LATE TO WORK
629 Words
It was a bright Monday morning. The bedside alarm clock had beeped several times, but Mr. Andrew still hadn't woken up. He and his daughter, Mira, were sleeping soundly when Fatima entered the room.
She had been up since 5 a.m., preparing breakfast, doing laundry, and cleaning the house. But by 7 a.m., she became concerned—neither her master nor little mistress had come to the living room, which was unusual. Worried, she hurried to Mr. Andrew’s bedroom to check on them.
To her astonishment, they were still fast asleep. This was unlike them. She moved closer to the bed and gently tapped her boss on the shoulder. He stirred almost immediately, carefully laying Mira on the bed before stretching himself.
Now that he was awake, Fatima greeted him. "Good morning, sir."
"Good morning, Mary," he responded groggily.
Fatima hesitated. "I’m sorry for barging into your bedroom."
"It’s alright," he reassured her, rubbing his forehead.
She glanced at little Mira, who was still curled up under the blanket. "She couldn’t sleep well last night?"
Mr. Andrew sighed. "No, she kept crying and pleading for me to take her to see her mother. I tried to calm her down, telling her that her mother would return once her grandmother’s health improved, but she wouldn’t stop insisting."
Fatima’s heart ached. "Oh, such a poor child," she murmured. "A mother’s love is immeasurable, and the bond between a mother and her child is inseparable. Even at her young age, she’s going through so much."
That reminded her of something. "Sir, what has the doctor said about Mira’s mother’s condition?"
Mr. Andrew’s expression darkened. "All I can do now is trust God for a miracle. The doctor says she’s still in a coma, and her chances of survival are fifty-fifty."
Fatima placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Don’t worry too much, sir. God has done miracles before, and He will do it again."
She hesitated, then added, "I came in because I hadn’t seen you or Mira all morning. And, sir… it’s already past 7 a.m. I was wondering if you weren’t going to work and if Mira wouldn’t be going to school today."
Mr. Andrew’s eyes widened. "It’s past what?"
"It’s past 7 a.m., sir," Fatima repeated.
"Oh my!" he exclaimed, running a hand over his forehead. Without another word, he jumped out of bed. "Please get Mira ready as quickly as possible. We’re going to be late!"
"Yes, sir," Fatima replied.
As Mr. Andrew rushed into the restroom, he moved with the urgency of a man who had already lost too much time. He freshened up in record time, his mind already racing through the day's schedule.
Meanwhile, Fatima led Mira to brush her teeth, then helped her bathe and dress for school. Her firm, curly hair was neatly repacked, and she wore a crisp, well-ironed school uniform with polished black shoes over white socks. Mira attended Quintessential Kids Academy, and her uniform consisted of two colors: pink and blue. The blue pinafore bore the school’s name and logo in white, while the pink short-sleeved blouse had two flaps at the neckline.
After dressing, Fatima held Mira’s hand and guided her to the dining table for breakfast. The meal—tea, egg sauce, and bread—was delicious. Under normal circumstances, they would have taken their time to savor it, as if they were in a five-star restaurant. But today, they were racing against the clock.
In just a few minutes, breakfast was over. Fatima helped Mira put on her backpack and handed her the lunchbox. As Mr. Andrew and Mira hurried toward the car, Fatima stood at the doorway, waving.
"Goodbye, sir! Goodbye, little mistress!"
And with that, they drove off, rushing to make up for lost time.
- Writer
