‘That I’ll think about whether I know or know of anyone who has anything to do with soap operas.’
‘I want a good part.’
‘I’ll see what I can do,’ Humlin said.
‘I want a big part with lots of lines.’
‘I may be able to think of someone you can talk to.’
Leyla did not seem satisfied with his vague answers, but her phone rang. She listened without saying anything.
‘My dad has called,’ she said. ‘I have to go.’
She left very quickly, before Humlin had a chance to really say goodbye.
‘I can walk you to the tram,’ Tanya said.
‘I think I can manage to find my way,’ Humlin said.
‘It’s better if I go with you. You might be attacked.’
‘Who would do that? I didn’t think Haiman knew I was out here?’
‘I’m not talking about someone like Haiman. He’s nice. I wish I had had a friend like Haiman in Tallinn. But there are gangs out here, guys who aren’t used to people like you. They could get angry.’
‘Why would the mere sight of me anger them?’
‘You make them feel like they’re nothing. Like they’re black and you’re white.’
Tanya escorted Humlin to the tram stop.
‘How do you think it went?’ he asked her.
‘Fine,’ she said.
‘I was very moved by what you told me on the phone.’
‘What does that mean, “moved”?’
‘I was touched.’
She shrugged.
‘I just told you what happened, that’s all.’
‘I think there was a lot you didn’t tell me.’
‘There’s your tram.’
She turned her back and started walking away. Another unfinished story, he thought. I can only see the back of it. She’s going back to the Yüksel apartment to sleep, unless she’s got some robberies planned. He put his hand in his pocket to make sure he still had his keys, then got on the tram and went down to the Central station.
He was home by ten-thirty. Humlin unlocked the front door and was prepared for the fact that Andrea might still be awake and ready for a fight. She walked out to meet him in the hall. He noticed to his relief that she did not seem angry.
‘Sorry I’m home so late,’ he said.
‘That’s all right. We have company.’
‘Company? In the middle of the night? Who is it?’
Humlin thought with horror that perhaps his mother had dropped by.
‘Is it Märta?’
‘No. Come out to the kitchen,’ Andrea said.
Humlin did not want company in the middle of the night. What he wanted was sleep.
He went out to the kitchen. A girl was sitting across from Andrea, with a cup of coffee in front of her. She was smiling.
Tea-Bag had returned.
Humlin was upset to find Tea-Bag in his kitchen. How long had she been there? What had she told Andrea? What would he tell Andrea about why he hadn’t mentioned Tea-Bag’s previous visit when Tea-Bag left? He foresaw a whole host of difficult questions.
‘This is unexpected,’ he said carefully.
‘Tea-Bag has told me quite a remarkable and shocking story,’ Andrea said.
I don’t doubt it, Humlin thought. If her name really is Tea-Bag and not Florence. At this point I don’t believe much of what people tell me, particularly not if they are young female refugees.
Andrea frowned at him.
‘Why don’t you say hello and sit down? I thought you two were friends?’
He sat down and nodded kindly in Tea-Bag’s direction without looking at her.
‘Why have you never talked about her brother?’ Andrea continued.
Warning bells went off in his head.
‘Her brother?’
‘Why are you giving me such a funny look?’
‘It’s not a funny look. I just don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m tired.’
‘Adamah? Who has the restaurant where you often eat lunch? I’ve never heard of either one of them, of course. I don’t know why you are always so secretive about your life. I would think you would have enough of being mysterious with your poetry, but you insist on weaving these inexplicable subtexts into your life as well.’
‘You’ve never told me you thought my poetry was mysterious before,’ Humlin said.
‘I’ve only used that word every time you publish a new collection. But we’ll talk about your poetry another time. I just want to come with you next time and have some African food. Adamah seems to be quite something, both as a chef and a person.’
She’s probably not the only person who’s never heard of Adamah or his restaurant, Humlin thought. I just hope Tea-Bag didn’t say anything about having slept in our bed.
‘It was nice of you to let her sleep here since she had lost her ticket and couldn’t get back to Eskilstuna.’
The phone rang and Andrea left the kitchen. Humlin leaned over to Tea-Bag — who was still smiling — and quietly shot a string of questions at her.
‘When did you get here? What have you said? Why are you going to Eskilstuna? Why do you disappear the whole time? What happened in Hallsberg? Why do you come out to Stockholm when we have arranged to meet in Gothenburg?’
The questions just poured out of him. She didn’t answer, just took his hand as if to calm him down. He pulled it back.
‘Don’t do that! Andrea is insanely jealous.’
Tea-Bag looked affronted.
‘I just wanted to show you I was happy to see you. Why would she be jealous of me?’
