Coming Home (English Version)

52. Can't

She sat on the bench, out of breath and Hamdan bent down, supporting both hands on his knees. Then he took a deep breath to incorporate himself and put his hands in the pockets of his kandura to retrieve two handfuls of cookies. Layla's face lit up when he extended one arm to her, offering half of the cookies. He sat next to her and they both ate in silence.

Hamdan thought about asking her if she missed her parents, but changed his mind when he realised how insensitive that might be, she obviously missed her parents. The little girl worried him and he had the need to see her the same way she was before; laughing, playing and getting in the pool with the rest of the girls. Perhaps she needed something more than cookies and sweet treats, perhaps she needed to know she had a friend.

Hamdan whipped the crumbs on his lips with the back of his hand. "You will like it here and I can be your friend if you want to," he offered.

Layla turned his head to see him. "My friend?"

"Yeah," he nodded.

Layla liked the idea, but she didn't want a friend only to later lose it, so she needed to make sure this new friend was going to stick around and not go anywhere like her parents.

"Do you promise to always be my friend?" She wondered.

"Sure," Hamdan replied confidently with a smile. "I promise."

---

Layla

I stretch my arms over my head with a deep sigh. I didn't notice when Hamdan got up but now I can hear the water running in the shower. I still can't believe we had sex last night, finally. Although I didn't anticipate feeling so self conscious about my body, I had to push through that and even had to turn the lights off, which is unusual for me, but it was the only way I could do it. I think I need help but maybe, if things get better with Hamdan—

He opens the bathroom door and steps into the bedroom with a towel around his waist and drying his hair with another one.

"Hey," he smiles.

"Morning," I reply.

He pushes a button on the remote control and the shades start to go up, letting the morning sun in. It's a beautiful Summer day and I cannot wait for whatever is going to happen today. Hamdan comes over to me and bends down to peck me on the lips, I cuddle up with the blankets and watch him get dressed for a while until I can no longer hold it and ask him about the plans for the day.

"So, what are we doing?"

"About what?" He wonders while buttoning up his shirt.

I roll my eyes. "Today, silly!"

He scoffs. "Well, I don't know about you but I'm pretty busy. I have a full day packed with meetings."

I giggle and sit up, covering myself with the sheets. "Stop it! What are we really doing?" I insist.

Hamdan frowns. "I— I just told you."

He's being serious. It just dawns on me that he is not joking.

My face falls. "Hamdan, what day is today?"

"Today is uh..." His jaw drops and he takes both his hands to his head. "Layla, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I will cancel everything, I will—"

"Are you kidding me?" I glare at him and jump from the bed to get a robe.

"It's just that I have a lot of things on my mind," he carries on behind me while I adjust the robe tie around my waist.