Life soon returned to something approaching normality after the episode with Lucy's Mother. Lucy was working hard to complete her dissertation along with the spectre of her final exams looming ever closer.

Andrea spent a lot of time in her cellar workshop tarting up odd bits of furniture that she'd then sell for a bit of profit to the local second-hand shop. She also kept Lucy fed and watered while she finished off her dissertation. At the weekend, they usually headed off out of the city into the Pennines for a bit of exercise and relaxation.

Gradually the events of Easter Weekend faded into the background.

Lucy returned home on the second Wednesday of June in a jubilant mood.

"That's it, I'm done. It's all done, printed off, bound and submitted."

Andrea gave her a big hug and said,

"Well then to celebrate we are going out."

Lucy looked sad.

"Have you booked anywhere? I'm bushed and I just want to sleep for at least a week."

"That's ok. I haven't booked anywhere. I just wanted you to know that all your hard work has been appreciated by me at least."

Lucy gave Andrea a big kiss.

"Thank you but a lot of hard work for what? Degrees in Psychology and Advanced Psychology are good for what? The one thing I don't want to do is be an analyst listening to other peoples' problems every day. Only two of the course have what I call decent jobs to go to. I'm basically unemployable."

"Just like me then. No qualifications. What a great pair we are."

"Yeah right. Look at what you have done to this place. I'm sure you could get a job doing that full time."

"I did do that once remember and that's not the first time you have suggested that."

"So?"

"Why don't you see the bloke you worked for before?"

Andrea shook her head.

"I'd rather work for myself. That's why have been doing those bits of restoration for 'Old Man Higgins'. I'm getting better at it and making a bit of money as well."

"How many times have you said to me 'think outside the box'?"

"Ok. Ok."

"I think you can do a lot better than little odd jobs for the odd fiver."

"Tenner's really but I know what you mean."

"Good. Now I'm going for a long bath and then to bed. A glass or two of the nice bottle of Red that you have been hiding at the back of the larder would do nicely. And a toastie if there is any strong cheese left. Don't forget the Worcester Sauce and plenty of it."

"Your wish is my command my dear."

Lucy gave Andrea a much longer kiss this time.

"Thank you for being you."

Lucy's words did strike home with Andrea. She'd been putting off taking the next step in trying to develop her career using the excuse of 'Lucy's exams' as a way of delaying the inevitable.

While Lucy was relaxing in the bath, Andrea got busy on the computer making an advert for the local free press, online bazars and for putting up in newsagents and other places. She wasn't sure if they would work but it wouldn't do any harm trying.

A few days later, Lucy returned from a slightly mysterious trip into the city with a big bunch of flowers.

"These are for you my darling. For putting up with me while I was studying."

"Oh Lucy. Do you know that you are the first person ever to buy me flowers?"

Lucy grinned and offered her cheek to Andrea.

"Kiss me there please?"

Andrea naturally obliged.

Over some tea, Lucy said,
"The real reason I went into town was to get some money. I think it is time for us to get some enhancements here."
Then she cupped her breasts.

Andrea looked crestfallen.

"Why the sad face?"

"We were doing so well as we were."

"Were? You are talking as if we are done, finished?"

"No. No. That not what I meant. We are getting on so well as we are."

"We are but didn't you want some? You know when I … Oh shit, didn't you say that you wanted some breasts when we first discussed my plan to thwart my father's plans."

"Yes, yes I did but that was before… before I fell in love with you. Back then, it was a purely business deal. Now things are different."

Lucy took hold of Andrea's hands and gently squeezed them.

"Yes, they are different and you were right then about my deficiency in the boob department. I thought it would be nice to get them done together. After all, we are a couple, aren't we?"

"I'd like to do it very much. Thank you. I'm sorry for just now. I think I just pushed the whole thing into the background. Probably because of the money. We don't have much you know?"

"Aren't you forgetting what we found upstairs? We could do an awful lot with that you know."

"But it isn't really ours is it?"

"We did take a bit at Easter, didn't we?"

"That was just a bit. What you are proposing would make a serious dent in it."

Andrea thought hard for a while. All the time, she looked at Lucy wondering how things had changed in the last six months.

"So, we get ourselves some enhancements. What then? A nose job, a … well what then?"

Lucy squeezed Andrea's hand tightly.

"What do you propose then?"

"A plan. A plan for us. You know that I've talked about doing the decorating and interior design thing. Well, I made up some flyers the other day but I didn't send them out."

"What? Why?"

"I want you to be part of it. Well, if you want to that is. I think we make a great team but could we stand being with each other all day, every day?"

"But I'm useless at all that stuff."

"You could learn. I did?"

"You have an eye for it. I don't."

"Yes, you do. Who was it who chose the material for the curtains? It was an inspired choice."

"A pure fluke if you ask me."

"Rubbish. But seriously, I think you would be great talking with the clients. With all that Psychology stuff you know I bet that you would be able to sweet talk them into anything."

"Yeah right. Talking about stuff I know SFA about anyway."

Andrea laughed.

"Just like any salesman then?"

They both laughed.

"You are serious about this, aren't you?" asked Lucy when they'd calmed down.

"Perfectly."

Lucy looked at Andrea at first with a straight face and then she smiled.

"Where are these flyers then? Don't you think an equal partner should have a say in them then?"

Lucy redesigned the flyers and Andrea had to admit that it was a great improvement over her original attempt.

"The problem is…" said Andrea grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"Aren't they good enough?"

"They are fantastic but if they get us loads… well some work how will we schedule time off to do… you know what?"

"Oh! Sorry."

"Yes, you are right. So, what do we do next then?"

"Look for a clinic that can do you know what," replied Andrea.

"What if they can't fit us in for weeks?"

Andrea grinned.

"Well, there is Mrs Castle on Preston Parade. She wants her front room decorated."

"When?"

"When what?"

"When did you promise her to do it and when were you going to tell your 'equal' partner?"

"Hold on. I made no commitments. I only talked about it the other day when I was at the Post Office. All I said was that I'd go around to her place and talk it over with her."

"That's it?"

"Yes. Honest. Cross my heart and hope to die."

In the end, the pair did decorate Mrs Castle's front room, her back room and both bedrooms before they went to a clinic in London for their operations. By the time they'd done the second bedroom, Lucy was getting quite adept at painting skirting boards and doors. She did hate all the preparation work that was needed in such an old property especially stripping off 100 years worth of paint, but she turned out to be a willing pupil.

The first time she managed to paint a door without getting streaks or runs was a cause for much celebration between the two girls.

Down in London, the couple stopped outside the Clinic and looked at each other.
"Ready for this? I know that this is a big step for you," said Lucy.

"Yes. Yes, I am. I've been dreaming about this day for years. I would have had proper ones if… Well never mind. What's past is past. Shall we go?"

"Nervous?"

"Lots. You?"

"Yes."

Two days later the sore but happy couple returned home.

After taking it easy for a few days, Lucy and Andrea set out to spread the flyers promoting their business. They didn't have a name for it yet but that would come later when they got busy and needed to setup a real company.

After three weeks, they'd had no takers and their initial optimism began to fade away.

Lucy received one bit of good news and that was she'd passed her exams and was top of the class to boot. After a brief celebration, things returned to normality.

Andrea kept a little money coming in by repairing and restoring chairs and other small bits of furniture. Lucy helped out but her mind seemed to be on other things.

One evening Andrea asked her outright.

"Out with it. Something has been on your mind for days. What is it? A problem shared and a problem halved."

Andrea took hold of Lucy's hands and looked lovingly into her eyes.

"It isn't working is it?"

"What? Our business? Give it time my dear. I'm sure that we will get there and be a success. Rome wasn't built in a day you know."

"I know but neither of us has the qualifications to do Electrical stuff let alone Gas. Can you lay bricks?"

Andrea smiled back at Lucy

"Are you saying that we should go back to school?"

"Maybe I am? There is a college that teaches all those sort of things and lets you take the certification exams."

"Eh?"

"Let me show you."

Lucy fired up her laptop and quickly navigated to the site she had in mind.
"Here. This place is on the A58 going out of the City."

"I see. These courses must cost a packet though?"

"Well, we have the money, don't we?"

"Are you sure about this?"

"Yes I am. At least one of us needs the right bits of paper before we can even quote for a lot of work."

Lucy looked pensive.

"There is something else isn't there?"

"Yes, yes there is. Please don't take this the wrong way."

"Go ahead. I'm listening."

"You remember my original plan about my father's 50th birthday bash?"

"Yeah. I'm looking forward to it."

"Well, I thought that we could do something slightly different that weekend."

"Go on."

"Why don't we get married. Make what we have got… well official like."

Andrea started to smile. This burst into a grin.

"Are you sure about this? All the implications and stuff?"

"Yes."

"I've never been more certain about anything in my life. No matter what happens with our business I want to be with you for the rest of my life."

Then Lucy took a deep breath.

"Look darling, so far in my life I've had most of the big decisions made for me by my parents. I only came here to University in order to get away from them. Psychology was just about the only course I was vaguely interested in that had vacancies. This place was provided by my father. Again, a decision that I didn't take."

"Now I'm taking what is possibly the biggest one in my life. Marry me and to hell with my family. You mean more to me than they ever have or could be."

Andrea looked into Lucy's eyes. She could see that Lucy was close to tears.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!"

The two embraced passionately for a long time.

Just as Andrea had said it would, business began to come in. A good few small jobs that didn't give them much profit but word began to spread in their community which in turn led to them quoting on some bigger jobs.

One of the small jobs was for a Mr Khan. The Khan's lived almost directly across the street from the girls. Mr Khan was an Iman at the local Mosque. His day job as a postman and the teaching he did at the Mosque after work, meant that there was not much time to decorate his home. That's where the girls came in.

One Saturday morning, there was a knock on the door at the girls home. It was Lucy who answered it.

"Mr Khan. This is a surprise. Why don't you come in?"

"Thank you, Miss Lucy."

In the kitchen, their visitor explained the reason for his visit.

"My wife's Mother is coming to visit from Pakistan. I need to get a bedroom decorated before she arrives."

"When is she coming?"

"The end of next week. She's staying until October," Replied Mr Khan with a definite resignation in his voice.

Andrea had said nothing so far. Lucy noticed this.

"Andrea? Have you got anything to say?"

She looked at Lucy and then at Mr Khan.

"Mr Khan, thank you for your offer of work. Are you aware of our relationship?"

Andrea took hold of Lucy's hand.

"Some people of your faith think that two women having a relationship is as bad as a pact with the devil."

Mr Khan nodded.

"That is true. I am not one of them. I was born here and have seen this society evolve. There are indeed passages in several Holy Books condemning same sex relationships. However, in this case, I don't see one here."

Andrea opened her mouth in surprise.

"Miss Andrea, if you recall, I was your postman when you lived on Park Street. I heard people talking about, if you will excuse me quoting from a neighbour of yours at the time, 'Andrea the tranny'. I see two people very much in love. If one of them chooses to live as a woman then so what? In Gods eyes and he knows that you are a man and a woman. My wife would not take that view. Thankfully, she is going to Pakistan tomorrow to bring her mother back. Can you do the job in the timeframe?"

Andrea looked both horrified and relieved. Since moving in with Lucy the incidents of her being 'read' and worse taunted about her sexuality had decreased dramatically.

It was Lucy who came to Andrea's rescue.

"Thank you for being honest with us Mr Khan. I think we can do the work if it is just a simple re-paint."

"Thank you, Miss Lucy. Yes. I only need the room painted with White Emulsion. How much would that cost me?"

Then Andrea interrupted.

"Mr Khan, I need to talk to Lucy about this before we can give you an answer."

"I understand," said Mr Khan as he stood up.

"We will let you know tomorrow."

"Thank you. I will be back from the Mosque around Midday."

"Perfect. We will see you then," said Lucy as she closed the door behind him.

"Well?" asked Lucy as she returned to the Kitchen.

"I don't know," replied a rather morose Andrea.

Lucy took her lovers hands.

"Upset of being read?"

"Sort of. I vaguely remember him as my postman. I didn't know people were gossiping about me."

"Does it matter anymore?"

"I don't know. I think I have gotten a bit blasé with you around."

"But does it matter? You are a far more confident and assertive person now."

"I suppose so."

"So? Do we do it then?"

"I suppose so."

"How much are we going to charge him?"

"Two hundred. Two to three days of work."

"Great," said Lucy.
"Now cheer the hell up."

The work for Mr Khan didn't take a full three days but he pronounced himself very satisfied with the work and paid the girls the agreed amount on the spot. The girls left him feeling satisfied with their two days of work.

The memory of the incident with Mr Khan soon faded into the background as they got on with other jobs and planning for their wedding. Here, luck was on their side in that there was an empty slot at the Registry Office for the Saturday of Cowes Week. The downside was that it was for 09:30. The upside was that it did mean that they could go away on Honeymoon all that sooner.

Three days before their big day, the girls had just finished a late lunch after finishing the last of their outstanding jobs. They had no "work-work" lined up to do until after their honeymoon.

There was an unexpected knock at their front door.
Andrea was in the middle of washing up so Lucy went to answer it.

Her surprise when she saw who was there was palpable.

"Father what are you doing here?"

"Hello Lucy, may we come in?"

It was then Lucy noticed that he was not alone. Standing behind him were three other people.

Her anger at her father had to be suppressed for the time being.

"Pl… please come in," she stuttered.

"Are you in the kitchen?" asked her father.

"Yes. Andrea is doing the washing up."

As the others followed her father into the house Lucy had a chance to look at his companions. Leading the way was an older woman that Lucy was sure she'd met before. The other two were about her age, a rather effeminate man and a woman. Then she noticed that they were holding hands.

Andrea's father had already introduced himself to Andrea by the time that Lucy had caught them up.

"Would you like some tea or coffee?" asked Andrea.

Lucy glared at her partner but Andrea just ignored her.

"We have some cake that I baked yesterday if you like some," added Andrea not fully understanding what was going on.

"Oh, and please sit down. We don't stand on ceremonies here."

A slightly miffed Lucy went to get another two chairs from the front room while the others made themselves at home.

When they were all seated, Lucy asked,

"Why have you come here and importantly now eh Father? Aren't you supposed to be on you Gin-Palace at Cowes?"

"Well yes. Normally, I would be but that was before," came his reply as he glanced before the older woman.

Lucy noticed this.

"You haven't left Mother, have you?"

He nodded.

Then the older woman put a hand on Lucy's father's arm.

"Patrick, perhaps it would be easier for me to explain?"

Lucy just glared at the woman.

"Lucy, my name is Bergit Johannson. I've known your father, Patrick since before you were born. You might remember me because we have met several times before at events put on by his company. I've been running the Scandinavian part of his business for the past… well ever since it was created just before you were born."

"So?" remarked Lucy.

"To put it simple, Patrick and I had an affair when you were two. This is our daughter Lisi. She's your half sister and her partner Henrik. Anyway, to cut a long story short, Patrick made me a promise the day that Lisi was born. That promise was to stick with your mother and you until you finished your education or got married. Then he'd divorce your mother and live with me. Your father is keeping that promise. He wants to see you married."
Then her father came back in.

"A lot of those trips I made supposedly to play golf were actually to visit my other family."

"But we went with you to the airport? You had your Clubs and everything with you."

"Yes, you did. I often travelled to Portugal or Spain or wherever with my friends and the left them and flew to Copenhagen to be with Bergit and Lisi."

"You lied to us. All those stories you told me as a girl!" said Lucy almost shouting.

"I did and for that I'm sorry," replied Patrick

"But think of what it would have done to you and especially your mother if I'd have upped and left you then?"

Patrick looked at Bergit with soft eyes.

"Your mother is very neurotic. From what I understand, you saw that at Easter for yourselves. Don't worry Lucy, I will make sure that she gets looked after. She will get the house and my gin palace as you call it as well as a decent settlement. But it is time for me to move on with my life just as you are doing with Andrea."

Then Bergit said what proved to be the pivotal words.

"When Patrick told me about you and Andrea, we couldn't have been happier."

A silence fell on the room.

In the end, Andrea could not take it any longer.
"Well, Bergit, Lisi and Henrik, you are all very welcome to our home. Sorry for the mess but we've just finished a job and we are getting married in a couple of days but I expect you know that," said Andrea trying to keep a lid on things.

"That's why we are here," said Lisi.

"We'd like to attend your wedding with Lisi as your bridesmaid," she replied looking lovingly at Helga.

"What!" exclaimed Lucy.

"Calm down darling. I think it is a wonderful idea. At least it solves the problem with the witnesses."

Lucy glared at Andrea.

"Lucy, we are not a threat to you," said Bergit.

"Patrick and the three of us won't be in your life unless you want us too. If you ask us to leave now, then we will go. But we would like to be part of your life only if it is a small part. I've seen you grow up into a lovely confident woman and now that I've met Andrea then I think you will make a wonderful couple. Well, it looks like you already are."

Then she looked at Andrea.

"You can have a family if you want one. You aren't alone any more if you don't want to be that is."

Then Lucy's brain seemed to get into gear again.

"How did you know about us, getting married and all that? I've known for a long time that you had a P.I keep a periodic eye on me but we have tried to keep our wedding very quiet."

Lucy's father looked sad.

"I'd better come clean so that we can start with a clean slate so to speak."

Lucy glared at her Father.

"You are right in that I have kept an eye on you these past years. I did engage an Investigator who would send me a report on you every couple of months. It was only by accident that he found about the wedding. He was in the registry office on another job, not for me I hasten to say, when he saw your names on the list of forthcoming marriages."

As he took a deep breath Lucy opened her mouth to speak but Bergit put a hand on hers.

"I really didn't like those two you had living here especially when Cannabis started growing in the garden. I was overjoyed when Andrea came to live. My PI produced a report on her and it took me only one glance to approve of her. I never ever wanted you to marry some chinless wonder as you aptly put it more than once. That was all your mother's idea. She wanted you to be a replica of her. All I ever wanted was for you to be happy. Seeing you here now it is evident that you are very happy. My darling Lucy, you have every right to be as angry as hell with me but I'd really like to give you away. There, I've said all I wanted to say."

Andrea looked at her lover and said,
"Darling, it seems to me that your Father wanted to make sure that you were safe and he approves of me which is a lot more than can be said for your Mother. Having met both of them, I sort of agree with him about your mother. You said that she wanted to make impressions at the Yacht Club. From the evidence today, and I'm not saying he is right but the very presence of his other family here today tells me that he wants to build a relationship with us. I'm prepared to give him a chance if you are?"
Then she added,
"Besides, he's a lot dishier than mine…"

"I…. I don't know. What if he does a runner again? I don't think that I could handle that."

It was Lisi who spoke next.

"Lucy, Henrik and I are starting a research project at the University in York next month. We'd very much like to be friends with you. After all we don't know anyone here and having a big sister just down the road would be nice."

Lucy sat there for quite a while.

"It looks l have been outvoted then…"

Then she turned to her Father.

"I'm not sure that I can forgive you for everything in the past at the moment."

"But… I'm willing to give it a try if you are?"

Lucy's Father went and hugged his daughter.

"Thank you. I won't let you down."

Then Andrea piped up.

"You had better not. That's my wife to be you are hugging. You mess up and you will have me to answer to."

Her tone and glare told everyone in the room that she meant it.

---

Three days later, everyone assembled at the Registry Office. Lucy was really nervous. She kept looking around nervously.

"What is the matter darling," asked Andrea.

"I keep thinking that my Mother will appear and spoil things for all of us."

Andrea gripped her lovers hand a bit tighter.

"Didn't your Father say that she was down south?"

Lucy didn't say anything but carried on looking for her mother. Andrea kept her arm around Lucy.

A few minutes after the scheduled time, the party were called into the room for the ceremony proper.

The Registrar, a Mrs Goode did a double take when the two brides appeared. They were wearing identical dresses.

"Is this the Faraday wedding?"

The couple had decided that Lucy would take Andrea's surname.

"Yes," the couple answered in unison.

"I have it down here as a man and a woman? Not two women?"

"I'm the man," said Andrea.

The registrar looked at her. Both of their dresses showed an almost indecent amount of cleavage.

"If you want, I can prove it?" suggested Andrea.

Mrs Goode almost went apoplectic.

"No…. No I don't think that will be needed. Shall we begin?"

The ceremony was performed as fast as Mrs Goode could do it. This did not go unnoticed by the happy couple. When it came time for them to kiss, they made it last and last and last.

When the group was outside they kissed again while Lucy's Father took the obligatory pictures.

"Well, Girls, I have arranged a little trip along the river from York. We will have a small reception on the boat," said Lucy's father once all the photos had been taken.

Before he could add any information, his phone rang.

As he looked at the caller ID, he groaned.

"It is your Mother. This won't be nice."

"Hello?"

"Yes, I know what day it is"

"No, I won't be coming."

"I'm in Leeds."

"Yes, Leeds where I have just given away our daughter. She's now a happily married woman."

He held the phone away from his face. Everyone could hear the tirade of abuse coming out of it. When it subsided, he said,
"I'm not coming home ever. You are the most neurotic possessive bitch in the world. Now if you don't mind, I have a wedding reception to attend."

He hung up the phone and switched it off before any more calls could come in.

"Ladies, shall we go?" he said as if nothing had happened.

---

The happy couple returned from a long weekend in Edinburgh where they enjoyed some of the 'Fringe' events and began married life full of hope.

Married life seemed to agree with both of them. Their business began to grow and they got to know a number of reliable tradespeople who would do the jobs that they couldn't do very well especially plastering.

They hadn't been home for more an hour from their current job in Horsforth, when there was an urgent knocking at their front door.

Lucy opened it to find Mr Khan standing there with his daughter Umi.

"Mr Khan. Umi, please come in,"

"Andrea is in the back room. Please go through."

"Are you sure Miss Lucy? We don't want to put you out?" asked the ever polite, Mr Khan.

"No. We were just going to watch some TV. We have not been home long and have just finished eating."

The trio went into the back room where Andrea was frantically fluffing up the already fluffed up cushions.

"Please sit down. Can I get some tea?" asked Andrea

"No thank you Miss Andrea. This is not exactly a social call," said Mr Khan.

The visitors sat down but an air of uncertainty fell over the room.

"I know this visit is unexpected but… the situation at home demanded some action," said Mr Khan.

"As you know, my Wife's Mother is visiting from Pakistan. Well and as I feared, it turns out she is here to size up my daughter Umi as a prospective bride for her nephew. He happens to be thirty years older than her and does not speak any English. His first wife died two years ago from Cholera and wants Umi to go and live with them and bring up his five children. His home has no electricity or sanitation and … Well, I don't want that for my daughter. She deserves better."

"What's this got to do with us?"

"We wondered if it would be possible for Umi to stay here. I'll pay rent for a room. To be honest, we do not have room at home. Umi is having to share with her brothers and sisters while her Grandmother is here. If Umi came to live here, then she would be close by but not with men."

Andrea almost choked. Mr Khan smiled back at her.

It was Lucy that came to her rescue.

"Umi? What have you to say for yourself?"

Umi looked at her Father hopefully.

"Please, let me leave you girls to talk. I need to go to the Mosque. I will be back in two hours. Is that all right with you?"

"I think so," said Lucy.

Once her father was out of the way, Lucy asked,

"Ok Umi, what is the real story?"

"The part about getting married is true and my Grandmother is a real pain. She is very traditional. She demands that I am totally covered at all times when I am out. She is complaining that my Mother should cover up as well. She had to when she went to Pakistan but here she shows a lot of hair which my grandmother does not like. I'm sixteen now and want to make my own decisions in life. I had a long talk with my Father when my Mother was away. He is quite liberal for a teacher of our faith. He does not want me to have an arranged marriage. He even will even accept my decision if I decide to stop wearing a Hijab. If I were to stay here, then he could watch over me and I'd be close by. He was always talking about how nice you two were and that you did such a good job decorating what was my bedroom."

There was a silence in the room.

Angela studied Umi's expression.

"What aren't you telling us?"

Umi looked at the floor.

"I don't like men."

Those simple words transformed the atmosphere.

"Does your Father know?"

Umi nodded.

"I think so. I told him that I was not interested in having dates with men until I had finished my education."

"But that would be expected if he was serious about you having an education," remarked Lucy.

"Yes, it is but I then said the word 'ever'. He looked at me long and hard. At first, I thought that he was going to hit me. Then he said, 'are you like Mohammad Hassan? I told him that I was. Mohammad came out as being gay a few years ago. He was forced out of his home and eventually he had to leave Leeds. The last anyone heard from him, he was in Glasgow."

"Isn't it hard for women like you to come out and remain in the faith?" asked Andrea.

Umi nodded.

"Yes. If I come out, then I will lose my family apart from my Father. As an Imam, he has friends who are priests in other Religions. He is also widely read and understands that people are different from what was once regarded as the norm. He would have to be discrete about meeting me though but always told me to be my own person. I want to do that but I can't do it living at home."

"Then we would be here to support you if you want us to?" asked Lucy.

"Please." Replied Umi very quietly.

Andrea and Lucy took hold of Umi's hands.

Andrea looked at Lucy. There were tears in Andrea's eyes.

"Then Umi, welcome to your new home. Here you can be your true self. You are welcome to stay here until you finish your education or want to move on."

Umi's Father returned a few hours later. Umi had removed her hijab. He knew what her decision without needing to ask what it was.

"Umi, I will be here for you should you need me," he said.
Then he smiled at Andrea and Lucy.

"I am happy to leave my daughter with the two of you. I know that she will be safe. On Saturdays, we finish work early and some of us usually go to the Café near Roundhay Park for Tea. This is normally about midday. If any of you need to see me or speak to me that is where I will be and your mother will never need to know."

Then he looked serious.
"I will try to give you what I can for my Daughters Food and Lodging."

Lucy laughed.
"We would not hear of it Mr Khan. Besides, won't your wife notice any significant amount of money going missing?"

He nodded his head.
"She would notice it in a flash," he admitted.

"Well then. It is settled. Umi can stay here with us and you can keep a watchful eye on her from a distance. Perhaps after a while, your wife will get used to Umi not being there but not that far away? After all, it is not as if there are any men living here," said Lucy.

Mr Khan smiled.
"I think you might be correct. As long as Umi goes to school and is happy, I will be happy."

Umi looked lovingly at her father.
"I will do my best Father," said Umi.

"We will do our best as well," said Lucy.
"Thank you, thank you," said Mr Khan.

He embraced his daughter who seemed a bit taken aback by it. Then he left them alone with the understanding that Umi would return home later and move to their house the following day.

Lucy closed the front door and breathed a sigh of relief.
"I think we deserve a cup of tea and a slice of the fruit cake I made yesterday," exclaimed Andrea.

Umi smiled and followed Andrea and Lucy into the kitchen.

And then there were three.

[the end]

Mr Khan, the Imam is actually based upon an Imam that I know. He is a very world wise and liberal man especially as he comes from the tribal areas of Pakistan and his marriage to an English born woman was arranged some twenty five years ago. His approach to life embodies what I view as the true meaning of Islam. He is good friends with the local Roman Catholic Priest and at least one Rabbi. I have spent many an hour talking over current affairs with him. He is adamant that none of his children will have arranged marriages.

It is ironic that both Lucy and Umi while from different faiths were threatened by the spectre of an "arranged" marriage. I did not plan for this story to end up that way it just sort of happened.

The title of the piece was taken from a British TV series of the same name. "And then there were three" is the title of a Genesis Album.