Chapter 10

Lucy, hearing Jane's laughter joined them. She looked Syed up and down.

"You're back then." she said

"Looks like it." Said Syed

"How long for this time?" she accused

"For as long as he wants." he nodded at Christian.

"Guess that'll be forever then." grinned Christian.

Lucy simply shrugged her shoulders "About time." She led Jane away to meet the guests who were starting to arrive. Syed pulled Christian out of the reception area to the bar.

"Look Christian I am not going to do this here, I don't want your sister's memory of her wedding to be spoiled by me and my parents having a shouting match. Don't look at me like that, I am not chickening out. I know them, they won't stay long and I can join you afterwards."

Christian protested but Syed's new found confidence made him stubborn and nothing he could say would change his mind. Despondently he turned back to the proceedings alone, wondering about the real reason for his reticence to face up to his parents. Shadows from the past cast doubts in Christian's mind. He sighed, would Syed's family forever be the ghost in their relationship would they yet draw him back in? He really didn't think he cope with being hurt again.

He had waited this long, he reminded himself, another few hours wouldn't kill him, and come what may they would be going to the same home tonight, which meant something. He fixed a well practiced smile on his face, grabbed a glass of champagne and returned to his sister's side greeting the guests. It wasn't until the photographer started that Jane realised he was gone.

"Christian, I don't care if Zainab makes a scene, just go get Syed. Phil, tell him he should be here with us."

"What my wife wants – my wife gets. Go on Christian; drag him back here if you need to."

He didn't need much encouragement and went off to the bar. There was no sign of Syed, Christians heart sunk, had Syed fled? He searched the functions rooms, the reception, the hallway but nothing. Neither Syed nor his parents were to be found. He walked out into the cold sunshine, his brow furrowed and tears threatening his eyes; had he lost Syed already? He turned to go back inside when he heard a familiar raised voice.

"What are you doing here, why have you come – don't you think you have brought enough shame on your mother and me?"

Christian's first instinct was to weigh in and defend him, but the small part of him that still carried the doubt from five years of waiting needed to witness Syed standing up to his family.

"I didn't know you would be here, I have no wish to disrespect either of you, and you are still my parents."

"Well you are not my son." said Mason. "Why are you here?"

Christian was struck by the calmness of Shed's voice in comparison to the pent up anger of his father.

"I'm here with my boyfriend; all I want to do is live my life. My own life, not the one you would like me to live."

"Boyfriend!" shouted Zainab "Don't tell me you and that disgusting blackmailer..."

"No..."

"So you fell into bed with the first man that took an interest in you..."

"No Mum, I happen to be with someone who gave me time and space and who cares for me, who has patiently waited for me to come to my senses. You will never understand how lucky I am, I thought I had thrown my life away and he saved me. "

Christian had heard enough, he strode over and slung his arm around Syed, letting his fingers sweep over the sensitive skin at the nape of his neck, gently caressing his shoulder as a gesture of support and drawing him closer to him, a signal of defiance to his parents. He was staking his claim.

"This is where you are Sy."

"You!" spat Zainab.

Christian felt Syed's muscles tense as Zainab started a verbal assault on him. He cut in, knowing his words would slice like a knife, but he didn't care.

"Sy, Jane says since you're practically family, you should be in the photographs – you coming?"

Masood's face hardened, but Zainab's crumpled.

"That's it, come on Zee, we're leaving, now." As Masood walked around the car to get in, Zainab's mouth twitched at the corners. She held Syed's gaze her eyes imploring him to understand, to come back to her.

"Christian makes me happy Mum."

She was close to tears, unable to speak. Out of his father's line of sight Syed took his mother's hand, pressed a business card into it and curled her fingers around it. She thrust it into her pocket.

"Get in touch, any time."

Christian thought of all the years he wasted with his own mother, he guessed Zainab thought that as long as Syed was on his own he would eventually return to the family home and the family way of life, now she looked defeated. Feeling a twinge of guilt, he held open the car door for her and echoed

"Any time at all."

They watched the car drive off; Christian reached up to push a nonexistent curl from Syed's face, grazed his lips against his cheek and whispered in his ear. "C'mon gorgeous, let's go and add a touch of class to my sister's wedding photographs."

"I think that's your job isn't it?" Syed blushed with a carefree laugh and they strode hand in hand back to the hotel.

"Oh come on Christian," called Jane "the photographer has been waiting ages for you two!"

"Not as long as I have." grinned Christian.