Just One Kiss

Just One Kiss Ch 28

The sound of something vibrating on the table startled him out of his thoughts and he looked around the room until he located the cause of the noise. On the table next to the bed sat a blackberry. At first he was just going to ignore it until it stopped but then the damn thing spoke he knew it was just a ring but still it was speaking. It was saying "Ti...a pick up the phone." There was a pause before it spoke again "C'mon Ti, it's Gabby pick up." Fearing that the phone would wake Tia from her much needed sleep Rahul flew round to the other side of the bed, snatched the phone off the table and answered before the thing could 'talk' again. "Hello?" he whispered.

"You're not Tia! Who are you? And what are you doing with her phone?"

Rahul hurried from the room before responding. This Gabby person sounded quite loud and he didn't want their conversation however short to disturb his charge.

"My name is Rahul Watinagi." Before he could say anymore Gabby said. "Rahul Watinagi, what have you done to Tia now? You better answer me! Or I swear on all I hold dare...!"

"Listen Gabby, I didn't do anything to Tia." Rahul hurried to reassure the woman.

"Then why didn't she pick up the phone?"

"She's asleep."

"I see. I gather that her phone is in her room with her?"

"It was I took it out so that we could talk without waking her."

"That's commendable of you but the question is Rahul Watinagi, why are you in Tia's room much less her loft? I happen to know that she would never allow you in there unless something happened beyond her control so talk Rahul Watinagi and you better tell me the truth."

The venom in her accented voice made him shiver. Tia had obviously told this Gabby about him and what she'd heard she didn't like. Sighing he told her what happened preparing for the blow out when he was through. She didn't disappoint. "What! And you just stood there! I don't care what Tia says! You are a miserable excuse for a man! Go give Wade the phone! If his retelling collaborates with yours I won't come down there and kill you!"

He hurried through the loft, lowered the stairs and went to find his father. Gabby was silent now but he knew that she would not have hung up. He found his father outside by the pool with Shaka.

"Daddy! Come join us!"

"Not now Shaka. Dad you have to take this." He said settling into a chair so he could take over the supervision of his child.

Wade got out and dried his hands on his towel before reaching for the cell. "Who is it?"

"Someone called Gabby." Rahul replied.

From his expression Rahul gathered that his father had guessed what was going on because he wrapped himself in his towel and went inside away from Shaka's impressionable ears. Rahul hoped that Gabby would be kinder to his father as she hadn't been with him. Sighing he focused his attention on his child who was now looking at him intently. He knew that she would have a question for him any moment. As he predicted she said, "Who was that Daddy?"

"A friend of Tia's." he told her and waited for her next question.

"Why did she want to talk to Grandpa instead of Tia?"

"Because Tia's sleeping and she has questions."

"But Daddy is the middle of the day! Why is Tia still sleeping and couldn't this person just call back."

Not wanting to tell his daughter what really happened that morning he said "Tia worked into the early hours of this morning so her body needs to recover from her late night. And I guess that whatever the person wanted was too important to wait. Are you satisfied Miss Nosy?"

"Daddy! I'm not nosy! I just ask a lot of questions but Grandpa said that that was ok because that's the only way I was gonna know things. Daddy, why are you laughing? Are you laughing at me?"

"No, no Sweedie, I'm laughing because I am happy." Rahul told his frowning child between guffaws.

"Oh." That seemed to pacify her because she swam out to the deep end of the pull and said "Watch this Daddy!" and dived under the water. After a few seconds her legs popped up above the water and few minutes she did a perfect handstand before her legs wobbled and then scissored and she went under. "Well done Shaka! Well done!" Rahul exclaimed clapping.

Shaka grinned before beginning to do laps-two laps each for each type stroke. Just as she was starting her butterfly stroke Wade came back out and handed Rahul the phone. "Gabby wants to have a few words." He whispered before re-joining Shaka in the pool.

Rahul sighed, took the phone and went inside "Yes?"

"Have you no manners? You're supposed to say hello or something of the kind not yes. It's rude."

Rahul rolled his eyes but said nothing. After a while Gabby continued. "Listen to me you worm."         

 "I am not a worm." Rahul protested in spite of his resolve to remain silent.

"Until I am proven otherwise that is all you are to me." Gabby told him before continuing. "I understand from Wade and Tia that you are responsible for looking after Tia during the day since you can work from home. As far as I see it, you have not been doing a very good job since despite the fact that you are looking out for her that woman has attacked Tia a few times."

"I have tried to protect her but you must know how stubborn Tia is. Most of the time she insists on facing her battles alone. There hasn't been anything thus far that I can do to dissuade her."

"Well you better come up with some new tactics because if anything happens to Tia while she is still there we are holding you personally responsible. Understand?"

Rahul nodded forgetting that Gabby couldn't see him before telling her yes.

"Glad we understand each other Rahul Watinagi."

"Are you gonna tell Tia what you have done?"

"Of course I am going to tell her. She is my best friend we don't have secrets from each other."

"She's not gonna be very pleased with you." Rahul said.

"I don't expect she would be but she'll get over it. So long Rahul Watinagi. Remember what I said." She said and ended the call.

So Tia had a new best friend? Rahul thought as he climbed the stairs. Shaking his head at the sadness he felt Rahul release the lock on the stairs and waited for it to come down. What did he expect that she wouldn't replace him? Remain friendless? Tia was not the type. She drew people to her and knitted them together until they were like family. If you were expelled from this group you had to fight like hell to get back in if you were let back in at all. But he was up to the challenge he was gonna fight and claw at all the obstacles. Give it his all until he couldn't go anymore because there was a chasm where Tia's friendship used to be and it was time it was filled. As he re-entered Tia's room Sue's long ago words came back to him 'one day you are going to regret this and I don't know if you are going to be able to fix it' and he smiled mirthlessly because as usually Sue had been right but he was going to fix it. Mind made up he made himself comfortable and watched Tia while she slept.