Someone Hiding in the Shadows...

92 - Covert Manoeuvres

"Now Emily." I said, taking control of the situation.

"I don't suppose you have your passport with you today?"

"No, why?"

"I think Emily, you will have to take the form away with you, as you need to include your passport details on the form, to prove UK citizenship." Emily nodded, as she started looking over the form.

I looked at her carefully, as she concentrated on continuing to fill in the form. Emily's little left finger hooked around her ear, pushing her hair back behind it, just clipping her fringe. She was dressed very quietly in a simple white fitted shirt and a quilted dove grey fitted jacket, with matching belt, paired with dark grey soft skinny jeans and black leather pumps. She kept her make up light, with a touch of powder, mascara and a natural gloss to the lips. It was if she wanted to merge into the background and not be noticed.

Emily looked up at me, as she caught me staring.

"Oh, sorry, it's just you look so different with your hair shorter." I said, trying to cover the awkwardness.

"I know, it feel's funny, feeling it touch the back of my neck but I needed the change," said Emily, signing the forms and putting to one side.

"I think that's as far I can go for now, until I can add my passport details."

I nodded. "You will send it off though Emily," I said with concern, "preferably today?"

She shook in head in agreement.

"I just think Emily, that if you don't apply for it, he or Theodora will do something underhand in respect of Sophia's legal documents. It's just a gut feeling. If you have got a passport for her, it will be much more difficult for them to do anything."

"Agreed, don't worry, I will send it off tonight. It means a lot me. Feels like I am slowly regaining my rights. I can't thank you enough Athina. You really have stuck your neck out for this and it means a lot."

There were tears in her eyes, as she came over and gave me a hug. I hugged her back. Emily sat next to me on the sofa, then turned to me with a serious look on her face.

"I won't forget this Athina and I will be here for you.".

I embraced her like a sister. The kinship between us felt like I had something to hold onto and made me feel stronger. I wasn't alone in this.

"Athina, I think I will have to put my Aunt's address on the form, as if they check anything, it will lead straight back to hers. I will write it down, so you have a note of it and I'll leave it on the fridge, in case you ever need it. When I start the new job, I'll move in here as discussed."

"That's a good idea. Thanks for that."

"Athina, you have to understand Jarod and Theodora are underhand. I honestly think they were in cahoots together to bring on the pressure that brought on my postnatal depression. Together they certainly didn't help and it certainly felt as though it was them against me."

She let out a deep sigh, as she fingered the chain of her necklace and then pulled out the oval engraved pendent nestled inside her blouse.

"Would you like to see Sophia when she was a baby?" she said as a sad smile filled her face.

I nodded with a smile and moved closer to her on the sofa as she unclasped her necklace so she opened the locket. There inside was quite definitely a picture of Sophia.

"My aunt realised I had sent a photo of Sophia when she was just born to her and found it on her old phone and printed it out and presented it to me in this locket."

I gazed intently at the picture. It was important that I looked longer than one would usually do, so I could signify the preciousness of the photo. Sophia was cute even then.

Edit 3 – April 2017

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