The house is upside down. It was ransacked. Nothing is in its place. “They were thorough,” Blessing sighs.

“What were they looking for?” I wonder.

“Probably anything that might be useful to them: our next move, perhaps, or something that would tell them what we know so far,” he guesses. He stoops to pick up a couch pillow and puts it back on the couch.

“How much do you really trust your boss?” I ask, as I sit on the couch next to Blessing.

“I trust him with my life, why?” he says, suddenly sounding defensive and mad. Playful “married” Blessing has left the building, or the wooden house. Now I’m scared to tell him my suspicions.

“It’s just that every time you update him, we get attacked and since you say he’s the only one who knows then…” I leave him to complete the sentence. This does not need a SAI officer to work it out.

“Are you implying that he’s selling us to Luxurious Group?” he snarls.

“Or that he’s working with them,” I say. “How else can you explain so many coincidences, Blessing?”

He jumps up from the couch and looks down at me in disdain. “You don’t know anything about Ruben. He would never do that to me or anyone else,” he says. His voice is menacingly low.

I don’t budge. “Well, someone is a mole in your circle and that is a fact you cannot ignore. I suggest you find out who it is, and do it quickly.”

“I suggest that you let ME do my job, OK? I will not have a student tell me how to do my job!” he yells.

I stand up, march to the bedroom and slam the door shut behind me. Blessing can be so annoyingly mercurial. I can’t keep up with him. He’s smart enough to see the logic in my theory, yet stubborn enough to deny it. Maybe it’s being undercover for such a long time that makes him so changeable. He cannot be in one mood long enough for anyone to read it.

I’m tired suddenly. I want to get home to my Mom in this lifetime.

“Alex! Alex! Open up!” Blessing shouts as he bangs at my door.

“Go away, Mr Mercurial!” I snap.

“I’m sorry, OK? Please, open the door.” His voice has softened and he doesn’t bang any longer. “Please,” he begs.

I unlock the door and sit on the bed with my arms crossed.

“I’m sorry I got angry,” he says. “It’s just hard to think that my boss could put me at risk like that. We’ve come a very long way, he and I. But I see your logic and I will look into it, I promise.” He stands in front of me.

“Fine.” I mutter.

Blessing draws in a deep breath and sits down next to me. “Are you going to be angry for long?” he says, using my own words against me. “You’re scary when you’re angry.” His lips twitch in amusement. I remain silent in case my voice betrays me. “You know it was a novelty begging you to open the door for me.” I turn my head to him to ask why without saying a word. “I hadn’t done that in donkey years,” he adds.

“I can’t keep up with you,” I say, turning to face him with my whole body.

He does too, sitting over his one leg while the other dangles on the length of the bed. “What do you mean?” he asks, looking genuinely puzzled.

“Your mood shifts faster than a racing car. You kiss me, and then you’re distant. You’re playful, and then in the next split second you’re angry. You treat me like a child sometimes, and I don’t like it.” I wasn’t planning on saying so much but I can’t help it. I might as well use my title of “running mouth”.

His forehead creases as he ponders over my words. “I guess I’m not used to being questioned or explaining anything. In my line of work there’s usually no time for that. I don’t mean to treat you like a child. However, sometimes you do talk too much. My first priority is to protect you, and at times that means protecting you from yourself.”

“I work with facts, not suspicion or emotions,” he continues. “That would explain the being distant part. Like I said, you’re pretty much a novelty to me. It’s refreshing and I find myself relaxing with you, and as for kissing you…” he scans my lips involuntary. “I want to kiss you right now,” he confesses, making me gasp.

“Why don’t you then?” I challenge.

“I shouldn’t let myself get attached to you, Alex, and you shouldn’t encourage it either.”

“You’re getting attached to me?” I ask. For some unfathomable reason, this knowledge pleases me. I want Blessing’s approval. I wonder if it’s because he’s older than me, or because I’m grieving.

He holds my gaze as if he’s trying to read my thoughts. “Yes, but it’s wrong.”

“Why?” I shift closer to him.

“Because emotions always get in the way of doing any job properly, and also because there’s Mark.” His voice drops as he mentions Mark. I notice that he doesn’t attempt to move.

“I would think one would fight even harder to protect something or someone they care about, no?” I ask, choosing not to address Mark. I don’t want to cry right now or become angry. Yes, I am angry with Mark. He promised me a lifetime, and then he left me.

“Alex, you need to stop.” He swallows. Oh, he wants me. I can tell. “You’re grieving, you’re just looking for an escape, but this won’t help, and it’ll complicate things further, for the both of us.”

I groan. Being a grown up is such a party pooper.

“I won’t do that to you,” he says. This time he stands up and walks out the room.

Note to self: when you grow up, don’t become a bore.

I decide to act like the child he thinks I am. I follow him to the kitchen.

“You know it’s not because of that “I’m responsible” wisdom crap that you don’t want to kiss me,” I say, giving him a knowing look.

“Yeah, then what is it about?” he asks. He doesn’t look at me. I can sense that he’s being distant again.

I push him. “It’s because you’re afraid,” I say, sounding very sure of myself. “You don’t know how to be with a woman anymore. Maybe that’s why your girlfriend left you in the first place.” Before I can continue with my rant, Blessing very quickly and swiftly pins in me between him and the wall.

My heart pounds hard against my chest. Anger radiates from him. “Say that again,” he snarls, lifting my eyes to him. I see the challenge in them.

***

Tell us what you think: Is it fair for Alex to feel angry with Mark? Is she moving on too fast?