The Scars They Hide

Chapter Five - Persistence Is The Key

Chapter Five – Persistence is the Key

Lutfiyah’s friends had always called her their mother. Without realising it, she would clean up after them, shout at them when they got out of hand, force them to take medicine when they got sick and made sure that they ate and slept on time too. It was somehow woven in her DNA to be like that so when she had given birth, it had been nothing shocking for her that she had to suddenly look after another human being.

The only time that this quality was really a hindrance was when it would bug her to look after everyone around her, whether her attentions were welcome or not; hence the baking sent to the Malone household and always making sure that the two varsity girls on first floor had at least one good meal a week.

The urge had hit again after seeing the state that her new neighbour, Jaafar as he had said his name was, was in. She had the disturbing urge to go and give his flat a good spring-clean and worse, cook for him!

Lutfiyah caught herself staring off into space again and shook herself out of her revere. It was only some chicken and rice. It wouldn’t hurt to send some over. Allah knew when last the man had had a proper meal and with the way he had looked the last time that she had seen him, a proper shower and good night of sleep too.

Making up her mind, she dished the food out into a container and contemplated how to send the food. Deciding that going herself would be a disaster, she called for her daughter.

“May!”

The girl hummed in acknowledgement before leaving her blocks and hurrying over to her mother, looking up expectantly with her giant blue eyes.

“We’re going to leave this food by Uncle Jaafar, okay? I’m going to leave it down by the door and you must knock until he answers. When he does, you give him and then you come back here immediately, understood?”

May looked at her in puzzlement before nodding. “I muz knock and knock?”

Lutfiyah nodded and smiled. “Yes, sweetheart. Knock and knock until the door opens. I’ll be right here, watching you and waiting for you to come back.”

She grabbed a post-it and hurriedly scribbled a note before sticking it to the container and taking her child to the opposite flat. Placing the food on the ground, she knocked on the door then went back inside her flat, leaving the door a little open to observe the proceedings. She watched in amusement as her daughter lifted up her tiny fist and began knocking without pause.

Not a few minutes later the door swung open to reveal a very grumpy somewhat scary looking man.

“What?” Jaafar snarled, clearly annoyed at the constant knocking.

May jerked back in surprise and Lutfiyah couldn’t help but smile in amusement as she watched a look of utter confusion cross Jaafar’s face before he looked down. Then he jerked back in surprise.

“Assalamualaikum Unca Jaafi.” Lutfiyah smiled proudly as May finally said the greeting correctly.

The man looked torn between scowling and trying not to be affected by the utter adorableness of her daughter so he smoothed out his expression and crouched down to the level of the tiny girl.

“Wa alaikumus salaam Maysura. How can I help you today?”

It seemed that the man, despite his natural surly nature, couldn’t help but be charmed by little girls.