Chapter 13

With one flick on his car key,the engines roared to life and he drove out of his home.

Time to return Bryan's calls.

He dialed him and connected it to his car's speaker.

He picked on the first ring.

'You idiot. I was about to report you missing'. The sound of Bryan's voice filled the whole space.

'Good thing I called you on time. Where are you?'

'On my way home,from the gym'.

'You still haven't installed that shit in your home?'

'Not everyone gets paid for just been cute'.

'You exaggerate too much. Keep it low, man. You're chocking me'.

The sound of Bryan's laughter caused his ears to tingle.

'You can laugh all you want. I'm on my way over to yours. I guess we'll see each other in a few minutes'.

'I'll see you man'. Replied Bryan who was still coughing out the remnants of his laughter.

Some minutes later. He pulled up in front of his friend's and found his car parked outside, indicating he'd already arrived.

He ignored the elevator and took the stairs instead. He jogged through the stairs, two at a time. That was his own way of making up for missing gym two days in a row.

He rang the apartment bell and Bryan answered the door almost immediately.

'I thought you were never gonna show up. What took you so long?'

'I took the stairs. I haven't been gyming since a few days. Thought I should make up for it'.

'Running a few stairs is what you call make up?' Bryan snorted.

They arrived his sitting room and he plopped himself down unto one of the armchairs.

Bryan looked him from head to toe and made a sad face.

'You look worn out,man. Are you alright?'

'I'm fine'.

'You just don't look it. How's Macy,by the way?'

'She's fine. I think the sprain won't take as long as the doctor predicted to heal'.

'So,what's eating you up?'

He adjusted his position on the chair and ran his hand through his hair,something he only did when he was riled up.

'That's it,bro. Something is really bothering you'.

'Why were you threatening to report me missing? What was so urgent that you were willing to feed me to the wolves?'

Bryan shook his head.

'Uh Uh...I see what you're trying to do. Am afraid we ain't gonna discuss nothing else if you don't tell me what your issue is'.

'Macy'. He blurted.

'Macy,what?'

'I'm so worried about her. I'm so worried it's eating me up. She's not said more than a few sentences to me since she arrived. I'm worried that there's really something about her I need to know. I want to help her so much but there's nothing to hold on to'.

He stood up and began to pace.

'Hey,Hey!' Bryan walked up to him and placed a supportive hand on his shoulder. 'Calm down,bro'.

'Earlier,this morning...' He continued, still pacing. '...She flared up when I asked her to talk to me. The night before,she mentioned an ex best friend and then went mute,as if she'd committed a crime by even saying her name. I'm so confused. She's such a stubborn woman'.

He was about to run his hand through his hair for  the hundredth time when Bryan caught his hand midair and led him back to the chair he originally occupied,then sat on another one directly opposite him.

'Listen,Daniel. I don't know what's going on with her and neither do you. Why not check her out?'.

'No...that's not even an option. She'll be very upset if she finds out. Haven't it occurred to you that maybe she's running away from someone or something and trying to dig up things about her will raise dust? I'm worried sick for her. It's driving me nuts'.

He couldn't risk putting her in danger if she actually had people after her. There was this fierce longing in him, to protect and defend her. He didn't even know how it'd gotten there in the first place.

'OK. Since you don't want to endanger her in any way. Why not give her time? I have a feeling you've closed in on her since her arrival. Bro,she needs time,to adjust. All you have to do is avail her a little space,keep your distance. Don't suffocate her. Trust me man,she'll come around'.

'I can't let her be,just like that. She needs me'.

'You can actually take care of her without been in her face all the time. If you must care for her,do so from a safe distance'.

'Thanks a lot man. I don't know what I'd do without you'.

'Nothing...' Bryan chuckled. '....Absolutely nothing'.

***

Macy clasped her hands to her chest and took a deep breathe.

'It's now or never Macy'. She half whispered to herself.

She raised her hand to knock on the door,but still couldn't bring herself to.

She'd been standing there for three whole minutes,trying to muster the courage to go in there and tender the apology she'd been rehearsing for the past four days.

Today made it eight days since she'd practically shouted him out of her room. Eight days since the only words they ever exchanged were the good mornings and evenings. Eight days since she's been waking up to a tray of breakfast by her bedside and no sign of the man who'd prepared them. Eight days since she'd woken up to a big suitcase of various cloth items and the man who'd provided them had given her zero chance to voice her gratitude.

Her ankle had healed speedily,such that she no longer needed the services of the clutches. These past few days,all she'd been able to do was sit and mope. Two days ago,she'd carefully toured the house and it's environment and had discovered what a beauty it really was.

The days before that were spent on reading every single novel and articles she'd found.

She was beginning to get frustrated with the stretch of silence and unspoken words between them.

She'd been rehearsing an apology for days and yet hadn't been able to say the words to him.

It had all been her fault. The man had been nothing but gentle,caring and kind and she'd shoved it right back at him. She needed to apologize and she must do it now.

Almost immediately, the door jerked open and she shrank back with alarm.

Strong hands gripped and steadied her,their warmness sending a jut of awareness through her and a tingling sensation round the places where they firmly held unto her.

She raised her head and her gaze collided with his greenish-brownish eyes which stared back at her with a fierce gentleness,care,warmth and something else she couldn't quite recognize. Something dark and brooding. She slowly shifted her gaze to his eyebrows where they'd drawn together with something resembling confusion and to his hair which looked warm,wet and tousled,as if he'd just dragged his hands through it.

She stared back into his eyes and found herself drowning in their fierce warmness.

Then somewhere in her toppled over,fuzzy brain,came a little reminder of what had actually brought her to his door in the first place.

She straightened her shoulders and carefully extracted herself from his hold.

'Ehhhm..' She tried clearing her throat to rid it of the sudden cracks that had miraculously grown around it. 'Good morning....Mind if I come in?'

'Of course not. Sure,come in'. He quickly pushed the door completely open and let her in.