Taming Britney

“Khalid.” Kareem whispered, shaking the shoulder of her sleeping son who nuzzled deep into his pillow, shielding his ears with his hand as he grunted.

Smiling softly at him, she pushed his hair away from his face and then began to trace the outline of his jaw.

Khalid was just six, but he had managed to weave himself through the hearts of everyone he had come across, especially his mom who dotes on him.

Still tracing the outline of his jaw, she leaned in and then kissed his forehead, “Seems you're ill, I will call the family doctor to come check you.”

At the mention of the doctor, Khalid flung his feet off the bed and then sat up with a frightened look on his face.

“Mom.” He gulped, trying to steady his heavy breathing.

“Should I call Doctor Carter already? I think it's his day off and so he will be willing to come meet with his little friend.” She mused, rubbing his forehead.

Grabbing her hand with both hands, he leaned towards her and with his eyes almost bulging out with fear, he cried, “Mom please, don't make the call.”

“But you're ill.”

Slipping down the bed, he jumped as high as he could and with his hands now resting on his waist, he said, “You see, I'm perfect.” He shrieked.

This was one of the tricks Kareem kept using on him whenever he wanted to skip school. He hated the sound of doctors and so he was eager to do anything that would prevent him from crossing paths with them.

Despite the presence of the maids, Kareem dedicated her time in preparing him for school after which she handed him over to his driver.

“Mom, will you be home early?” Khalid asked, poking his head out of the window.

“Uhm… yes I will. Dad will be home too.”

“Really?”

“Uhm… be a good boy at school, okay.”

“Yes mom.” Now pushing his hand forward, Kareem, already knowing what he wanted, walked up to him with a smile and then allowed him to feel her stomach which protruded.

Ever since she informed him of the presence of his little brother whom she was pregnant with, he made this a daily habit.

“I'm already saving to buy his first toy,” he said.

“You're going to make a perfect big brother for Omar.” Ruffling his hair, she leaned into the car and then pressed a swift kiss against his forehead, “Let's talk after school, okay?”

“Sure.”

After biding his mother farewell, the driver rolled the car out of the garage and soon they were driving through the highway.

Khalid Rasheed was the first son and therefore the heir of Eid Ried Abdul, a multi billionaire who had vast chains of businesses spread across the world.

At the high age of six, his father was already training him to manage one of his chain of companies while he acquired basic education too.

Khalid, no doubt had a bright and promising future and as expected, everyone was looking forward to what he had to offer.

“Uncle Wales.” Khalid broke the silence in the car as he leaned forward.

“Yes, I'm listening.”

Pushing his hand into his backpack, he brought out a chocolate bar and then handed it to him, “It's tasty, you can try it out.” He giggled.

Smiling at him through the rear mirror, Wales gave him a thumbs up, “Thank you.”

About five minutes after this conversation, the car suddenly developed a fault and no matter how much Wales tried to steer the car out of the road, he failed woefully.

“What am I going to do now?” He cried, scaring Khalid he was staring at him with widened eyes.

“Mom…” that was the last word Khalid said before the car went off the road and then somersaulted several times before it became still.

When the news got to Kareem, she was in the middle of a board meeting and at once, she dashed out, not minding her protruding belly which made it hard for her to run.

“Ma'am, please permit me to go in your stead.” Her person's assistant said, running after her but she didn't pay her any heed as she continued towards the elevator.

On arrival at the scene of the accident, the ambulance was already leaving. Thinking the vehicle conveyed Khalid, she tried to go after it only to be stopped midway by a police officer.

“My son, I need to see him.” She muttered, trying to decipher why he had prevented her.

“He isn't the patient, rather, the driver.”

Gulping as she blinked her eyes rapidly, she grabbed his jacket, “My… my son… What about him?”

The police officer found it difficult to speak as he darted his eyes around. He was still in this dilemma when Kareem yelled, trying to get words out of him but he still didn't say a word.

“Honey.” Eid Ried called, running towards her. He had just arrived at the domestic airport when his personal assistant called and informed him of the recent development.

Not bothering to meet with the investors he had a meeting with that morning, he rushed to the accident scene.

“He doesn't want to tell me where Khalid is.” Kareem mumbled, two large tears rolling down her eyes.

“Come here,” he opened his hands apart and she immediately crashed into them, her eyes burning with tears.

“Stop crying.” He muttered, patting her back.

“But… Khalid…”

“They are searching for him.” Eid Ried replied, biting his bottom lips as he pushed his hand into his hair. This was the news he was greeted with when he arrived at the accident scene.

Pulling away from him with a full force and with her eyes searching him for any form of insincerity, she asked, “What are you talking about?”

Holding her hand, Eid Ried tried to explain what the police officer had told him earlier but before he could speak, the same police officer walked up to them and after a curt bow, he said, “I’m sorry sir, my men have combed everywhere and there is no sight of him.”

To this news, Kareem slumped.