Detained

“You know she’s going to keep calling.”

He groaned, rubbed the back of his neck; the lack of sleep was starting to tell.

“Okay, Wendy. Put her through, but if she makes me cry it’ll be your fault.”

Wendy’s giggle gave way to Jiao’s, “Will Parker, what is wrong with you?”

He hadn’t heard from Jiao for more than nine months, and out of the blue here she was. “Hello Jiao. How’s Shenzhen?”

“You answer my question first.”

“Nothing’s wrong with me. What makes you think something’s wrong with me?” She wasn’t going to buy that. Will closed his eyes, sandpapery and probably red-rimmed.

“Why haven’t you started a new contract? Is it the girls, are they no good? I worked hard to find the best for you.”

“No. No. It’s not the girls. I’m sure they’re wonderful. I’m sure you picked the best.”

&n

bsp; “But you don’t choose. You don’t even try out. In nearly two years. That is too long for you.”

He sighed. This was an echo of the conversation with Pete and Bo. “Jiao, honey, why are you calling me?” He pushed the speaker button and put the handset in the cradle. This was going to take a while.

“Because you were not a stupid man when I looked after you and you are now.”

Will rolled his eyes, something Jiao hated him doing. “I was occasionally stupid then, and I’m the same now.”

“Not true, sou hai.” Jiao spoke half a dozen languages but she cursed exclusively in Cantonese and since Will’s Cantonese was almost exclusively curse words there was no failure to communicate. Didn’t mean he had to like it. He picked up the handset. No one could hear them, but he didn’t want to be sworn at on loudspeaker.

“Did you just call me a dumbass?”

“You’re a big dumbass.”

He pushed into the back of his chair and stared at the ceiling. “And you know this how?”

“How do you think I know this? My brother-in-law is a weak man, and my sister has a giant mouth. How long do you think it took me to work it out?”

“Work what out?”

“Lan tou.” She’d called him a dickhead. “You’re in love with a blonde journalist.”

Will nearly smacked the side of his head with the phone handset. Jiao’s brother-in-law had done more than arrange to have Darcy pulled from the immigration line-up and serve them dinner. Thank God he’d locked the door when things got intimate.

“I’m not in love with anyone. I only just met the woman. You’re as bad as Pete.”

“If the length of time you know someone is the prerequisite for love you’d still be with me.”

“You left me, Jiao.”

“Gau si gwai.”

Will frowned, she’d said something about dogs, turtles and shit. She was making up swear words now. “What’s your point?”

“My point is I spoiled you, but this woman will ruin you.”

This was Jiao at her most enigmatic. Impossible to reason with. “Are you done lecturing me? Can we talk now? I miss you.”

“Don’t you dare sweet-talk me.”