person I can stare at when you're staring back. Strange."

He blinks his long lashes. He can't understand why she's saying this. And she's too oblivious to know her words sounds very deep.

The crane opens up and they walks out. His mind still ruminating on what she said. He looks at her and she is very normal. Like she said nothing. How can a human be this honest about anything?

He forwards his eyes and the translator he hired enters the building. Myla is unaware so she walks pass. But Jamal pauses, throwing daggers at the man.

"Did you receive the messages I send?"

"I'm sorry Sir. It wasn't intentional."

"It's too late"

"I understand Sir. But just in case you think I stayed away purposely, I want you to know that—"

"I don't want to hear anything from you. You can leave. Make sure to return my money" his voice going deeper, a characteristic when he's growing annoyed.

It doesn't misses Myla's hearing. She swirls and she the two men facing each other and Jamal's eyes are dark.

She rushes towards them and questions, "What's going on?"

"This is the man I hired as my translator. Meaning I paid him already"

Myla studies the man; her heart filled with remorse "Did he tell you why he delayed? Maybe something happened"

"What could be more important than this?"

"Jamal, please stop. You're not the only one on earth. He has a family I guess. And maybe something urgent came up and he needed to attend to it"

"Right?" Myla interrogates the man, whose face is filled with dread towards Jamal.

"Yes, Ms. My wife was admitted. We lost our baby"

Myla gulps staring her feet then back at the man "We're so sorry. And we understand this is not easy for you. Just the fact that you showed up . . . means you had your heart for this"

Jamal can't say more. His spoke's woman is talking. Myla looks at him "You need to put yourself in his shoes. You can't be asking for the money you paid him. You shouldn't take back what you gave. What if he can't pay you back because his wife needs it? What are you going to do?"

To be continued...