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- 14 -
The click of her heels signaled her arrival, and before long, he heard: "Hi, Gill!"
"Hello," Gill said. He had reached the point where it was more troublesome to ignore her, and it was best to return her greetings. He didn't need to be making enemies, he told himself. That's the only reason he entertained her cheerfulness day after day.
"Mm…" she grumbled to herself, hand over her lips in thought as she appraised the state of the bench. There was a fresh spring rain coming down, and they were both safe under umbrellas. But where Gill had an unreadable newspaper to mop up his side of the bench for a seat, Angela did not.
"Here," he offered his own seat for her, taking the trouble to stand.
"Oh, no – it's fine! Thanks!" Angela apologized, refusing his generosity.
The deed had been done, and the rain had now claimed his seat as well. They both awkwardly stood alongside the opposite ends of the bench from each other, staring out at the rain.
Angela chuckled wryly. "I never know what to do in these situations… maybe I should carry a towel on rainy days."
Gill let her have her reflections, and he watched the dark puddles splash under passing tires. The city smelled awful on rainy days. Steaming, sticky wash running down the streets. Lingering in stagnant pools and collecting litter. The stench of the sewer lines and the grates lining the walks. He wasn't the type to feel homesick, but Gill would rather be anywhere else in the world on a rainy day.
Angela took an audibly deep breath, and he waited for her to recoil. But she grinned, gesturing to the food cart on the corner. "Mm! Those crepes smell so good!"
He hadn't noticed that.