Another morning Fiona wakes up in a frenzy. She quickly gets dressed and works her way downstairs quietly.
To her wonder, by the door, are two suitcases.
Alaya comes from her room, walks quietly down the stairs, puts on her warmest coat, hat, scarf and gloves. She grabs the suitcases and stands proudly behind Fiona smiling.
Fiona whispers, "What are you doing?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
"I want to leave ..."
"We will go together."
"To protect me?"
"No." Alaya stands still looking into Fiona's panicked filled eyes, "Together we can do anything, go anywhere ... it doesn't matter to me."
Fiona puts on her coat, hat, gloves and opens the doors to the outside. She steps onto the cold morning pavement. Alaya closing the doors behind her and takes her place to the left of Fiona.
Fiona looks right then left and lets out an enormous sigh. "Not today." Both women go back inside.
As Alaya and Fiona walk back up to their separate bedrooms, Fiona asks softly, "Will you genuinely leave with me?"
"My heart has no choice. I want to be by your side."
Fiona nods and she returns to her room. Alaya waits until Fiona's door is closed before retiring to her own. She places the note she wrote to her mothers back in the side table door and slips back into her lukewarm bed. She is prepared to leave her home and the family business. Fiona is right, we shall never have a normal life so it doesn't matter if we leave or stay.
Every morning after that Alaya is dressed at Fiona's side holding two packed suitcases. One time they made it all the way to the Thames.
Alaya walks with her, never uttering a word, allowing Fiona be in control. It didn't matter if they never returned to 13 Paternoster Row; they were together and that is all that mattered to Alaya.