3 - Daily Life

Chapter Three – Daily Life

When Lutfiyah was a child, she had been quiet and perfect. That was literally the way all her teachers and even her parents had described her. She listened when people spoke, she obeyed when given an order and she never caused any trouble.

So it had been a surprise to all and sundry when she had quietly announced that she intended to study in a college overseas. It hadn't even been a request. She had received a scholarship, had applied at her preferred colleges, gotten accepted and was planning on leaving as soon as they needed her to be there.

Her father had been furious.

No daughter of his would be allowed to study so far away from home because 'what would people say'. Her mother had almost had conniptions and it had taken an entire school of teachers and lineage of family members to convince her parents that if any child could go study in the States and come back uninfluenced, it would be Lutfiyah Abbas. And besides, knowing her, what trouble could she really get into?

But as Shakespeare had once written, 'Our wills and fate do so contrary run.'

Lutfiyah groaned as her alarm rang in her ear, the light tinkling bells rousing her from her deep sleep. She reached out and swiped a finger across the screen, her phone falling silent as she laid her head down and closed her eyes. Not two minutes later, the alarm went off again and Lutfiyah held her tongue as words best not said out loud threatened to escape.

She rolled out of bed and tucked the covers back under her daughter's chin, walking in a zombie-like state to the bathroom. Splashing water on her face, she looked into the mirror and groaned out loud, the dark circles under her eyes causing her to wince. She hated mornings.

She went to the bathroom and performed her ablutions before grabbing her jilbaab and setting down her prayer mat. Glancing at the clock, she realized there were only fifteen minutes left for sunrise and she hurriedly started her prayers.

Half an hour later, showered and ready for work, she slipped out of the door, hurrying along the corridor as she collected the glass bottle outside the Malone's flat. Hastening to the second floor, she grabbed the bottle outside of the Smith's flat too before going down to the lobby, making it in time to catch the milkman.

"Hello Joseph."

"Morning, Miss Abbas. You didn't bring the Ronald's bottle?"

She shook her head at the sweet grey-haired man. "They're out of the country this month. Mrs Ronald's first daughter gave birth and they've gone to stay in Ireland with her for a while."

Joseph nodded and took the three bottles from her, exchanging them for three full bottles of milk. She smiled in thanks and wished him a good day before hurrying up the stairs again, fearful of being late for work.

She had just placed the bottle of milk by the Malone's door when the door opposite her own flat opened. She froze as her neighbour walked out in a pair of grey sweatpants and a faded grey t-shirt. He was barefooted and soft-looking, his right hand scratching at his beard as he bent down to grab the newspaper by his doorstep. She hadn't even seen the paperboy today and who had he paid to bring his paper to his door anyway?

Catching sight of her, he lifted his hand in greeting before frowning down at the bottle in her hand.

Before he could ask, she spoke. "We get milk delivered. I just...uhm, drop off the Malone's milk. Mrs Malone is too old to keep going up and down the stairs and Mr Malone only insists that he doesn't need milk if he has to get up so early to fetch it."

"Assalamualaikum to you too," he said in reply to her explanation, his mouth twitching as she blushed and looked away, replying back softly to his greeting.

He cleared his throat. "Don't mind me. I actually was confused about the milk. Do you know how I could get some for myself?"

She nodded. "I can give you Joseph's number and you can organise it with him. I'm sorry for being rude but I really need to go. I'm already late as it is."

He nodded and stared at her intently as she quickly opened her door and entered her flat, giving him one last look before closing it again.

She hurriedly poured out milk for her daughter's porridge, placing it on the stove to warm before calling her daughter's name and walking to the room. She leaned down over the sleeping child, nuzzling the toddler's neck.

"Wake up, sweetheart. Mama has to go to work and you need to eat your porridge. Aunty Jane will be here soon."

The toddler turned over, lifting her arms out even as her eyes stayed closed. Grinning, Lutfiyah picked her daughter up, tucking her into her chest before going to the kitchen and pouring out the now warm milk into a bowl. She made the porridge and set the child down to eat, watching her quietly before a knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.

"Hello, Jane. May is eating her porridge in the kitchen. She's still a bit drowsy so wait for her to wake up before bathing her okay?"

The Japanese woman nodded and slipped into the house, a smile spreading across her face as she caught sight of the toddler sleepily eating her breakfast. Her soft voice travelled across the otherwise quiet flat, greeting the child and chatting with her.

Lutfiyah shook her head in amusement. The woman never said a word to her and only seemed to open up with children. She stepped into the kitchen and bent down to hug her daughter before kissing her on her cheek.

"I'm going now, my baby. Don't trouble Aunty Jane, okay? I love you, May. Assalamualaikum."

The girl hugged her mother back and accepted the kiss before greeting her back and waving a small hand at her mother as she left.

This was always the most difficult part of her mornings. She hated leaving her daughter in the care of a stranger, even if the stranger now loved her daughter as her own. But under the circumstances, she hardly had an option. Taking a deep breath, she changed from Lutfiyah the Mother to Lutfiyah the Psychologist.

Hurrying down the stairs, she caught sight of her friend parking outside the building. Waving to one of the tenants who had come to fetch the mail, she slipped out of the door and smiled brightly at the driver.

Walking around the car, she opened the passenger door and slipped in, leaning forward to hug the girl in greeting.

"Hey Randy. Before I forget, you don't have to take me to the office. Straight to the hospital today. How are you?"

The brunette hugged her back and grinned broadly.

"I am so good, girl, like you don't even know. My man is back from the States and I'm like over the moon, oh my gosh."

Lutfiyah giggled at her friend's enthusiasm and listened in silence as she gave a blow-by-blow rundown of her night since they had last seen each other.

Miranda Green was a woman that had enough energy and confidence to fuel three buses. Originally from New York, she had moved to London after qualifying as a doctor and wanting to stay anywhere but in the States. As luck would have it, she had fallen in love with a fellow American but due to some sincere prayers on her part, Miranda was thrilled to discover that she and her fiancé both loved their life in England and therefore had no plans to move back to their home country anytime soon.

"And what about you?" the exuberant woman asked. "Wait, should I even ask? You never tell me anything exciting. I live for the day when you will give me some juicy gossip."

Lutfiyah had been about to say that no, nothing new had happened to her but then a deep voice greeting her went across her mind and she smiled slightly.

"Oh. Oh my. Is that a smile I see?" The girl turned to her in shock. "Tell me all. Now."

Lutfiyah rolled her eyes but smiled anyway. "Nothing grand. I've just got a new neighbour."

"Nuh uh. That smile is not 'nothing grand'. It's a man, isn't it? Oh my marbles, is he good-looking?"

Lutfiyah shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe."

"Oh heck no, you don't." She swung into the hospital parking, sliding her car easily into her reserved parking spot before turning to Lutfiyah. "You and I, the hospital lunchroom at eleven. I don't care what you say. This I need to hear."

Lutfiyah huffed out a laugh before nodding in acceptance. "Yes, Miranda dear." She opened the door to step out but Miranda stopped her.

"Georgie packed some breakfast for you," she said slyly.

Lutfiyah groaned. "Randy, I don't know why you keep on encouraging him. I told you, I am not interested."

The girl grinned. "I know. But you get delicious breakfasts out of it so why must you complain?"

"You mean you get free breakfasts."

Miranda shrugged. "If out of courtesy the guy wants to cook for me too, who am I to complain? Now take your food before you are late and your master decides to beat you up."

Lutfiyah grabbed the paper bag, sighing blissfully as the smell of warm doughnuts hit her. Her stomach growled in response and Miranda smirked at her before hurrying to the lifts and pressing her finger to the button.

"Hey, so did you get the message about Conan reducing the housing subsidy for their employees?" Noticing the look that Lutfiyah was giving her, she waved her hand. "Yeah of course you received it. Well, I'm really sorry about that. I've told you time and time again to come and work at the hospital. The benefits are amazing."

The lift pinged and the two women entered with the group that had gathered.

"And I've told you time and time again, I have to work here as part of my scholarship agreement."

Miranda shrugged. "How many more years?"

"I skipped my first year due to some circumstances so I have this year left now. It was only three years but I have to be grateful. The experience I've gained is amazing, Randy."

Miranda grunted in disgust. "You're such a liar. You don't even like your job. You didn't study just so that you could help corporate pricks work through their stress problems." She ignored Lutfiyah's glare and said, "I'm putting in a word for you with Diana. She should be able to offer you a space once you're done with this gig. Okay here's my floor. Don't forget. Eleven. Lunch room."

Miranda waved at her before slipping down the white corridors and out of sight. Lutfiyah shook her head in wonder at the magnificent personality that was Miranda. Sighing she looked at the glowing number on the top of the doors as one by one the numbers went up. Finally the lift opened with a ping allowing the few occupants left in the steel box to walk out.

Conan had organised some sort of lecture for their employees at the hospital and it was compulsory for all to attend. If it hadn't been for her strict supervisor, Lutfiyah would have skipped it and gone straight to the office. But unfortunately for her, and all her co-workers, Simon Picket was a butthole sent straight from the depths of hell to torment people.

Sighing, she walked to the table set-up in front of the doorways to the auditorium and signed in before entering the hall and finding a space in the middle rows but against a wall to sit. Just in case she needed to nap a little.

Ten minutes later the lights dimmed and a man stepped up to the front to start torturing her brain cells.