Page 76 of What Happens in Dubai

Suddenly, he was down. As the tension fled my body, I saw Tom standing there. He’d punched Luke to the ground and was standing with his hand out to take mine. I plunged towards him, my bag scattering its contents on the pavement.

‘She’ll be calling the police. You’re a fucking scumbag,’ Tom roared at Luke, who was rolling around in pain on the ground.

I couldn’t speak. I was too terrified and overwhelmed at the same time. Tom’s strong arms gripped me tightly as my legs gave way.

‘Thank you, thank you, thank you,’ was all I could whisper over and over and over again.

‘Zara, is everything OK?’ I turned around to see Andy standing a few feet away.

‘I wanted to make sure you got home.’ He looked confused, glancing at the commotion around us.

‘She’s fine now, thanks, mate,’ Tom replied for me. I nodded back, too traumatised to speak.

‘Wait – my keys, my bag … My bag fell. Everything’s fallen out.’ My voice was shaking, my legs trembling.

‘Here.’ Tom stretched down to grab hold of my keys and began tossing the rest of my belongings back into my bag. ‘I’ve got it, don’t worry. I’ll take it from here, Andy.’

With his arm around my shoulder, finally I felt safe, and managed to walk despite my legs feeling like jelly.

When we approached my building, I pushed open the tenement door.

‘Can I come in, just to make sure you’re OK?’ Tom asked.

‘It’s OK. I’ll be OK, honestly, Tom. I’m so sorry about everything. I don’t know what’s up with me just now.’ I was trying to hold my emotions in, but my voice crumbled and my bottom lip started to tremble.

‘No, no. Zara, I’m sorry. I was coming to explain. I’ve had enough of this animosity. I want the clinic to work, and we once worked well together.’

I nodded, but I couldn’t comprehend work just now. My entire body was shaking.

He must have noticed because he said, ‘Listen, please, let me sit with you for a minute. Just until you calm down a bit.’

I smiled gratefully at Tom and began climbing the stairs to my flat, with him close behind. Truthfully, I didn’t want to be alone, not now. My head was pounding, still trying to make sense of what had just happened. Whatcouldhave happened. I was panicking in case Luke came back. Or what if he attacked the clinic or turned up here? He could follow me home one night after work. He seemed so angry, and Tom had probably added to his rage.

By the time we got to my flat, my mind was clouded by anxiety.

‘I think you should call the police, Zara,’ Tom suggested as I opened the door.

I nodded. ‘Maybe.’

How could I?I thought. How could I explain what happened? If I tried to explain how I knew Luke, or his dad, I’d be laughed out the courtroom. I’d be judged in an instant, the way I was judging myself, and I felt like I deserved it.

‘I’ll sleep on it. Is your hand OK?’ I asked, changing the subject.

Tom rubbed his knuckles. ‘I’d love to act macho and say it’s fine, but, my god, it’s fucking agony! Any peas?’ he laughed.

I smiled, thankful he’d made a joke, and went to the freezer. Inside was a pack of mixed vegetables that had been in there since I took the flat over from my mother.

‘Did you know that scumbag?’ Tom asked as I handed him the frozen bag.

I nodded sheepishly. ‘I did. And what I did to him makes me think I kind of deserved that tonight.’ I felt so ashamed, so dirty, so embarrassed. I could taste the salt from my wandering tears flow into my mouth again.

‘Zara,’ Tom said, ‘no woman deserves that. I don’t care what you did to that boy; you didn’t deserve that happening to you tonight. Do you hear me? Fuck, I’m just glad I got there in time.’

I started to bubble. ‘Me too.’

Balancing the bag of veggies on his sore hand, Tom placed his other arm around me. ‘I’ll call Ashley, ask her to take over here, eh?’

I nodded. ‘Yes, please.’

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