When we arrive at Reana’s place, she presses the light switch by the door.
The poorly lit corridor reminds me of what happened the last time we were here. A little worried about how Reana might react to being here once again, I look at her face.
Reana’s eyes are shut. She is taking deep breaths.
‘Are you okay?’
She shakes her head. ‘I’m good. I just need a minute.’ Taking another deep breath, Reana opens her eyes.
Satisfied with the clear look in her eyes, I nod and take a step after her.
‘Wait. What’s this?’ Squatting, Reana picks up several white papers from the floor. ‘Bastard!’
My blood runs cold. ‘Eric.’ I knew he was going to return. Thinking Reana is being threatened by him, I hold out my hand and she hands me the papers.
To my surprise, the papers are filled with apologies.
I am about to dismiss it as a coward’s attempt to gain redemption, when I recall what Omar and Yesmin went through in the hands of their obsessed stalker a few months ago.
They nearly died.
This looks like the work of an obsessed stalker.
Messages like ‘I am sorry, doll,’ ‘forgive me,’ ‘talk to me, please,’ and other variations are written in giant letters.
‘Did he try calling you?’
Reana gives a headshake. ‘I wouldn’t know if he did. I blocked his number since that day.’
‘That’s probably why he has been coming here. This man won’t stop coming and someone still wants me to leave him alone.’
Ree ignores my not-so-subtle dig.
I sigh. ‘Get your stuff and let’s leave.’
Ree hurries into the room without another word.
I go with her just to be safe.
Reana pulls out an overnight bag from her wardrobe and stuffs it with clothes and underwears. ‘Let’s go. I have taken enough for now.’
I grab the bag and we step out of the room.
Ree shakes her head as we leave. ‘I can’t believe Eric is making me uncomfortable in my house. I was so proud of myself when I first bought this place.’ There is sad regret in Ree’s eyes as she takes a final look around.
I would do anything to wipe it. ‘If you want, I will buy you another one just like this.’
With a smile, Reana gives my free hand a gentle squeeze. ‘You’re sweet. But I won’t let him win.’ A determined look enters her eyes.
I don’t understand the funny feeling in my chest. It came when she gave her little speech back at Omar’s house, and it has returned now. I push it aside for later reevaluation.
‘So, M, what was that about when they did the eye thing?’ Reana turns to me as soon as I start the car.
I smile, recalling the moment she is referring to. ‘The eye-talk. They do it all the time. Sometimes you understand, sometimes you don’t.’
‘In this case, did you?’ Reana leans closer with interest.
‘I believe so.’
‘Great.’ Grinning, Ree claps excitedly. ‘Give me the full story. Leave nothing out.’
Seeing an opportunity to be playful, I wink at her. ‘What are you willing to pay for this information?
‘Don’t be a perv!’
I say nothing.
‘Come on, M. Not now.’ Ree whines.
I remain silent.
‘Okay, okay. What do you want?’
Gotcha! ‘Good question.’ I grin at her, feeling rather reckless. ‘You could show me what you’re wearing … underneath.’
She opens her mouth, wordless, for a full minute. ‘You must be high.’
Oops. ‘Second option: you can tell me about it.’
‘About what I’m wearing under my clothes?’ Ree sounds astonished.
I shrug carelessly. ‘It’s no longer a secret that I think about you. It should not be a surprise that I wonder quite a bit about what your underwear looks like.’
‘I don’t know when you became such a pervert, Misbah.’
Her prim voice makes me chuckle. ‘Come on, love, you know you want to.’
‘Please. Do I look like an exhibitionist?’ Reana twists her mouth as if she’s just tasted something distasteful. ‘Soon, you’ll tell me you want to sniff my underpants like those creepy … creeps.’
The tug returns to my belly. I send her a wink. ‘I really don’t see the problem with that scenario. You smell nice down there, don’t you?’ Did I just say that?
Reana’s mouth falls open.
I quickly amend. ‘That was a joke, Ree.’
Ree nods with obvious relief. ‘Ha-ha.’ Still, she gives me an unsure look, ‘black lace.’
Ah.
‘Very nice,’ I keep my voice casual. ‘Would you ever consider selling it?’
‘Misbah!’ Reana sounds truly aghast.
Okay, I should stop now.
‘So, that’s a no to selling. You can just think about showing it to me sometime, okay?’
Nose flaring, Ree shuts her eyes. ‘Misbah, so help me God …’
‘Gosh, you’re so easy to tease.’
This time, Reana says nothing.
I release a sigh. ‘When Omar made the joke about marrying you, Yesmin wanted him to admit he was joking, but he refused.’
‘I got that part.’
‘Yesmin got irritated and started planning to get him back. That was the thuggish smile she had. Omar realised it and was begging her so she wouldn’t mess with him in any way.’
‘Like the head shave?’
‘Exactly.’
Ree chuckles. ‘What about the whisper? Do you know what he said?’
‘Well now, such things are to be kept only between the concerned parties.’
‘Yes, they should. Now do you know or not?’
‘I am sure he promised her something special in bed … or wherever they like doing it. That was why she was flustered afterwards. I have to tell you, my brother must be into freaky stuff. Yesmin looks like she might be into-’
‘Into what?’ Reana prompts gently when I halt.
I clear my throat awkwardly. ‘Nothing. I was simply thinking aloud.’
‘Uh-huh. I hope you aren’t thinking about your brother and your sister-in-law in bed, because that would be just gross.’
‘Like you haven’t done it before.’
‘Never!’ Reana explodes.
‘Tsk. Protesting too much, my dear. So you have done it before.’
‘No! Well … but it just happened. I didn’t even mean to. I was so disgusted that I never did it again.’
‘Yeah, yeah, who was it?’
‘That is my business.’
My smile is slow. ‘You sound very formal. Now, I really want to know. Who was it, Ree?’
‘I am not telling you.’
‘Was it me?’ Joking, I glance at her with a grin.
The look on her face shocks me for a second. ‘Oh, my God. Reana!’
‘No, it was a mistake. I swear.’ She looks away guiltily.
I am not sure of how to feel about this. ‘How was it a mistake?’
‘It was when you were with that stick-thin witch with the thin voice.’
‘Stella? Why would you even-’
‘I told you it was a mistake. One day, we met in town. I greeted her, and she just looked at me as if I was sharing her boyfriend or some such-’
‘You were sort of sharing her boyfriend.’
Ree pins me with a look. ‘Will you let me finish or not?’
‘Sorry, finish.’
‘I was angry. I kept thinking about her stupid eyes and her stupid voice and her stupid manners. Then, I started wondering what you saw in her when there were so many prettier, well-mannered women out there looking for your attention. Back then, you hadn’t told me about how you weren’t sleeping with them. So, I thought she must do some stunts in bed, and that was why you were still with her. My mind conjured a picture for a second … the vision traumatized me.’
I still don’t know how to feel about this. ‘I hope you imagined me … well … accurately.’
‘Oh, God!’
‘I’m just saying.’
Her phone rings. Ree checks the screen with a slight frown, which turns into a grin. ‘Priyé!’
Why do girls scream like that around one another?
‘Yeah, I’m not around now. It is so funny, I was just thinking about you today. We must hang while you’re in town.’
‘Sure, go ahead. The key is under that pot near the front carpet.’
‘No problem. Just … don’t open the door for anyone you do not know. Oh, and keep the place clean when you leave.’ She laughs.
‘Of course. Let me know when you get there, okay?’
‘Alright, I will say hi to him.’ She chuckles. ‘Yes, he’s here.’
She chuckles again. ‘I wouldn’t know. Bye.’
Ree turns to me. ‘Priyé says hi.’
I swerve smoothly around a broken-down bus in the middle of the road. ‘So I gathered.’
‘She’s coming into town next week and needs a place to stay. She hates hotels.’
‘And?’ I glance her way.
Ree smiles, ‘and she wanted to know if you’re still “delicious”.’
We arrive at my house.
The gate opens and closes silently.
I say nothing until I find my way to the garage and park the car. ‘She wants to know if my money is available to her. That’s what makes me delicious.’
Ree turns to me. ‘You keep saying that. How do you know?’
‘I saw her staring at my car when you introduced us. She had that look in her eyes. I know the look. I’ve seen it in the eyes of many women before. She may not be a gold digger, but she definitely mostly cares about my money.’
‘I don’t see what’s wrong with being financially aware.’
‘Says the girl who hates rich men.’
‘I don’t hate them.’ Reana shrugs. ‘I just don’t care for them. That doesn’t mean it’s bad for others to like them.’ Grinning, she wiggles her eyebrows playfully. ‘What do I tell Priyé? Are you delicious or not?’
I give Ree the most lascivious look I can manage. ‘You could taste me and find out.’
‘Ewww.’