25 The woman with no future 2

Leo helped Nicole to the hall and sat across her. He looked at the small hall and the small door which he presumed to be her bedroom and turned to her, ''do you live here?''

''Don't look down on my living space. I feel comfortable here''

''What is your relationship with that detective Gail?''

''Same as you'' Nicole answered and stood up. She went over to the kitchen and opened her fridge to bring out a bottle of water.

''Same as me? What is our relationship?''

''Nothing!!!'' she said nonchalantly and drunk the water from the bottle. Leo stood up and walked over to her.

''Nothing? You mean you and I don't have any relationship?''

''Tsk. Did you think we had a relationship?'' Nicole chuckled, ''he is with me for the same reason that you met me and is with me right now''

''What does that mean?''

''He is an exorcist and a shaman. He can see the past, present and future of people. He is with me because I am a medium between the dead and the living. He can get free pass to exorcising ghosts as long as he is closer to me. He is also able to see my past and present. He basically knows everything about me except my future'' Nicole placed the bottle on the table and opened her cabinet.

''Why can't he see your future, if he is able to see your past and present?''

''I must not have a future, I guess. I am someone who suddenly came back from the dead. What kind of future could I possibly have?'' she looked at him meeting his gaze. She could see the confliction in his gaze, ''don't look at me like that'' she said to him.

''How do I look at you?''

''Pity, maybe guilt? Don't pity me. don't feel guilty for anything. I hate it'' she removed a paper box of oats.

''Are you going to eat that for dinner?''

''Oh, why? Want some?'' she asked pointing the paper box at him.

''No, but you are not eating that. You just got back from the hospital. This isn't proper food. Wait for me. I will be back in less than an hour. Can you hold your hunger till I'm back?''

''I think I can. What are you going to do?''

''Get you proper food. Wait for me'' he didn't wait for a response and took his car keys from the table and left the apartment.

''Is he looking out for me? Why?'' Nicole asked herself and shrugged her shoulders before going to the hall. she turned on the TV.

Outside the apartment. Detective Gail who never left got down from his car. he stuffed his hands into his pocket.

''Is he the one?'' he asked and looked beside him as if speaking to someone. ''The reason why she has a black cloud covering her future?''

…..

Half an hour later, just as he promised, Nicole heard the door opening and closing and she turned and saw Leo walking over to the kitchen. He had in his hands three heavy bags and placed them on the table.

''What the…'' Nicole looked at her kitchen that had suddenly turned small due to his presence. ''What is all that?'' she asked and started opening the bags. There were several vegetables, meats, a bag of rice. She brought out the vegetables and he took them from her.

''Where do you put your cooking utensils?'' he asked and she pointed at the top cabinet.

''They are there but I don't know whether they are usable or… not?''

Before she finished, a pile of dust greeted Leo as he brought out the cooking utensils. He cussed and turned to look at her. She chuckled awkwardly and muttered, ''sorry'' before pursing her lips.

'This place I like a dumpster. I need to clean this place before I can even start to cook. Where do you out your cleaning agents'' he asked and she pointed at another top shelf.

''Come and open it yourself'' he said to her and she pouted her lips before going over. He gave her way and she went over and stood on her toes. She opened the drawer and remove the cleaning agents for him. She didn't know he was still standing close and turned bumping into him. The half opened powder came baptising both of them.

Leo closed his eyes till the powder emptied on them. He sighed and looked at her saying, ''you are a piece of hard word''

''I agree with you on that'' Nicole replied looking at him.

''Leave this place and don't come in until I tell you too. Go and do something about yourself. You look like a ghost''

''I am a semi ghost'' Nicole said back and he shook his head. he wondered if it was her IQ that was low or his that was becoming slow to understand her.

Nicole went to her room and changed. She took a quick shower and changed into her long yellow dress and returned. She had taken about an hour because she had to wash her hair that was now greasy.

When she went back to the hall, she noticed that he had cleaned the place and rearranged her things that were scattered about. She nodded her head and went over to the kitchen. He was now cutting some vegetables. He looked up and saw her.

''You look like a human being now'' he said to her.

''I know. This is the first time in a while I feel that I am a human being who is still alive'' her stomach growled and she rubbed it asking, ''what are you making? You are taking forever to make a simple meal. That's why I like oats. Wouldn't have taken me more than ten minutes to get it over and done with'' she waved her hands in the air and yawned.

''Go and sit down. I will be done in a jiffy'' he said to her and she nodded her head.

''I bet, I will be snoring by the time you finish cooking'' she said and turned to the hall, ''oh'' she turned back, ''thanks for cleaning this place up. Feels like home now'' she said and went back to the sofa to sit.

Leo's lips curved into a subconscious smile as he went about his cooking. He was going to make a couple of dishes and put in the fridge for her to eat. Looking at her desolate apartment, he felt pity for her. He didn't know why but he wanted to help her for a reason.

After putting most of the dishes into storage bowls and packed them into her fridge, he served her the duck soup he made with rice and a few side dished. He served them neatly on the table and went over to the hall to call her when he noticed her sleeping.

''Tsk, she is really sleeping. Doesn't she have a care in the world that there was a man in the house? This lady really has no qualms at all. He saw a blanket on the other sofa and picked it up. He covered her with it and went over to cover the food before he picked his car keys and left the apartment. He went out and got into his car and drove off. It was almost midnight when he left her apartment.

A while later, Nicole woke up and yawned. She saw the blanket on her body and furrowed her brows, she sat up and looked at her apartment.

''Was he the one who covered me up with the blanket?'' she stood up and saw the food on the table and went over. She opened the cover and looked at the food on the table. A broad smile appeared on her face and she immediately sat down and started eating.

''Do you see how nice it is for you to have a man like Leo? He is a total keeper''

Nicole almost choked on the food and Candy picked the glass of water by her side and gave to her. She drunk a bit of it and glared at Lizzy.

''You startled me. Why don't you make a sound when you arrive? I almost died'' she screamed at her.

''Oops, sorry. But, shouldn't you be thanking me, Miss?'' Lizzy asked and Nicole ignored her and started eating again.

''It's bad manners to talk while eating'' Nicole said to her.

''Really? You are grateful, right? Leo cleaned your apartment, prepared dinner for you and even packed a few dishes in the fridge for you'' Lizzy said to her.

''Huh? He packed a few dishes for me?'' Nicole stood up and went to check on her fridge, she exclaimed looking at the packed storage bowls inside her fridge. ''He prepared all this for me? Why?'' she turned to Lizzy and Candy.

''Leo is like that. he does everything from his heart. He must really be drawn to you because he doesn't do these kind of things for a woman. Even Priscy doesn't get this kind of treatment from him''

''That's because he pities me. He probably sees me as a charity case''

''I don't think so'' Candy said.

''That's enough, I'm hungry. I will pay him back by helping him to track down those who killed you'' Nicole said and ate her food in silence but deep down, she was conflicted as to why he would help her.

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