ESL Blogs

Chapter 1 : Please read here

Chapter 2 : Please read here

Chapter 3 : Please read here

Chapter 4 : Please read here

~~~~~~ Chapter 5 ~~~~~~

"Cik Lina, a phone call for you." May's voice through the intercom interrupted Lina's musing.  

"Who is it May?" Lina had told her Secretary to hold all calls unless they were urgent. She was in no mood to talk to anyone today. Scenes of her meeting with Sarah had been playing in her mind. Sarah and Hakim's faces had been intermingled in her dreams last night. Her sleep was restless and now she was having one big headache. 

"I know you told me to hold all your calls today, but this gentleman said that you would talk to him when I told you his name. He said his name is Hakim." May sound tentative. 

"Hmm ... told him that I am in a meeting or something." Lina knew she sounded brusque, but she just could not handle trying to talk to Hakim now, and maybe even much later. She did not know when she would be ready to talk to him again.

Having decided that her day was irrevocable gone from bad to worse, Lina knew it was useless trying to put any effort on her work. "May, I am going to go back early today. I am having a big migraine now. Please just take notes on any matters that need my attention tomorrow. I will see you", Lina told her Secretary.

After that, Hakim had been calling her office nearly every day, and each time she refused to answer his phone calls. She knew she was being irrational and a little bit coward, but she was just not ready to face Hakim again. She knew the staff had started to wonder about Hakim. Office gossips were just like a wild fire. They spread rapidly.

"Ok.... I have had enough. So tell me who is this elusive Hakim and why have you been avoiding him." Trust Saufiq to ask her point blank. 

"Hakim? Who is that?" Lina avoided looking at Saufiq when she said that.

"Ohhhhh. Come on. You can come up better than that lame sentence Lina. This is me, remember. Saufiq the great. Just tell Uncle Agony here who is that Hakim and what has he done to you until you want to avoid him like a leper. If you want me to drag him down and tie him up to a rambutan tree, I will do that." As usual, Saufiq always managed to make her smile.

"Well... it is just a long story. I am sure you have a better thing do to that to listen to me." 

"Uh uh... you know better than that. You had been listening to all my heartaches all this time, now it is my turn to listen to you." Saufiq said and refused to budge. 

"Hmmm ... better still... let's go to our favourite coffee house, and you can pour all those juicy details to me over a yummy chocolate cake. It's my treats." Saufiq cajoled her while at the same time half dragging her out from the office.

"May, we are playing hooky this afternoon and I am kidnapping Cik Lina. But tell everyone that Cik Lina is in a very important meeting and cannot be disturbed." Saufiq can be as serious and bossy as he wanted to be. 

Over two pieces of chocolate cakes and a large cup of her favourite caramel macchiato coffee, she poured her heart out to Saufiq. Saufiq did not say anything, just listen to her. Then she realised that all these while she had been suppressing her anger and heartache towards her family and Hakim. She thought she had accepted what destiny had thrown to her. But talking to Saufiq made her realised that, those feelings were hidden deep inside her heart and now it was bubbling over. She knew she needs to talk to Hakim to make peace with herself. To finally accept what she had been through.

------------------To be continued in Chapter 6 -----------------

Footnote :

Cik is a Malay word to address an unmarried woman. It's synonym of Miss. Puan or Pn. is used to address a married woman and also to address a woman with higher position. If the status of the lady is not known, normally we address her with Cik for normal conversation, but for formal conversation, if the status is unknown, we use Puan. In this case, her Secretary is using Cik as in Miss since Lina is unmarried and she's familiar with Lina. The Secretary is not using Puan or Pn. to address Lina even though Lina is of higher position.

For a man, Encik or En. is used, whether he's married or single.