Easy | The Thirteenth Doctor

✯ T w e n t y - N i n e ✯

Demons of the Punjab (Part One)
2018

I'M BACCCKKKK <33 AND WITH AN OVER 3500 WORD CHAPTER AT THAT OMG!
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"Happy Birthday!" the Khan family cheered as Najia placed the carefully decorated birthday cake on the table in front of Umbreen.

"I said no fuss," the woman sighed, waving her hands dismissively. Charlotte only rolled her eyes as she placed down plates and cutlery on the table around the cake. It wasn't a flashy sort of cake, but it had little red fondant flowers scattered over the white buttercream that coated the surface.

"You have to celebrate your birthday, Nani," Yasmin protested, wearing a bright yellow party hat on her head. Charlotte found herself wondering what it would be like with the Doctor celebrating with them.

She shook her head dismissively, plopping down on her chair with a quiet sigh. If she thought about wanting the Doctor with her one more time, she may just lose her mind. She was acting like some clingy child at that point and it frustrated her to no end.

She couldn't stop thinking about that photo either, but she swore to purge it from her mind just for Umbreen's birthday. It wasn't a surprise that she was failing at even that--it was like her mind just didn't want to give her a break.

"I was the first woman married in Pakistan," Umbreen sighed. "Now, look at me, in a wheelchair and being fed shop-bought cake."

Charlotte flinched, having hoped that the woman wouldn't notice that it was indeed shop-bought. The whole family felt awful about it, but Hakim was delegated the task of making the cake and completely forgot the second he was told. So, she had to scramble to the shop just to get the best-looking cake possible for Umbreen.

"That's a nice cake," Najia said, defending the dessert that now looked miserable to Charlotte. She could only slump in her chair, pushing down the annoyance she felt at Hakim.

"The first woman married in Pakistan...did you know this?" Yasmin asked Najia as she cut the cake and handed out slices.

"And I was the first Muslin woman to work in a textile mill in South Yorkshire," Umbreen added proudly.

"Grandad taking you dancing every Wednesday."

"Oh! I so miss that man. Now, I want to give you these before it's too late," the woman said. "Najia, these are some letters your father wrote to me when he was away," she added, handing her daughter the said letters. "Don't read the filthy bits."

The table laughed lightly and Charlotte shook her head fondly, watching closely as Umbreen pulled out a folded sheet of old, yellowing paper.

"Sonya, this is a present your grandfather gave me. I can't remember why, but it's nice," she said, handing over the paper. Sonya unfolded it to reveal a flattened yellow flower that had somehow managed to maintain its vibrant colour over the many years it had lived with Umbreen.

"Charlotte, this is a necklace your grandfather had gifted me many years ago. I know that you will treat it with great care, so I give this to you." Umbreen handed an old gold chain necklace that had lost its shine, but that only drew attention to the oval sapphire charm that hung from the chain. Charlotte didn't waste a second clipping it around her neck, taking joy in seeing Umbreen smile in approval.