The next day, after washing up and eating some of the food that Leo had packed for her, Nicole felt energised and decided to hasten up the process of finding the killers of Lizzy and go back to her normal life again.
After making sure everything was in place, she took out her phone and made a call to Leo. It went through and rang for two times before it connected and he answered.
''Hello, Leo speaking''
''This is Nicole Benson''
''You finally called me, ''the girl I rejected'' he said over the phone and Nicole felt like smacking him on the head but she held it in. She was going to let him off because he did some good deed for her.
''Let's meet up'' she said over the phone.
''Right now?''
''Yes''
''I have a meeting this morning. can we meet after that?''
''Fine by me. Call me when you are done''
''I will send you a text of the venue when I'm done''
''Okay, bye'' Nicole hung up.
On the other side, Leo stared at the phone dazedly and Priscy opened the door and walked in.
''Leo, the meeting is starting soon'' she said to him and he hummed a reply before standing up to leave with her.
His mood seemed to have lightened up as he continued to hum even as they walked towards the conference room.
The representatives of the various departments were already seated when they got inside. He went ahead to sit at the head of the table and turned to Priscy.
''Let them start'' he said to her and she nodded her head before turning to look at the first department to do the presentation.
It soon started but Priscy noticed that instead of listening to the presentation, Leo kept staring at his watch and checking his phone as if waiting for something. She lowered her head and asked him in a soft voice, ''Leo, is everything alright?''
''Yes, why do you ask?'' Leo turned to look at her.
''You just seem to be more focused on your watch and phone. Are you going somewhere after here or expecting someone's call?''
''I'm meeting someone after the meeting''
''Someone, where are you going? Who are you meeting?''
''Just someone, but, you seem to have a lot of questions to ask me today?''
''You now keep secrets from me? I thought I was your close friend?''
''You don't need to know, Priscy'' Leo casted another glance at his watch and stood up, he looked at Priscy saying, ''I'm sorry but you have to continue this meeting with me. There is somewhere I have to be at''
Without waiting for a reply, Leo went out of the conference room and Priscy also stood up. she turned to her assistant, ''go ahead without me''
''Yes, Miss'' his secretary replied and she took off.
Priscy got outside and saw Leo driving out and she rushed to her car and also got inside and drove following behind Leo
…..
Nicole started pacing around the hall after getting Leo's text. She didn't know why but she was suddenly nervous about being around him sober.
''Why are you nervous Nikki? Is not like you are meeting someone new. Get your act together. He might misunderstand you'' she said to herself.
''You never got over him, right?'' Lizzy said behind her and she turned.
''Don't humour yourself Lizzy. I got over him a long time ago. I'm just nervous because I don't know if he will believe me or not''
''Just be your natural self, he will believe you'' Lizzy assured her.
''En, let's go'' Nicole picked her purse.
''No, you are going alone'' Lizzy said to her.
''Again? Why am I going to meet your fiancé alone?''
''I can't go with you. Candy had been teaching me how to touch and hold things. I am currently busy with that''
''This is about you, Lizzy. How could you leave me to deal with him alone?''
''You will do fine. From here, is you alone''
''No, you can't be serious'' Nicole said and turned to Granny and Candy who were quiet all that while, ''no, you three ghosts are joking, right? Granny, how can I convince him when Lizzy is not there to back my claims?''
''Lizzy will only appear when you really need her. We have other things to do'' Granny stood up and beckoned on the rest. Before Nicole could say another word, the three ghosts had disappeared from her sight and the hall.
She tussled her hair and clutched her fists before going out.
…..
Nicole saw Leo standing beside his car as soon as she got down from the taxi. She looked at the restaurant and asked, ''why did you want to meet here?''
''You are here, let's go in and get something to eat first''
'''I am not hungry''
''I am'' he said and held her hand, walking inside with her. Nicole looked at him and really wanted to ask if he had hand fetish because every time they met, he would always hold her hand first.
Priscy pulled over at a distance and watched them going inside. She immediately recognised Nicole and banged her fist against the wheel.
''Was he in a hurry to meet this woman? Was with the hand holding? Is he flirting with her in the open now? I can't believe he left an important meeting to meet this woman. Where have I seen her before? she looks so familiar''
Priscy got down from the car and looked at them inside the restaurant. They sat facing each other and Leo was smiling at something Nicole said. This made Priscy angry and she felt like going in there to rip them apart, but she held it in and only left after taking a few pictures of the two together with her phone.
Leo looked at the menu as he asked Nicole, ''you have to eat first, or I am not going to listen to anything you have to say to me''
''Are you blackmailing me? I am not hungry? Don't you understand English? Should I say that in another language?''
''You got out from the hospital yesterday. The doctor said you needed to eat because you are malnourished. I am feeding you because of Lizzy, so be grateful and eat before we talk about what you have to say''
''I have no sense of gratitude. What are you going to do about that?''
''Oh, is that why you didn't even thank me for everything I did for you last night? I still feel like I was some kind of hired housekeeper''
''Should I pay you, then?''
''You really don't know how to lose out on an argument, right?''
''No, I don't''
''Fine, you win, but you are eating something. I can't be the only one eating while you are looking at me. what if someone says I am a stingy man who can't even pay a meal for a lady?''
''I don't care about what people say''
''I do, that's why you are going to eat. Waiter!!'' he raised his hand and the waiter walked to them.
''Are you ready to order something, sir and Ma'am?''
''I am not your ma'am?'' Nicole looked at the lady and muttered, 'that's what you do and turn ladies into old women. I am only 28'' she turned to glare at the waiter who looked flustered by her sudden outburst.
'''I'm sorry, Ma'am, no, I mean Miss'' the waiter immediately apologised.
''She will have the same thing as me. You may leave now'' Leo said to the waiter who hurried away. He turned to Nicole and asked, ''who spit in your biscuits, Miss? Don't tell me you are having your period?''
''Leo Ankrah, are you looking to die early?''
''No, but I need to know why you are suddenly transferring your pent up emotions on the poor waiter. All he did was address you by the normal way and you just took it out on him''
''Right, I am on my period. What are you going to do about that? Are you going to help me by taking it over for me?''
''I couldn't do that even if I wanted too, but you need to apologise to that waiter. He didn't do anything wrong''
''Right, I am the one who did wrong. I just….'' Nicole suddenly paused and looked at a couple that were clinging unto each other entering the restaurant.
''You just what?'' Leo asked and looked at her. He followed her direction and saw her looking at the couple and he asked, ''are they people you know?''
''No, but there is a female ghost attached to the man. That man might die if she continues to eat away his soul like that'' she said and pointed at the couple.
''What are you talking about?'' Leo asked quite confused.
''This is bad, I need to tell that man about it before it's late'' Nicole stood up and started walking towards the couple and Leo went forth to stop her.
''Wait'' Nicole looked at him, ''what are you going to tell him? That he has a ghost lurking around him? He won't believe you and he might even call you crazy''
''Still, he might die if I don't do something about it''
''Can't you exorcise the ghost without alerting them?''
''I am not an exorcist'' she suddenly thought of Detective Gail, ''but I don't think he will agree to help me''
''Who? That Detective?''