4

"Aunt, you're still around? I told you to stop closing late. Do you want the thugs that came by the last time to reappear? If you continue closing late, they'll come back to disturb you.” Josie scolded the restaurant woman.

“Oh my! See this girl. You keep on telling me to stop closing late, but you yourself still come by looking for me late. Besides, I can't leave until all my customers leave.”

“You still have customers this late?” She asked worriedly. “It's past twelve already. Aunt, if you go on with the rule of customers leaving first, you'll end up sleeping in this place one day. You tell the customers to leave when you want to close, that's the rule.”

“But what do I do?” She asked, looking at Asher worriedly and dropping the bottle of drink she was holding. “That person over there is not ready to leave yet. He even ordered for another bottle.”

Josie turned to look at Asher who had already placed his head on the table. “Don't worry Aunt, I'll take care of this for you. Just watch and learn in case I'm not around.”

Josie walked to where Asher sat and sat opposite him where Jared had been sitting before he left. Looking at the empty bottles in front of him, she could tell that he had been with someone.

“Aunt, was he here with someone?” She asked as she turned to look at the restaurant woman curiously.

“Yes, that's right.”

“Was it perhaps a lady?” She asked again, getting interested.

“No. It was a man. They came in together but the other man had to leave after paying.”

“A man?” She asked giving a disappointed look. “I thought he was drinking because of a lady.” Clearing her throat, she tapped him. “Excuse me!” Getting no reply, she tapped him again. “Excuse me!” Getting no reply from him the second time, she tapped him again and this time, he moved but didn't raise his head. “Did anyone force him to drink?” She muttered to herself as she tapped him again and when he didn't move, she used her index finger to raise his head up. 

“Excuse me! You can't sleep at places like this, you have to. . .” She stopped abruptly as she noticed the familiarity in his face. “Why does he look so familiar?”

“You know him?” The restaurant woman asked.

“No. No way. He just looks familiar.” 

Raising his head up properly, her eyes went wide open as she remembered seeing him earlier that evening at the police station. Standing up, she exclaimed. “Criminal!”

“He's a criminal?” The restaurant woman asked surprisingly.

“Uhn.” She nodded quickly. “I saw him at the police station today.”

“Should I call the police?” She asked, bringing out her phone.

Josie was about nodding her head when she recalled their conversation that evening about him denying being a criminal. She shook her head immediately. “No Aunt, he's not a criminal.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” She nodded as she looked at him wondering why he was drinking. She assumed that the man he came with must have been Squad leader Jared Nittolo since he had been waiting for him. 

Smiling and thinking about her money, she took his phone with the intention of calling Jared. However, he didn't save his number with his actual name, giving her a difficult time in finding it. 

Just then, she thought quickly of checking his call log, guessing that he must have called him since he was waiting for him. The only contact he called was "Phoebe" and "Brother". Without thinking twice, she concluded that Uncle was Jared and he probably got drunk because of Phoebe.

"All men are the same. He got drunk because of a lady! Phoebe, she must be his girlfriend or something." Muttering to herself, she sneered at him as she called "Brother" and waited for him to pick.

“Hello, is this Detective Jared Nittolo?”

“Yes that's right.” He replied after clearing his throat. “Who are you and why are you using Asher's phone?”

“Asher? Is that his name?” 

“Who are you?”

“I'm Josie Maran.”

“Josie Maran? Why are you with his phone? What is wrong with him?”

“Nothing. Nothing at all. He's just drunk.”

“Asher? Got drunk? That's not true?” He objected. “What do you want?”

“What do you mean by it's not true and what do you mean by what do I want?” Josie asked feeling insulted. “Is it a crime now to help people? Uhn? Is using his phone not enough proof? Or do you think a conscious person would allow a female stranger to call his brother? And you call yourself a detective, how exactly do you think?"

Jared was taken aback as he was surprised that she knew his name since Asher saved his number as brother. He was also surprised that she knew he was a detective. “Who are you and how do you know who I am?”

“Why do you people make me repeat things, uhn? Didn't I tell you I'm Josie Maran? Are you going to come here and carry your brother or sit there and ask me questions.”

“Alright. I'm on my way.”

“Don't forget to come with your wallet!” She added quickly as that was the main reason she was calling him in the first place.

“What?”

“Your wallet, don't forget to come with it.”

Jared assumed that Asher drank more than he could pay for and without hesitating, he grabbed his wallet and went out of his office. “Alright. I'll be there soon.”

Josie disconnected the line and dropped his phone on the table. Sitting down, she shook her head as she watched him. “Your older brother will be here soon.”

Asher opened his eyes slowly and met Josie's gaze. She raised her right hand and waved it in front of him. “Can you see me?” She asked before turning to the restaurant woman. “He's not totally drunk.”

Asher stared at Josie as he talked to himself. “Why? Why did you do it? Leaving just like that, why did you do it?”

“Eh?” Puzzled, she noticed he wasn't talking to her while he kept on talking to himself.

“Why did you have to leave me? Annette Nittolo! Why did you have to leave early like that?”

Josie gave him a concerned look as she also talked to no one in particular as the name gives her a spark. “Annette Nittolo? Why does the name sound familiar? Who is Annette Nittolo?"

“Do you know who that is?” The restaurant woman asked her worriedly.

“I'm not sure.” She replied and just then, her eyes went wide open as she remembered something while Asher's drunk gaze didn't stop meeting her eyes.

“What's wrong?” The restaurant woman asked her, noticing her sudden reaction.

"Aunt!” She exclaimed as she used her hand to indicate that she should come closer. The woman came closer to her and leaned in to listen.

“Aunt," She whispered. “Could it be by any chance the girl that dumped him?"

“How sure are you?” she asked.

“It's possible. Look at this. She must have dumped him and he came here to tell his brother, but he left, then he got drunk unable to stop thinking of her. Don't you think it could have happened that way?”

The woman shook her head as she pitied him. “What a poor young child.”

Just then, Jared rushed into the restaurant. Pausing at the entrance, he looked round and when he saw Asher, he hurried to where they were.

“Asher!” he called as he shook him awake. “Asher!”

“Uhn.” Asher stirred awake as he looked up at Jared. “Brother, you're here.”

“You rascal!” Jared exclaimed hitting his head. “What are you doing getting drunk here! Get up.”

“Don't hit him!” Josie raised her voice. “Don't you think he has gone through a lot already? Why hit him?”

Jared turned to look at Josie who stared at him in return. They both stared at themselves for a few seconds before he finally gave a quick bow while Josie did the same. “Who are you? Are you Josie Maran?”

“That's right.” She nodded. “Squad leader Jared Nittolo?”

“How did you know?”

“Don't be alarmed,” She laughed hitting his shoulder. “I'm not a stalker. I'm just a regular citizen. Actually I was the one that came to your police station to deliver this evening."

“Ah!” He exclaimed recalling. “The delivery.”

“That's right. Next time, you don't leave your customers hanging like that. I had to wait for you but you didn't show up.”

“But I told you not to wait.”

“How could I not wait when he. . ." She paused, pointing to Asher  ". . .didn't give me any money. Of course I had to wait. Anyways, now that you're here, you can just pay up.”

Jared brought out his wallet and handed her the money for the delivery while he helped Asher out of the restaurant. Josie's curiosity made her hurry after him.

“Excuse me!” She shouted after him, making him stop in his tracks. “Sorry to bother you, but I was curious about something. I hope you don't mind me asking, but who is Annette Nittolo?”

Jared turned to look at her surprised. “What?”

“I mean. . . he just kept on calling 'Annette'. By any chance, did she dump him?”

Jared sighed. “You shouldn't worry about other people's business.” He replied before walking away.

“What was that? I was only trying to help. Whatever!” She muttered to herself as she went back into the restaurant. “Aunt! It's time for you to close and go home.”

Richard Maran's Apartment

After taking a glass of water, Richard was about switching off the light and retiring to bed when he suddenly heard someone imputing his pin. Knowing who it was, he walked to the dining table and watched as Josie entered the apartment.

Glancing at the wall clock, he scoffed at how late she was. Closing the door gently behind her, she tiptoed to the couch, dropped the nylon bag she was holding on the table, removed her shoes and she jumped on the couch feeling exhausted. Sighing, she closed her eyes while Richard stood up from the dining table and walked up to her.

“What do you think you're doing here?” He asked.

Startled, Josie flickered her eyes open quickly and sat up. “Hey! You startled me!”

Folding his hands, he looked at her closely. “Hey? Am I your friend? I asked you what you're doing here. You should be at home and if not, your apartment.”

Looking up at him, she smiled. “My darling, why would you want to send your wife away?”

“What? Darling? Who is your husband?”

“You, of course!”

“Hey! Josie! Stand up now.”

Standing up, Josie picked the nylon she dropped on the table before walking to the dining table. "I stood up already. Satisfied?”

“Go to your apartment and if not, go home.”

“Ah, why?! Why don't you like letting me stay here!”

“Why would you stay here? You should go home.”

“I told you my neighbour moved out and I can't stay there alone. Besides, Mum is angry at me, how do you expect me to go home?”

“If you can't stay at your apartment alone, just apologize to mum and that's the end!”

“The end? Why are you talking like this, brother? You know Mum. Will she end it like that? Of course not.”

“Then why don't you take the money I offered you and repay her with that. You keep on rejecting it. You can just collect it, tell her you saved it up to return it back to her and that's all.”

"Why would I take the money you worked for? The fact that you're my brother doesn't mean I can accept money from you just like that. I'll pay her back when I get my pay this month.”

“But you used to accept it from me.”

“That was before I started working.”

“You can just accept it from me now and pay me back later.”

“Not like you would accept it when the time for me to pay back comes. I don't have to live off you while working. My work is different from your work but it doesn't matter. And it's not like I don't have my apartment. I'll earn my money myself so that when you get married, I won't be a burden to you.”

Sighing, he walked to the dining table where she was.

"And staying in my house is not a burden, right?” He asked looking at her closely. If there was anyone who knew how to use his weakness against him, it was Josie. She kept quiet giving him a puppy look which never got past him. “You really know how to push a pin into my heart, don't you?”

Lightening up, she smiled. “I love you too, darling!”

Opening the nylon, she got a plate and emptied the content of the nylon into it. “I got rice cakes and yoghurts from Granny's restaurant.”

Nodding his head, he watched her fill the plate and when he was sure she was done, he took it from her and walked away. “This would be your payment for staying here tonight.” He told her as he walked towards his room.

“Brother!” She exclaimed as she went after him. “Don't do that! I'm hungry!”

“There's noodles in the fridge.” He replied as he hurried into his room.

“Brother, I hate you!”

Smiling to himself, he opened the door. “I love you too!” he exclaimed before slamming the door shut.