Lucy hands me another pile of homework.
She seems miles away.
Everything OK? I ask.
She looks over one shoulder,
then the other,
bends down
to pet the dog.
Yeah, fine. Just busy, you know?
I watch while she counts out what she owes me
from the last set of work.
I have five fifty. Can I owe you the rest?
I’m good for it.
It’s OK. You gave me the phone.
What was that worth?
Oh yeah. The phone.
I guess we’re quits then.
You might even owe me.
She grins and pockets the money.
I planned on ordering pizza tonight
with loads of ham for Marla,
maybe Ben & Jerry’s for dessert.
Exactly, I say casually,
thinking of her white house,
en-suite bathroom,
the suppers.
Do you wanna take a cliff walk? I ask.
We keep meaning to do it,
joke a lot about jumping.
Not today.
Tomorrow maybe.
She nods to the pile of work.
You’re so clever.
Not cool or funny or anything.
But really clever.