Love, Flicker, Burn: Entry 8

Tiide Olufola-Carson

Perth

I woke up suddenly, startled by a knock at the door. It felt like I had been asleep for only a minute. 
I sat up, my head throbbing lightly. 
It was raining heavily outside and the rain drops poured with a unified anger on the roof of the chalet. 
I guess that was what made the moors so lush and green. 
Yes, I was still in the middle of nowhere, hardly reachable and without Ugo. How plans mutate. 
I could feel a draft of cold air from a crack or opening; old buildings were not particularly known for their great insulation. 

The knock came again, louder than the first, if that was possible. My head throbbed in unison with the sound. My mind suddenly perked up. Wait,could it be Ugo? Or was it the Landlord? Why would the landlord come here in the rain; maybe to tell me about something about the chalet. A little help with the draft would certainly be appreciated. Poor old man, he didn't have to come out in the rain though. I dared not hope it was Ugo, I was weary from expectation. Or was it? I checked my phone for any messages. None. It was 12.38am. It couldn't be the landlord.

Ugo?! I hurriedly leaped off the bed, grabbed my sweater and raced to the door, shoving my arms into my cozy sleeves as I went. I turned the doorknob, breath held.
The cold air was the first thing to hit me, then a huge smack of disappointment.  There stood the landlord cloaked in a huge yellow raincoat and a matching hat, under a massive umbrella.' Hi, love!' He said cheerfully in a thick accent. My disappointment could not be quantified but his striking resemblance to Paddington, the bear, did manage to put a smile on my face. My smile grew, as if influenced by his glee, mildly reflecting his delight.

People outside the city were always so happy. I hoped he wouldn't say too much, I could hardly follow the conversations with his heavy accent. Earlier, he had asked if I wanted to see his bird or was it his beard. Either way I considered it better to decline politely.

'There's a lad here to see you! He says he's uugoo'.

I had absolutely no idea what he just said but from behind him came Ugo. He had a little bouquet of tulips in his left hand and his brown leather duffel bag in the other, lightly damp from the rain. The landlord said something again, which I assumed was goodnight and walked off into the dark.

I stared at Ugo. I didn't know what to do. 
He came.
He actually came. I thought he wouldn't. He dropped his bag and pulled me into a hug.

'You thought I wasn't coming?' He whispered against my hair.

I said nothing and pulled back.

I didn't want to know what took him so long. I was just upset. You know that moment when you just feel irrationally upset and your boyfriend blames it on PMS. Yeah, one of those. In this case it was justified. 
'Where were you?!'
'The flight got delayed by.....'
I groaned angrily. Why don't men ever understand what we are saying?
'I don't care about your flight, Ugo! Where were you these last couple of months....'  I could feel anger rising, my voice as well.
He looked at me calmly.
 'You dump me, then suddenly, Paris...then flowers! My work space looks like a freaking greenhouse! What are you doing back in my life, Ugo? Why were you sending all those flowers? You dumped me!!’ Apparently, I had left over tears from earlier.
 I wasn't sure where all this was coming from, clearly neither was he.

I continued ' I was completely fine until you showed up.'

He leaned against the worn but clean sofa and kept looking at me. I hated it when he did that. His perfect, full lips remained firmly shut, his eye brows slightly furrowed.

'You shouldn't have come', I walked back into the room and paced for short while. I had to put an end to this confusion. It was exhausting. 

I walked out of the room. I was going to tell him I couldn't do this. Whatever this was. I was going to tell him about Lanre. I needed time away from him and Lanre. 
Then I saw it. 

To be continued.....