Her Poisonous Tongue

Chapter Four - Understanding

After preparing for bed, my mind rounded off to the little incident that happened earlier. I honestly thought I'd never hear from Zoe. I mean I was a little bit in my feelings and came out rude.

I tried to do what my brother said after the phone call. I tried to calm myself down and I kept on reminding me that she didn't kill my parents, her parents did. So I didn't have to be this mad at her, but then again, I couldn't control how I was feeling.

I sighed and got inside my blankets wondering what to do. Do I text her or not...? Do I apologise now or in the morning? Not knowing what to do was frustrating me.

I quickly put my phone on the headboard and and closed my eyes trying to get some sleep. But Zoe could not leave my mind. I felt the need to apologise and tell her that I was losing my mind now.

I pulled up my blanket over my head and my phone vibrated. I was hoping it wasn't my ex gf when I took it. I sighed in relief when I saw that it's a text and not a call.

I furrowed my brows when I saw that it was Zoe. Zoe? f**k I was not sure whether I should open it or not. What did she want? To tell me that she never wants to see me again?

I closed my eyes and opened the message hoping it wasn't the worst thing I'll read before I sleep. I took in one deep breath and then opened my eyes to read it.

ZOE: Hey, so we don't know each other a lot and I noticed that something changed when I talked about your mom. I apologise if I crossed the line by mentioning that. I didn't mean to upset you. Hope you are okay...and you are still up to seeing what I have to teach you. Sleep well.

I couldn't hide the smile on my face. To be honest I was a little bit scared that I scared her away.

I smiled and texted her.

ME: Can I come see you tomorrow?

She quickly responded.

ZOE : yes I'll appreciate that.

I smiled and closed my eyes. The plan was still intact.

..

I woke up early feeling good and got out to take my morning run. It took me about an hour to get back to my place and take a long bath then prepare breakfast for myself. God that the farm at the back was far, but at least it was still reachable even by running.

After eating I called my brother to discuss my car. I needed it now.

'what's up... Is everything okay?'

God my brother was the definition of 'worry'.. He hardly ever answered the phone call with 'hello..' or 'hey little sister' it was always him asking and ready to doubt me.

"hey Big bro, good to hear your voice too.."

He sighed, 'hey kid.. So, did you apologise..?'

"umh... Actually she apologised to me you know.. So I was wondering when I'd get my car, it's hard getting around here without even local taxis in the mountains."

Lucifer laughed, 'what? Why did she apologise if you were the ass?'

Was he ignoring the car thing?

"I suppose she saw how disturbed I was. I think my acting skills are pretty good. I'm going to see her in the middle of the day or maybe later.."

'can you just kiss her to seal the deal..? Move it's taking time now.. You have been there for two weeks.'

I rolled my eyes like he was right in front of me, "I might as well take advantage of her.. You know sometimes I wonder how you managed to get a girl like Aveline if you are so pushy and forcing and not gentle and loving. We want her to fall in love with me Lucifer, not me to force her.."

'yeah but you're slow.. We have to move okay, we don't have forever. I wanna see them suffer.'

"me too.. " I said truthfully ,"but baby steps because this woman is straight.."

'I thought you were not going to have any problem with that since in university you managed to sleep with every girl..'

I sighed, "that's not true okay. I wasn't sleeping with every girl there, at least not even half of them.. And also in University you have loads of stupid curious girls who just wanna f**k with a girl and that's it.. But I still didn't sleep with them."

'I was just saying you have to move a little bit. Wake her up.'

"she's still a little bit hesitant about me right now, so could you please let her trust me first. At least then things will be easier. Let me have this talk with her and then I'll tell you where we are so we can take the first step.." I tried to convince my brother but heard him sigh, 'well, that's too late..'

I got up into a sitting position from laying on the couch, "too late? Lucifer what did you do?"

My brother said, 'I might have visited her flower garden.. Half of it is a mess now though, I left a really impressive mark there..'

I didn't even say anything to him. I just hung up and looked at the time. It was 2 going to the afternoon and she hasn't called. I dialled her numbers and it kept on ringing without being attended. I dialled again and same thing.

I got out and thought about walking to her place, it was just a 15 minute walk. I looked up and the clouds were coming together, it was going to rain later. I put on my boots and started walking to her house.

In 15 minutes I was there, I opened the small gate and went in. I knocked and no one came out.

"Zoe... Zoe...!" I called out for her but someone else responded instead.

"aunty Zoe left in a hurry."

It was a little kid playing outside. I furrowed my brows at him, "went where? Where did she go?"

"my dad called her from the farm and said something happened. She left and drove there."

I smiled at the kid, "thanks a lot okay. Umh.. Are there any taxis here?"

He furrowed my brows at me before saying, "yes they are in town.."

I sighed. I didn't want taxis that were in town, I wanted a taxi here so I'd go there, but then this wasn't like Johannesburg having taxis every 10 seconds. Here there were no taxis at all, only when you were from town.

I stood at the gate and looked at the back. It was far, it was going to be more than a 30 minute walk, I knew because running there took me 30 minutes in the morning, so a walk would be longer. Fuck.. What do I do?

"are you going to walk there? Why don't you have a car?" the kid asked me and I sighed. "my brother is taking his sweet time with the car he is supposed to bring here..." I turned to look at the kid, "so yeah I will walk because I have a bad feeling about what happened."

He smiled, "me too.. She left here in a hurry."

I laughed at this kid, he looked really young to be having bad feelings about people leaving in a hurry.

"so I'll see you when I get back.."

He pointed towards where I was going, "if you are walking take that different road.. Don't use the car road because it's far okay. There's a road there that you can use on foot.."

I brushed his head, "it's going to lead me there?"

"yes.."

I smiled, "thank you dude.. Enjoy playing.."

He went back on his knees and started driving the small block that he was driving, "have fun walking.."

I laughed and started on my journey. I followed where he said I should and to be honest it wasn't as longer like he said. After about 25 minutes of walking I reached Mickenzy's childhood home. I looked at the place and wondered if anyone would respond if I were to go knock on the door.

I sighed and went past the house to look behind it where the flower garden began. It was okay here, the problem started when you went to the back. I walked in, way in until I could see the damege. It was bad, they were dead.

God Lucifer why did you have to do this?

"Letti???" I heard a voice call for me and I turned to Zoe, "hey..."

"what are you doing here?"

"what happened here?"

"how did you get here?" she asked.

"well I walked up here.. I called you and you didn't answer, I went to your place and you were not here. There was a kid though and he said his dad called you and you left in a hurry. I was worried.."

She smiled, "really? What did you think happened?"

I shrugged and mentally thought that my brother killed her but I didn't say that out loud, "I thought you weren't okay when you didn't answer my call.. Or that someone broke in, you do have thieves here right?"

She pouted then pointed around us, "this is what I was called for. He says it's some bugs maybe...and yes we have thieves around here, which is why we have security."

"so what did your security see?"

She shrugged, "nothing... Like I said, it's bugs.."

I took a look around a bit and then took one flower to smell it. I started coughing, "this is not.." I coughed, ".. Bugs.. Can you smell that.."

"umh... Vinegar and what?"

"soup?" I asked before adding, "some chemicals? What do you put in the water that actually waters the flowers?"

"just clean water?" she said seeming confused. I sighed. "show me.."

She nodded with her head and I followed behind her as we went inside one of the houses here. There were a few tanks of water. She pointed at them, "there..."

I opened the taps and to my surprise water came out, but as soon as it hit the floor it was clear that it wasn't clean water. She tried to come touch it but I quickly held her waist pulling her away, "don't.. If those are chemicals they'd burn your skin..."

She looked at me and then back at my hand that was still on her waist, I pulled away from her, "sorry .. Just.. I don't want you to get hurt.."

She smiled at me, "that's sweet.. I'll call my guys to come and see what's going on here.."

"wait.. I thought you have security here.. How did this happen? And don't you come here everyday?"

She sighed and started walking out, " I don't come everyday.. I skip a day or two if I don't have clients.. I didn't come for two days and this happens.."

I smiled inside thinking my brother was an ass but a good one. He really did a good job here, killing the flowers was amazing and doing it unnoticed was out of this world.

"I'm sorry okay.."

She brushed my shoulder, "it's okay.. It's sweet of you to come here you know.. But don't ever walk alone. It's not safe.."

I nodded my head, "got it. So, call your guys.. To come see what happened here.. And then maybe go back to your place so I can apologise.."

She furrowed her brows for me and I smiled, "for umh... Last night.."

She nodded her head, "okay.. Let me get someone to come up here.."

I watched as she took out her phone and started calling someone.

I took out my phone and sent a text..

ME: I'm impressed. Good work there. Guess what? I managed to help a little bit and I invited myself to her place later on. She agreed. Keep on surprising me like this. I love it. And I'll be waiting for the car tomorrow. Really impressed big bro..

I put my phone away and she called for me, "so... Umh was that a boyfriend you were texting?"

I furrowed my brows at her before changing the subject, "what did they say?"

"we are going back to my place and they will come and check what's up. It's probably best we are not here. They will update me tomorrow."

"tomorrow? Don't you wanna know now?"

She sighed and opened her car, "I do.. But they are in Kokstad. So that's far.. Tomorrow."

I got inside the car, "I'm sorry again.."

She smiled and started driving, "it's okay, this happens... So when will you start on your farm.? You've been here for two weeks.."

"yeah I'm starting on Monday, I have everything set and ready you know. I'm just waiting for my car to arrive.."

"you never told me how old you are."

I looked outside the window, "you never told me how old you think I am"

She laughed and we silently drove to her place.

I started thinking about ways forward from now and maybe some advice I could give her so that she can trust me.

When the car stopped we both got out and I waved at the boy who told me where Zoe was. He smiled, "you found her.."

"yes I did. Thanks for your help.."

He laughed, "cool.. Hey Aunty Zoe.."

"hey baby.. Your dad is coming.. You should come in if you're hungry.."

"okay.." he said then ran away.

I laughed, "I guess he is not hungry.."

She nodded her head and we got inside the house.

"your house is beautiful still.. I love it."

"yours is way more beautiful trust me. So wine?"

I laughed, "I am not ready to cry on your shoulder yet. So just water please."

That made her laugh as she went to the kitchen. My phone vibrated and I looked at it. I smiled when my brother's name flashed on the screen.

LUCIFER ❤️: I knew you would. I'm glad it had you closer to her. I'll send you something you should recommend to her so that she can fix the mess that I proudly did. Then she will trust you even more thinking you want what's best for her.

While I was still smiling at him being so smart another message got in. It was a picture of him and Adeline. His wife was kissing his cheek and he was smiling. It made me smile even wider. I loved how good they were to each other and how that made my brother a better person somehow.

"Woow... This guy really has you.. See I told you that you should not worry about your ex. Look at you moving on right now.."

I laughed and decided to let her in on my life a little bit, "Zoe... I'm gay.."

She almost dropped the glass that she was holding, "what?"

I smiled, "I'm gay.. As in I'm attracted to the same gender as me. So no ex boyfriend or boy is making me smile. This is my brother.."

She slowly put the glass of water next to my plate of food and then went to sit far away from me. She was sitting very weirdly. Like she was uncomfortable.

I laughed at her, "I won't infect you don't worry.. It's not contagious.."

Little did she know where I had my eyes on.