The Tragic Tale of Teddy Woven novel Chapter 15

The ringing of the phone alarmed me at first, breaking me out of my daydream. A towel was tossed over my soaking wet hair and then I sprinted out of the bathroom to find my phone. It was perched over the left side of the couch closest to the door, flashing a bright white light to the darker part of my living room.

“Hello?” My towel was nearly slipping off the side of my head, so I threw it over the back of my shoulder to catch the water that was steadily dripping downwards.

“Sela,” a distinctive Polish accent rang through the speakers. “Hello?”

“Oh, Daphne!” I cried out with pure joy. “It is so good to hear from you again. How are you?”

“Oh,” was murmured faintly, a sound that I barely detected through the speakers. “I’ve been better. I am home now. I haven’t spent much time here, and it feels strange without my husband.”

“Is he any better?”

“Getting there.”

I brushed back a printed orange and red pillow before I took a seat at the edge of my couch. It was late Thursday evening, and I was nearly ready for bed. “Daphne? Are you ready to go back to work on Monday?”

“As long as I work a short morning shift at Woven’s, then I should be fine.” She cleared her throat a little. “I’d give you my afternoon shifts, but I know your time is occupied already.”

“Yes, my schedule is full.”

“I will have to contact one of my other employees then,” she surmised in a tired voice. “But, how are you doing at Woven’s?”

“Oh, I am fine,” I lied, while squinting my eyes funnily. I tried to push back the awkward drive to the bus terminal that I had to endure this afternoon from my mind. “Well, you see…”

“Is he giving you any trouble?” my manager asked with worry. “Sela?”

“No, not really.” I pulled up the towel to cover my damp hair more, for I was currently experiencing a chill. “I didn’t take your advice. I spoke to him…” My gaze lowered to my lap with a feeling of remorse. “And he spoke to me.”

“Oh, there is nothing wrong with that!” Daphne yelled over the phone. “I’ve spoken to him often. He is a charming young man.”

“Yes, he is very polite.” My legs stretched themselves out upon the couch, since I wanted to get into a more comfortable position.

“Very charming!” my employer continued. “I don’t often work on private property, but Mr. Woven was quite desperate to procure a gardener. You mustn’t say anything, my dear, but he could not hire anyone in the town.” Her laughter rang through the speakers, increasing in time. “Town gossip,” she quipped. “But, Sela, you must not listen to them.”

“Town gossip?”

“Oh, nothing,” she said in a way to drop the conversation entirely.

“Daphne? Why did you want me to stay away from him?”

“Because he is a troubled man, Sela. You have a good heart. Incredibly sweet. A nature like yours against his…”

“Yes?”

“Sela,” she spoke in a tone of voice that was full of concern. “You would only get hurt trying to help him.”

“Help him?” I piped up, after I leaned forward with interest.

“Mr. Woven is a man that is best left alone,” she warned. “It would be in your best interest to stick to your job and-”

“-what if I don’t want to?” I interjected. “What if I want to help him?”

“You don’t understand, my dear,” the old lady chided. “You simply do not understand.”