Chapter 12 – The First Walk
Sunday morning felt different.
Adrian left at 7 a.m. as usual, but before he closed the door he said, "Have a good day."
It was the first time he'd said it without sounding like a formality.
I smiled to myself, made tea, and spent the morning cleaning. At 3 p.m. my phone buzzed.
*Mrs. Cole: Layla is asking for you.*
I replied: *I'll see her on Wednesday, tell her I miss her.*
*Mrs. Cole: She says she misses you too.*
I sat on the couch and thought about the past week. Adrian had told me about Nadia. He had apologized. He had thanked me for respecting his space. The notebook on the counter now had 37 entries, and the last line of the latest one read: *She's Lila. She's part of our life.*
I wasn't sure what "our life" meant yet, but it felt like a door had opened a crack.
At 8 p.m. Adrian came home.
He saw me and said, "Hi."
"Hi," I replied.
"What are you making?"
"Stuffed peppers."
"It smells good."
"Thank you."
We ate at the table.
He ate two peppers.
"Thank you," he said.
"You're welcome."
He didn't go to his office right away.
He stayed at the table.
"Lila," he said.
"Yes?"
"Would you like to go for a walk tomorrow evening?"
I blinked, surprised.
"A walk?"
"Yes. Just around the neighborhood. It's been a long time since I've walked outside after work."
I smiled. "I'd like that."
"7 p.m.?"
"7 p.m."
He nodded and went to his office.
I went to my room, my heart beating a little faster.
A walk.
Just the two of us, outside the apartment, outside the rules.
That night I opened the notebook.
*Day 38 – I asked her to go for a walk tomorrow at 7 p.m.*
Under it:
*She's Lila. She said yes.*
I closed the notebook and went to bed smiling.
Monday morning Adrian left at 7 a.m.
I spent the day cleaning, cooking, and choosing what to wear.
At 6:45 p.m. I was ready — jeans, a simple black sweater, my hair in a loose ponytail.
At 7:00 p.m. Adrian came out of his office.
"You're ready," he said.
"Yes."
We left the apartment together.
The elevator ride down was quiet, but not uncomfortable.
When we stepped out of the building, the evening air was cool.
We walked down 26 July Street.
The street was busy — people walking, cars passing, vendors calling out.
Adrian walked beside me, hands in his pockets.
We didn't talk at first.
After five minutes, he said, "It's nice to be outside."
"It is."
"I used to walk with Nadia here," he said quietly.
I nodded.
"She loved the night air."
We kept walking.
After a while, I said, "Thank you for asking me."
"You're welcome."
We walked for 40 minutes, around the block and back.
When we got back to the building, the security guard nodded at us.
Adrian said, "Good night, Hassan."
The guard replied, "Good night, Mr. Cole."
We went up in the elevator.
Back in the apartment, Adrian said, "Thank you for coming with me."
"Thank you for asking me."
He went to his office.
I went to my room.
That night I opened the notebook.
*Day 39 – We went for a walk at 7 p.m.*
Under it:
*She's Lila. It was nice.*
I closed the notebook.
Tuesday morning Adrian left at 7 a.m.
At 8 p.m. he came home.
He saw me and said, "Hi."
"Hi."
"What are you making?"
"Chicken with vegetables."
"It smells good."
"Thank you."
We ate.
After dinner, he stayed at the table.
"Lila," he said.
"Yes?"
"Thank you for coming on the walk with me."
"You're welcome. I enjoyed it."
He nodded.
"I'd like to do it again next week."
"I'd like that."
He went to his office.
I went to my room.
That night I opened the notebook.
*Day 40 – She said she'd like to walk again next week.*
Under it:
*She's Lila. She enjoyed it.*
I closed the notebook.
Wednesday morning Adrian left at 7 a.m.
At 4 p.m. I was at Mrs. Cole's apartment with Layla.
We played, we read, we laughed.
Layla drew the house with three people again.
"This is Mama."
"This is Baba."
"This is Lila."
I hugged her.
When the hour was over, she said, "See you next week, Lila."
"I'll see you next week, habibti."
I kissed her forehead and left.
When I got home at 5:15 p.m., Adrian was there.
"You went to see Layla," he said.
"Yes."
"How was she?"
"She's happy."
"Good."
"Thank you for letting me see her."
"You're welcome."
He went to his office.
I went to my room.
That night I opened the notebook.
*Day 41 – She went to see Layla for one hour.*
Under it:
*She's Lila. She's part of our life.*
I closed the notebook.
Thursday morning Adrian left at 7 a.m.
At 8 p.m. he came home.
He saw me and said, "Hi."
"Hi."
"What are you making?"
"Rice with chicken."
"It smells good."
"Thank you."
We ate.
After dinner, he stayed.
"Lila," he said.
"Yes?"
"Thank you for the walk the other night."
"You're welcome. I enjoyed it."
He nodded.
"I'd like to take you to a café next week."
"A café?"
"Yes. Just for coffee."
"I'd like that."
He went to his office.
I went to my room.
That night I opened the notebook.
*Day 42 – I asked her to go to a café next week.*
Under it:
*She's Lila. She said yes.*
I closed the notebook.
Friday morning Adrian left at 7 a.m.
At 8 p.m. he came home.
He saw me and said, "Hi."
"Hi."
"What are you making?"
"Koshari."
"It smells good."
"Thank you."
We ate.
After dinner, he stayed.
"Lila," he said.
"Yes?"
"Thank you for being patient with me."
"You're welcome."
He hesitated.
"I know this hasn't been easy for you."
"It hasn't been easy, but I'm okay."
He nodded.
"I appreciate you."
"Thank you."
He went to his office.
I went to my room.
That night I opened the notebook.
*Day 43 – I thanked her for being patient with me.*
Under it:
*She's Lila. She's okay.*
I closed the notebook.
Saturday morning Adrian left at 7 a.m.
At 8 p.m. he came home.
He saw me and said, "Hi."
"Hi."
"What are you making?"
"Macaroni bechamel."
"It smells good."
"Thank you."
We ate.
After dinner, he stayed.
"Lila," he said.
"Yes?"
"Are you happy here?"
I thought about the question.
"I'm comfortable," I said. "I'm safe. My father is better. Layla is happy."
He nodded.
"Is there anything you need?"
"No. Everything I need is here."
He nodded.
"Thank you for telling me."
"You're welcome."
He went to his office.
I went to my room.
That night I opened the notebook.
*Day 44 – I asked her if she's happy here.*
Under it:
*She's Lila. She's comfortable and safe.*
I closed the notebook.
Sunday morning Adrian left at 7 a.m.
At 6:45 p.m. I was ready for our walk.
At 7:00 p.m. Adrian came out of his office.
"You're ready," he said.
"Yes."
We left the apartment together.
We walked down 26 July Street.
The air was cool, the street was busy.
Adrian walked beside me.
After ten minutes, he said, "I like walking with you."
"I like walking with you too."
We walked for 45 minutes.
When we got back, the security guard nodded at us.
Adrian said, "Good night, Hassan."
The guard replied, "Good night, Mr. Cole."
We went up in the elevator.
Back in the apartment, Adrian said, "Thank you for coming with me."
"Thank you for asking me."
He went to his office.
I went to my room.
That night I opened the notebook.
*Day 45 – We went for a walk at 7 p.m.*
Under it:
*She's Lila. I like walking with her.*
I closed the notebook.
Monday morning Adrian left at 7 a.m.
At 8 p.m. he came home.
He saw me and said, "Hi."
"Hi."
"What are you making?"
"Fish with rice."
"It smells good."
"Thank you."
We ate.
After dinner, he stayed.
"Lila," he said.
"Yes?"
"Tomorrow at 7 p.m., we'll go to the café."
"Okay."
"Wear something nice."
"I will."
He went to his office.
I went to my room.
That night I opened the notebook.
*Day 46 – I told her we're going to the café tomorrow at 7 p.m.*
Under it:
*She's Lila. She said okay.*
I closed the notebook.
Tuesday morning Adrian left at 7 a.m.
I spent the day cleaning and getting ready.
At 6:45 p.m. I was ready — a simple blue dress, my hair down.
At 7:00 p.m. Adrian came out of his office.
"You look nice," he said.
"Thank you."
We left the apartment together.
We walked two blocks to a small café on the corner.
The café was quiet, with wooden tables and soft lighting.
The waiter seated us at a table by the window.
Adrian ordered two coffees.
We sat across from each other.
For the first time, we were outside the apartment, just the two of us, without the walls of the 27th floor around us.
"How's your father?" Adrian asked.
"He's better. He goes back to work next week."
"That's good."
"How's Layla?"
"She's good. My mother said she talks about you every day."
I smiled. "I'm glad."
The coffees came.
We drank in silence for a minute.
"Lila," Adrian said.
"Yes?"
"Thank you for coming with me."
"Thank you for inviting me."
He smiled.
We talked for 40 minutes — about the weather, about the food, about the city.
It was the most normal conversation we'd had.
When we finished, Adrian paid, and we walked home.
Back in the apartment, he said, "Thank you for coming with me."
"Thank you for inviting me."
He went to his office.
I went to my room.
That night I opened the notebook.
*Day 47 – We went to the café at 7 p.m.*
Under it:
*She's Lila. I enjoyed talking to her.*
I closed the notebook.
I lay in bed and thought about the evening.
We had talked like two people, not like a husband and a wife bound by a contract.
I whispered to the dark room,
"Maybe I'm becoming part of his life."