And ta-dà! Even part 2 :P Just thought it would be nice for wewe taking a break between the two. Hope doesn't sound tiresome...boy I upendo Robert :P
Hugh wounded his stare down then and hugged the back of his chair. He passed his tongue over his lips, nodding a little “I....I wanted to talk to wewe about this...”
Robert strained his ear and stretched out over the table, making himself closer.
Hugh started to drum with his palm on the back of the chair, without looking at him in the eyes “There’s...there’s a good fifty per cent chance...”
He paused and coughed a little nervous laugh, frowning his brows “God I hope, far zaidi than a paltry fifty...”
Robert furrowed.
“Anyway...” he kept on, scratching his head “...there’s this chance we might be close to a life-changing turn, today...”
On the background, David and Katie traded a look.
Hugh lifted his eyes up to him, warily looking at him from over his eyelashes “You know what I mean...?”
Robert nodded, pretending he was following him, “…and the other fifty au whatever percentage?”
Hugh chewed his lips. He felt his moyo skipping a bit, all his precarious confidence suddenly drifting away from his system. He breathed in and averted his eyes “Well…” he puffed “I might also end up making a giant blunder…being the inayofuata laughing stock in office within the coming twelve hours…which would probably prevent me from inaonyesha my face in public ever again….” he trailed off, breathless, waiting for him to say something.
Robert made a face “Wow …”
Hugh looked at him, his lips parted in slight bewilderment “Wow?! That’s all wewe have to say?”
“Well, wewe must admit it’s quite a wide range of possibilities between the two…” he said, staring into space as thrusting his bottom lip out.
Hugh narrowed his eyes at him “Would wewe take me seriously for a moment?”
“I’m!” Robert repeated “I’m taking wewe very seriously...but it would be helpful to know about what, though…” he mocked.
Hugh pursed his lips, staring at him. His chair scraped over the floor once again and he had dragged himself a little closer. Robert goggled, moving away ever so slightly. He also spotted Katie looking suddenly very much focused in fiddling with her own hair
He averted his eyes from her, and lowered his head, leaning mbele “So what’s the topic exactly?”
Suddenly David stood up and rushed out of the door, answering his phone. Katie snapped her head up as he passed by, following him with the corner of her eye. She turned her head and met Robert’s stare, smiling awkwardly before going back fiddling with her locks.
He narrowed his eyes.
Something was off here. Something he wasn’t aware of was going on backstage, he would bet his punda on it.
Hugh was still stalling to find the right phrasing “I have…ehm…ok, let’s…let’s say I have… developments”
Robert saw David starting to pace back and forth in front of the door, uneasily. He rubbed his his nape a couple of times and hurtled out of the lobby, disappearing behind the corner.
“Robert wewe listening to me?”
He averted his eyes once more, slowly “Mmm, Lisa I presume…”
His voice was still coming out rather distractedly, though.
Katie looked like being scanning the point where David had disappeared.
There was smell of burning, all over the place.
“How do wewe know?” Hugh asked.
Everyone uigizaji even too weirdly to be just a normal, regular day…
“Robert?!”
He went back looking at him, a little knowing smirk curling up his lips “Please Hugh, be serious…you two just have that look in your eyes, only when…”
He trailed off at that point, silencing himself all of a sudden. He straighten up a bit.
Hugh waited, “Rob?!”
He looked like having Lost the thread, though, even if there was a weird light in his eyes. Looked like he just had an epiphany but he sort of doubted it was related to him anyway.
He rubbed his forearm, sighing. Apparently, all his conversations were meant to be maddening hiccupping today. “Ok, never mind. Ehm…so I was saying…there had been some developments that I need to…”
“Wait, since when?” Robert cut him off.
Hugh hesitated “What do wewe mean since when?”
“The developments….” he hurried him, as if he had no time to waste with useless questions.
Hugh frowned his forehead “Ehm…yesterday?!”
Robert dropped his shoulders down “Is that a question?!” he asked considerably annoyed “When as in morning, afternoon…middle of the night….” he alisema gesticulating with his hands.
Hugh pressed his lips in a tight line and leaned over to push his hands down “Would you…turn it down a notch please” he hissed “…no middle of the night for God’s sake…what’s the matter with wewe today?!!” he demanded checking around to be sure Katie hadn’t listened.
She was whistling quietly as kusoma a message on her phone, though…luckily.
He turned around.
Robert saw Katie stood suddenly up then. She walked to the door, meeting Omar right on the threshold and she began to chat with him, with a lively attitude as if she hadn’t seen him in ages. He made a puzzled face. Strange timing…couldn’t be a coincidence.
What the hell was going on here?!
“What’s wrong?” Hugh asked following his stare.
Robert shook his head, his mind racing “Nothing, nothing….”
He had no idea anyway.
He lowered his gaze “So, no middle of the night. Then when?”
Hugh straightened up a bit “For God’s sake, Rob what’s this? A third degree?!” he asked as ruffling his hair, “I don’t know… I guess…”
“You guess?” Robert taunted.
He gaped, a little bit Lost “Well, a lot of things happened to me within the last 24 hours, so I’m a little stunned alright?!”
“So?!”
“Oh Jesus!” he sighed exasperated, spreading his arms open “Yesterday! Yesterday morning, I suppose, ok? It all started yesterday freaking morning, alright…now can we just get to the point…so I explain you, why?” he pleaded, turning once more. He realized he had raised his voice a little too much. But Katie was gone and now leaning against the doorjamb, hands folded behind her back, looking outside. She didn’t look like having listened to him.
He scanned the room. Where was David?!
He heard a “Ah!” coming from his back. He turned round. Robert had thrown himself backwards against the back of his chair and was now wearing a triumphant attitude, smiling to him.
He looked at him bewildered, sighing. Why did anyone look liked drunk to him today?!
Robert kept smiling. He shook his head, wrapping his arms around the back once more, “Ok, yes…ehm…listen, now that we have established when, can we just….”
Robert fingered to the side of his nose “You know, I knew it. I knew something was up…”
Hugh frowned.
What?!
“I knew it the moment I saw her taking that elevator….” he told him, jubilant.
Her?!
“Who?” asked Hugh.
Robert’s eye flicked down on him for a sekunde “Who?! Lisa of course”
Lisa?!
“When?”
He had seen Lisa?!
Robert made the face of one who had just realized he had been missing the obvious all along “She was so glowing all over… ”
Glowing?! Who?! Lisa?!
Hugh forced himself to focus “Wait…wait a second…” he said, shaking his head “hold on…did wewe meet her?”
“When?” Robert asked, absentmindedly as drawing the right dots.
Hugh gaped, impatient “Yesterday, of course”
He was so leaning out towards him now that he looked about to fall mbele with the whole chair.
“Sure” Robert answered calmly, though. still smiling to himself. How could he have doubt?!
“And she was glowing?!” asked Hugh, still incredulous.
Robert started to shake his head from one side to another, slowly “I was sooooo sure it had to have something to do with it…”
Hugh furrowed.
It?!
“It, what?”
“Sorry I meant you”
Him?
“You, who? Me?”
Robert dropped his shoulders, finally looking at him “It’s pretty tiring having a conversation with you, wewe know that?!”
Hugh opened his mouth.
“How many wewe do wewe know?!”
He goggled, stammering lightly “Well…I…I…”
Robert’s smile broadened at that point “Anyway…” he alisema slapping him “How did wewe do that?!”
He almost sounded impressed.
Hugh was confused. Did what?! Lisa, glowing, him, when…too many information all at once.
He wasn’t sure he had gotten it right…
“She looked radiant…”
au did him?! His eyes lit up.
“For the flowers?”
“Which flowers?” asked Robert, oblivious.
“The one I gave her”
“When?!”
He sighed and dropped his head down. Someone was rowing against him today, it must be it.
Olivia and Jess stepped in. Robert caught sight of Katie though who was clearly gesticulating something at them. They didn’t notice. She promptly dropped her arms down then, shook her head and let herself out of the room at a quick pace.
He couldn’t make sense of any of it, either.
What kind of meeting was this?
“Hey guys…no one’s arrived yet?” asked Olivia, her eyes slipping down on Hugh for a moment.
Hugh waved with his hand, keeping his head down.
Jess looked down at him too “He, ok?” he asked Robert as letting himself sink down into the couch.
Robert patted Hugh’s back, eyes still where Katie had just disappeared “He’s good…yeah. Confused maybe…”
He wasn’t the only one….
Olivia dropped at Jess’s side “Lisa?!”
Hugh snapped his head up, instantly. His eyes looked groggy but alive already “I talked to her this morning…”
Jess offered Olivia the chips bag he kept curled up in his hand. She twitched her nose, pushing him away “She coming?”
Jess stuck his tongue out at her.
“Yes she’s….she alisema she would” answered Hugh.
And there was no reason to suppose she wouldn’t now, so the sudden rush of panic flushing him was nothing but nonsense.
“When does she leave?” Jess asked nonchalantly, flipping a chip up in the air “I should call her…”
Hugh found himself speechless for a moment “Ehm, we didn’t…we didn’t really talk about that…yet “
They should though, shouldn’t they? Talk about it, sooner au later…
“Do wewe know whether she….”
But Jess had already embarked Olivia on a conversation on stuffed food, and they were not even paying attention to him anymore.
Well, they still have tonight, anyway. He and Lisa. And tomorrow. And a few days before she left for sure. He remembered she was supposed to leave one week after the end the shooting…right?!
His moyo skipped a beat once more.
He breathed in deeply.
One thing at the time, he remembered himself.
Baby steps.
Do not lose it.
Not yet.
He turned to Robert again, turning down his voice even zaidi “Shall we please start over. I don’t have much time here…” he alisema glancing back at the door. Where was Lisa? “….and you’re giving me a headache, kwa the way”
Robert was taken aback “Who?! Me?”
“You. How many wewe do wewe know?!” he teased.
“What have I done?”
He gave him a kuvuka, msalaba look “Let’s not start over, please…”
“You just said…”
“Never mind what I said”
Robert closed his mouth shut, frowning.
Hugh glanced back towards Jess and Olivia, briefly “Ok, so… let me get this straight”
Robert leaned over, folding his hand in a plotting manner “Yes”
Hugh watched him “You having fun, have you?”
“Some, when it comes to you” he acknowledged with a smirk.
Hugh put his tongue between his lips “Nice to know I’m entertaining…”
Robert bowed a little “My pleasure…”
He scoffed, turning backwards to the door once again, unable to prevent himself.
“Anyway wasn’t there something wewe need to get straight?” asked Robert.
Hugh turned, unwillingly. He was starting to feel nervous now. Where was she? “Yes…well, wewe are saying…she looked somehow….different to you…yesterday? Aren’t you?”
Robert nodded, his lips tightly pressed into a perfect line “Precisely”
“And she was glowing?”
“Radiant as the sun itself”
Hugh fought back a disbelieving smile “You sure?”
“Yep” he alisema smacking his lips.
“But wewe didn’t talk to her?”
He shook his head “Nope…I know nothing”
Hugh pondered, his mind racing. So he couldn’t hadn’t gotten it so wrong if Robert had the same impression. She was actually different, yesterday.
“Come to think of it, though, she did mention something like being around longer than she had originally planned…or something like that…”
Did she?!
“You sure?”
Robert sighed “Would wewe just stop asking me whether I’m sure…” he whispered “…you’re giving me an headache”
The flicker of a smile lit up Hugh’s face.
“May I, now?”
He was still smiling when he lifted up his eyes to him “Yes!?”
Robert eyed him up. He was impossible when it came to Lisa, really.
“If ever, wewe meant what...and I mean ask wewe something…you Sleeping Beauty...”
Hugh’s mouth hung open. He hadn’t quite gotten this, “Ehm…sure, go on….”
Robert leaned over, motioning him to come closer. He shifted his weight slightly forward, doing as he asked.
He waited.
“What the hell is going on here?” Robert hissed in his ear.
Ops.
Of course.
Small detail.
Robert didn’t know a thing yet; about anything.
He lifted his torso up, scratching his forearm “Well, it’s….it’s complicated” he said, giving one sideways look at the kitanda “I mean I did something…” he told Robert “…yesterday …sort of out of the blue…you know, jump the shark, but…ehm but, the point is…then I sort of undo it, like I might have accidentally pissed…her…off…a little” he added, spacing the words.
Robert was looking at her very questioningly.
“…and then somehow” he carried on gesticulating “I’m still in the process of trying to make it right once again…even if, if wewe tell me so…” he trailed off.
It was Robert’s mouth hanging open, this time.
“I haven’t been the slightest clear, have I?”
Robert shook his head and pursed his lips, watching him condescendingly “Words aren’t your stuff…definitely”
He sighed, gesturing with his hand as he turned to the threshold for the umpteenth time, “Never mind. It’s too damn messy to put it into plain words in just a few minutes. Consult’s over…”
Robert made a face “Do I at least get paid for those?”
He smirked back at him as David barged in. He shot himself across the room and gave a nervous look around before clapping his hands together.. “Ok, let’s get this over with kids” he said, sounding even zaidi impatient to get started as usual. Robert noticed he looked strangely embarrassed. Katie stepped in after in taking a kiti, kiti cha in the back this time “We’ve just a few things to discuss, and then you’re free to go…”
Hugh turned his chair “What about…” Robert kicked him on his shinbone. He grimaced, “…the others…” he alisema twisting “….aren’t we waiting for the others….”
David stalled “Ehm…no, well….ehm…” he dropped his eyes down “Omar went to the cappuccino machine downstairs…”
Hugh’s eyes slid over the one at David’s side “There’s one right over there…” he pointed out.
David turned, not answering at first “Ehm…yeah…that one’s been out of order from over a month” he alisema gesturing vaguely as he went back leafing through his stuff.
Hugh frowned “I saw Lawrence having a coffee the last time we…”
Katie coughed, lightly
“…we…” He stalled. He could picture David chopping his head off for such a slip “…no. I must be mistaken” he alisema in the end.,“Never mind”
Robert met Jess’s eye. Then Olivia’s. They shrugged. He darted his eyes back and forth between Katie and David. Then between Hugh and the two of them. Katie had strange look on her face. Hugh seemed to feel visibly uncomfortable. David looked tense.
It felt like being trapped in an asylum. Nothing made sense….
Could someone just make him the personal favor to tell him what the hell WAS GOING ON before it would be too late and he Lost it too?
At last, also Omar barged in, hurriedly “Sorry, I’m here” he said, sitting down quickly “Katie told me the machine was broken. I had to go downstairs”
Robert looked at Katie. She was tapping with a pencil on her lips, distractedly.
“…and Lisa?” Jess asked casually, curling up the bag and throwing it into the bin.
Silence fell and it was the weirdest thing Robert had ever sensed, ‘cause it was clear something fishy was going on somehow but he had no clue whatsoever this time on what it was. Hugh turned his head to Jess keeping quiet. It was obvious he was having a bad feeling. And the look in his eyes wasn’t reassuring at all. Just like that night. It didn’t bring any good.
David hesitated “Ehm…yeah she…well, she just called…she…”
“She just can’t make it” Katie butted in, casually, her eyes slipping on Hugh for a heartbeat, but barely noticeable.
No one spoke for a second, but a deep scowl was starting to dig his way through Hugh’s face. So deep Robert wasn’t sure he would be the only one noticing for long.
Katie lowered her eyes and cleared her throat, after a while “Ok…down to work?” she asked.
David nodded, “Yes, ok…we…”
“That’s all she said?” Hugh asked, interrupting him with a composure Robert wasn’t expecting from him. But he was sure underneath the surface he was far from being so cool about it.
Not a bit.
And he was also fairly sure even the others must be starting to feel like some in the room were talking two different languages. Only no one seemed to have a clue on which one Hugh was speaking.
Not even him.
He was groping through darkness, just as them.
All he knew was that Hugh must have had something in mind, and that this wasn’t the way it was supposed to go. The way he had planned it out.
It was David who answered this time, his tone giving away nothing. He seemed to be talking to everyone but Hugh, though “She wishes wewe all a nice summer”.
Hugh wounded his stare down then and hugged the back of his chair. He passed his tongue over his lips, nodding a little “I....I wanted to talk to wewe about this...”
Robert strained his ear and stretched out over the table, making himself closer.
Hugh started to drum with his palm on the back of the chair, without looking at him in the eyes “There’s...there’s a good fifty per cent chance...”
He paused and coughed a little nervous laugh, frowning his brows “God I hope, far zaidi than a paltry fifty...”
Robert furrowed.
“Anyway...” he kept on, scratching his head “...there’s this chance we might be close to a life-changing turn, today...”
On the background, David and Katie traded a look.
Hugh lifted his eyes up to him, warily looking at him from over his eyelashes “You know what I mean...?”
Robert nodded, pretending he was following him, “…and the other fifty au whatever percentage?”
Hugh chewed his lips. He felt his moyo skipping a bit, all his precarious confidence suddenly drifting away from his system. He breathed in and averted his eyes “Well…” he puffed “I might also end up making a giant blunder…being the inayofuata laughing stock in office within the coming twelve hours…which would probably prevent me from inaonyesha my face in public ever again….” he trailed off, breathless, waiting for him to say something.
Robert made a face “Wow …”
Hugh looked at him, his lips parted in slight bewilderment “Wow?! That’s all wewe have to say?”
“Well, wewe must admit it’s quite a wide range of possibilities between the two…” he said, staring into space as thrusting his bottom lip out.
Hugh narrowed his eyes at him “Would wewe take me seriously for a moment?”
“I’m!” Robert repeated “I’m taking wewe very seriously...but it would be helpful to know about what, though…” he mocked.
Hugh pursed his lips, staring at him. His chair scraped over the floor once again and he had dragged himself a little closer. Robert goggled, moving away ever so slightly. He also spotted Katie looking suddenly very much focused in fiddling with her own hair
He averted his eyes from her, and lowered his head, leaning mbele “So what’s the topic exactly?”
Suddenly David stood up and rushed out of the door, answering his phone. Katie snapped her head up as he passed by, following him with the corner of her eye. She turned her head and met Robert’s stare, smiling awkwardly before going back fiddling with her locks.
He narrowed his eyes.
Something was off here. Something he wasn’t aware of was going on backstage, he would bet his punda on it.
Hugh was still stalling to find the right phrasing “I have…ehm…ok, let’s…let’s say I have… developments”
Robert saw David starting to pace back and forth in front of the door, uneasily. He rubbed his his nape a couple of times and hurtled out of the lobby, disappearing behind the corner.
“Robert wewe listening to me?”
He averted his eyes once more, slowly “Mmm, Lisa I presume…”
His voice was still coming out rather distractedly, though.
Katie looked like being scanning the point where David had disappeared.
There was smell of burning, all over the place.
“How do wewe know?” Hugh asked.
Everyone uigizaji even too weirdly to be just a normal, regular day…
“Robert?!”
He went back looking at him, a little knowing smirk curling up his lips “Please Hugh, be serious…you two just have that look in your eyes, only when…”
He trailed off at that point, silencing himself all of a sudden. He straighten up a bit.
Hugh waited, “Rob?!”
He looked like having Lost the thread, though, even if there was a weird light in his eyes. Looked like he just had an epiphany but he sort of doubted it was related to him anyway.
He rubbed his forearm, sighing. Apparently, all his conversations were meant to be maddening hiccupping today. “Ok, never mind. Ehm…so I was saying…there had been some developments that I need to…”
“Wait, since when?” Robert cut him off.
Hugh hesitated “What do wewe mean since when?”
“The developments….” he hurried him, as if he had no time to waste with useless questions.
Hugh frowned his forehead “Ehm…yesterday?!”
Robert dropped his shoulders down “Is that a question?!” he asked considerably annoyed “When as in morning, afternoon…middle of the night….” he alisema gesticulating with his hands.
Hugh pressed his lips in a tight line and leaned over to push his hands down “Would you…turn it down a notch please” he hissed “…no middle of the night for God’s sake…what’s the matter with wewe today?!!” he demanded checking around to be sure Katie hadn’t listened.
She was whistling quietly as kusoma a message on her phone, though…luckily.
He turned around.
Robert saw Katie stood suddenly up then. She walked to the door, meeting Omar right on the threshold and she began to chat with him, with a lively attitude as if she hadn’t seen him in ages. He made a puzzled face. Strange timing…couldn’t be a coincidence.
What the hell was going on here?!
“What’s wrong?” Hugh asked following his stare.
Robert shook his head, his mind racing “Nothing, nothing….”
He had no idea anyway.
He lowered his gaze “So, no middle of the night. Then when?”
Hugh straightened up a bit “For God’s sake, Rob what’s this? A third degree?!” he asked as ruffling his hair, “I don’t know… I guess…”
“You guess?” Robert taunted.
He gaped, a little bit Lost “Well, a lot of things happened to me within the last 24 hours, so I’m a little stunned alright?!”
“So?!”
“Oh Jesus!” he sighed exasperated, spreading his arms open “Yesterday! Yesterday morning, I suppose, ok? It all started yesterday freaking morning, alright…now can we just get to the point…so I explain you, why?” he pleaded, turning once more. He realized he had raised his voice a little too much. But Katie was gone and now leaning against the doorjamb, hands folded behind her back, looking outside. She didn’t look like having listened to him.
He scanned the room. Where was David?!
He heard a “Ah!” coming from his back. He turned round. Robert had thrown himself backwards against the back of his chair and was now wearing a triumphant attitude, smiling to him.
He looked at him bewildered, sighing. Why did anyone look liked drunk to him today?!
Robert kept smiling. He shook his head, wrapping his arms around the back once more, “Ok, yes…ehm…listen, now that we have established when, can we just….”
Robert fingered to the side of his nose “You know, I knew it. I knew something was up…”
Hugh frowned.
What?!
“I knew it the moment I saw her taking that elevator….” he told him, jubilant.
Her?!
“Who?” asked Hugh.
Robert’s eye flicked down on him for a sekunde “Who?! Lisa of course”
Lisa?!
“When?”
He had seen Lisa?!
Robert made the face of one who had just realized he had been missing the obvious all along “She was so glowing all over… ”
Glowing?! Who?! Lisa?!
Hugh forced himself to focus “Wait…wait a second…” he said, shaking his head “hold on…did wewe meet her?”
“When?” Robert asked, absentmindedly as drawing the right dots.
Hugh gaped, impatient “Yesterday, of course”
He was so leaning out towards him now that he looked about to fall mbele with the whole chair.
“Sure” Robert answered calmly, though. still smiling to himself. How could he have doubt?!
“And she was glowing?!” asked Hugh, still incredulous.
Robert started to shake his head from one side to another, slowly “I was sooooo sure it had to have something to do with it…”
Hugh furrowed.
It?!
“It, what?”
“Sorry I meant you”
Him?
“You, who? Me?”
Robert dropped his shoulders, finally looking at him “It’s pretty tiring having a conversation with you, wewe know that?!”
Hugh opened his mouth.
“How many wewe do wewe know?!”
He goggled, stammering lightly “Well…I…I…”
Robert’s smile broadened at that point “Anyway…” he alisema slapping him “How did wewe do that?!”
He almost sounded impressed.
Hugh was confused. Did what?! Lisa, glowing, him, when…too many information all at once.
He wasn’t sure he had gotten it right…
“She looked radiant…”
au did him?! His eyes lit up.
“For the flowers?”
“Which flowers?” asked Robert, oblivious.
“The one I gave her”
“When?!”
He sighed and dropped his head down. Someone was rowing against him today, it must be it.
Olivia and Jess stepped in. Robert caught sight of Katie though who was clearly gesticulating something at them. They didn’t notice. She promptly dropped her arms down then, shook her head and let herself out of the room at a quick pace.
He couldn’t make sense of any of it, either.
What kind of meeting was this?
“Hey guys…no one’s arrived yet?” asked Olivia, her eyes slipping down on Hugh for a moment.
Hugh waved with his hand, keeping his head down.
Jess looked down at him too “He, ok?” he asked Robert as letting himself sink down into the couch.
Robert patted Hugh’s back, eyes still where Katie had just disappeared “He’s good…yeah. Confused maybe…”
He wasn’t the only one….
Olivia dropped at Jess’s side “Lisa?!”
Hugh snapped his head up, instantly. His eyes looked groggy but alive already “I talked to her this morning…”
Jess offered Olivia the chips bag he kept curled up in his hand. She twitched her nose, pushing him away “She coming?”
Jess stuck his tongue out at her.
“Yes she’s….she alisema she would” answered Hugh.
And there was no reason to suppose she wouldn’t now, so the sudden rush of panic flushing him was nothing but nonsense.
“When does she leave?” Jess asked nonchalantly, flipping a chip up in the air “I should call her…”
Hugh found himself speechless for a moment “Ehm, we didn’t…we didn’t really talk about that…yet “
They should though, shouldn’t they? Talk about it, sooner au later…
“Do wewe know whether she….”
But Jess had already embarked Olivia on a conversation on stuffed food, and they were not even paying attention to him anymore.
Well, they still have tonight, anyway. He and Lisa. And tomorrow. And a few days before she left for sure. He remembered she was supposed to leave one week after the end the shooting…right?!
His moyo skipped a beat once more.
He breathed in deeply.
One thing at the time, he remembered himself.
Baby steps.
Do not lose it.
Not yet.
He turned to Robert again, turning down his voice even zaidi “Shall we please start over. I don’t have much time here…” he alisema glancing back at the door. Where was Lisa? “….and you’re giving me a headache, kwa the way”
Robert was taken aback “Who?! Me?”
“You. How many wewe do wewe know?!” he teased.
“What have I done?”
He gave him a kuvuka, msalaba look “Let’s not start over, please…”
“You just said…”
“Never mind what I said”
Robert closed his mouth shut, frowning.
Hugh glanced back towards Jess and Olivia, briefly “Ok, so… let me get this straight”
Robert leaned over, folding his hand in a plotting manner “Yes”
Hugh watched him “You having fun, have you?”
“Some, when it comes to you” he acknowledged with a smirk.
Hugh put his tongue between his lips “Nice to know I’m entertaining…”
Robert bowed a little “My pleasure…”
He scoffed, turning backwards to the door once again, unable to prevent himself.
“Anyway wasn’t there something wewe need to get straight?” asked Robert.
Hugh turned, unwillingly. He was starting to feel nervous now. Where was she? “Yes…well, wewe are saying…she looked somehow….different to you…yesterday? Aren’t you?”
Robert nodded, his lips tightly pressed into a perfect line “Precisely”
“And she was glowing?”
“Radiant as the sun itself”
Hugh fought back a disbelieving smile “You sure?”
“Yep” he alisema smacking his lips.
“But wewe didn’t talk to her?”
He shook his head “Nope…I know nothing”
Hugh pondered, his mind racing. So he couldn’t hadn’t gotten it so wrong if Robert had the same impression. She was actually different, yesterday.
“Come to think of it, though, she did mention something like being around longer than she had originally planned…or something like that…”
Did she?!
“You sure?”
Robert sighed “Would wewe just stop asking me whether I’m sure…” he whispered “…you’re giving me an headache”
The flicker of a smile lit up Hugh’s face.
“May I, now?”
He was still smiling when he lifted up his eyes to him “Yes!?”
Robert eyed him up. He was impossible when it came to Lisa, really.
“If ever, wewe meant what...and I mean ask wewe something…you Sleeping Beauty...”
Hugh’s mouth hung open. He hadn’t quite gotten this, “Ehm…sure, go on….”
Robert leaned over, motioning him to come closer. He shifted his weight slightly forward, doing as he asked.
He waited.
“What the hell is going on here?” Robert hissed in his ear.
Ops.
Of course.
Small detail.
Robert didn’t know a thing yet; about anything.
He lifted his torso up, scratching his forearm “Well, it’s….it’s complicated” he said, giving one sideways look at the kitanda “I mean I did something…” he told Robert “…yesterday …sort of out of the blue…you know, jump the shark, but…ehm but, the point is…then I sort of undo it, like I might have accidentally pissed…her…off…a little” he added, spacing the words.
Robert was looking at her very questioningly.
“…and then somehow” he carried on gesticulating “I’m still in the process of trying to make it right once again…even if, if wewe tell me so…” he trailed off.
It was Robert’s mouth hanging open, this time.
“I haven’t been the slightest clear, have I?”
Robert shook his head and pursed his lips, watching him condescendingly “Words aren’t your stuff…definitely”
He sighed, gesturing with his hand as he turned to the threshold for the umpteenth time, “Never mind. It’s too damn messy to put it into plain words in just a few minutes. Consult’s over…”
Robert made a face “Do I at least get paid for those?”
He smirked back at him as David barged in. He shot himself across the room and gave a nervous look around before clapping his hands together.. “Ok, let’s get this over with kids” he said, sounding even zaidi impatient to get started as usual. Robert noticed he looked strangely embarrassed. Katie stepped in after in taking a kiti, kiti cha in the back this time “We’ve just a few things to discuss, and then you’re free to go…”
Hugh turned his chair “What about…” Robert kicked him on his shinbone. He grimaced, “…the others…” he alisema twisting “….aren’t we waiting for the others….”
David stalled “Ehm…no, well….ehm…” he dropped his eyes down “Omar went to the cappuccino machine downstairs…”
Hugh’s eyes slid over the one at David’s side “There’s one right over there…” he pointed out.
David turned, not answering at first “Ehm…yeah…that one’s been out of order from over a month” he alisema gesturing vaguely as he went back leafing through his stuff.
Hugh frowned “I saw Lawrence having a coffee the last time we…”
Katie coughed, lightly
“…we…” He stalled. He could picture David chopping his head off for such a slip “…no. I must be mistaken” he alisema in the end.,“Never mind”
Robert met Jess’s eye. Then Olivia’s. They shrugged. He darted his eyes back and forth between Katie and David. Then between Hugh and the two of them. Katie had strange look on her face. Hugh seemed to feel visibly uncomfortable. David looked tense.
It felt like being trapped in an asylum. Nothing made sense….
Could someone just make him the personal favor to tell him what the hell WAS GOING ON before it would be too late and he Lost it too?
At last, also Omar barged in, hurriedly “Sorry, I’m here” he said, sitting down quickly “Katie told me the machine was broken. I had to go downstairs”
Robert looked at Katie. She was tapping with a pencil on her lips, distractedly.
“…and Lisa?” Jess asked casually, curling up the bag and throwing it into the bin.
Silence fell and it was the weirdest thing Robert had ever sensed, ‘cause it was clear something fishy was going on somehow but he had no clue whatsoever this time on what it was. Hugh turned his head to Jess keeping quiet. It was obvious he was having a bad feeling. And the look in his eyes wasn’t reassuring at all. Just like that night. It didn’t bring any good.
David hesitated “Ehm…yeah she…well, she just called…she…”
“She just can’t make it” Katie butted in, casually, her eyes slipping on Hugh for a heartbeat, but barely noticeable.
No one spoke for a second, but a deep scowl was starting to dig his way through Hugh’s face. So deep Robert wasn’t sure he would be the only one noticing for long.
Katie lowered her eyes and cleared her throat, after a while “Ok…down to work?” she asked.
David nodded, “Yes, ok…we…”
“That’s all she said?” Hugh asked, interrupting him with a composure Robert wasn’t expecting from him. But he was sure underneath the surface he was far from being so cool about it.
Not a bit.
And he was also fairly sure even the others must be starting to feel like some in the room were talking two different languages. Only no one seemed to have a clue on which one Hugh was speaking.
Not even him.
He was groping through darkness, just as them.
All he knew was that Hugh must have had something in mind, and that this wasn’t the way it was supposed to go. The way he had planned it out.
It was David who answered this time, his tone giving away nothing. He seemed to be talking to everyone but Hugh, though “She wishes wewe all a nice summer”.
