I just got a text from Hudaa, informing that her in-laws are coming from London and they will be staying at her place for a week.

Me: I will sleepover at the mansion.

Hudaa: Are you sure your boss won't mind?

You don't sleep at the mansion when he is around.

Me: I don't know, I suppose I will have to notify him.

Hudaa: You know you could always go sleep at your apartment.

Me: I don't feel comfortable sleeping alone there.

Talk later, helping Imad with homework.

Hudaa: Okay:)

I thought for a while how I would approach Mr Ahmed and explain to him my situation, but every time I came up with an idea. The conclusion would remain the same — Would he actually care? I can never seem to keep my opinions to myself at times and for that they are prices I have to pay. One of them being Mr Ahmed's anger and hate towards me.

"Layla," Imad calls me. "I finished my story." Imad's homework was to write about the best experience of his life, with a maximum of 40 words. I take the exercise book, he wrote on and start to read. Imad wrote about his uncle — Mr Ahmed. The trip they took to Barcelona, and how his uncle is cool and took him to a theme park. I just helped with some of the words he could not spell out.

"Imad habibi this is a wonderful story. I am sure your teacher will love it," I tell him. I heard a loud scream, that averts my attention.

"Who screamed?" He asks, looking petrified.

"I don't know Imad. Don't worry, stay here and play on your iPad," I instruct him, and leave his room — closing his door. The scream must be from Madam Samia. I head to her room and see her on the floor, her nurse besides her holding a pill. I rush to her side and kneel in front of her.

"Sayidati samiat ma hu alkhata?," I ask her.

[ Madam Samia what's wrong?]

" La 'urid tanawul aldawa'. la 'urid, 'ana la 'urid!" she yells. [ I don't want to take the medicine. I don't want, I don't want.] I look up to the nurse who looks clueless and confused.

"She doesn't want to take the medicine," I tell the nurse, trying to comfort Madam Samia whose tears still streamed down her cheeks.

"Madam Samia needs to take her medicine, whether she wants to or not. Without them she will only become worse, these pills are the only thing that stabilize the disease and most importantly her tantrums," the nurse spoke, explaining the importance of Madam Samia's medication. I continued to comfort her, she was still crying.

"Can you wait at least until she's calmed down," I tell her. The nurse nods her head — agrees and stands by the dressing table. I help Madam Samia up, and made her sit on the bed. I try my best to talk her and convince her to take her medication. But she didn't respond, she just kept quiet.

"What's going on here?" I look towards the door and see Mr Ahmed. The nurse approaches him, and she starts to talk him about something. I couldn't hear much, she spoke very lowly.

"Layla," he calls me. I leave Madam Samia's hand and walk to him. "Come to my office." What have you done now Layla? I can feel my pulse pounding in my temples. I know Mr Ahmed is mad at me, I just know it. His eyes gave it away — raged and narrowed. I make my way to his office. Mr Ahmed is standing in front of his table.

I stand a distant away from him, my palms already sweaty.

"You are fired," he said, as my heart broke into tiny pieces. It took me a while to comprehend his speech, I was shocked. I felt vulnerable, I thought of all the things I did wrong. But what wrong did I do, except care...

"No please sir, don't separate me from Imad. I beg of you," I pleaded in agony. What sins have I committed to deserve this? How can I stay without seeing the child I have been raising like my own for three years. Why is he doing this?

"This is the consequence Layla, this is the consequence you face when you interfere in matters that don't concern you and disobey my rules. I have warned you," he spoke. All I thought about is how I could hear my heart break.

"You don't have to fire me, you can reduce my salary or not pay me at all. Just don't separate me from Imad," My heart spoke.

"It's not a negotiation. You are fired Layla," he said those words again that just broke me every time I heard them. "A restraining order will be permitted to you. Its nothing personal, I am just making sure that you will be nowhere near my nephew. He doesn't need you anymore." At this time, tears already seeped out of my eyes and I was crying.

" Today he becomes your nephew? Where were you all those nights when he cried for his mother, for his parents. Where were on his first day of school? Where were you on his first soccer match? Where were you for all his birthdays, until this year. You can't separate a child from its mother."

"I'll stop you there Layla, firstly I am the one who hired you to take care of Imad. I have a very busy schedule, that does not mean I don't care about him. Secondly you are not his mother, you are his nanny. Actually you were his nanny, and just like that I can replace you," he spoke in a gruff tone.

"He called me mother once, you know. I had to forbid him to call me that. I know it would have caused a problem — a problem for you. Deep down I already know my role in his life. But you?" I said, trying so hard to hold in my tears. Time doesn't change, time reveals. I left his office. How can Mr Ahmed do this to Imad? Does he not care about his nephews feelings. I wanted to leave and not look back, if I am even strong to never look back. I know if I leave without saying goodbye to Imad, I would hate myself for it everyday.

I went to Imad's room, he was still playing on his iPad. "Imad habibi I have to go," I spoke in low tone.

"You will come back tomorrow right?" He asked. I held in my tears, I had to be strong if not for me, for him.

"No I won't come back tomorrow. I have to travel and I might be away for a long time..." I lied to his face, but I can take anything but to see him cry, that I can't bear. "Another lady will come and look after you. Now you have to promise me to be a good boy, to eat on time and do your homework. Most importantly never forget your duas, because they are powerful. Allah is there and his angles, looking at you and they will always always love you."

"I don't want you to go. I don't want another lady to come stay with me, I want you." I kissed him on the forehead.

"I am going to miss you too,"I say, and hug him.

"Promise me you'll be a good boy?"

"I promise..." he replied quietly.

"If you ever want to talk to me, tell Jane and she will call me."

"I love you Imad," I said.

"I love you too Layla," he replied and hugged me. I left his room, my heart feeling heavy. I went to the kitchen and told Jane everything, even she was almost in tears. But I didn't want her to cry, as I would start to cry too.

I left the mansion — knowing I have left a piece of my heart behind.

❤️