A Hazel Haven

Chapter 26

Chapter 26

An unknown number kept bugging her all morning, so Uche had turned off her phone. That evening, she switched it back on and, almost immediately, the calls began. She blacklisted the number. She was on her way back from purchasing suya when the ringing started again. It was another strange number, which she also blacklisted. Then a third number while she lay on her bed in the dark, reading Amenze's newest novel online, chewing a pill; Huma had long since slept.

On the fourth, she answered, putting on her ear buds.

"Just how many lines do you have?"

Lawrence's chuckle filled her ear. "Enough to keep going. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to back out of our deal on purpose. But I do, and I trust you, so we'll say it was the crappy network." He made a thoughtful sound.

"What?"

"I'm just thinking about how nice your voice sounds over the phone too, that's all."

Uche ignored the comment. "Why did you ask for my contact when you've had it all along? If you wanted to call all this time, you would have. Why didn't you?" He had fulfilled his part of the bargain-no thieving housekeeper and the repairman had done a splendid job. The walls were as good as new. The mirror had been replaced. Afterward the man had requested she inputted her number in a phone given to him by Lawrence. She had half expected a call right away.

"Hmm.....There are due processes that must be followed in certain matters, you see. You would have considered me as less than a pest and blocked me no matter how many numbers I try and we wouldn't be having this conversation."

"So how much is the repair going to cost me?" Uche asked, knowing that had been nothing but a ruse to achieve what he'd been aiming for.

"I didn't handle the transaction myself, so I've got no idea at the moment. But tell you what: once I do, I'll let you know."

They set the days for the late calls. Weekends only-she had a life even though he didn't. "I have conditions."

"I suppose you do," he chuckled. "Let's hear it."

"You stay away from this room unless it's on business. Asides these calls, you don't know me, even when our paths cross outside."

He was silent a moment. "Is that all?"

"You quit the cheeky names."

Lawrence gave a small laugh as he said. "No can do, darling. I happen to like them, makes me feel closer to you. That's my condition: I keep the names. Despite its unfairness, I understand your reasons. So, it's settled."

"It's not going to work." Uche suddenly stated.

"What isn't?"

"What you're trying to do."

"And what I'm I trying to do, Uche?"

She left the question unanswered. "You're wasting your time. If you've got so much to bother with a woman whose not the least bit interested in you, I suggest you be productive with it and find a better paying job." He said nothing. "It would be wise to find someone else to sweet talk into your bed."

"I see you still hold out first meeting against me. It's understandable. I get why you'd jump to such a conclusion. I messed up. You could say I wasn't myself. But what if I told you that I have no interest in fucking you?"

"Then I'd say you must think I'm stupid."

"Stupid? No. Far from it. I know just how smart you are,"

"You know nothing about me."