Darling

Chapter 7: I guess we'll never know

by lena-lou

My depraved, brooding, desolate darling

"How did it go?"

"Fine, I stirred his worries, it's up to you now," he said. The sound of his husky, soothing voice ellicited thoughts from yesterday morning. What did he do during the day that caused him to be so dishevelled at night?

He was fresh. Clean-shaven. His demeanor wasn't weighed down by life. No. Maybe my mind was messed up because he wasn't wearing a shirt. I'd never seen anyone without a shirt before. It was so different, well toned muscle- not that- stop thinking about that!

"Yeah, I'll call you when I'm done." I hung up. Stop thinking about him! But his green eyes weren't so cloudy. No. They weren't clear and bright but they looked so much more alive! Like dew on moss-just stop Gia!

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"Hello?"

I readjusted my grip on my phone. "Hello, this is Georgina Welkins from Welkins and Brantz Real Estate. Is this Harry Periv?"

"Speaking."

"Good afternoon. I understand you have a property on Millicent Street? Sir, I have an offer for you."

"A buyer?" I expected Harry to sound more... evil. Loathsome? Why did he sound so normal?

"No, a sale. I can help you raise the value of your property, Mr. Periv."

"I'm renovating and I have my own agents to sell the house, thank-you," he declined, didn't he?

"I can sell your property for at least 2 percent more. If Greitsons can sell your property for 500 grand, I can sell it for 510, minimum. Would you like to know why Mr. Periv?

"Sure." Why so positive?

"Because this real estate agency is co-owned by me. Other real estate agents pay part of their commission to their agency. In the end, the extra take-home cheque after the agency takes a cut doesn't compensate for the extra effort they put in. The agents themselves make more money by selling a larger quantity of house at the first price quoted, at your expense, Mr. Periv." Well done Gia, very convincing.

"Is that right?"

"My agency is arranged so that if you get a 2% gain, I do too. It provides extra incentives for me to hold out on a sale and sell your house at the highest possible price." Gia, you should be a real estate agent. I let him mull.

But mull he did not. Harry snorted.

"Can I tell you a story?"

"Sure, Mr. Periv," I said.

"When I was 19, I was working in a car garage. I was paid shit all. A customer walks in, offers this pimply nineteen year old a job offer. Not from him, no my future emplyer would have gone to a much nicer car garage than ours. I was babysitting a kid."

"Really? With better pay," I feigned. I knew this story. Of course I knew this story.

"Yeah, all the other people couldn't handle him. I thought, nah it's gotta be easier than the garage. And it turns out to be a her!"

"Was it a cakewalk?" No way in hell I made it easy.

"No way in hell," Harry laughed. "She was neglected I think. Her brother was at boarding school. Her parents were always overseas. I was supposed to engage her in stimulating activities. I walked up their massive, massive driveway after my shift, dressed in these horrible 90s hand me downs, oversized shirt. Like I was off the street, well, I was. White trash.

I opened the door, this bored little girl opened it. Stares at me passively, then, lights up. 'You're from tv!' she says. And spends the next few weeks conducting her experiments, trying to see how close to tv I was, she'd never seen white trash like me anywhere other than tv. Her antics were kind of cute.

Her father came home, saw how much fun she was having and asked me what I planned to do for the future. I said, 'For people like me, a mechanic sounds really good.' So he sent me to university."

"That's lovely of him," I said. Too bad he's clinically depressed now.

"She watched too much tv, that's what the other babysitters resorted to, so I took her out. She was walking round like she had never seen that kind of stuff before, never seen a supermarket, never seen an iceshake, never seen toy vending machines."

"I was hoping-"

"Once she hacked off her hair with scissors cause I told her she was girly. I broke the tv so she could do normal stuff without me. I got her a puppy with my second paycheck. We used to go to the park together."

"Mr. Periv-"

"Don't you get it? Regina, what are you doing? I know it's you, I think of you as my little sister, still do. You think I can't recognize your voice?"

I slammed the phone down. He made me. What do I do? Oh well, it wasn't my intention to... anyway, I just wanted Jerome to beat up Trev. Trev's fault! Gia, you know it's your fault. What if Jerome loses his job? No. You know, you made sure. There's no connection between your Jerome and his Jerome. My Jerome? Hah! His Jerome? Jerome was just Jerome. I put him in a bad place- SHUT UP, SHUT UP!

I picked up the phone again, and dialed.

"Gia?" His voice. Always his voice.

"I need you." I wasn't thinking, that was a stupid move. "It's ruined. We need to talk."

Page break

"I'm sorry," I said.

"What happened?" He placed his hand upon my shoulder. Gently.

"He just knew. My voice. He just knew."

"Don't be sad, it's okay. Let's just put it behind us." He was comforting. Warm.

"I can, but how can you? You work there-"

He patted my back soothingly. "Periv doesn't know me. It's okay."

He made me feel safe. He curled an arm around me. I sighed. I felt warm. Warm and safe. I looked up and his face, his face was right there. Next to mine. I kissed him on the cheek. He smiled.

His phone buzzed, and his smile slipped off.


A/N: Thanks for reading! I know I haven't updated in a while :)

I'm trying out a new story as well on my blog, .com/ , if you want to check it out. :) I'll be really happy if you do. And if you do, start from chapter 1! Don't spoil it for yourself and explore all the tabs as well :D And if you like it, please tell me that you do, I'd really really appreciate it.