The Clock Is Ticking – Episode 15
Sequence 15
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Mattie and Trinny had fallen asleep on the sofa watching television and they were cuddled up together under a blanket both snoring softly.
It was a Saturday afternoon Mattie had taken the day off work to spend some time with her daughter; she had also given Tess the weekend off.
A knock on her door is what woke her up, she gingerly got out of her daughter’s embrace careful not to wake her then she slipped her feet into a pair of flip-flops and started towards the door.
She eased the door open to find her next door neighbor, one look at him sent goose bumps all over her body there was something creepy and mysterious about this man.
‘Hey,’ he politely greeted her there was a faint smile on his face and slightly quizzical look.
‘Hey Max,’ she smiled back at him
‘I am extremely sorry to disturb you.’
‘No it’s okay.’
‘I was wondering if you have any salt.’
‘Yes of course.’
‘Thank you in advance.’
She pulled the door wider and turned away, ‘I will just go and get it.’ ‘Sure.’
As she headed for the kitchen she noticed her heart was beating a little faster than normal. She quickly grabbed the salt cellar and hurried out of the kitchen.
He had stepped inside the living room and was staring at the Trinny though the door was still open.
‘Here you are,’ she said handing him the salt cellar.
‘Thank you.’
For a minute he stood there staring at her, Mattie wanted him gone, his presence
made her uncomfortable.
She cleared her throat.
‘Oh I should be going, thank you so much for your help.’ ‘It’s nothing.’
‘I will bring this back.’
‘Alright.’
He turned and started walking but paused at the door.
‘Not that it’s any of my business but I saw a man singing at your door last night when I was coming back home, for a minute I thought he was a mad man.’
A brief smirk crossed Mattie’s lips,’ Oh that was just my friend Chard.’ ‘Oh.’
‘Yes he is just funny.’
‘I saw that.’
‘Okay then, see you.’
‘Later.’
He walked out and shut the door behind him. Mattie breathed a sigh of relief once he was gone. She quickly picked up her daughter and carried her to her room.
She placed her on the bed and tucked her in before kissing her on the forehead then she left the room. Her stomach growled on her way to the living room reminding her that it had been a while since her last meal.
She entered the kitchen and started peeling potatoes on a chopping board. Mattie smiled softly humming to herself as she prepared her lunch, she loved cooking but because of her busy work schedule she rarely had time to spend in the kitchen.
As soon as she finished cooking a knock came from the door. She opened it and found Chard. He was carrying his son in his hands.
‘Hey stranger.’ she smiled opening the door wider and stepping aside to let them in.
‘Cant’ you be romantic and welcome your potential future hubby with a kiss?’ ‘Don’t start,’ she warned him
He laughed, ‘So I thought we should pop in since you said you are just home today, hope we are not intruding,’ he said sitting down on the couch. ‘Not at all.’
‘And this must be Theo,’ said Mattie, the little boy was a replica of his father. ‘Yes.’
‘He looks a lot like you except that he is lighter.’
‘His mother is light.
‘I see.’
‘Hey boo,’ Mattie smiled at Theo.
‘Hey,’ he shyly responded
‘I am Mattie.’
‘I am Theo Kapambwe.’
‘You are such an intelligent little boy.’
The boy beamed a smile at her.
‘Where is Trinny,’ Chard asked
‘Sleeping.’
‘Okay.’
‘I just finished cooking let me set the table so we can have lunch together.’ He furrowed his eyebrows, ‘Lunch this time?’ ‘Yes.’
‘What have you been doing?’
‘Sleeping.’
‘Lazy bum.’
‘Oh please.’
She rolled her eyes and walked back to the kitchen then she set the table. ‘Lunch is ready.’
‘We had lunch on our way here.’
She shrugged, ‘Okay.’
‘Theo, do you care for some lunch hun?’
The little boy shook his head.
‘Can i get you something to drink though?’ ‘Just eat up, we are okay.’ ‘Alright.’
Mattie dished up for herself then she came back to the living room and slumped back on the couch putting her feet on the table. She remained silent as she ate her food.
He watched her as she ate, he couldn’t believe he was in her house, the first time he had met her she had really come out as a rude woman but after he had spent that one evening with her, his opinion about her had completely changed.
There was nothing really interesting about her though, he had done a little investigation on her and he had discovered she was the first born in a family of four girls. He had also found out that her relationship with her mother and siblings was unstable because she apparently had a child out of wedlock.
The woman sitting beside him looked like she’d had a hard life and all he wanted to do was protect her, he wanted to mend the broken pieces in her life.
It was no secret that Chard loved women, he loved using them for sex and discarding them like garbage, he wasn’t into commitments the women he bedded knew that very well.
But Mattie was different.
She didn’t worship the ground that he walked on like all the others, his position and wealth also didn’t move her, from what he had gathered she was a goal getter, a woman who liked to work hard for her money, she had single handedly raised her child without the help of her baby daddy and the family, she was a woman who seemed to have it all figured out.
‘What?’ she asked, feeling self-conscious under his gaze.
‘Nothing,’ he shot her his best smile.
‘Stop staring.’
‘I can’t help it.’
She shook her head.
‘What?’
‘Nothing.’
‘You are a beautiful woman you know that?’ ‘Chard….,’
‘Mummy,’ a little voice cut her short before she could finish her sentence.
She placed her plate on the table and stood up.
‘Hey baby,’ Mattie opened her arms to her and embraced her tightly, she was usually grumpy after waking up but a little hug usually comforted her.
‘You are okay,’ she asked
Trinny shook her head, ‘Yes.’
‘Okay my baby, say hi to Uncle Chard and your little friend over there.’ ‘Hey pretty girl,’ Chard extended his hand towards her. ‘Hey,’ she shook his hand
‘You are okay?’
‘Yes.’
Trinny turned and looked at Theo then she walked over and said hi, the two of them instantly clicked, after Mattie served Trinny food, Theo joined too. ‘They seem to be enjoying themselves,’ Chard said ‘Ya.’
‘So Mattie, tell me about yourself,’ he said wanting to know more about her. She scratched her head, ‘There is really nothing to tell.’ ‘There is always something.’
She bit her lower lip, ‘Well let me see.’
‘Waiting.’
‘I am a single mother of one, photographer by profession, I own my own studio, I love baking and reading, I also like spending time with my daughter,’ she said ‘And where is your family?’
She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, ‘That’s a topic for another day.’ ‘Oh.’
‘Ya, tell me more about you,’ she said
‘What do you wanna know?’
‘Anything,’ she said before she placed her plate back on the table.
‘I’m a thirty five year old single father of one, I am a twin…….,’
‘A twin?’ she asked in disbelief
‘Yes.’
‘Identical?’
‘I have a twin sister.’
‘That’s amazing.’
‘Yes,’ he responded, he was tempted to tell her that Maya was his twin but he let it slide.
‘Why aren’t you married though?’
He shrugged, ‘I guess I haven’t found Mrs. Right.’ ‘So you mean there’s no woman in your life.’ ‘Nah.’
‘How come I am having a hard time believing you?’ ‘I don’t know.’
She laughed, ‘there is definitely some woman in your life.’ ‘Maybe there is but it’s nothing serious.’ ‘So what’s this?’
‘What’s what?’ he asked
‘No offence but what do you want from me Chard?’ ‘Honestly I don’t know.’
‘The only thing I can offer you is friendship,’ she said He lifted his gaze to her.
‘What?’
‘I have never had a female friend I have sex with every woman I know.’
Mattie swallowed hard she hadn’t expected him to be this frank but casual sex was not her thing.
‘Well like I said I can only offer you friendship.’ ‘Then friendship it is.’
He didn’t know how he was going to do this but he was going to try, he cared for
Mattie, he didn’t want some few moments of quick release he wanted something
more valuable than that with her.
*****
No ghost reading comments on the story
TBC
..
The Clock is Ticking
Ella❣
