CHAPTER SIX

Muhammad's POV (point of view)

(Thursday the 15th of August)

"Oh I was calling your line but it wasn't going through maybe network issues or something I overheard something from a friend and I decided to confirm it and it seems to be true, but I don't know why you haven't said anything about it to me I taught we're friends or at least partners or such," he said as I stared at him in complete shock, what was he talking about because I am dumbfounded I don't know? What could he be referring to?

"I don't understand what is going on, maybe you should take your time to explain it better to me maybe I would understand better then," I said

"Oh Muhammad don't play dumb with me, we've known each other for a while now and you don't even consider me a friend" he added, what could he be talking about, the house rent? Well, I just found out myself and I don't think he would know so quickly.

"I do consider you as my friend a very close one," I said

"Then why do you keep things away from me?" He said in a low but shuttle voice

"What exactly am genuinely confused?" I asked

"Okay if you continue to play dumb no problem but do you know who the Maryam girl is with?" He asked, is that what this is all about that girl how does it concern me how?

"No not at all, I have been waiting to hear from you" I replied

"Okay if you still want to play dumb go ahead, but when last did you speak to your mom?" He asked I don't know why he thinks am playing dumb neither do I know why my mom is involved in this or not but he must be mistaken, like what is she doing on this topic.

"Not too long ago" I replied

"And she didn't say anything at all to you that you find a little bit weird?" He asked don't know how he knew but she was sounding a little suspicious and out of the ordinary tho but I didn't think much about it.

"She was sounding weird and out of the ordinary but she didn't say anything except the fact that I should not come home when I told her I was," I said not that this information was useful to him in any way but maybe this is what he wanted

"Oh really?" He said

"Yeah that's all," I said

"Excuse me aren't you guys going the team is already leaving?" the coordinator said talking to me john

"No we're not part of the Thursday team sir" I replied to his question he always thinks we're part of the Thursday team don't know why.

"Oh okay, so what duty are you guys on today?" He asked again

"Editing and calls" john answered

"Oh I see and you guys have finished editing if I may presume," he said well we hardly do any work in editing because a lot of people and staff are already under editing and they know exactly how they run the place so adding any extra body to them just makes it confusing most of the time except for breaking news which is unplanned for and they need more hands.

"Yes sir we're just heading there," John said as we both stood up and began walking towards the editing room which was on the ground floor thank God.

"Good morning everyone" we both greeted as we entered the room.

"Morning"

"Morning"

"Morning" we heard from different angles of the room the editing room was the biggest department of the news station, because not only are the news edited hear the newspapers are also finalized here so you know a lot of work goes into the room and staffs too they have the most staffs on the whole firm.

"So what exactly were you saying?" I asked as what he was talking about my mom wasn't clear yet.

"Well according to your replies I doubt you're going on bit either way according to news that I heard I have reasons to believe that.." He paused

"Hey Muhammad come I need your help to overhear," the chief editor said as he called out to me, he didn't even allow john to finish as he cut him off mid-sentence

"I guess we would continue later than," I  said

Muhammad can you hear me" the chief editor said again

"Coming," I said as I began to walk toward him

"Suspense I hate suspense" I mumbled under my breath as I walked towards him, why now? Why can't he wait till I finish hearing everything john had to stay maybe I would wait after work tho. 

"Good morning sir" I greeted as I came close to him

"How are you doing son?" He asked

"Fine sir" I replied

"I heard you we're the one who reported Maryam's story if I am right?" he asked

"Oh yes I did sir is anything wrong?" I replied as nothing seems wrong he was the man my mom introduced me to he was the one who helped looked for this job for me so once in a while he does check up on me but I think it is only because my mom asks him to tho I don't think he sincerely means it.

"No not at all," he said as he handed over a piece of paper to me.

"Read this and edit it when you have done I want you to bring it back to my office," he said as he began to walk towards his office.

"Okay," I said as I stretched my back and began to read through what he gave me, it wasn't a long essay so I was done in no time thank God I can finally go and hear the rest of the story.

"Knock knock" I knocked at his office door

"Come in," he said as I opened the door and walked into his office.

"Here you go sir am done," I said as I handed over the papers to him

"Oh you're done, so soon that was quick," he said as he collected the book and I began to walk away.

"Son" he called out as I paused to turn around.

"Where are you running to?" He asked

"Nowhere sir, I had something to do that's why" I replied knowing full well that I had nothing but to complete the story was the only thing I had in mind. 

"Oh okay, well I would love you to hand over the presentation of Maryam's case we are abandoning it," he said I have already heard rumours that our station was no longer following the case but I just taught them we're rumours tho.

"Oh okay, I would go get it now," I said as I tried to take my leave for the second time

"And also before you report any case on the station please inform me okay" he whispered in a low tome I could barely hear a thing he said but I did manage to decode what he said tho, but that's not the real question here it is why he wants me to report to him before broadcasting any news, I don't understand.

"Sir," I said as I paused to make sure I heard him correctly

"I said report to me before you broadcast any news is that not clear," he said in a louder tone and I did hear him clearly but why tho?

"oh okay," I said as I continued walking

"Good" he replied

"Huh," I said as I locked his door behind me as I continued walking looking for john, of course, I was just trying to escape from his office because I was dying of suspense, I would give him the file but first of all let me hear what my mom has to do with this case and why our station has withdrawn it.

"Muhammad" I heard someone call out to me from behind it was john it did sound like his voice.

"Good," I said as I spotted him and began walking toward him

"As you, we're saying?" I said skipping all formalities you would know am interested in this story and I don't want anyone to interrupt the story not until it makes sense to me.

"Oh okay," he said as he stopped what he was doing to sit down close to me.

"Well according to your replies I doubt you know what's going on bit either way according to the news that I heard I have reasons to believe that you know nothing about it and am sorry for wrongful accusing you, but something about the story isn't adding up like I said yesterday but let me ask you do you have a sister one that I don't know about?" He asked

"No, none" I replied

"Well seems like the story doesn't make any sense yet and I taught you knew more and was going to explain better to me but seems like you are just as confused as the rest of us," he said, what was he talking about

"What? Let me hear what you heard?" I asked

"Well according to a very discreet source from the hospital we're able to find out a few things about the person that came to the hospital to claim the girl... " he paused as my pupil dilated as I was worried could it be what I am thinking? Mom? I doubt.

"am not sure yet but we have reasons to believe the woman who claims to be Maryam's mother is your mom" I felt my heart sink immediately after he completed his sentence, this doesn't add up at all, what's going on here this doesn't add up at all I don't have any sister of any such not that I know of tho.

"I don't understand you mean she adopted the girl or what?" I asked I was in total shock and confusion.

"Those were my reactions to I taught maybe they had mistaken or something but no, I did some more research to find out that it is her," he said

"That's not true, it can't be true?  Can it?" I said as I tried to understand what he is saying, is she lying? Did she lie to the police and everyone because according to what I know she doesn't have any child for as long as I have known her?

"I wish it was that easy to say but facts and proof are saying otherwise besides you also said she didn't want you to go home and I just heard that the news about the girl wasn't even aired on any station it was only aired on ours," he said confusing me the more I don't know how all these things are connected but they ought to right, they do.

"No you are not being serious," I said as I tried to put myself together.

"Am sorry but you should call your mom for some explanation?" he said as he stood up to continue what he was doing.

"Wow!" I exclaimed in between my confusion

"Am sorry I taught you knew more than I did" he apologized

"So what's next?" I asked

"Well we are no longer reporting the case so we are no longer supposed to follow it up but we could do some underground digging under the firm's name to get more information from people because I doubt they would want to talk to two strangers," he said in a low tone as he looked around to see if anyone was staring at is or even ear dropping on our conversation.

"Are you saying we should keep up with the case that would be risky?" I said

"That's exactly what I said bit only if you want to find the real truth behind this tho am not forcing you into anything," he said