Knocking on the door of Tony's flat, Saffron worked to calm herself.
I hurt him, she thought. I wouldn't blame him for telling me to sod off.
"You!" a woman's voice, sharp and critical, barked at Saff from behind. "What do you want?"
Saffy turned to find the woman who owned the brownstone, Mrs. Patel, glaring at her.
Having been to Tony's flat only a few times, Saff didn't know Mrs. Patel as well as she'd like to but the woman's affection for Tony was clear; she saw him as something of an adopted son and was highly protective of him. This much was communicated to Saffy every time she and Tony spent the night at his place. Mrs. Patel made no secret of her disapproval where Saffron was concerned. Obviously, she thought Tony could - and should - do much better in the girlfriend department.
"Mrs. Patel," Saffron said, as politely as possible, "I'm looking for Tony, but it seems he's not home. Have you seen him?"
The small Indian woman frowned.
"Why? Did you fight with him?"
"No," Saff lied. Then, because she wasn't a born liar, she recanted. "We disagreed. I … got upset with him. And I wanted to apologize."
Mrs. Patel shook her head dismissively.
"You are no better than the last girl!" she snapped. "Tony is a good, good man and you both act as if he should worship you like queens, but you treat him like a beggar! He tells me I should like you because you are different than she was but no! No, you are not!"
This outburst startled Saffron, mainly because she had no idea who the "last girl" was that Mrs. Patel spoke of.
"Mrs. Patel…" Saff began.
"Leave Tony alone!" the woman scolded. "You break his heart like the girl before!"
As she turned to head back down the stairs, Mrs. Patel shook her index finger at Saffron.
"You hurt him, you will never find such a good man again! You hear me! Never!"
With that, she made her exit.
Saffy placed her palm against Tony's door, closing her eyes.
Clearly, the two of them had some things to work out. If she could find him.