Planted

Chapter 17 A conflict of interest

"Let me in, I'm soaked," pleaded Tommy. I opened the door and he crawled in. "Hey, thanks. Could I get a ride? I can't bike home in this rain and I saw a bike rank and straps on your Mini. Please?"

"Yeah, okay. There is just one problem. I'm still on my learner's licence. Don't look at me like that; I'm not making up excuses, okay? Logan was supposed to wait for me for a practice drive but I guess he got bored and vanished."

"He does that quite often doesn't he? Leave you in a lurch or leave you to pick up the pieces."

"I don't mind. At least, he's completely honest. I hate dishonest people. Plus, he is hot."

"Shallower than a rain puddle on a muddy road," commented Tommy shaking the raindrops from his hair like a wet puppy after a bath. 

I wasn't sure whether he was referring to Logan or me but before I could ask, Tommy continued, "Actually, I've got a full license. I don't normally drive, too scared. That's because I'm pretty accident prone. To my shame, I've totalled three cars in my short life span. Driving also doesn't help me lower my carbon footprint. So, if you give me a ride, I promise not to talk Green."

We sat in comfortable silence as I went at snail's pace in the Mini until we came to a junction. 

"Don't go yet....Look!" said Tommy pointing to a little boy in a purple raincoat chasing after a bright red ball. Just as he reached the road, his dad caught up with him and yanked him back. The he was quickly swept into his dad's arms and carried off back into the rain.

"Boy, that was dangerous. I could hardly make them out."

"Yep. I'm glad his dad's looking after him not a maid."

"Not mum?"

"Nah, kids need their dads too. I've gone without one. It really sucks."

"Yeah. So, where are you headed?"

"A few blocks away from your house. I'm meeting Jan for dinner and then headed home. Ahem...would you like to join us? Pretty please?"

"Sorry, I'm busy. Wait, you know where I live?" I thought of our worn and weathered two-storey pre-war house. 

Sigh, another worry. Even before mum's fatal heart attack, our house was badly in need of repairs. No one cared that the paint was peeling, pipes were leaking and the cupboard doors were falling off the hinges. Because if mum didn't notice, we all pretended not to notice. The ants were taking over our home the way Gabriel Garcia Marquez had described in the conclusion of "One Hundred Days of Solitude". Mum was a shrewd businesswoman but not much of a homemaker.

"I've popped by once or twice looking for you," Tommy confessed. "Your dad let me into your home office to wait but em...you've been busy. You might need a gardener soon to deal with the knee-high grass."

"I'll just get a goat. Dealing with the pending court case is more important," I turned to glare at him, causing the Mini to swerve to the right.

Tommy grabbed onto the steering wheel, wrapping his arms around me in back hug and keeping the car steady. "Boy, you're crabby. Are you going to keep me guessing or are you going to tell me what's up?"

"Nothing, just leave it alone." I elbowed him away in an expert karate move. We sat in silence, as I fumed internally.

"You know keeping things inside like that will cause you to develop ulcers and hair loss as you age." He said trying to provoke a reaction.

I shot him an evil eye, and he grinned back provocatively.

"Don't you love the rain? Reading alone while it is raining outside is my favourite way to spend the afternoon. Ooh look at that a rare orchid, Dendrobium Kiat Tan I believe," he said loudly trying to get my attention.