LINDA AND HER FATHER

"Now is not the time to be like this Ella, we need to think of what to do and act very fast on the situation on ground. Come to think of it, she has the contact of the four of you and even knows where Asma lives and works. She has been watching us closely for a while now, and the problem is we don't know what more she knows again and what the next thing she plans to do." Malik sighs deeply taking a break from his talk. "I won't lie to you, I am very confused."

"Speaking of how she managed to get our contacts, I have to believe she got it from someone. You know, it could be from one of our secondary school friends then." Says Darifa.

"Who knows, she might have threatened the person to collect the contacts." Asma adds.

"But who do you think can do that and didn't even bother discussing it with any of us afterwards?" Ella asks and In her mind she whispers. "There is an insider." She looks at her friends consecutively and asks in her mind again. "Which one of you is it? Abdullah? Asma? Darifa?"

"What if that person is scared of Jessica? You know how it is to be a victim of bully Ella." Asma sighs. "If not for you, I would have been a terrible lady fighting inferiority complex."

"Where is your mom?" Malik asks his daughter.

"She went to get groceries."

"Alright." He stands. "I will be inside. You all should feel at home and let me know if you f need anything." He walks away.

"I guess we are going to be here for a while then." Asma murmurs.

"I will have to keep borrowing Shamim's clothes."

"And I think we have to keep wearing Ella's dresses too." Says Asma.

"That's where another problem is, I don't like Ella's dresses, it's too girly for my liking." Darifa nags.

"What is that supposed to mean now Darifa?" Ella asks raising her brows.

"Come on! You know me, you know i only like joggers and polos. I don't like anything fitted."

"We really need to get our clothes and some of our belongings." Abdullah adds supporting the motion his friend had moved it seem to be moving.

"But we still can't go to our houses." Asma whispers calling her friends back to reality.

"Maybe we should just go to the store and get some things, or what do you think?" Asks Ella.

"Are you sure that would be safe to do?" Asma asks already getting scared.

"Of course, it would, do you think anyone can attack all four of us together?" Darifa replies with a question.

"You know, we should always expect the unexpected." Asma replies and shrugs her shoulders.

"What about we go there very early in the morning? No one can monitor us then, it's still pretty early." Darifa says and changes her sitting her position, resting her back on the couch.

"Alright, but we have to be very careful and walk together, to avoid any issues." Asma gives her condition.

"I think we all agree with that, don't we?" Darifa asks and looks at Abdullah and Ella.

"Yes." The both of them nod.

**********

Linda sits close to her father grinning from ear to ear, she gently runs her hard and not attractive palms through her father's soft legs which are placed on her lap. On a small glass table close to her is a hand cream that softens palms which she used earlier before she started massaging her father's legs. "I hope my palm isn't too hard on your skin?" She asks with a smile.

"Not at all." Paul whispers laying on the the three sitter couch and covering his eyes with his left arm. "The hand cream did a very great job."

Linda continues massaging her father's legs, she added just a bit of pressure and the tank top she is wearing reveals her tattoos and muscles. "What do you wish to eat?"

"Actually, I am still filled for now and I feel really sleepy but after the nap I will like to eat just noodles."

"You like it with greens and pepper or just pepper?" She asks again.

"I like it with greens and pepper."

After discovering her father's critical health condition, she had been trying her possible best to make him happy and keep him company. A lot had happened to their family in the space of ten years, and poor Linda was hoping to make up for that. She listens carefully and can hear clearly that her father is now snoring calmly and sleeping peacefully. "He is asleep already." She stands gently and removes his legs from her laps quietly in order not to make any noise. "Sleep tight father." She says with smiles and her mom walk in. Immediately, her smiles is replaced with a very daring frown.

"Why are you frowning?" Jessie asks and shuts the door. "Aren't you happy to see me?"

"Please, don't wake my father up with your talk." Linda says bluntly and picks up the hand cream.

"Have this." Jessie says stretching forth a small bag to her.

"What is this?"

"Open it and see for yourself."

Linda looks at her mom and the bag in an observing manner for a while then snatched the bag, she looks into it and finds some bottle of drugs. "What's this for?"

"For your father, it would help improve his health condition." Jessie sighs. "I consulted an expert and he prescribed these drugs for me."

"It's so surprising to see you care for him at all, thanks for the care but I am sorry we can't accept this from you."

"What?" Jessie asks with surprise.

"Yes ma'am, I don't even have any idea on what these drugs are, how do you expect me to give such drugs from a total stranger to my father?" Linda asks looking at her mom straight in the eye.

"You just called me a stranger?!" She asks already raising her voice.

Linda quickly looks back to see if her mother's loud voice didn't wake her father and sighs thankfully when he is still sleeping peacefully like a baby. She frowns and faces her mom. "Lower your voice, don't wake him up." She says and walks out.