I’m so tired that I almost fall through the front door. I go to hang my coat on the hook, but there is already a row of jackets there, as if David is breeding them. I move a couple of his so that they’re on the same peg, and then hang my own. After that, I head to the kitchen and drop my keys into the Tigger pot, before opening the fridge. I left some chicken in there last night – an Asda rotisserie job – but that is gone. So is what was left of the apple juice I’d bought myself.
David is in the living room, his feet up on the coffee table as he simultaneously taps away on his phone and watches TV. It’s the exact same position I left him in this morning. He barely turns as he mutters ‘All right’ in my direction.
‘Did you eat the chicken?’ I ask.
‘Yeah.’
‘I was going to have it for my tea.’
‘Sorry…’
He doesn’t sound particularly remorseful and I have to content myself with a glass of water for now.
I check the fridge again and then turn back to David. ‘Did you have the bibimbap as well?’ I ask.
‘The what?’
‘The rice bowl.’
‘That was lunch,’ he replies. ‘It was really nice. I was wondering what it was.’
It’s probably because I slam the fridge door, but David finally realises there’s something wrong. He puts his phone down and crosses to the kitchen.
‘Everything all right?’ he asks.
‘I’ve just done three classes in a row – and you’ve eaten all my food!’
‘I didn’t know.’
‘You’ve been in all day. You could’ve gone shopping.’
He presses back onto the counter and, though I can see he’s trying to look somewhat sorry, it doesn’t stop the smile slipping onto his face. He’s like a child who’s just been told off.
‘I have news,’ he says.
‘What?’
David reaches into his jeans pocket and takes out a wad of banknotes that he places on the counter.
‘There’s five-hundred there for you,’ he says.
I look from him to the money and back again. ‘Why?’
‘I figured a sort of rent thing. Or use it for the bills. Whatever. It’s not fair that you pay for everything.’
I don’t know what to say at first. This is what I’ve been hinting at for months and he’s finally got the message. It probably doesn’t cover everything I’ve spent on him in regards to food and bills – but it’s better than nothing. We’ve also got here without a big argument. I wonder if this is what it’s like with other couples. Sometimes we feel more like housemates.
‘I know we’ve never talked about it,’ he says, as if reading my mind, ‘but I think I should contribute. The sales to Sweden went through and I paid off your mum’s friends with plenty to spare.’
He smooths down the notes and then passes them over. I don’t know what to do with them, so end up holding them. I’m not sure I’ve ever had this much cash in one go.
‘What about the Slovakia thing?’ I ask.
‘That fell through.’
‘Oh…’
He bats a hand as if it doesn’t matter, even though I know he was keen a short time ago.
‘You go and sit,’ he says. ‘I’ll cook something for you to eat and then we can watch something on catch-up.’
I start to protest but not in any meaningful way. Instead, I go and change into my pyjamas and then decamp to the sofa. I fiddle with my phone, check Facebook and generally don’t do very much.
After a while, David comes over with a bowl full of a risotto he’s put together. If I’m honest, it’s not very good. He’s cooked it for too long and the rice has dried out, while the only discernible flavour is garlic. I tell him it’s nice anyway because I’m not a complete lunatic.
He sits at my side and scrolls through the list of recorded programmes to put on last weekend’s Strictly.
‘What did you get up to today?’ I ask.
‘Checked a few websites and followed up a tip about an auction that’s happening in Marlborough on Tuesday. I headed out there to ask a few questions and then tried to persuade the owner to sell privately to me. I’m waiting on a callback. I met a couple of interesting locals out there, actually. Some bloke who does house clearances who took a card and another guy who was going on about how he can get fake IDs and passports. I took his card just to be polite. Probably a nutter.’ He pauses and then adds: ‘What about you?’
‘I got my first personal training clients today.’
‘Congratulations! I knew you could do it.’
I try not to be too smug – even though I’m definitely pleased with myself.
‘I’m hoping I’ll be able to do a bit more during the day and have more evenings off,’ I say.
‘That’ll be nice.’ He rests an arm around my shoulder. ‘I’m so proud of you. You’ve done this all by yourself. So many people lack the ambition to do the type of thing you’ve done.’
I put my bowl to one side and press my head into his shoulder. I needed to hear this. It’s what makes us more than housemates.
‘Thank you for believing in me,’ I say.
‘Of course I believe in you. Who wouldn’t?’
‘Nobody else did,’ I reply. ‘Only you.’