Jabali's Redemption - Episode 31

 

Flashback.

Neema woke up in the middle of the night. Disoriented at first, she didn’t know where she was. She looked around and saw a figure laying on the sofa at the edge of the room. The man was tall with his booted legs hanging on the edge of the seat.

Jabali, she thought. He had come back.

Getting off from her bed, she held her head as dizziness crowded her head. Slowly not to fall on her feet, she walked to where Jabali was sleeping . He had thrown his hand on top of his head and the other was lying on his side, trailing to the floor. He was too big for the small settee.

Neema moved closer to him and kneeled beside him. With a lot of care, she removed the hand on top of his face and lay it on his chest. She needed to see his face. Just like that night in his house, she watched him. His face turned younger when he looked relaxed, she reached up and touched his deep brow, his scar. His high cheekbones and thick lips. Lips that brought her a lot of pleasure. Would he kiss her again? She wondered. Would she enjoy his kisses? Every time she closed her eyes, she could feel Majid’s hot breath on her skin. Would she allow Jabali to touch her intimately again?

She then lightly touched his rough cheek and felt his rough day-old beard scratching her sensitive fingers, tickling her. Then he moved and muzzled his lips on the palm of her hand.

Neema looked up at his eyes to see his heavy gaze settled on her, ‘Neema,’ his voice rumbled as his breath tickled her hand,

‘Yes,’ Neema didn’t move transfixed, her voice coming out as a whisper.

‘Why do you think I will dump you?’ he asked holding her large hand against his cheek, his gaze on her.

‘What?’ Neema asked, easily distracted,

‘I heard you talking to Lulu last evening

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. Why would I dump you?’ his sounded hurt and the last thing Neema wanted was to hurt Jabali.

‘I am sorry Jabali,’ she didn’t know what else to say,

With one sweep, Jabali had carried her from the floor and into his muscled thighs, he was mindful of her injuries. Neema still avoided his gaze,

‘Why are you sorry, you did nothing wrong.’

‘Its just that you…I haven’t seen you during the whole day and I thought the worst,’ Neema focused on her fingers on her lap as she talked. She couldn’t bear to look at Jabali. His hand was stroking her back, comforting her, warming her.

‘I wish I would have stayed with you but I had to go out and find that lunatic Majid.’

‘Did you find him?’ she asked in a small voice, Neema wondered if she would ever feel safe walking round town with Majid still walking lose.

‘Yes, we did. It was by luck we found him alive, Naiti was breaking him apart by the time me and the police reached him. Remind me never to get on the wrong side of your brother ever again because I don’t want to lose any of my legs,’ Jabali chuckled, the sound vibrating through her.

‘Naiti? What was he doing with him?’

‘He broke Majid’s leg. I think the idiot will limp for life. It took the effort of three police officers and me to get Naiti off Majid. Your brother would have done enough damage if we hadn’t got there fast.’

‘Oh,’ Neema wasn’t surprised by Naiti’s behavior, he did everything with passion. She was relieved that Majid was caught. He deserved all that was coming for him.

‘Neema am sorry,’ Jabali tilted her face towards him and Neema could see the regret in his eyes, ‘I should have been there yesterday night for you. I failed you,’

‘No, you didn’t, if you hadn’t come, Majid might have…killed me.’

Jabali pulled her closer and held her tight and Neema clung to him needing his support, ‘let me make you a promise sweetheart, Majid will never come near you again. I will make sure of that,’

……………………………………………………………………

Present Day

‘Mr. Kasri we are ready for you,’ his secretary said through the intercom of his office.

Jabali had finally accepted to get a new secretary.

‘Ok I will be right there,’

Jabali turned back to Aluvisa who was seated inside his office. It a chilly morning and Jabali hoped the sun will come up during the day. It was the first day of sports day in the company and everyone was ready and anxious for it. As the head of the company, he was to make a speech on the opening ceremony. Everyone had assembled and now they were waiting for him to flag off the ceremony.

‘So, you have decided to announce your marriage to Neema during the opening ceremony?’ Aluvisa asked playing with the zip on the tracksuit he was dressed in, his eyebrows raised at Jabali.

‘No, I will do that during the closing ceremony, tomorrow night. I plan to reveal Neema to the whole world as my wife,’

‘Wow, tomorrow night? Exactly a week before we go for the elections of the company to chose the new leader. Smart move Jabali,’

‘Why do I fell like you are mocking me Aluvisa?’ Jabali raised his cut brow at Aluvisa’s sarcastic tone.

‘Mocking?’ Jabali laughed hysterically, ‘why would I mock you. Its just that at times I feel like you are becoming more like your father,’

‘I am nothing like my father,’ Jabali stood up quickly the chair scraping the marble floor underneath him, Aluvisa stood up to. ‘Is this about Neema and how am treating her? is this why you still antagonize me?’

‘She was attacked in the mountain.

Read " The Dancing Bride And Her Spirit Warrior " by the same author ( Razia Iminza )

. How can you explain that Jabali? You were supposed to keep her safe. You can easily purchase her a house in town for her to be close to her family but you let her stay up in the mountain, why? To keep the prestige of the Kasri’s?’

‘Watch it Aluvisa,’ Jabali gritted his teeth,

‘Or what? You are willing to risk her life just to keep the position in the company. You have never liked that mansion in the mountain. You keep saying its cold and isolated but you manage to keep her there because you are trying to keep the spirit of Kasri’s alive.’

‘Aluvisa,’ Jabali warned again,

‘Your father manipulated everyone around him to keep his power and influence. You are simply doing the same. Dragging Neema from the city, making her your secretary then marrying her. all of this is a game to you and she is a puppet in your hands. I wonder who else you are manipulating,’

‘Get out,’ Jabali said in a deceptively cool voice and Aluvisa didn’t say anything else. He stood up and walked out banging the door behind him.

In anger Jabali punched the wall behind him making his knuckles bleed. In the back of his head he could hear his father laughing at him, ‘you are my son, my blood. You are just like me,’

Jabali wondered if the words of Aluvisa were true, was he becoming like his father?

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A new chapter.

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