HEART FOR HIRE ✓

Twenty One

"I had no idea that she was coming. You have to believe me," I try to explain myself to Zion. He has calmed down after shamelessly crying like a baby and it took almost an hour to calm him down. "I wouldn't want to meet your mother again, especially after what happened with you last time."

Zion visibly flinches and looks away. He squeezes the bottle of water he is holding until it becomes flat, almost like a pancake. Damn, this guy can get angry. Remind me why I am here again?

Right. It's because I can't say no to money. When will I ever learn?

"I'm sorry," he drawls out so quietly that I think that I've imagined it. He can't possibly be apologizing to me, right?

So, I let it slide. I totally imagined it.

After a minute, he removes his head from my shoulder and gets hold of both of my hands. Uh oh. What is happening?

"I'm sorry, okay? I- I just don't know what could have happened to my mum if you were not with her."

So, he was apologizing? This should be good.

"Then why did you have to say those things to me? You hurt me so much, y'know."

"No, no, no," he shakes his head, "I didn't mean it. I didn't want to hurt you. I don't want to hurt anyone. Believe me."

"Then why did you do it?"

"I was jealous. You seem to get along with my mum so well, even for people who are meeting for the first time. I couldn't take it," he shook his head and released my hands. "I couldn't take it. I have been with my mum my entire life and we can't get along but you just came in and she even regarded you as her daughter!"

"Zion-"

"My mum is the only person I have left. I can't let anyone take her away from me!"

That's when it hit me. Zion doesn't like it when all the attention isn't on him. Why is he like that? I know for sure that if his mother is as genuine as she sounds, she loves Zion more than anything in the world.
Why in the world does he feel threatened when someone else gets closer to her?

"Nobody is taking away your mum, Zion."

"That's not true, how do you know that?"

"Because she is your mum. No matter where you go or where she goes, she will always be your mum. She will always be with you. You are all she talks about."

His face lights up. "Really?"

"Of course," I squeeze his hands in reassurance. "How else do you think I found out that you leave toothpaste everywhere? You put on your pyjamas inside out until you were nine. You couldn't put on your shoes right until you were six. You used to think that when we eat beans, they grow in the stomach. You -"

"She really told you all that?"

"Yes."

"You two are so close," he whispers with a sad tone. "I saw you massaging her hand. She was smiling at you. I want that. I want her to like me like that."

"She does like you. She reminds me to take care of you all the time," I disclose. "When was the last time the two of you spent time together?"

"I can't remember," his eyes wander off to a two little children - a boy and a girl - playing in the hospital parking lot. "It's been so long."

"Maybe she misses you."

"She can't even call me directly. She keeps tabs on me, Riley and Edmund report to her like her lackeys."

"Zion, sweetheart," I chuckle, "do you keep tabs on someone you don't care about? Besides, communication is a two-way street. If you won't talk to her, how do you expect her to contact you?"

"She is older, she's the mum."

"You are an adult too."

"She's the adultier adult," he whines and puts his head back on my shoulder. It's silent for a while until he gasps. "Are you sure my mum likes me that much?"

"I definitely hope so," I shrug.

"Can you do me a favor? I promise I'll pay."

Here he goes again. He knows the way to my heart. He knows that I can't say no to him when he mentions money.

"I want to spend time with my mum until she recovers. The doctor said that they will keep her here until her blood pressure stabilizes," he explains. "Can you get some clothes from my house? And do my laundry, I haven't had someone to do it ever since you quit."

"Seriously, are we going back to this?" I frown. I was seriously hoping that today would be the last day I would be doing him a favor.

"Please," he begs. "I will pay you now if you want. Name your price and I'll pay anything."

I check my phone. 3:24pm.
"Zion, I have to work. The theater needs me."

"Just get for me my clothes, it won't take long. You can do the laundry tomorrow morning."

"I promise I won't be an asshole to you again, will you please consider it? This is the chance I have to get close to my mum and I'm going to pay. Both of us get something out of it. Don't turn me down, please?"

"Fine. Where is your address?"

After scribbling down his address on a sticky note from his pocket, he send me a boyish grin.
"Have I ever told you how much I like you?"

"No. But you told me that I'm not your type."

"That's because I don't have a type. But come on, I told you that I meant none of those words," he says as he hands me the key to his apartment. "We shall resume this conversation soon."

I leave the hospital skipping, my heart beating like drums of an African traditional dance.
Does that mean that I actually stand a chance with him? Was he flirting? Or am I reading into nothing?

I hope I'm not wrong.