This story took me far too long to write (especially since this is only Chapter 1) but it's here now and I hope you enjoy :D x (Rated T for some slight swearing)
Yasmin's Second Birthday
Chapter 1 – The Post
There was a clatter of pans and a slam of cutlery drawers followed by some not-so-subtle swearing. Syed forced himself to open his eyes to look at the time, wondering if he'd overslept again. Christian never woke Syed up in the morning, even if he had overslept but would then hold it against him for the rest of the day. He sat up and rubbed his eyes in an attempt to look at the clock on his bedside table. 6.45am? On a Saturday? What was Christian doing at 6.45am on a Saturday? Syed groaned, grabbed his dressing gown from the door and trudged into the kitchen, still half asleep.
'Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit'
Christian was frantically opening and closing cupboard and drawers not giving them more than a one second glance.
'Christian, what on earth are you doing? It's not even 7 o' clock yet.'
'Syed, we only have 5 hours until the party and – '
'And we went over everything last night, Christian. What's there to worry about?'
Still looking through cupboards Christian questioned Syed's organisation skills.
'What about the bouncy castle?'
'Arriving at 10.'
'The cake?'
'Arriving at 11.'
'What about – '
'Christian! You are turning into my mum!'
Christian stopped in his tracks and slowly turned around.
'What did you say?'
Syed sensed he'd hit a nerve and smiled slyly.
'I said you're turning into my mum.'
Christian suddenly realised what his husband meant and quickly closed the cupboard doors. With a blank expression on his face Christian walked towards the bedroom.
'I'm going back to bed.'
Syed simply chuckled at his victory. Comparing Christian to Zainab always worked.
9.30? Today of all days. Why 9.30? Yasmin was usually Christian and Syed's alarm, waking them up at the crack of dawn. Today she decided otherwise.
"Right, you put her in her highchair and get her bib while I grab her cereal," Christian ordered. They went through this routine every morning but with his brain still in sleep-mode Syed felt the need to double check. Everything was placed in front of her and the Dad Duo sighed simultaneously.
"Can you look after Yas while I quickly have a shower?" Christian asked.
Syed smiled to himself. "quickly." Since when did Christian shower "quickly"? He might as well prepare the entire party himself by the time Christian had finished his "quick" shower. But with no time to argue Syed casually agreed and sat down next to his daughter. Patiently waiting for Yasmin to finish her Rice Krispies, Syed attempted to sort out her bed-hair until he heard a thump and looked over to the front door.
"What was that, Yasmin?" Syed cooed. Yasmin gave a cheeky grin as she realised the answer.
"Post!" She declared.
Syed picked up the bundle of multi-coloured envelopes and plonked them down on the table next to Yasmin. Pushing her cereal away Yasmin made a vicious attempt to claw at her birthday cards. It had become a recent habit of hers; ripping up anything she could lay her hands on. Unfortunately, this meant that Christian wasn't always in the best of moods when he found his Sunday paper on the floor, a mound of confetti.
"Do you want to help then?" Syed asked, placing a butter-yellow envelope in front of her. He watched very cautiously to ensure the cards themselves didn't get ripped in the process. The first card was revealed to be a glittery giraffe with a big red 2 in the top right hand corner. Inside it read "To my darling niece on your second birthday, have a wonderful day and I'll see you at Christmas. Lots of love, Aunty Jane xxx" Syed smiled and left the card on the side for Christian to see. He opened the others to find a card from Shabnam and several others from distant relatives along with the odd £5 note.
Syed had opened all but one card. A pink one. A pink envelope with very familiar hand writing on. He tore open the seal and forcefully pulled the card out. It was a white card covered in masses in pink glitter with 'To a special girl' spread out across the front. Syed knew what this meant and who it was from but every inch of him didn't want to believe it. With sincere regret he opened the card to find his assumptions where correct.
'To Yasmin, Happy Birthday! Love from Mummy xx'
Syed's heart filled with anger at Amira's pathetic excuse for a card. Yasmin hadn't heard anything from her mother since she left Walford nearly a year ago and this was the effort she went to to make up for it?
Glimpsing over the rim of the card he saw his desperate daughter stretching out for the card in front of him, another target for her claw-like hands. At first Syed almost pulled the card away from her like a selfish child until he saw the hurt in her eyes. Yasmin should be able to have access to any communication from her mother. Denying her that meant that he would be doing the same thing Amira did to him. He placed his hand on hers and couched down next to her, their heads in line with each other. He presented the card to her in a somewhat majestic manner allowing her to take from his hands and investigate for herself.
"It's from Mummy." Syed muttered slowly to his daughter. His words didn't seem to sink in as Yasmin continued to dust specs of glitter from her hands. Syed gently took the card away and opened it in front of her to reveal Amira's message. He read out the message again and turned to see Yasmin's reaction. Just as he had expected. Yasmin looked at him as though the word didn't exist and until the card had arrived, it didn't. Her confused expression caused many emotions to stir in Syed's heart: anger, pity, hurt, even victory was slightly touched among the bundle.
Christian's usually shower song had come to an end and Syed frantically waved the card around looking for somewhere to hide it as though it were a bomb. His husband's footsteps slowly dragged themselves into the kitchen where Christian casually stood in a beige towel.
"You alright?" Christian asked, sensing something was up with Sy.
"Err, yeah. Yeah, fine." He said with haste. "Listen, do you mind if I use the shower now?"
Christian shook his head but doubt was still on his mind. As Syed walked towards the bathroom Christian looked over to the area Syed was guarding to see the pink card sticking out like a sore thumb.
"Sy?" Syed slightly stumbled in his tracks, cursing under his breath.
"Yeah?"
Words need not be said as the card was raised in front of their faces. Syed glanced at the card then back at Christian. Memories reflected between their eyes as they remembered the woman that had stood in the way of everything they have now. As the memories became stronger so did Syed's guilt. But the flashbacks were torn when Christian set down the card next to the others and the guilt was lowered as his husband wrapped his hands around his waist.
"She isn't going to take this away. Not again."
The actual party will come soon! Give me some time and I'll get it on here as soon as possible. Hope you enjoyed it. Please R it would be very much appreciated :D
