Heller (30 page)

“Oh, she’s
fine! She’s the sweetest girl. And so devoted to her husband.”

Somehow I
managed to hold in my gales of laughter until we reached the
vehicle. Heller congratulated me on my self-control.

I went to bed
early and made sure I was at the Sharif’s by nine precisely. I
spent a pleasant day with Salimah, who could not have been more
different to Lily if she had deliberately tried. She was bright,
well-educated, serious, modest, culturally aware, but painfully
shy. I gently cajoled, teased and joked until I eventually received
a bashful grin from her in reward. She had the most enchanting
smile and I made sure I told her, otherwise she might never know.
And after that, she blessed me with her beautiful smile more
often.

By the end of
the four days, she was initiating conversations with me and with
much self-conscious giggling, she’d even confided the name of the
cute studious boy she had a crush on back home. We visited all the
main attractions and while she enjoyed the cultural elements, her
favourite day was spent at the city’s sprawling hillside zoo. She
marvelled over the native animals, having photo after photo taken
of her with some of the more cuddly ones, and shrinking in
delighted terror, clutching my arm, at some of the less cuddly,
more poisonous ones.

When I
delivered her safely home on the last day, she hugged me
affectionately and kissed me on each cheek. Her parents expressed
their gratitude for my services, pleased at how happy and relaxed
their high-achieving daughter was, and promised to recommend
Heller’s
to any other Jordanian families travelling to the
city in the future. Unexpectedly, I received a very generous
personal gratuity from that assignment as well that Heller also
insisted that I keep for myself.

A job well
done
, I thought with satisfaction. It was a Friday night and I
was in the mood to celebrate. On my return home I checked with
Heller if he needed me that night.

“Why?” he
asked.

“I want to go
out with Dixie. I haven’t been out since I started here and I want
to go and have some fun.”

He frowned.
“Fun doing what?”

I shrugged.
“Dancing, drinking, laughing, flirting. Whatever.”

“You can do
all of that here.”

“I hope you’re
joking,” I scorned.

He was
offended. “I can’t stop you, Matilda,” although he sounded as
though he was seriously considering it. “I’ll drive you and Dixie
there and pick you up.”

“You can drive
us there, but I’ll make my own way home. When I feel like coming
home. Okay?” He didn’t have much choice, but I felt as though I was
back at my parents’ again, arguing with my father.

I rang Dixie
and we made arrangements. I spent a while getting ready that
evening, squeezing into my tightest jeans and a taut glittery black
singlet top that emphasised two of my best assets. I pulled on some
black stilettos and some dangly gold earrings. My makeup was
definitely not discreet that night, and I piled on the makeup until
my eyes were incredibly sultry. I straightened my hair, and it fell
over my shoulders down to my shoulder blades in a glossy dark silk
sheet. I sprayed myself liberally with a very expensive and
feminine perfume. I was so transformed from my everyday appearance
that I barely recognised myself. It really had been far too long
since I had gone out to party.

I knew Heller
was eating with Daniel and Niq that evening, so I closed my door
and teetered on my heels over to Daniel’s place to catch a lift
into the city. I knocked on the door and Daniel answered, his jaw
dropping in surprise at my appearance. He gaped like a fish out of
water for a moment before letting out a loud wolf-whistle.

“Tilly, you
look incredible!”

I smiled at
him and walked in. Heller and Niq both stopped eating, forkfuls of
food halfway to their mouths, and stared at me, eyes wide.

“You look
hot
, Tilly! Total babe!” Niq enthused, jumping up for a
closer look, his teenage hormones kicking into overdrive. Heller
didn’t speak, his face unsmiling as he looked me over. I could feel
that he desperately wanted to tell me to go change into something
more modest or order me to stay home, but he didn’t. He couldn’t.
As he said himself, I am an adult and have to make my own
decisions, good or bad.

I kissed the
boys goodnight and traipsed down the stairs behind Heller. At the
same time, a troupe of security men was returning from a job,
heading upstairs. We passed them mid-stair and received a stream of
impassive “Boss” and “Miss” acknowledgements from each one as they
filed past us. And although none said another word, each man eyed
me up and down behind Heller’s back with a lingering glance of
admiration as he passed and I knew I’d be a hot topic for gossip in
the security section once again.

We drove in
silence.

“Thanks for
dropping me in the city, Heller. I really appreciate it,” I said
sweetly.

He remained
grim. “I wish you would let me pick you up. I wouldn’t worry so
much then.”

I smiled
easily. “No need to worry. I’ll be fine. I’ve done this before, you
know.” He didn’t smile in response.

“Have you got
enough money to get home?”

“Plenty.”

“Not too much
though? I don’t want you to get mugged.”

I was patient.
“Not too much. Enough for the cover charge, some drinks and the
taxi ride home.”

“Got your
phone?”

“Yes. But I
won’t be checking it, so don’t bother ringing me.” His mouth set in
an even grimmer line.

“What time
will you be home?”

“I honestly
don’t know. Probably not before two or three.”

“What if you
meet someone? If you go home with him? Will you let me know that,
at least, so I know where you are?”

“I will,” I
snapped. Geez, it was even worse than the third-degree I used to
get from Dad every time I went out.

We pulled up
outside Dixie’s unit block and she was waiting on the curb for us.
She looked gorgeous and had kept the gamine black hairdo that the
stylist had given her. Her heavy makeup emphasised her black eyes.
She was wearing a green micro-mini, a matching lighter green
singlet top with a black bolero and knee-high black boots.

“Hey babe!” I
greeted breezily. “Ready for some fun?”

“Shit yeah!
Bring it on baby, bring it on! I’m feeling real lucky tonight.
Watch out every man in the city – Dixie’s on the loose and looking
for action!”

I giggled, but
Heller grew even more censorious. He silently deposited us in front
of The Emporium, a newish nightclub that I hadn’t yet visited. As I
was stepping out, he grasped my hand tightly. “Please be careful,
Matilda.”

I squeezed his
hand gently, finding something touching in the genuine concern on
his face. “I will, I promise.” He watched while Dixie and I were
swallowed up by the crowd surging towards the entrance.

Dixie and I
had a great time together, danced with some cute guys, drank a lot
of vodka and laughed until our stomachs hurt. I was propositioned a
few times, but turned them all down without any regrets.

At the bar,
both of us waiting to order a drink, I met Will, a charming and
attractive high school science teacher. He was out for the night
with his sister who was visiting from her high-pressure finance job
in New York. We ended up having a lovely chat in a quiet corner
that morphed into a very promising snogging session. He reluctantly
had to leave when his sister hunted him down and demanded that he
take her home insisting that she had business calls to make, but
gave me his phone number and begged me to call him soon.

Dixie had
hooked up with a mechanic named Mike and was busy devouring his
face, her hand indecently high on his thigh, his hand up her top. I
knew where they’d end up tonight. I looked around and decided that
without Will there anymore and with Dixie occupied, I’d had enough
of drinking and dancing for the night. I was pretty drunk and I
figured that it was probably time for me to head home anyway.

I offered
Dixie a lift home in my taxi, but she wanted to stay on longer with
Mike. I hugged her and waved goodbye to Mike and joined the very
long taxi queue. By the time it was my turn at the front of the
queue, the line was stretching around the block and getting rowdy
with impatience. Some pushing and bursts of aggression occurred
sporadically throughout the queue and I was willing a taxi to turn
up immediately so I could be on my way home sooner. Suddenly I was
jostled forcefully by some drunken jerk trying to push in at the
front of the queue.

“Piss off!” I
said angrily, pushing him back out of the queue. “Get to the
back!”

“Fuck off, you
dyke!” he slurred, squaring up to me belligerently. “I need to go
home now. I gotta go to work tomorrow.”

“So does
everyone, moron! Go to the end of the queue like a good boy.”

He pushed me
hard on my chest. I wasn’t particularly stable on my feet in my
high heels to start with and consequently went flying onto my butt
in a very inelegant manner, twisting my left ankle. Other people in
the queue stepped in then, helping me to my feet and taking off my
shoes for me. A bouncer sauntered over and strong-armed the jerk to
the end of the queue with much jeering from the other patient
queue-waiters. He gave everyone the finger as he loped away.

Finally a taxi
turned up and the kind people nearby helped me in. I offered a lift
to anyone who was going in my direction, but nobody lived in that
suburb except me, which didn’t surprise me.

I gave my
address to the driver, the full block away from the Warehouse that
Heller insisted on and leaned back on the seat, hoping that the
throbbing in my ankle would go away. The taxi pulled up and I paid
and stepped out. It felt like a long block at that time of the
morning as I trudged along, tired, inebriated and limping. At last
I reached the Warehouse and hobbled up the stairs. I couldn’t wait
to flop into bed and maybe dream about Will and not Heller for
once.

I managed to
climb the four flights, although it was a wonder I didn’t wake up
the entire household with my drunken staggering. I opened my door
and lurched inside. In the moonlight, I thought I could see a shape
on my lounge and scrunched my eyes shut before opening them again.
Nope, it was still there. I walked over as cautiously as a drunkard
is capable, and was surprised to see Heller sprawled on my lounge,
asleep. I tried to focus on my watch. It was almost three-thirty in
the morning.

I gazed down
at him. His hair was tousled and his beautiful face was relaxed. He
was slumped in the corner of the lounge, one arm flung out the
side, the other across his chest. He had a vulnerable look while
asleep that was very appealing. I leaned down and shook his
shoulder gently. He woke up suddenly, fully alert with his eyes
wide open. He sat up and lashed out, grabbing my arm by the wrist,
twisting it and violently pulling me down next to him, ready for
action. I cried out in pain and he took in his surroundings and my
panicked face and inhaled deeply, releasing his grip.

“Matilda,” he
said, breathing heavily. “You startled me.”

“You were
asleep.”

“You shouldn’t
sneak up on me when I sleep.”

“Heller, I
wasn’t sneaking up on you! I was coming home. You’re in
my
flat, you know. You weren’t waiting up for me?”

“I was.”

I sighed and
slouched next to him. “You shouldn’t. I can look after myself.”

“I know, but I
still worry anyway.” His smile was self-deprecating.

“You big
softie,” I teased. He put one arm around me and pulled me to him. I
leaned sleepily on his chest, one arm thrown over his taut
stomach.

“Did you have
fun?” he murmured into my hair.

“Uh-huh.”

“Did you
dance, drink and flirt?”

I yawned.
“Uh-huh. All of the above.”

“But you came
home?”

“Yep. I got a
few offers that didn’t interest me. I did meet a nice guy though
who I really liked. He gave me his phone number.”

“Give it to
me. I want to rip it up.”

“No! He was so
sweet. His name’s Will. He’s a science teacher.”

“Will
what?”

“You don’t
need to know. You’ll just run a check on him.”

“You make that
sound like a bad thing. Are you going to ring him?”

“I don’t know.
Maybe.” I yawned again. “We kissed for a while. It was lovely.”

“I’m
jealous.”

“Sure you
are.” I yawned once more. It was time for bed, but I was reluctant
to move. “I had to wait forever for a taxi.”

“You should
have called me. I would have picked you up.”

“I couldn’t
call you at two in the morning and ask you to pick me up. That’s
just plain inconsiderate!”

“Next time
ring me and I’ll pick you up. Whatever time. I don’t mind.”

I looked up at
him. “You’re so sweet.”

“I thought
Will was the sweet one.”

“You are too.”
Silence for a moment. I enjoyed listening to his heart beating. “I
got into a fight in the taxi queue.”

His sigh was
long-suffering. “You didn’t capsicum spray anyone, did you? Please
say you didn’t.”

“Of course I
didn’t! It wouldn’t fit into my handbag. Anyway, it wasn’t my
fault. This jerk tried to push in. I told him to get to the back of
the queue and he pushed me over. I landed on my butt. It was very
undignified and I hurt my ankle.”

He grabbed my
legs, pulling them onto his lap. “Which one?”

“Left.” He
prodded and twisted it gently.

“It’ll be okay
if you rest it for the day.” He grasped my chin in his hand. “I
would feel better if I knew you could protect yourself. Clive’s
right – you’re a real trouble-magnet. I’ve never met anyone like
you. When everything’s healed, I want you to do the security and
self-defence courses. Get your licence as a security officer.”