Destined To Be.

Chapter 39

James,

How did my Aunt get her garden in such a damn state!! I'm absolutely appalled at the sight of it. That woman always has her head buried in books, it's like she has created her own world , forgetting the one that she resides in.

I don't know how my uncle puts up with her but I guess they're two peas in a pod as he hasn't touched it either. He's worse than my aunt, he seems to be online all the time, searching for antiques all over the world at the click of button and then realising to late once they have arrived that where the hell he is going to store them.

Their house has become a deathly trap! It's either books everywhere or the damn weird things that are collectibles to my uncle's taste.

I currently filling up a wheelbarrow with soil and broken bricks and taking it out to the skip I've hired. I'm content with my headphones on and the hard work is taking up all my attention, which is a huge blessing at the moment.

I've been here for almost 3 days now and I'm nowhere near completing the huge task ahead of me, but I'm not really bothered as I need the time away. Tommy is in safe hands, Farren was over the moon and he loves spending time with her.

I refuse to think of a her! I refuse to think of those big blue eyes, that cut through my soul. Those eyes have been haunting my dreams lately and I'll be damned if I give in and head back home .

No!!

I'm going to give her time. She needs it and I bloody need it!! The letter from her husband has taken over all my headspace! That piece of paper is either going to make us or break us.

I take the wheel barrow and push it along the footpath. The sun is beating down on me, but I relish the workout. I've taken off my top and my body glistens with sweat mixed with dirt. I look a hot mess right now but I don't give a fuck as my Aunt and Uncle are out and they're next neighbour is a good distance away.

I walk up the man made ramp attached to the skip and dump the contents. I retract my steps and head back. My favourite song is playing at the moment, when I feel miserable I tend to listen to fucked up love songs or soppy ones.

I stop dead in my tracks, Bon Jovi blasting in my ears, sweat poring down my face when I see her standing by the kitchen door. Her eyes widen as she takes me in, right from  the top of my head all the way to my dirt cladded boots and back up again to my face.

My body explodes with awareness, my hands tightening over the handles of the wheelbarrow. What the hell is she doing here? Am I dreaming or maybe the heat has gone to my head. Yep, that must be it, I shake my head and continue down the path .

Bloody Ayla won't quit messing with my head! I can still feel the after effects of that imaginary, innocent appraisal. Fuck was that sexy! What a pathetic man I am, she has this bloody hold over me and I can't even escape her for a second. I mean I travelled all the way here, which is a 3 hours drive and she stills messes me up.

I turn up the volume as Bryan Adams hit song, "have you ever really loved a woman" intro comes on and smile at the irony. This song hits all the right notes it's one of many songs that I associate with Ayla.

I pick up the shovel and I'm about to hit the dirt when I sense someone behind me, I turn and this time the shovel falls from my hands , I take off the headphones,giving my full attention to the very real woman before me.

"You're actually here?" My voice sounds strange, I take her in. Now it's my turn to appraise her , very slowly and very deliberately.

"I th..I thought you were ignoring me!" She fiddles with the end of her hijab that she has styled into a turban.