Better Late Than Never

10

Ayra couldn't explain it no matter how much she tried but there was a calmness that came with Ayman's presence and a gratitude that came with him being the first person she was talking to from the group of people she would work with for as long as she was destined to stay in Ayneese.

"Are you okay?" Ayman asked again, his tone soft and welcoming. "You looked ready to flee a moment earlier."

Her cheeks heated and she embarrassingly lowered her head. "I'm not the best person when nervous and," She looked in the direction of the open front door and at the people she could see inside through the windows. "They seem cosy already."

Ayman looked in the same direction and nodded a moment later. "They do. It's the first day and everyone – well, almost everyone – came in early so they're getting to know each other better."

He turned back to her the same time she turned to him, and he couldn't easily push down his mind noticing that her eyes were bright. They were bewitching too. "There are some old faces and new ones so..."

"That makes me feel a little worse." Her nerves slowly returned. "You and Aneesa are like the only ones I know. If I go in there, there's a high chance I'm going to embarrass myself. Ibty said I should just smile and everything will fall into place but that doesn't seem like good advice right now."

Ayman smile stretched a little wider and amusement danced in his eyes. "It's good advice actually. Frist days are usually for smiles and hellos."

"I'm not sure I believe that." She glanced back to the people who were her colleagues; people she would relate with moving forward. "Maybe I'll just wait here for a little while and –"

"If it makes you feel better, we aren't working in this building so you don't have to walk in to say hi now." His smile was way softer when she turned back to him with a speed he didn't think she had; a speed that should have caused her a whiplash. "You don't have to wait out here either."

Ayra's eyes were adorably wide. "Are you serious? We're not working here?"

He nodded, putting his hands in the pockets of the black coat he'd worn over this thobe; a coat he blessed with more than enough incense before he left the house. "We're not. Not all the time at least."

Her brows furrowed as confusion set in. "Then where are we working? As far as I know this is the only Ayneese headquarters in the entire Atlantica."

He turned on his heel and began walking forward. "Come with me."

Ayra followed with no hesitation. He led her towards the right side of the main building and she followed, amazed, as they walked around it, towards the building that came into sight. Her eyes widened once again. Just as the main building had taken her breath away, the extension block – as Ayman called it – left her stunned.

The exterior walls were also painted white but were shades darker than the main block. There were quite a number of tall glass windows but without the glass blocks used in the main block. The doors were different too. It was clear it was a part of what Ayneese was but it gave her a completely different vibe. The extension block was beautiful, just like the main block was, but it was homier, cosier...softer. She loved it.

Ayman ascended the single entrance stair and pulled the front door open, smiling once again at her. "The main block's Aneesa's turf. This is mine. So, welcome to my haven. I have no doubt it's going to be yours too."

With soft flutters in her belly that came with unharmful nerves and an excitement that slowly bubbled, Ayra stepped past Ayman; into the space, and there was no way she would have stopped herself from falling in love with all that it was.