1 Encounter

Siri woke up abruptly at 5:59 am and stared around for a bit, the pile of a week's clothes, bags, documents, changed beddings, pieces of paper, mail etc made the already small room feel even smaller. The bed was the only big, anomalous object in sight as every other thing was smaller in comparison, she missed having her grandmother sleep by her side. After losing her parents when she was just a child in an accident, she only had her grandmother to care for her. She was excited to bring her grandmother from the elderly home to stay for the weekend and she was looking forward to it.

She stretched and yawned, half asleep. The alarm rang in the next few seconds and she mechanically stopped it. She got out of bed and went to the bathroom which was a few metres away, the apartment was not spacious so everything she needed was an arm's length away.

She went to the reading table and cleared away the clutter, cleaning, washing, clearing, cutting, spreading, folding and in two hours she had finished arranging the house. She looked around satisfied at how clean the house was and then decide to have a light meal. She opened the cupboard and took the Oatmeal box out and then she slapped her head with the other hand when she noticed it was empty and she had comfortably forgotten to buy a new one.

Luckily, the cereal box was still half full so she settled for that. As she ate, she remembered the strange occurrence the day before and shuddered. She could still see the self-important look on that guys face.

Who knew gigolos operated so openly? And I am talking to myself.

A second of silence greeted her voice and she smirked to herself, she did not like the fact that he was interested in her and she hoped he wouldn't visit during office hours.

The phone rang and she went to pick it up, it was the Care Center

"Hi Siri"

"A lovely, lively voice greeted pleasantly"

"Hi Judith, it is always a pleasure to hear your voice. It just makes my day every time."

"You need more friends Siri"

Judith replied jokingly, while Siri laughed at the comment and inquired about her grandmother.

"Uhm, yeah. I'm calling about that, she had a slight fever, abdominal pains and a cough and so we transferred her to the hospital on doctor's orders. It could be something mild but then again it could be something critical so we sent her to get checked."

Thank you for telling me, can I get the name and address so that I can visit her?"

"Yeah sure, I'll email it to you now."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

The phone went silent and she immediately ran to her computer and checked her email, perusing through the content and soon found the said email. She read carefully through and was grateful it was a nearby hospital her grandmother was admitted to and thankfully it did not look like a very big one. She could not afford to have to pay for the heavy test. The insurance would cover the costs.

She called the hospital and asked about her grandmother and she was assured that her grandmother was fine and would be released as soon as she got there.

She slowly had her bath and put on a jacket and walked out of her room. As she locked her door, she heard a heavy thud from the room opposite hers. She knew her neighbour was a single lady and was tempted to knock even though they never spoke to each other.

She had seen her with a couple of bruises ever so often and she had been trying to mind her business. She hated interfering in things that weren't directly her concern but her conscience kept pricking her. She ignored the voice in her head and put the key securely in her bag and walked a few steps before hearing a louder thud and a whimper. She immediately ran to the door and hit it with all her might. There was silence and then a rough male voice spoke out.

"Who is it?"

She banged hard on the door again and heard rumbling sounds from the inside.

"Don't you have a mouth?"

The door opened up and a rough yet clean, good looking man appeared in the doorway keeping the room hidden from sight. The man looked at her menacingly while Siri stared back coolly.

"I have called the police. You both are not the only ones living here and you don't have the right to disrupt the peace."

"Why the hell would you call the police?"

"Because this is not the first or second or third time. I didn't come here to argue with you, I came to inform you."

And with that, she opened up her house with her key and went back inside her house leaving the man livid. On entering her house. She leaned back on the door and slid down. She looked at her hands which were shaking furiously and exhaled loudly. She heard a loud bang which almost sent her reeling forward in fear and then more thuds and screaming. She hears receding footsteps and stood up calmly and then walked out of her house again.

This time her neighbour's house was opened and she walked in as if she was enchanted. The apartment was dirty and smelly, she could smell drugs and sweat and some other foreign smell much like the stench that covered the area when rain fell.

Someone was curled up in a ball by the bathroom door, she moved closer and inquired.

"Are you alright? Hey? Can you hear me?"

The lady looked up and her face was covered with bruises, she was thin and frail-looking. Her sagging skin reminded Siri of her grandmother's and she looked away. The shorts the lady was wearing was a size too big and the singlet was a for male so her chest was only partially covered.

"Hey?"

"Why did you call the police?"

"Silence."

"I said why did you call the police?"

"The woman screamed. For someone who looked sick, her voice was very loud."

"I didn't."

Siri replied matter-of-factly.

"I just said that so he would go away, I don't know the full story but I think calling the police on you would not be the best idea. Exhibit A?"

Siri carried up a bag of weed and some pills and looked at her quizzically.

"You know these aren't good for you, right?"

"You don't know anything. And this is not your business."

She stood up, adjusted her cloth, and then she looked at Siri in the eyes.

"Get out."

"Do you need help with anything, your lips are cut and your brow is bloody."

"Get out!"

She screamed. Siri gave her one last look and then went out of the house.

She slammed the door hard and Siri winced. As Siri descended the stairs she wondered if the scary-looking man was waiting for her and she became frightened. She got to the last step and looked outside cautiously before she quickly went outside and started walking down the block.

The ride to the hospital was uneventful and because of the insurance package she got, she didn't have to spend any money. She went to the room where her grandmother was and ran in happy to see her looking healthy.

"Hi Siri!"

"Mama!"

She ran to hug her grandmother happy for the warmth and wrinkled hands. Her grandmother smiled happily and tapped her on the bottom which made Siri giggle more.

"Mama! I'm no longer a kid!"

"Let me look at you."

Her grandmother twirled her this way and that and looked at her bottom and chest and pinched her playfully.

"These parts are shooting out."

"Mama!"

Siri grumbled happily and looked around grateful for the empty room.

"We saw each other last month. If someone was to hear you they would think we had not seen in years."

"My dear when you grow as old as I am, each day is like a lifetime and I have missed you my child."

"I missed you back! So, tell me, did you meet any cute gramps over at the centre?"

Siri teased, her grandmother laughed aloud and a bout of cough followed suit.

"Who is putting all these ideas in your head?"

"I know things now"

Siri raised and lowered her brows playfully making the woman laugh more rambunctiously.

"Let's hope you know the right things. So how has your work been?"

"It's fine. I'll tell you all about it when we get home. Cool?"

"Cool Youngblood!"

"Nope. Don't do that please."

Siri looked at her grandmother, bewildered at the corniness and her failed attempt at trying to be "hip"

"Too much?"

"Yes please. Youngblood momma? What the? Seriously?"

They both laughed and continued talking about everything they both missed as they walked out of the room heading to the hospital's exit. Siri looked at the nurses at the reception and waved. The nurses waved back and stared at them in a way that Siri could not recognize. She hailed a taxi which dropped them off right in front of their apartment building and they both walked in and stopped at the end of the stairs.

"Here we are, my greatest nemesis."

Grandma looked at the stairs like how one would look at a bitter medicine they had to swallow.

"You know I can always give you a piggyback ride?"

"I know. Thank you for the offer. Instead, just help me up."

They both climbed up the stairs with Siri behind almost carrying her and holding the shaky railing for support. As they got to the front of their door Siri heard her neighbour's door slam.

"Is that crazy girl still living across from you?"

"Mama, you should be nicer, she's just going through a hard time."

Siri replied.

"We all are one way or the other my dear."

Siri could see a look she did not recognize in her eyes and she quickly brushed it off. She opened the door and ushered her mother in and as she made to enter, she heard the door open and her neighbour peeked at her. She entered the house and as she was about to slam the door, she heard the words.

"Thank you"

And the door slammed again heavily in her face

"I told you, some people are crazy"

Her grandmother said from somewhere inside the room. Siri smiled and went into the house.