CH 07: THE CALL

Chapter Seven: The Call

Kiara

I woke up feeling uneasy. The bed felt too big, too cold. I reached out, expecting to find Dave beside me, but the space was empty.

"Dave?" I called softly, sitting up.

The silence in the house felt heavier than usual. I threw on a cardigan and walked to Tasha's room. Maybe she'd know where he was. But her room was empty too, the bed untouched.

My chest tightened. Where had they gone?

I tried to shake off the feeling of unease as I returned to my room. That's when I spotted my handbag on the dresser, the edge of a small card peeking out.

The business card.

I pulled it out and stared at the bold letters: Mr. Bennett.

I hadn't thought much of the man since the day at the airport. But now, the memory of his calm, reassuring demeanor made me feel a little less alone.

I hesitated for a moment before dialing the number.

It rang twice before he picked up. "Miss Kiara," he said, his voice smooth and composed. "This is a surprise. I didn't think you'd call."

I swallowed nervously. "I just wanted to thank you for helping me at the airport. I don't know what I would've done without your kindness."

There was a brief pause before he spoke again. "I'm glad you called. Are you free today?"

"Uh, yes," I replied, caught off guard by the question.

"Good," he said, his tone firm but not unkind. "I'll send you an address. I'd like to meet you."

"Meet me?" I echoed, my heart skipping a beat.

"Yes. Consider it a follow-up to ensure you're doing well."

I hesitated for a moment. Should I agree? He had been kind, but he was still a stranger.

"I'll come," I said finally, curiosity getting the better of me.

"Perfect," he said, and before I could second-guess myself, he hung up.

Moments later, a text pinged on my phone with the address. It was a café in the heart of the city.

I stared at the text on my phone, biting my lip. The address looked like it was in the heart of the city, but I didn't know my way around here. Dave had promised to show me the ropes and even talked about helping me get a job, but he hadn't done anything yet.

I sighed, my fingers hovering over the screen. Finally, I decided to text him back.

"Thank you for the invite, but I don't know my way around this city. Besides, I'm not sure I can come out. My boyfriend wouldn't like the idea."

I hit send and set the phone down, thinking that would be the end of it. But not even a minute later, my phone buzzed.

He was calling.

I hesitated before answering. "Hello?"

"So, you have a boyfriend," he said, his voice carrying a hint of amusement.

"Yes," I replied, feeling slightly embarrassed. "But I also need a job."

There was a pause on the other end, and then he said, "What if I told you I can help with that?"

I blinked. "You can?"

"Yes," he said confidently. "But only if you agree to meet me. Don't worry about the address. I'll send my driver to pick you up."

My mind raced. Was this too good to be true? But at the same time, I couldn't keep sitting around waiting for Dave to fulfill his promises.

"Are you serious about the job?" I asked cautiously.

"Dead serious," he replied. "So, what do you say?"

I took a deep breath. "Okay, I'll meet you."

"Good choice," he said, and I could hear the satisfaction in his voice. "Expect my driver in an hour."

He hung up before I could say anything else.

I set the phone down, my stomach twisting with a mix of nerves and curiosity. What kind of job could he possibly offer me? And why did I feel like I was about to step into something far bigger than I could handle?

As I sat there, lost in thought, trying to process everything, the door swung open.

Dave walked in, followed by his sister, Tasha. The moment I saw them, I quickly straightened up, forcing a smile, trying to mask the unease that was building inside me.

"Hey," I greeted, my voice a little too cheerful.

But as soon as I saw Dave's face, my smile faltered. I couldn't help but feel angry again. "Where did you go? You just left without a word, and I—"

Before I could finish, Tasha cut in with her usual attitude. "Imagine, you didn't even know today was our grandmother's funeral." She raised an eyebrow, as if I should've known that already.

My heart dropped. The funeral? How could I have missed that? I had no idea. I had been so wrapped up in everything else that it didn't even cross my mind.

Dave quickly jumped in, trying to smooth things over. "I didn't tell her, Tasha," he said, giving her a warning glance.

But Tasha wasn't done. "Oh, right. So, you didn't think it was important to mention that? She's just your girlfriend, Dave. You could've at least said something!" Her tone was sharp, her words biting.

I could feel my cheeks flush with embarrassment, and frustration bubbled up inside me. Why did she have to be so rude? I didn't deserve this.

"I'm sorry, Kiara," Dave said, his voice softening as he looked at me. "I should've told you. I just didn't think it would matter, and I didn't want to overwhelm you with everything."

But before I could respond, Tasha jumped in again, "Well, you've already messed up. It's not like she's part of the family anyway, is she?"

I bit my lip to keep from saying something I'd regret.

"Enough, Tasha," Dave said sharply, his patience clearly running thin. "You don't have to be so rude."

But Tasha just rolled her eyes, clearly not caring.

I felt like I was trapped between them, and the last thing I needed right now was more tension. My thoughts kept drifting back to the phone call with Mr. Bennett. Maybe this job offer was a sign that I needed to start thinking about myself for once.

"Okay, I'll just go get ready," I muttered, my voice quieter now, trying to escape the awkwardness.

As I turned to leave, Tasha's voice followed me. "Yeah, sure. Go ahead and do whatever you want."

I didn't respond. I couldn't.

I needed to get out of this house, out of this city, and maybe just maybe start a new chapter of my life.