Workman: Chapter Five - Part Eight

Sangeeta started talking before the door was even fully open.

“Hi Geoff. I’ve been calling but you must have turned your phone off. I was wondering if...” She stopped when she saw me standing there. “Who are you?” 

I smiled weakly.

“Sangeeta?” Rasheed was half way down the stairs.

“What are you doing here?” she asked. “What’s going on?” She fixed on me again. “I know you... don’t I?” Her eyes went slightly off-focus then brightened again. “I did your nails. At my shop. Yesterday.”

I started to answer but she cut me off.

“What are you doing here? Where’s Geoff?” She frowned, glancing down at my oversized clothes. “Wait a minute. Where the hell’s Geoff?”

“Er, just hang on a second,” I said. “I can explain everything.”

“What are you doing here?” asked Rasheed, hitting the hall floor.

“I could ask you the same thing.” Sangeeta stepped inside. I looked to the heavens. “Did you follow us back here last night? Is that how you found this place?” She turned to me irritably. “Who are you? Why are you in Geoff’s house, wearing his clothes?”

“She’s his sister,” said Rasheed darkly. “Or she says she is. Claims he isn’t here.”

“I’m Alison,” I said, trying to smile to brighten the mood.

It didn’t work. The atmosphere was grim.

“Why did you come here?” asked Sangeeta to Rasheed.

“To look for you,” he said. “I thought you might be here with your bloody Englishman.”

“Well I wasn’t but I am now.” She looked ta me again. “Where is Geoff?”

I shrugged.

“He’s not in,” said Rasheed. “Why don’t I take you out to dinner instead?”

“No thank you.”

“I was talking to your landlord today; Jasper Konig. Nice man.”

Sangeeta snorted in derision.

“He told me he had someone interested in your flat. A couple. I told him you might be thinking of moving out.  He said he’d be happy to waive the notice period if you want because he can get a higher rent from the couple. I let him show them round. They really liked it.”

“You let people into my flat?”

I stepped back out of the way.

“You let that bastard Konig into my flat?” asked Sangeeta, her voice rising. “Let him show other tenants round?”

Rasheed shrugged. “Your business isn’t do so well. I thought it would be helpful – get you back to London where you’d be happier.”

Sangeeta’s shoulders sagged. She lowered her head. “I’m happy here,” she murmured.

I heard her but Rasheed didn’t. “What?”

“I’m happy here,” she said. “Or I was until you showed up. Who told you that you could stick your nose into my affairs?”

Rasheed backed up a step.

“Why are you even here?” What did you hope to accomplish if Geoff and I were together?”

He stammered but couldn’t form a sensible string of words.

“Get out,” she snapped, pointing to the door. “Now!”

A dread silence fell over the hall. Rasheed glared petulantly back at her then looked to me; back at her. Sangeeta said nothing but she didn’t lower her arm and pointing finger. The moment ran painfully on. I almost spoke up myself to break the tension but I was afraid to and finally Rasheed slunk sullenly over to the front door and opened it. He looked back from the doorway.

“Your father should know about what’s going on here,” he said. “He should know the kinds of things you get up to – what kind of woman you are?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You should be ashamed of yourself,” he said.

Sangeeta flapped her lips, stunned by what she was hearing. I wondered if I should intercede but I didn’t feel it was my place to. “Just get out of here,” she said finally.

“I’m going to call your father,” he said. “Tell him everything.”

“You do that,” snapped Sangeeta and pushed him out of the door, slamming it behind him.

Leaving us alone.