by Kayla Kelly
“And of course you are, aren’t you?”
“I am just thinking of what would be the best thing for the twins, Arnold. Surely, you can understand this.”
He nodded. “And the other men? Who are they?”
“You wouldn’t want to know about those, trust me.”
“I have listened up till this moment. Surely, if your life was a horror movie, I have been bold enough not to stop watching up till now. So, go on, tell me more.”
In response, Angela got up and sat on his laps. As her soft lips landed on his own, all his inhibitions, his anger, and his confusion seemed to evaporate into the air. He reached up to her face and held her tightly as his mouth devoured hers with a hunger of a starving man, in dire need of being kissed.
As their tongues intertwined, it was as if their lives depended on that moment. And when she suddenly pulled away, the look of confusion on his face was very glaring. He didn’t have to say any words for her to know that he wanted more from her. He reached out to hold her hand. She let him do so and then squeezed his back before letting him go.
He still could not put into words what he was feeling, what he wanted to ask, what he wanted to say. But she could read through the confused thoughts rushing through his mind. “Paul and Cyril are still here, remember?” she whispered.
He nodded. She is right, he mused. There was no privacy even there in his office. It wouldn’t be a good example for both of them to be making out while his subordinates were still very much around.
After she stepped out of his office, he went down to the main floor to continue to work on some vehicles. But he could not deny that the images of Angela kissing him were still dancing in his mind like an excited puppy.
Chapter Four
It was already getting dark outside when Angela picked up her bag.
“Leaving already?” Arnold asked from where he was seated on the main floor of the workshop. There were several engine blocks around him.
“Yes, I am,” Angela replied. “I want to pick up some groceries before I head for home. Remember that Thomas is still with me.”
“Sure, I’ll come by your house when I am finished with the work here.”
Angela glanced at the engine blocks. “It doesn’t seem as if that is going to happen anytime soon.”
“I’ll try. And when I get tired, I’ll leave them for tomorrow.”
He saw her glancing around. Paul and Cyril were close by. “I guess it would be good night then?”
“Yeah, I’ll be through soon and I’ll come by your place to pick up Thomas.”
She smiled and blew him a kiss.
It was after she had left that he understood why she had been glancing around. Could it be that she had wanted to give him a kiss but she felt that it was not appropriate because they were not alone?
Arnold touched his lips. He could still remember the first kiss they had shared earlier. A second one would have been just ideal if not for his assistants being around.
He continued to work and then Paul and Cyril called to say they were leaving.
“Already?” he asked.
“Already?” Cyril repeated. “Boss, it’s already past ten. You should be heading home as well.”
Arnold stretched and yawned aloud. “Yeah, I think you guys have a point there. Come, let me give you all a ride.”
After they shut down the workshop, they all boarded Arnold’s SUV. After a short ride, he dropped them off at their homes. He then proceeded to head to Angela’s place. It was a block of flats not too far from the city center. When he arrived, Arnold knocked on her door and waited.
He was thinking of the kiss they had shared and whether he could get another one when the door opened. Standing in the doorway was one of the twins.
“Hello. Now, who is it? No, don’t tell me. Let me guess. Taylor?”
The boy shook his head. “No, I am Tyler. Taylor is inside with Thomas.”
“I see. You beat me again to it. How can one ever succeed at telling you guys apart?”
“You just have to learn it. Thomas can already tell us apart.”
“Really? Now, why did I allow my son to beat me to it? I need to ask him what the secret is.”
“Are you not going to come in?”
“Sure, sure,” Arnold said as he stepped into the apartment. “What about your mom?”
“Isn’t she with you?” Tyler asked.
Arnold stopped and turned. He saw Tyler was still at the door peering outside. “I’m sorry, what was that you asked?”
Tyler closed the door. “I thought my mom came home with you.”
Arnold shook his head. “No, she didn’t. She left the workshop a long time ago. Are you saying she hasn’t been home since?”
Taylor and Thomas came to meet them. “Where is Mom?” Taylor asked.
“I was just telling Tyler that she left me in the workshop a while ago. Has she not come home yet?”
All of them shook their heads. “We haven’t seen her yet.”
Arnold frowned. “When last was it you guys saw your mom?”
“In the afternoon,” Taylor offered.
“When she came to drop us all from school,” Thomas added.
“And you have not seen her since then?” Arnold asked as he pulled out his phone.
“No, we haven’t. Have you?” Tyler asked.
“Of course I have. She came to the workshop after dropping off you guys here at home. Wasn’t that when Thomas was asking for permission to stay with you guys?”
“Yes, that was when she dropped us off at home,” Thomas agreed.
Arnold was worried. Where could Angela have gone to from the workshop, he mused as he dialed her number. Patiently, he waited though the repeating rings, but they stopped before anyone picked up. He dialed it again, but there was no answer.
He turned to see the three boys looking at him with eyes filled with expectation. “Did she mention anything about going somewhere today? Like to see a friend or any other person, maybe after work or at any time at all?”
“She did say she would like to check up on our dad,” Tyler offered.
“Your dad?” Arnold repeated.
“Yes, our dad,” Taylor replied.
Arnold could feel the rhythm of his heartbeat increasing. “Is your dad in town?”
Both twins nodded. “Yes, he is.”
“And when did he arrive in town?”
“Maybe a couple of days ago,” Tyler said. “She usually goes to see him.”
“Where?”
Both twins shook their heads. “We don’t know where he stays.”
Arnold rubbed his chin. Angela’s husband or ex-husband was in town. But he was not staying in her apartment. This was so strange. Where would she be going to meet him – in a hotel?
He dialed her number again. The same thing happened. It rang and then rang out. After trying several more times, he gave up.
He could feel waves of anger bathing him like a hurricane. He eliminated the thoughts of any harm happening to her because her phone was still ringing. If anything had happened to her, her phone would have been taken and also turned off. But it hadn’t. It was probable that because she was with Michael she had decided to keep her phone on silent.
He could understand why he was so angry. This woman had talked and shared intimate details about herself. She had kissed him and would have kissed him again if not for Cyril and Paul being around. And what does she do next? She goes to meet with her husband? Or was it ex-husband?
He felt like just picking Thomas and leaving. But he couldn’t leave the twins all alone.
He then remembered the number he had stored - Mr. R.
Arnold contemplated what to do next. Would it be appropriate to contact the number that I lifted from Angela’s phone without her knowledge, he wondered.
The risk in doing so was that it might not even be Michael he was contacting.
He turned to glance at the twins and Thomas. He couldn’t leave without knowing for s
ure whether Angela was safe. But even if she was safe it was obvious that she must be having the time of her life wherever she was.
Another instinct that he had was just to leave and not get in touch with her. Later, when she would be less busy, she could get in touch with him. That is if she even wanted to because Arnold did not see the need to do so.
He glanced at the phone in his hand. He wanted to dial the number stored under Mr. R. His level of curiosity would not let him not make contact with this mystery number.
“Are you calling our mom’s number?”
Arnold turned to the kids with him. It was one of the twins that had asked the question. “I just did earlier, boys.”
“And was she picking?”
“If she did you would have heard us discussing, wouldn’t you?” Arnold asked. “Or did you hear me talking with her?”
The twins shook their heads. “But was her phone ringing?” one of them asked.
“Of course it was ringing. But she wasn’t picking.”
“Why didn’t she pick her call?”
Arnold sighed. “I honestly would not know. That is why I want to call another number of someone I think might know where she is at this moment.”
“Who are you calling?”
“I really don’t know for sure,” Arnold said. “But I have a hunch that this person might know where she is.”
“You mean she might be with this person?”
Arnold nodded. “It is possible. But I cannot say for sure. So, can you just be quiet for a second while I make the call?”
Everyone kept quiet while he dialed the number and waited.
When he heard the number ringing he heaved a sigh of relief. He was grateful that he was able to remember the right digits to store when he spied on Angela’s phone. Now all he had to do was wait for the owner to pick it up.
The call rang out with no one picking it.
An uncomfortable feeling spread though Arnold. First it was Angela and now it was this number. His first instinct was that both Angela and Michael were very busy and did not want to answer their phone calls. He could feel his annoyance and anger gradually growing as he pictured them together.
No bras, no panties, just you and me in the flesh.
He dialed the number again and waited. After it rang out, he dialed it again.
He was about to do it one more time when it was picked.
“Who the hell is this?” came a deep voice.
Arnold was surprised. His surprise was that the owner of the line had even picked when he thought no one was going to do so.
“I said who is on this line?”
“Hello? Hello?”
“Would you quit telling me ‘hello’ and introduce yourself? Who are you?”
“I’m sorry. My name is Arnold.”
“Arnold? I don’t know anyone by that name. How did you get this number?”
Arnold bit his lip and squeezed the sides of his temple. He was feeling very stupid at that moment. He had not thought of what to say and now he was faced with that fact.
“Are you still there, Arnold?”
“Yes, I am here.”
“I asked you how you came by my number.”
“Look, it’s a long story.”
“Really? Well, maybe I can spare a couple of minutes for you to indulge me, Arnold. Go on, I am all ears.”
“Look, I don’t have time for all this.”
“Really? But you are the one with my number. And you are the one that called me. So, clearly you have a lot of time on your hands.”
“I am looking for someone. And I think you could be of help here.”
“I am not the police, Arnold. Why are you calling me in your search for this person?”
“Are you Michael?”
There was a pause. “Why are you asking?”
“Look, please stop the games and tell me the truth. Are you Michael?”
Another pause. “And what if one of my names was Michael?”
“Are you Michael Rowe?”
“Arnold, is that what you do for a living? You get people’s numbers and then begin to call them at random?”
“I am not a stalker if that is what you mean.”
“But that is what I see, Arnold.”
“Are you Michael Rowe?”
“And if I was why would I want to tell you?”
“Because I am in your wife or ex-wife’s house right now and I am looking at your twins.”
There was a gasp. “Arnold?” It was a feminine voice that was now talking. “Arnold, are you at my place?”
Arnold felt his jaw tighten. “Yes, Angela. I am at your place to pick up Thomas.”
“My goodness. You have already closed from the workshop?”
“No, I haven’t closed because I am supposed to live and sleep in the workshop, Angela. You mean you didn’t come home when you left the workshop.”
“Arnold, I apologize –” she began to say.
“You what? Who is this guy anyway?” came the other male voice on the line.
“Michael, please calm down. It is my boss at the workshop where I work,” Angela was saying.
“Really? And how come he is calling my number and not yours?”
“I don’t know – wait, Arnold how did you get this number anyway?”
“Is that what is of concern to you or the fact that you left my boy unattended?”
“Unattended? I’m really sorry. But, come on, Arnold, you and I know he is in good hands with the twins,”
“Hey, wait a minute, Angela, why are you even apologizing? Are you not supposed to be working for him in the office? You are not his babysitter. Why are you apologizing?”
Arnold shook his head. “Wait, Michael is that how you view this?”
“How the hell do you want me to view it? You call my number asking about my wife and you begin to lay all sorts of accusations on her? You think I would take things easy with you or what?”
“Look, let us not get in over our heads, okay?”
“Really? Over our heads? Why did you call my number if you didn’t want to get me all worked up?”
“Look, I was looking for Angela just to tell her that I was taking my boy home, that’s all.”
“Why didn’t you call her number?”
“Because she wasn’t picking her calls, that’s why.”
There was a prolonged silence during which Arnold was sure that they were checking Angela’s phone. They were going to see his calls. He was very angry now as he felt his heart beating rapidly. “Look, I am taking Thomas home. Have a nice night.”
“Nice night indeed,” Michael replied. “And never, ever call this number again.”
Arnold was taken aback. “Tell that wife of yours to always pick her calls when she gets them. Then maybe, just maybe I would have no reason to have to call you to find out why she isn’t picking her calls.”
“Look, mister, I am telling you this: don’t you ever call this number again.”
“Or what? What are you going to do? Bite me? Please, go and settle your frustrations elsewhere.”
“What? Are you saying that I am frustrated?”
“Of course you are. You sound so and act so. Just keep me out of any frustrations you might be facing at the moment, okay?”
“You really have a big mouth, do you know that? And it is going to land you into big trouble.”
“You cannot frighten me, Michael, okay? So, take your chicken threats to the market or maybe the zoo.”
“You are asking for it, do you know that? You are asking for it, Arnold.”
“I am not asking for anything. Go and handle your frustrated life.”
“Arnold, you shouldn’t be talking to him like that,” Angela said, suddenly finding her voice.
“Really? How else should I be talking? Haven’t you been hearing what he has been saying?”
“But you are the one that called him,” Angela pointed out.
“And I wouldn’t have if you not that you cho
se not to pick your call.”
“Arnold, I agree. That was my fault –”
“No, it wasn’t your fault,” Arnold cut in. “Perhaps it was more like your duty, right? You must have been very busy to answer a simple phone call from your boss.”
“My duty? What are you saying, Arnold?”
“Come on, you know what I mean. Why else would you not answer your phone if not that you were busy performing your duties to a frustrated man like Michael?”
“Arnold,” Michael called. “I am going to deal with you for insulting my wife.”
“Really? Is she your wife? Or is she your ex-wife?”
“Arnold!” Angela yelled. But he was done listening. He cut the call and shook his head. As he turned around, he met three pairs of eyes. It was obvious that his son and the twins had listened in on the exchange he just had with Angela and Michael.
He ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m sorry, TnT, well you must have heard all of it, didn’t you? Your mom is with your dad and she is obviously doing great. She would definitely be over to see you soon.”
None of them said anything. They just continued to watch him in silence.
Arnold beckoned to Thomas. “We should leave. Come on, son, let’s go.”
As Arnold drove, his phone began to ring. He glanced at it and saw that it was Angela. He ignored her and refused to pick the call.
The next morning, Arnold drove to the workshop as usual with Thomas by his side.
“I am guessing that with what happened last night, Angela might not be taking me to school this morning,” Thomas suggested.
“Let’s see what is going to happen when we get there,” was all that Arnold could say.
Last night, he could barely sleep. Angela had continued to call him and he chose not to answer her. Eventually, when the calls had become too much, he had turned the phone on silent. But even that had not been enough to make him fall asleep.
He had laid on his bed thinking about her and the moments they had spent together chatting.
And then the kiss.
And then the call to Michael and their biter exchanges.
He just didn’t know what to make of anything anymore.
As he was opening the gates, he heard a car screech to a halt. He turned to see that it was Angela’s car. But she was not the one driving it. It was a man with long dark hair that was tied together into a ponytail that lay behind his back. He had a long scar by the right side of his face as if he had been cut by a knife. He opened the door and came down from it. He was only wearing a white singlet on faded blue jeans. There were several rings on his fingers.
