DAUGHTER IN-LAW

Her eyes quickly looked down,her cheeks burning red when she saw that suraj caught her starring at him.

Breaking the silence,she asked looking at everything in the office except him, "I can see this is your office,so are we going to be sharing your office?I mean, am I going to be working with you in this office"?she tried to make a light conversation between them as the atmosphere was becoming too awkward.

"No". Suraj answered plainly,not looking away from the files.

"But I thought you were asked to show..."

"Your office is the one opposite mine when you go out." Suraj said closing the files,he packed them together and gave them a swift push on the desk.

"here,those are what you'll be working on starting from this moment". He said as leylah came to pick up the files which were about 15 in her hands. Looking at suraj she wanted to say something but he beat her to it.

"the chief said you like to slack on your work,so I'll give you a piece of advise".

" If you don't want to have a hard time here,you better do your work diligently and work hard because the chief doesn't like laziness". He pointed out.

And as soon as he saw the reaction on Leylah's face when he mentioned laziness,he barely controlled himself from busting out of laughter.

"that will be all for now doctor maleek,you may leave my office". He told leylah in an authoritative voice.

Leylah took the files and was about leaving but she turned to face suraj and asked "how have you being suraj?". She waited to get a reply from him but nothing came out of his mouth.

Taking a deep breath in and letting it out.She asked again,this time moving close to stand in front of his desk,

"When I....I called yesterday,did you really not know it was me?"

"Suraj please say....."

"What the hell do you think you are doing doctor maleek"? Suraj finally spoke,his voice harsh.

" You are supposed to start studying those patients files and by the end of today,I believe you should have familiarize yourself with each and every one of the patients.my goodness!what kind of training did you get during your internship for you to be this much of a slacker?". He scolded leylah in the least polite manner which got tears streaming down her eyes.

"Maybe I should let the chief..."suraj stopped as soon as he saw the tears on leylah's face.

'what exactly am I doing!!!'he shouted in his mind.

Wiping the tears from her face,leylah sniffed and tried to compose her self. holding the files tightly to her chest as if her life depended on it.

She wanted to say something but couldn't find the right words to say them and after standing there for no more than 10 seconds,she left the office quietly.

Leylah got into her new office,it was a nice one. but she needed to change a few things and that will be after she has studied the files, maybe when she was free.

The day went by quickly for leylah not having noticed for how long she was studying the files until Martha,the nurse whom she met on her first day came to bring her lunch. seeing as leylah didn't come out of her office since she got in.

Leylah thanked her very much. martha promised to show leylah around the hospital when she is free. in her words, " just to ensure that you don't go missing in the hospital"the nursed joked.

By the end of the day,leylah had gone to see some of the patients and planned to do the same with the rest of them the next day as they were now her patients to look after.

Going back home,Leylah prayed, ate her dinner and told her mum about her first day in the hospital. But she left out the incident between her and suraj.

When her mum asked about him, she just told her she saw him briefly and from afar. As she was too busy, she didn't even have time to say hello.

Her mum didn't seem to buy her explanation but she just let it slide. That night,after leylah spoke with ibraheem on the phone,she slept soundly and dreamt about the hospital.

The next day,Leylah began seeing the patients she was assigned to and in between that she also helped some interns and assisted in the ER a lot.

She put in her best so that the chief wouldn't think unworthy of her.

She was so occupied, she didn't know it was lunch time already until her phone rang and she saw that it was ibraheem calling she picked up the call,

"hey my darling".

"How is the most beautiful woman in the world doing?" Ibraheem replied.

"Busy with work but still,am doing okay" leylah replied with a smile on her face.

"I just arrived at the reception in your hospital,I don't know your office yet,so would you come down and do me the pleasure of having lunch with me?" Ibraheem asked sweetly.

"I have so much work to do"Leylah said and paused for a bit then continued, "but since you are asking so nicely,give me 5 minutes let me finish up and I'll come meet you. Or better still,do you want to come see my office?" Leylah asked excitedly.

"Of course my love,give me the directions" ibraheem replied with enthusiasm in his voice.

After a few minutes ibraheem arrived at leylah's office. They chatted for a bit before they both went out to have lunch, laughing and chatting through the hall. they didn't see someone who was just standing opposite them and staring at them.

Ibraheem brought leylah back after their lunch date and on leylah's way into the office,she bumped into a lady who was coming out of the hospital hastily without looking.

Leylah didn't apologise and even when the other lady did,she just walked past her as if she didn't even hear her say anything. She really hate people bumping into her.

'it was the lady's fault' Leylah told her self.

Going back to her office, she tried to finish seeing all her patients and didn't leave anything undone. As she will be leaving early the next day to meet up and have dinner with ibraheem's family tomorrow.

Ibraheem told her that his parents have been asking a lot about her, when they were having lunch earlier.

So she thought of going to see them and get it done with, because she didn't know when she'll be able to have a free time in the hospital.

she left the hospital quite late and was very exhausted when she got home,she just went to straight bed.

The next day came and everything went as she hoped and planned. She checked up on her patients and when it was almost 5pm in the evening. she left the hospital leaving her patients in the care of the interns, who she specifically instructed to call her right away if anything happens.

Ibraheem came to pick her up after she went home,got cahnged and was dressed properly as instructed by her mum.

Mrs Karina specifically picked out a white dress for her and made sure leylah looked decent enough before she let her daughter go with ibraheem and asked him to bring her back home on time.

When they arrived at ibraheem's house which was very much like a mansion compared to a house,it was already dark.

The house was very big and looked beautiful. The night stars shone on the mansion, the lights shone brightly on the walls of the house like little shinny stars.

Leylah knew that ibraheem's parents were very wealthy but she never imagined it this far. Getting down from the car,ibraheem took a hold of her hand and they walked into the mansion.

When ibraheem's sister hanifah saw the both of them enter,she quickly ran to greet leylah.

Ibraheem has told them a lot about leylah and her beauty but seeing her now in person,Hanifah couldn't hold in her admiration,she said to leylah

"MashaAllah!you look so beautiful even more than my brother described. Am Hanifah,his cute,sweet little sister and his only sister in the world", hanifah introduced herself.

Leylah couldn't hide the joy she felt inside,she smiled at the girl and said before hugging the girl tightly,"you are also beautiful too. I guess that's why the house looks so beautiful because they have such a pretty princess in it". Leylah said which made the girl blush.

She took a hold of leylah's hands and said,"let's go meet mum and dad,they've been awaiting your arrival all evening".

Ibraheem who just stared at the two girls complementing one another,followed them behind smiling.

Ibraheem's parents were very nice to her as well. They asked Leylah so many questions about her self which leylah was glad to answer. And within a short while,everyone was laughing at the table when Mr mustapha started cracking some jokes.

Leylah really enjoyed every moment she spent with them but the only thing that got her uncomfortable was anytime they addressed her as their daughter in-law.

Ibraheem's mum even asked her to fix a date so she'll meet with her mum, Mrs Karina to discuss the wedding plans.

Leylah wasn't expecting to hear that but she didn't show it. She agreed and told Mrs Fatima,ibraheem's mum, that she will talk to her mum about it.

She thanked Mr mustapha for helping her get accepted at the hospital. She also thanked everyone for having her and then she left with ibraheem after saying goodbye.

When they got into the car, Leylah asked ibraheem why his family kept calling her their daughter in law and his mum was even talking about a wedding.

Ibraheem just told her not to worry much about it. He said his family has been teasing him since he told them about her and because he has never been interested in any woman before,even after the countless ones his mum tried to hook him up with.

So when he told them about her, they were surprised and said, "whoever this girl is,she must be far from an ordinary girl for our son to take interest in".

"They thought since after a long while,i decided to have a girlfriend then i must be ready to get married to her".ibraheem explained.

Although, he hasn't given much thought to marriage with leylah. But now that he thinks about it,it is definitely something he would want since he can't think of spending his entire life with any other woman except her.

Leylah didn't say much after hearing his explaination. She just changed the topic to something else and soon they reached her home, ibraheem escorted her inside and said goodnight to Mrs Karina before leaving a kiss on leylah's forehead and left.

After he was gone,Mrs Karina asked leylah how the dinner went and leylah told her everything. Mrs Karina was very happy that they liked her leylah and treated her well.

when leylah told her about the wedding issue,Mrs Karina asked her if she would want to get married to ibraheem.

But leylah was unable to answer her question and she knew right that moment that her daughter didn't want to marry ibraheem, but she didn't say anything further.

The mother and daughter talked about life matters for a while and then went to bed.