Destined To Be.

Chapter 29

Ayla,

"Mamma stop fussing please!." She stops, sends me a deathly glare and continues to fuss over me as she mumbles under her breath about "grown ass women in tree houses".

"Adi said naughty word ". Salwa gasps , covering her mouth with her pudgy hand. She looks so adorable with her huge eyes shocked at her normally very good Adi who rarely ever swears.

"Adi is not happy with your Mother my jan. She could have seriously hurt herself." She huffs taking the seat opposite me.

"Mamma, come on now, the amount of times you had to deal with my scrapes and wounds as a child growing up." I throw her a playful look.

"Key word being "child"!!" She shoot's back but then the kitchen door opens and in walks my sisters and James.

The butterflies are back also my face blushes as I quickly look away from his probing gaze. Suddenly I remember Aqsa's words before my fall and how it felt to be in his arms. Strong James Dean Hudson arms and I can't control the shiver that runs down my spine.

Crap!!

Pull yourself together woman!! I chide myself. How can I be thinking these thoughts at such a time? Why am thinking about him? How could I be so pathetic? I feel like I'm betraying Afsan.

No!!

No I refuse to let these ... these feelings control me. I thought they were dead and buried! I thought that I was finally free from these inexplicable emotions.

Nope!!

I will forget what Aqsa said and the feelings James has awoke in me!! I'm going to squash them like you do a big ass bug.

Yep!! I'm going to carry on with my life like normal. Like I have been since Afsan's death and with our beautiful daughter by my side.

"Hey sis.. how are you feeling?" Inaya sits next to me putting an arm around my shoulder. I turn and smile at her.

"Alhumdulilah, it could have been worse.. just a bruised ankle." I smile back reassuringly. My face is blushing on its own frigging accord as I can sense his gaze on me.

Why???

Why does my stupid body do this to me??

"Are you sure sis.. it's looks as if you may have a temperature as your face is flushed." Inaya puts a hand on my forehead.

"Er.. I'm fine Inaya..stop fussing please..your just like Mamma!" I shift uncomfortably.

"James dear. How about you bring little Tommy over and we can have dinner together?" Mamma's voice was a relief which was short lived as she completed her sentence.

What!!!

Dinner with James!!

I can't do this right now!! I've already made a fool of myself with my uncontrollable damn blushes.. my stupid reaction to being carried in his arms, his direct probing gazes.  I can't take no more of this.

"Mamma.. I .."

"Mrs khan, I th..."

We both stop mid sentence as our eyes clash. He sees my reaction to the invitation and he knows that it doesn't sits well with me.  He's always had this knack of being prone to my feelings. Well obviously I was like a neon sign back then an open book. Yes time has passed and I've changed in many ways but I guess some things don't change.

"Sorry Mrs khan. Farren is with Tommy and she wants to cook for us whilst we catch up. But definitely next time". He smiles at Mamma as he makes his way towards the hallway.