When Two Become One

39- Promotion

* * *
A month later

With slumped shoulders, I made it into the flat and leaned against the wall as I waited for the lift. Work was just dragging on and on and I was tired of working later than I had to just to finish off these damn spreadsheets. I looked down at my watch only to realise that the bloody thing wasn't working. I groaned and stepped into the lift.

Two minutes later, I opened the front door, stepping into the empty house. Aisha was at her mum's, looking after the kids because Priya and Jamil had just gone on their honeymoon two days ago. So now Aisha is going to bring the kids over tomorrow and they will stay for the week since it was their holiday.

I threw my bag onto the sofa and shoved my blazer off, it landing on the floor. I looked up at table full of food and slowly smiled. Aisha must have come over whilst I was at work because there was no other way food would just magically appear like that, especially if there was nothing in the house. My eye then caught the navy box on the table with a little bow on it. I picked it up only to see my name on it. Curious, I slowly opened the box.

My smile only grew when I saw the new silver watch in the box. I shook my head with a laugh as I opened the tiny envelope inside the box.

'Cooked you some food so you wouldn't starve yourself. I've only been gone a day and you managed not to eat anything.

And the next time you look down at your watch, I hope it will work because I know how grumpy you get with that old watch. I hope you like the new one because it took me forever to finally pick one for you.

Anyways, I will see you tomorrow. The kids are gonna stay at mums because Hasna and them are coming over so they wanted to stay. So you get me all to yourself! I miss you and love you.

-the best woman in the world, Aisha.'

I looked back at the food, sighing. I was so used to eating with her on the table that I felt weird if she wasn't there. Instead, I fell onto the sofa, calling her. It rung a couple of times and eventually went to voicemail. I then looked at the time to see it was past one in the morning. She was bound to be asleep. Not having anything else to do, I dragged my body to the bedroom, got changed and then staggered into bed.

* * *

My eyes snapped open at the sound of the door slamming shut. I heard the footsteps outside the door. I was about  to get up and when the door suddenly opened. I sighed in relief when I saw Aisha standing there with a small smile.

"Sorry I woke you up."

I fell back onto the pillow with a groan. I heard her say something but the headache I had was killing me. I closed my eyes and put  a hand over my head, trying to make it go away. Aisha sat down beside me and I opened my eyes to see her smiling at me. "Sorry. When did you come? What time is it?"

"I came around eleven but you were still sleeping so I just went to go and spend time with Carly and now I'm back. It's almost three by the way."

"Fuck. Almost three?"

"Yeah." I frowned as I pulled her into a hug. She giggled as I pulled her into me and under the blanket. "What's wrong with you? You never sleep this late."

"I know. I'm just so tired of work," I mumbled against her shoulder. She ran her hands through my hair and I sighed. "I missed you."