~~~
There was no answer
so he tried it again and this time it was a woman’s voice, first in German then in English. ‘Hello, Meine Augen book shop, can I help?’
He hung up, annoyed the guy had given him the wrong number then relieved cos it would’ve been a distraction and he wasn’t going back there even though it was pretty decent and the darts bar was cool and
‘No answer?’
‘What?’
‘You’re not talking into the phone, so…’
‘Doesn’t matter.’
Joanna went back to her Gum Yong book, for about four seconds, then looked up again. ‘Was it the man or the woman?’
‘Where?’
‘On the phone. Were you trying to call the man or the woman?’
‘Which man?’
‘I don’t know his name. You disappeared with him for a long time. At the darts bar.’
‘Ah, that guy. We went outside to smoke. I told you that last night.’
‘I can’t remember.’
‘You say that a lot.’
She muttered something in Cantonese straight down at her book, pretended to read another page, gave up the act, spoke at Sila’s neck. ‘Did you not like that guy?’
‘Like him?’
‘Yes.’
‘To smoke with?’
‘… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …’
‘More Urdu?’
‘I said you don’t have to worry. My ex flatmate is gay, I don’t care.’
Sila spun his phone and dropped it on the second loop. ‘I’m not worried.’
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