The Scars They Hide

Chapter Twenty-Four - Realisation

Chapter Twenty-Four - Realisation

So maybe Lutfiyah hadn't reacted in the best of ways. Maybe she should have acted like an actual human being but there was no one there to call her out and Jaafar certainly wasn't going to do it, so as far as Lutfiyah was concerned, all was well with the world.

She went to work bright and early the next day, much to May's annoyance.

"But Mama, it's so cold."

The spring chill had already set in and Lutfiyah could only bemoan the state of their country that gave them just one month of warmth and love. She shuffled May along, setting her down in front of her porridge before kissing her head.

"Aunty Jane will bath you and you'll feel nice and warm. Now eat up."

May sloppily lifted up her spoon before promptly dropping it and nodding off almost into the bowl. Lutfiyah sighed and scooped her up from her seat, glad that she had been standing right next to it when May had decided that she didn't want to be awake anymore.

She answered the knock on the door with May still in her arms, shifting the sleepy child onto her other shoulder as she opened the door.

Jane walked in with a smile, a morning person through and through. She held her arms out for May, kissing the top of her head as she took her. Lutfiyah smiled at the show of affection, so happy that she had someone who loved May as her minder.

"Good morning. I hope you had a nice holiday."

The shy woman only nodded, walking into the kitchen to sort May's breakfast out.

Lutfiyah sighed before continuing, "I think you can stay with her here, you don't have to go down to your flat today."

Jane looked surprised but didn't comment either way. Used to this, Lutfiyah greeted and left, staring at her neighbour's door for a few seconds before shaking herself out of the stupor and heading for the lift.

She just had to get through the day.

# # #

It was easier said than done when she constantly found herself daydreaming about a certain someone.

Her secretary came running at one point when she heard her screaming in frustration, thinking something had happened. Something had. Lutfiyah had lost her mind.

She entered the tube at the end of the day frustrated beyond imagining, her mind swirling. She'd had guys that she'd been attracted to before. She was a red-blooded human female after all. All through school and university there had been a boy or two whom she'd crushed on and day-dreamed about marrying, doodling her name with their last names.

But this was different. She hadn't ever felt this way before. The intense pain in her chest that she'd felt after leaving Jaafar outside her door last night was shocking and the feeling of joy that had bloomed in her when she'd seen him…

She couldn't even think about him without a smile widening her mouth.

"Ah, if only ah coods relife mah yoong days again."

Lutfiyah whirled at the sound of the voice and found a tiny old man sitting next to her, red hair and pale skin giving away his nationality if his brogue hadn't already done that. It was safe to say that it was the first time she'd seen a tiny Scot anywhere. "I'm sorry?"

The man chuckled, respecting her personal space by shuffling a little away before tapping his hand to his heart.

"Th' first few days ay bein' in loove, mah hen. Yoo've got 'at swatch oan ye. It's lightin' up th' entire tube."