“I have to get going, actually.” Hugh said, not looking at Lisa. “But Lisa alisema she was going to stick around for awhile.”
    Lisa’s eyebrow rose very, very slowly as she turned to look at her co-star. “I am?”
    “You don’t have to,” David started, and Hugh cut him off.
    “You promised Omar a dance. And Jesse. Remember?”
    “And I intend to collect,” Jesse said, appearing at her side. “All those young gorgeous girls are boring me to tears. I want to dance with you.”
    “Me. The disintegrating crypt keeper.” Lisa glared at him. “How charitable of you.”
    “Get out here,” Jesse said, and hauled her along after him onto the dance floor.
    “Hugh…” David stepped mbele and shook his lead actor’s hand. “It was a fantastic season. We’ll be in touch with schedules soon for inayofuata year. Enjoy the break.”
    “I will.”
    As David walked away, Hugh looked out over the crowd and spotted Lisa and Jesse laughing together at some private joke, and smiled to himself. Between him and Omar, Lisa would be kept occupied for a while. That would put plenty of time between their departures; no one would even start to suspect anything was going on. And it meant he didn’t have to worry about anyone seeing her follow him home.
    Hugh’s eyes smiled softly at her as she finally looked in his direction, and then he spun on his heel and headed for his car.
    Dance fast, Lis, he thought to himself. And follow me home.


~*~*~
    -do omars arms compare to mine?-
    The text shined out at her in the darkness of the empty bathroom, and Lisa’s entire countenance glowed.
    -much bigger much stronger full of muscle-
    Hugh glared at his phone, even though he knew Lisa was only teasing.
    -untangle yourself immediately and get over here. It’s my turn-
    Lisa set the phone down on the counter and leaned forward, looking at herself in the glass. Hair glossy, soft, shiny… makeup still intact, perfect… eyes…
    Eyes glowing. Eyes shining. Eyes deep and dark and soulful, and Lisa smiled very deliberately at her reflection, realizing—she was going to walk out of here. She was going to get in her car and drive to Hugh’s house. And they were finally, finally—
    -I alisema immediately!!!!-
    Lisa dropped her phone in her mfuko wa fedha, mfuko and walked briskly out of the bathroom.
    “Lisa!” David waved her over. She hesitated, then reluctantly joined him at his table.
    “David, what’s up?”
    “We didn’t know if wewe wanted to—”
    Lisa shook her head slightly. “David, I really have to get going. I do, I’m sorry. Is it important?”
    “Well—no.” He finally smiled at her. “Go on. We’ll be in touch with wewe soon.”
    Avoiding absolutely everyone’s eyes, waving cheerily in various directions, Lisa hightailed it out of the room and made it to her car, sliding into the driver’s kiti, kiti cha with a softly exhaled breath of relief. Finally.
    Sliding her key into the ignition, her moyo stopped briefly as she suddenly thought Oh my God, did I turn off my lights? Is my battery dead? before the engine roared to life. Sliding her tongue gently along her bottom lip, she maneuvered out of her parking spot and started in the direction of Hugh’s home, barely paying attention to her surroundings, until she realized that the headlights in her rearview mirror had been there for quite some time…
    Just for the hell of it she turned down a mitaani, mtaa to take a longer, zaidi circuitous route and the headlights followed her. Pulling up to a stoplight, she frowned and took out her phone and dialed Hugh, keeping an eye on her mirrors and checking her door locks.
    “Lisa? I was starting to think wewe really did prefer Omar to—”
    “I think I’m being followed.” Lisa put her foot on the accelerator and pulled forward, and turned on a completely bila mpangilio street. Lo and behold… “I can’t see anything; the headlights are right in my eyes. I don’t know what kind of car it is, au what color, au I can’t—how I didn’t notice someone behind me when I left the party I’ll never know—”
    “Are wewe sure they’re following you?” Hugh was sitting on his couch, koti, jacket off, shoes tossed aside, a nagging worry forming in his stomach. “Are you—”    
    “I’ve been turning down bila mpangilio streets and they’re still behind me. God—maybe I should try and just get on the freeway and see—”
    “Turn around and go back to the party.”
    “What? Hugh—”
    “At least wewe know there’s security there. And people wewe know. The last thing wewe want is to be roaming back roads you’re not familiar with until a psycho catches up to wewe and I never see wewe again.” Lisa smiled into her phone’s mouthpiece. “Lisa?”
    “You kind of like me, don’t you, Hugh?” She alisema throatily, turning a corner and sighing when the headlights invariably followed.
    “Lisa, Lisa…” Hugh shook his head. “Here’s what you’re going to do. Go back to the party. Do not get out of your car without security right there. Go inside and find Robert, and tell him he’s been selected to drive wewe here when he leaves. Do not take any chances.”
    “Oh, Hugh, honestly—oh my God!” Lisa dropped the phone immediately as she neared the parking lot of the party and the driver behind her realized what she was doing. Just as she began to turn into the lot, the SUV roared to life and sped up, crushing the back left side of Lisa’s car and spinning her into the parking lot, completely out of control. As she shook her head, trying to get her bearings, the driver jumped out and sprinted over to her door—but barely made it before being tackled to the ground kwa on-duty security officers that were patrolling the lot.
    “Miss Edelstein! Miss Edelstein!”
    The line disconnected.
    “Lisa!” Hugh stared at his phone in shock for just two sekunde before leaping to his feet, jamming his shoes back on, and taking off for his car in a blind panic. What just happened?