Time Bomb*

“Hello,” I say, answering the flat phone at 10.05am this morning.  I’ve been asleep for thirteen hours but am still exhausted.

“Hello my love,” Seb says.

“Oh wow, you’re calling me,” I say.  “I’m sorry that I missed your other calls but I was at the office and…”

“The thing is,” Seb says.  “I can see now that you sent me messages after my calls, but at the time I called and then went back to the monastery where there isn’t any signal.  So I didn’t get your messages till the next day and…”

“Never mind,” I say, sipping my coffee.  “It’s wonderful to hear your voice.”

“I didn’t hear about the bomb in Bangkok till just now,” Seb says.  “So I wanted you to know that I’m OK and…well, people here are saying that it was a Westerner but I don’t think it was.”

He hasn’t been to Bangkok yet.  There had better not be another bomb there, I think.

“Well, when you do go there please don’t go to any shrines or any other tourist hotspots,” I say.  

“I won’t,” he says.  “So, I saw your messages.  I’ll be back on Saturday and then is it OK if we go to my mum’s?  There are some documents I need for university and…”

“Yes, of course,” I say.  “I’ve got my psychiatrist at midday and I’ll be back at the flat at one o’clock.”

“I’ll see you then my love,” he says.

“I look forward to it,” I say, looking at the clock.  “I have to be at the gym for training in a minute and…”

“I’d better call my mum and let her know that I’m still alive,” he says.  “See you on Saturday my sweet.”

“Yes, of course.  Call her!” I say.  “Can’t wait to see you.”

Please let there not be any more bombs in Thailand.  Want him back unharmed.

Attached photo is a flock of penguins at the safari park the other day.

Happy Thursday everyone!
*2003.  By Jonathan Kellerman.  An Alex Delaware detective novel.