This Business of Revenge.
Chapter One.
Beep.
“Halo. I’m not here, what do you want?” demanded the tinny recording from the answering machine. It didn’t really sound like me, those stupid things never do.
Sniffle. “I…” hiccup. “I- h-he-heard that you, um; you get back at people.” Sniffle.
Some poor lost damsel sobbed on the other end of the phone. I didn’t really want to pick it up, I was quite cosy curled up on the couch watching some crappy reality TV programme, but really, I should pick up.
I sighed and leaned over for the phone.
It gave a plastic click as I picked it up off the receiver.
“Halo here, who do you want to suffer?” I asked, not for the first time, in an almost monotone fashion.
A few more sniffles at the other end of the line as the woman tried to gather herself together. A deep sigh and she spoke again.
“My boyfriend.” Gee, big surprise there.
“Who is he? What did he do?” Standard questions for any case.
“Damien. He…” She struggled to keep her emotions under control, just like the majority of the others.
They either had to control their rage or their desperation and sadness.
I don’t really know why they bothered but then again I suppose they don’t know that I know exactly what emotions they are feeling, there’s no reason to hide them in favour of pleasantries and politeness.
“He cheated on me,” Yet again, no surprise there.
“Wi- with my brother.” She spat out the last word as if it were covered in lemon and vinegar and perhaps liquor that stings ones tongue rather brutally.
Now, that indeed was a surprise. Not a very big one, but a surprise nevertheless.
“Ah okay,” this time it’s not monotone. “Is your brother a target in this as well? Or just the ex?” I start asking with a little more enthusiasm as my fingers fumble around on the coffee table to grasp a note pad and a pen or pencil.
“Um,” the women lets out a shaky breath. It’s tricky when it comes down to family. “Just the ex.” She says with more confidence, it’s probably easier saying ‘the ex’ instead of his name.
“Okay. Now, I just need his details.” I jot down the phone numbers, most visited addresses and e-mails. Well this has certainly brightened up my day.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name?” I slip in easily.
“Elise.”
“Elise. That’s a very pretty name,” my voice gains a few ounces of sweetness out of habit; I shake my head slightly - back to business.
“Now, Elise. You do understand that you will also need to help play a part in this?” I ask, dropping the sweetness; business voice now.
I hear the light crackling on the phone and I can tell she is nodding her head.
“Yes. I understand, I’ve been told about how you work.” Well now, that was nice.
Word of mouth was the only way my business was promoted; it wasn’t exactly something you could put in the paper after all. It was nice, knowing people have heard of me. I smiled.
“Alright, looks like we’re set then. Here’s what you have to do…”
“Halo. I’m not here, what do you want?” demanded the tinny recording from the answering machine. It didn’t really sound like me, those stupid things never do.
Sniffle. “I…” hiccup. “I- h-he-heard that you, um; you get back at people.” Sniffle.
Some poor lost damsel sobbed on the other end of the phone. I didn’t really want to pick it up, I was quite cosy curled up on the couch watching some crappy reality TV programme, but really, I should pick up.
I sighed and leaned over for the phone.
It gave a plastic click as I picked it up off the receiver.
“Halo here, who do you want to suffer?” I asked, not for the first time, in an almost monotone fashion.
A few more sniffles at the other end of the line as the woman tried to gather herself together. A deep sigh and she spoke again.
“My boyfriend.” Gee, big surprise there.
“Who is he? What did he do?” Standard questions for any case.
“Damien. He…” She struggled to keep her emotions under control, just like the majority of the others.
They either had to control their rage or their desperation and sadness.
I don’t really know why they bothered but then again I suppose they don’t know that I know exactly what emotions they are feeling, there’s no reason to hide them in favour of pleasantries and politeness.
“He cheated on me,” Yet again, no surprise there.
“Wi- with my brother.” She spat out the last word as if it were covered in lemon and vinegar and perhaps liquor that stings ones tongue rather brutally.
Now, that indeed was a surprise. Not a very big one, but a surprise nevertheless.
“Ah okay,” this time it’s not monotone. “Is your brother a target in this as well? Or just the ex?” I start asking with a little more enthusiasm as my fingers fumble around on the coffee table to grasp a note pad and a pen or pencil.
“Um,” the women lets out a shaky breath. It’s tricky when it comes down to family. “Just the ex.” She says with more confidence, it’s probably easier saying ‘the ex’ instead of his name.
“Okay. Now, I just need his details.” I jot down the phone numbers, most visited addresses and e-mails. Well this has certainly brightened up my day.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name?” I slip in easily.
“Elise.”
“Elise. That’s a very pretty name,” my voice gains a few ounces of sweetness out of habit; I shake my head slightly - back to business.
“Now, Elise. You do understand that you will also need to help play a part in this?” I ask, dropping the sweetness; business voice now.
I hear the light crackling on the phone and I can tell she is nodding her head.
“Yes. I understand, I’ve been told about how you work.” Well now, that was nice.
Word of mouth was the only way my business was promoted; it wasn’t exactly something you could put in the paper after all. It was nice, knowing people have heard of me. I smiled.
“Alright, looks like we’re set then. Here’s what you have to do…”
♠ ♠ ♠
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