Page 97 of The Moon Sister
‘Don’t be silly, Tiggy, I’m sure that with what Zed is paying to stay here, we can grant you a few minutes of a long distance call. Now hurry up, before Zed complains the line is engaged.’
‘Thanks, Beryl. I won’t be long.’
I walked along the corridor to the office, shut the door behind me and picked up the receiver, pondering what to say to Maia.
The line rang and rang – it was the afternoon in Rio, so I hoped that she wasn’t out.
‘Oi,’ said the familiar mellow tones of my eldest sister.
‘Oi, Maia,’ I smiled into the receiver at the sound of her voice. ‘It’s Tiggy here.’
‘Tiggy! How fantastic to hear from you! How are you? Where are you?’
‘Still in the middle of nowhere up in the Scottish Highlands, looking after my animals. You?’
‘Busy with my English teaching in the favela, and Valentina keeps me on my toes too. How Ma managed to control all us sisters when I have a problem with one six-year-old, I don’t know. The child is never tired,’ Maia added but I could hear the warmth in her voice. ‘How are you?’
‘I’m good, yes. It’s just that Ally advised me to contact you. About someone called Zed Eszu.’
There was a long pause on the other end of the line.
‘Right,’ she said eventually.
‘Well,’ I ploughed on, ‘he’s offered me a job. And oh, Maia, it’s a fantastic opportunity.’
I went on to explain the job spec and how much money Zed was offering me to spend on the charity.
‘And that’s even without my pay package and all the perks. So, what do you think?’
‘Of the job offer? Or Zed?’
‘Both, I suppose.’
‘Oh Tiggy . . .’ I heard Maia sigh deeply. ‘I don’t know what to say.’
‘Whatever it is, Maia, please just say it,’ I urged her.
‘Before I do, I just want to ask you whether you and Zed . . . Well, are you romantically linked? Or is this a completely professional relationship?’
‘It’s professional on my side but on his . . . to be truthful, I’m not sure.’
‘He’s giving you a lot of attention?’
‘Yup.’
‘Writing you letters, bringing you presents and sending you flowers?’
‘Yup.’
‘Turning up at your front door uninvited?’
‘Yup.’
‘In essence, stalking you?’
‘Yes. Cal – my housemate – evencallshim my stalker.’
‘Right. So do you think he’s offering you this job because you’re the right person for it? Or is he using it as bait to get you?’
