'There is a family friend of ours who is looking for an educated and responsible lady to take care of her household while she is away. She travels a lot. And when she is back she  needs company because her two kids are almost always not around. Would you like that?' Anisa asked her.

Laura smiled lightly ' I think that arrangement will be fine'.

Laura was on the move again. How did that happen? Well it was definitely not because of her little fight with Jamila. In fact because of the fight, Anisas mother had recognised Laura. She knew her long ago from when they where friends with Jamilas before her death. She had extended her condolences on both parents death. The spat had in an odd way increased the respect they had for her. Even Fadil had come thrice to visit his 'sister' but Laura had done anything in her power to avoid him and when she had found herself in the same room with him, she avoided his gaze like he was Medusa.

Anyway, after everything Laura decided to make herself scarce. She did only what was necessary but not more. Anisa had tried engaging her in conversation but Laura just replied with smiles and short answers. She understood that the woman needed company because her husband was grumpy and boring as a beast but she just did not feel it. Speaking of him. Laura had noticed changes in his behaviour generally, towards his wife..they were mushier, more familial. Towards her...he smiled and acknowledged her more. Which was something.

One day Anisa had gone to a friends house while Laura was doing the dishes. She was following Ed Sheerans Photograph and was experiencing that heart melting feeling that always came with the song when she felt a hand on her back. She froze...literally.  Her mind stopped working, her breathing hitched and she felt the air around her go still.

The hand snaked round and rested on her stomach. Her heart was beating wildly. She was alone in the house, the guard was probably asleep and she was washing a cup, a plastic cup. Not the right weapon against a possible murderer or rapist. She thought of the 999 ways to escape within a millisecond but she was seriously out of options.

Then the body moved closer but did not touch hers, she could feel the persons warmth and his breath fanning her neck. She could feel goosepimples all over her body.

'Laura' the person whispered in a hoarse voice. She re-froze because she never in a million years would have guessed it was him.

'What are you doing?' She asked, her voice shakey. She tried to move away from him but he tightened his hold.  And used his other hand to hold the end of the sink thereby securing her infront of him.

'Taking what you've been offering of course' he chuckled 'you know i recognize all the signs. You acting all cool and dismissive when I'm around. Not acknowledging my presence but staring at me when I'm not looking.  I've tried to avoid it but you are one hell of a temptress' he leaned closer and placed his lips on her ear ''you win!'.

'Taheer. I am so sorry if i give you the wrong message but i did not in anyway mean that. You read it all wrong. Please just let me go and we shall pretend this never happened '.

He laughed dryly  and ran his fingers through her hair which she let down thinking she was alone in the house.

'Hey you don't have to be scared.  We are alone and Anisa won't be back till much later. We have the whole house to ourselves baby' she felt like gagging. He was disgusting.  How could he try to seduce her just because his wife was not around?. She had no never pegged him for that kind of man, arrogant  yes but not unloyal, but then with men you can never know. A year ago she did not know that Uncle Bello will ask for her hand in marriage, the few bad eggs where doing a good job at ruining the reputation of men in her eyes. 'I could give you a better life Laura you are not cut out for domestic work. You deserve to be treated like a queen, i can make that happen if you just cooperate'.

She tried to wiggle free again but he had an iron grip on her clutching both of her hands in his.

'Look you are Basmas father and as my employer i respect you, i like your wife you guys are a fine couple why would you do this?''

'Fine couple? You think I'm happy in this marriage? Its a cell. I never bargained for this none of us did but we had to because it was expected. It was just a social contract to bind two noble families, we weren't forced but we were the perfect candidates for each other socially, though not otherwise. I don't even love her, i feel nothing for her all that beauty and she doesn't stir anything in me . But you...you just drive me crazy. You make me feel like a man again!'.

Laura felt all the things she ate in the morning rising. She was going to throw up any minute she was sure of it. How could he say that? They looked so happy, in the picture they looked so damn happy she couldn't believe it was all haox. He was definitely lying, because that was the easiest thing for her to believe.  Her breathing was getting rapid and she was sure an attack was on the way, she would be very vulnerable if she got seized by an attack so she had to act...fast.

Ok Laura calm down. She told herself despite her heart banging against her chest. What is the most logical thing to do? You've read many novels, watched many movies how would Sidney Sheldon get his character out?.

She took a deep breathe, asked for Allah's forgiveness for what she was about to do and relaxed. 'I had no idea you were such a perceptive man' she cooed. 'How did you know exactly what i wanted without me saying it?'.

He released his grip a little and smirked. 'I am more than just meets the eye ' Smug Bastard. She wanted to burst his smugness there and then but he hadn't released her yet.

He ran his hands over her arms and she shivered from repulse.

She giggled 'I'm sure you are. So...where were we?' He had completely fallen for it. He released her and placed his hands on her shoulders turning her to face him. She scooped some soapy water and allowed him to turn her. The smirk on his face was enough to make her throw up if she didn't already feel it rising. He was still handsome but in a twisted way.

'Hello beautiful'.he drawled.

'Hello bitch' she smirked too and poured the foamy water on his face. He growled and wiped let go if her. She raised her leg and hit him where it would hurt the most. He groaned and doubled over blocking his crotch with his hands.

'I've always wanted to do that'. She grinned down at him. He groped at her leg and she kicked again with the other one. 'Don't you ever dream about putting you filthy fingers on me or anyone one not your wife ever again' she spat then made a beeline for the room and pumped her inhaler because she was coughing rapidly then.

Next she ran to the toilet and retched out everything in her system. That was going to haunt her for the rest of her life she was sure. Before Taheer could come after her she heard Anisas car, looked like she decided to be back early.

When the woman of the house came back, she didn't suspect a thing, just that her husband hit his thigh while trying to repair the car engine (seriously? That was the lamest story ever) so he needed ice. Laura gladly gave many many iceblocks. She didn't see him for two days.
The only reason why Laura didn't leave immediately was because she didn't want to leave Anisa and Basma alone. She knew her presence wasn't of any importance but oddly as emotionally unattached as she believed herself to be, she was finding it hard to say goodbye.  Besides why would the stupid man make her loose her source of income. So she stayed.

'Laura can i have a talk with you?'
Lauras mind immediately went into a frenzy. She knew. She knew what happened. ..Ya Allah.

'I know i should have told you earlier and this is all so sudden but we are moving'.

Laura let go of her breath. She didn't expect it but was relieved Anisa didn't know.

'You are moving?' She asked again.

'Yes, well the situation wasn't stable before.  He had applied for a job abroad and now he has gotten it. He was informed last week and we've already started preparing. I'm sorry but we have to let you go.  We are leaving in two weeks'.

''Masha Allah that's good news' Laura didn't know whether to be happy or not but atleast she didn't have to explain why she wanted to leave '' and please don't apologize. It was meant to be, I'm happy for you'.

And that was how Anisa ended up proposing that she worked for a family friend. Laura didn't leave immediately. She helped them pack, well she and Fadil helped but she wished he didn't.

A few days to their departure, she was packing some old books into a carton when she came across some pictures . Many old pictures. She sat down forgetting what she was doing and started looking at the pictures. She was sneezing lightly due to the dust, she knew her system might be against it but she wanted to see the pictures. They were mostly family pictures, their immediate family, Anisa with her siblings, all twelve of them, but the one that caught her eye was one of a little girl and Fadil sitting on what looked like a hospital bed. He was hugging her by the shoulder in a protective stance as the older one while the girl clutched her stuffed bunny by its ears grinning widely, her gap tooth showing. Laura didn't know when she smiled and exclaimed 'awww' they looked so cute. She heard someone chuckle behind her and jumped. It was Fadil leaning by the wall smiling down at her.
'Sorry i didn't mean to scare you'.
Boy he is handsome, why is he interested in me again?.

'No problem. I was just going through some pictures' she pointed at the pile before her. He nodded and made his way through the boxes scattered around then sat opposite her.

'You shouldn't be here' she said, she didn't look up but continued flipping through the pictures. He ignored her statement.

'I remember when this picture was taken. Jannah had always wanted my bunny but i wouldn't give it to her because i always told her that bunnies were for guys  and barbies were for girls' he smiled and shook his head sadly. 'She would always try to steal it but i always caught her. Then one day, she collapsed while trying to nab it from the top of the cupboard where i kept it. She was taken to the hospital and was diagnosed with measles, it grew internally and had done a lot of damage. She slept for two days and i cried myself to sleep each day telling Mama that it was all my fault, that i should have given her the bunny, she was my favourite sister. I promised to give it to her if she would just wake up, i promised i would give her anything she wanted, Laura she was just 5'.
His voice sounded so sad that as stone hearted as Laura was or thought she was, she felt a ball of tears lodge in her throat.

'She woke up. And i enthusiastically gave her the bunny, everyone laughed at me reminding me of how i cried like a baby but i didn't care, she was awake was all that mattered and that was when the picture was taken'. He smiled sadly and looked at her. 'I still blame myself sometimes'.

'But you didn't do anything. She would have collapsed anyway whether she was reaching out for the bunny or not'.

'Well tell that to the nine year old Fadil'.

'Where is she now? She has probably forgotten' she said in a small voice.

He shrugged 'Yeah she probably would have. I wouldn't know. She died the next day'.
Lauras hand flew to her mouth as a small crying sound escaped 'Ya Allah! I had no idea! I didn't mean to be so insensitive.'
Tears had formed in her eyes and she didn't want them to fall.
'Hey, no problem, don't sweat it'.

She nodded. 'May Allah rest her soul in Jannah' Laura would have noted that the girls name was Jannah, paradise and she was praying that her soul be in Jannah had she not felt so mournful.

'The thing is that Laura we can't blame ourselves for what is beyond our doing. You just said it. It would have happened anyway. We can't punish ourselves forever'.

Woah why is he sounding preachy she thought.

'What are you saying?'.

He sighed 'Why have you been avoiding me?' she groaned, couldn't he let her mourn his sisters loss -which happened twenty years ago even though she didnt know her-in peace?

'Fadil please just drop it. Not everything can work our way'.

'Can you hear yourself.  How would you know if you didn't even try? You never looked like a coward to me. You seemed like a fighter and now you have given up everything. .for what?''.

'For my dignity. For my pride. You don't know the half of it so stop judging'.

'God you are so stubborn' he groaned.  And you didn't know me last year.  'I know what happened.  I know that your father was bankrupt, that you have lost all of your fortune and can't live the life of luxury you were used to and i know that you are punishing yourself for it'.

'Yeah well if i hadn't been so demanding maybe he wouldn't have borrowed so much...' She paused . Where did that come from. She didn't even know she was blaming herself subconsciously for everything.

'You aren't the only one he spent on. Besides it was a choice and that was his, you have a choice too. You can always go back home.' He said softly,she didn't like the pity she saw.

She scoffed 'And marry Uncle Bello? Nice idea'.

'Who is that? He frowned.

'Oh no one. Besides you are also getting married'.

'I?, getting married to who?'.

She rolled her eyes...JAMB question.
'Your cousin Jamila'.

'Oh! you said that too the other day. Jamila was your friend amd you know how delusional she gets. The families want that and obviously she is in too but i just look at her as my little sister'. Poor Jamila has been Sis zoned, Laura smirked internally.

'Well i had no idea. Anyway it still doesn't make a difference. Once Anisa moves I'll go to another house and work for myself because you are right i do have choices, i could choose to sell my body or marry an old bald badger or shove myself at the family who want nothing to do with me or i could just look after myself '.

'You know i think you have taken care of yourself for so long that you are scared of letting someone else take care of you. You can come to our house, i have already spoken to Mama infact she suggested it first she will let you stay. Laura we all understand your tough situation and we sympathise with you, we are willing to help, you can even resume school if you want to or work but you don't have to work like this'.

'Fadil do you even hear yourself? Sympathy? I don't need your sympathy to survive.  I can do well on my own, i was fine until you came along'  she flung the pictures she was holding.  She hated it when people looked at her as a helpless lost dog, she was a strong woman.

'Fine keep being an unreasonable spoilt brat' he stood up to leave.

Her eyes where blurry with unshed tears and the pressure to her lungs was increasing. Then she saw her. How could she miss, the young lady laughing in the picture was her exact replica, just a prettier and slimmer version. She reached out with a shaky hand and held the picture. It was her Mother, Jamilas mother and another woman laughing like they hadn't a care in the world. She had seen enough of her mothers pictures to know how she looked like and she was smiling in most of them. Lauras sob increased audibly causing Fadil to turn back.

'Laura are you okay?.

What would have been her fate had her mother been alive? Would she have let her daughter suffer in the cruel hands of the world? Would she have allowed her to work aimlessly groping for self fulfilment? She clutched the picture to her chest as if somehow it will fill the dark deep void within her wishing that she could tell all the people in the world who could even remember the faintest scent and warmth of their mothers how lucky they were. She wished...

Her breathing was getting seriously hitched, her throat was rapidly constricting making her gasp as she struggled to catch some air.
Fadil was asking what was wrong and where her inhaler was but she couldn't answer him, when she opened her mouth only gasping sounds came out. She felt like she was drowning into an abyss of pain. Everywhere and everything hurt. There were more voices but she didn't understand what they were saying she was focused on those  brown eyes that looked dead scared for her, then she lost consciousness, she thought that if she would make it, she will make it for him.

Dedicated to all the people out there who lost their mothers, May Allah be with you.

And to all of our Mothers... Allah ya raya mana ku...Bless You!!!

Love from❤❤❤❤❤

Hansatuu

Books are the best friends you can trust.. The husband that will not cheat and the family that will never turn it's back on you.